Mission Newsletter #35

Out on the mission, it's tradition that you have a matching item with each companion. Sis. Shattuck and I found ours this week: Matching Moo-Moos! For those of you who don't already know, I LOVE Moo-Moos. It's like my signature thing, so this was perfect! Now, our companionship is totally complete. :)

Funny Moment: When we went to go teach Justin, he brought home a baby bat he found at work! We both took pictures and held it. It was kind of cool to be able to hold one. I never did that before. When Sis. Shattuck got done holding it and gave it back to Justin, it pooped on him! It was sooooo Gross, but soooooo Funny! That bat knows how to treat a lady and waited to be back in Justin's possession. :) I love chivalry.

This week, the elders were oh so kind to give us five new people to go see and teach! Sis. Shattuck and I were enthused to meet these sweet ladies. The next afternoon, we trekked out. As we went down the street to meet Kim, there was a pitbull across the dirt street barking at us from the house. There was a gate, so I wasn't too concerned, but Sis. Shattuck has been bit by a pitbull on the mission before and has a scar to prove it. They scare her, so she began to run. The dog too began to run, heading straight for us. There was apparently an opening in the gate as the pitbull came beyond the gate right in front of us. She blocked the walkway to Kim's house. It stood it's ground and began to lunge at me. Sis. Shattuck and I repeated prayers to Heavenly Father over and over again in our heads. Kim peaked out and told us it wasn't her dog, but we better go cuz it was a mother pitbull and had puppies! We slowly backed up. Sis. Shattuck was able to pick up a brick that was by her and we slowly walked away. We continued to pray as the dog was still running at us and barking. We somehow got out of there safe and sound. I know the Lord was protecting us as we prayed with every fiber of our being. I am so grateful we were ok. The Lord truly protects his missionaries.

With all the craziness this week, we have also seen miracles. The greatest of all is of Walter. He is scheduled to be baptized this coming week and although the Autistic girl in the branch screamed during church, "There's a chair missing!" and the chorister appears to be always grumpy, he bore his testimony to us that he feels for the first time that a church is truly full. He said he's never felt that way ever before. He also knows the Book of Mormon is true 'cause he always wondered why in the Bible he only knew about the people over there. What about the people here? It is so apparent that the Lord has been preparing him for years to receive this true gospel into his life. It is so incredible to watch his change and light grow more and more every time we see him. The Lord loves him. That is for sure. The mission is a testimony to me that is church is so true and that God loves His children and wants them to return back to Him.

Straightening my Bible from the Rain we got stuck in. Wasn't dry after three days and I no longer had a blow dryer so hello straightener!... Don't worry. Didn't use the Lord's time. Work on it before bed. :)

Lastly, I want to do a shout out to the Fathers, especially mine for this upcoming week: Happy Father's Day! You men are incredible and we, as woman, are grateful for your roles! Elaine S. Dalton said in one of my favorite talks, Love Her Mother, "You are not ordinary men. Because of your valiance in the premortal realms, you qualified to be leaders and to possess priesthood power. There you exhibited “exceeding faith and good works,” (Alma 13:3) and you are here now to do the same. Your priesthood sets you apart." Dad, thank you for being a great example of one who is worthy to hold this priesthood. You have always done it humility and held it sacredly. That has been example to me and helped me as I have gone to better understand and appreciate that wonderful gift that you men can carry. Thank you Dad for being a great dad to me! I love you and I know that a lot of who I am today is due to that. I love you!

Love,
Sister Salmond