Humbly Humid

By | 2:53 PM
So, I wasn't having the best day on Monday... :( to be honest actually I'm not having a best day ever. I've been homesick since I left, but at least before I was also in a daze. Now it's all sinking in and it’s not to awesome. But I'm handling and I'm still having amazing experiences so it all equals out in the end. As I said in my letter to the Mission President this week "it’s hard, but I understand that it's supposed to be hard. I have a lot of hard lessons to learn, and hard lessons can't be easy to learn." yeah, makes very little sense... but there it is...

also... I'm having allergy issues I think. My eyes are always seriously scratchy and dry and my nose is itchy and I sneeze a lot and my throat is sore... it's not super bad, but it's annoying.  



On Tuesday we spent most of the day in the car... again.... I love long drives but not this often!  Seriously.... Mena is super pretty, but also super far away from the rest of the zone and mission in general.  Too. Much. Driving!
Anyway, on Tuesday we had zone training and president interviews.  I cried in front of the president... again.  I'm pretty sure there is a warning about me in my permanent file at this point. 

       Small clip of my interview:

PS : Hey there Sister Longberg!  How are you?  How is the work in Mena?
SL:  So great!  I love it, everyone is awesome and kind and I love it!
PS: I love to hear that!  Tell me about a cool experience you've had recently...
SL:  I have had so many great moments.... there was this lady - **sniffles** - and she **wipe away a tear** - and... -**bust into sobs and words become inaudible** - church - **more sniffles** - prayer - **more tears** - so beautiful!
PS:  well... that sounds like a great experience.
SL:  **quiet nods and wiping of snot on back of hand**
PS:  I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry.
SL:  **embarrassed now**

       The End


sooooo....
We got back to Mena pretty late but not late enough to call it a day, so Sister Daines and I played the "lets see if we can find someone who will open their door" game.
We ended up on the porch of a woman named Sandra Reid. (An inactive member)
It was hot and humid and gross, and she had no air conditioning.  I did not want to go in.
She invited us to sit down.  I did not want to do that, but Sister Daines gave me a look, so I did.
(The couch was yellow and brown... I think it was supposed to be white... dust clouds appeared after we sat down. just FYI)
We asked how she was and how her day went.  She gave quick short answers.  Sister Daines loves to talk with people and to know and understand people before we share a lesson and leave, I don't.  I understand where Sister Daines is coming from, but I do not like small talk.  We are there for a reason and when it is hot and gross and the person is in a small night gown with no underwear on, I just want to get the message across and book it out of there!
So I pull out my Scriptures and ask if we can share a short spiritual message with her.  Sandra nods and I read Alma 22:15-16 and I bear my testimony of the atonement and the importance of faith and humility towards our Savior.  Sandra is in tears by the end and Sister Daines gives a quick mention of her testimony and asks Sandra what she thinks about our message.  Sandra doesn't talk or anything, she just silently cries. 
We sat in that hot and humid home for 5 minutes in complete silence. 
Finally, Sister Daines asked Sandra if we could get some priesthood brothers over to give her a blessing.  She nods her head yes but say's that it's too late tonight and to come back in the morning... but to call first.
Well, you can guess that by the next morning she no longer wanted the blessing and she will not answer her door or her phone.  But we are sure not giving up on her that easy!  Silly people think they can out wait the missionaries!  Yeah right! 


It has been raining here for the past couple days.... yeah....
Rain in Arkansas is not like the rain I am used to.
It's hot, humid rain that literally evaporates off the road as soon as it hits.  Nasty.
My hair will not stay straight... and it feels like I took a shower in my under-clothes and tried to put on clothes over that.  I hate this.


I have been baking!  I made banana bread and oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal banana bread.... I share it with the Shaws and some other members who have given us rides or meals or something.  I love doing that sort of thing!  So great! 


On Friday and Saturday we did exchanges again... I don't like those anymore :/ 
Bentonville sucks big time and I hope I never actually serve there... but now that I've said that you know I'm going there soon... bleck!  They don't have a car so you have to walk EVERYWHERE!! 
You know when you take a hot shower but didn't turn the fan on... yeah picture walking around in that for hours!  Gross :(
I did get to teach an atheist... that was interesting. 
When teaching this "atheist" I learned a lot... and it wasn't as scary as I initially thought.  He prayed and he loved it.  It was an interesting experience that I wish I could have again but I can't because he is in Bentonville and I am in Mena...
And then, while I am away Sister Daines found us a new investigator!  I hate that I missed it, but I'm glad that it happened!
Kim is Catholic and hates the Book of Mormon, why she is talking to us I don't understand, but she is and it's great!  she loves us and loves me because I have a better understand of the bible then Sister Daines.... we kinda play good cop, bad cop with her where I pull out bible verses and Sister Daines backs me up with the Book of Mormon... it's pretty funny.


okay, last story
This morning, its raining.  Sister Daines wants to clean the car.  I'm thinking vacuum, but no.  She wants to wash the car today.  In the rain. 
we got some really funny looks.
I'm just glad she spent her money on it, cuz serisouly.  that was stupid.  seriously. 


 ~~~Blessings:
- Enjoying time with the Davis family on fathers day.
- A sweet letter Joy Prince sent me after she found my blog!
- Green grass after rain storms!
- you know that one tree in our back yard? with all the pretty pink flowers?
yeah, they grow like wild fire here!  every where!  and they are almost all pink!  so cool,
- Sister Daines has been sick twice... I feel great all the time :) 
- members who feed me... :)


okay.  I want to do a Blessing and Funny things and stuff section every week.... but I can't remember half of what happened!  I'll figure it out eventually... I have 17 months....

oh yeah, I'm also grateful for an area with a car and Talimena drive.  look that up!  it's amazing!  not quite like Cottonwood Canyon, but close!




~~~ SL
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