transfer weeks are always crazy, cuz I write to you, then I move and settle and then I have to remember what I did in Owasso and now in Cassville! it's crazy!
so, on Tuesday and Wednesday I packed and packed and packed and visited people in between packing. there is never enough time! and I have WAY too much stuff. I ended up putting all the vitamins and my sheets and blankets in a separate box! and then I had some food and books in another bag.
saying goodbye to the Mattingly's was the worst and hardest thing ever. it was almost worse than saying goodbye to you because at least when I said bye to you I knew I would be coming back. I don't know for sure with them and even though I promised I would... I really just don't know!
but.... it helps because the Oliphants live just 3 hours away... so it would be easier to visit the Oliphants with grandpa or something someday and take a small trip up to Owasso again :) that would be pretty cool.
but anyway, long story shorter: I made dinner for the Mattingly's :) Angela bought some good veggies and rice noodles and chicken and I made a classic stirfry like i used to at home :) it was AMAZING! I haven't had anything so healthy in a long time!
we stayed there for nearly 3 hours... which is super long, but they just would NOT let me leave! and when I finally forced my way out, they presented to me a super cute purple journal with notes from each of them. I cried and cried the whole way home. I didn't cry when I left Mena. I didn't cry when I left Claremore or Sapulpa. I wasn't close to any one there, and I don't feel any draw to go back to any of those areas. but that last night in Owasso was HARD! and I have had dreams about the families and that area every night since I left.
so, Thursday morning I had to wake up at 4:00 so I could say a very long and heartfelt prayer that God would help me shut my suitcases and get them from point A to point B in safety and all in one piece.
I got to drive the transfer car... following the truck with all the stuff in it. it was actually really great and relaxing :) I do so love to drive! and four hours of driving around hilly Oklahoma is a perfectly calming thing to do after being torn away from yet another great family and area and companion!
and then I had to say hello to sister Burt.
she has only 3 more transfers left. she came out with sister Daines... my trainer.
she is quiet and really soft spoken and easy going... but she teaches like a BOSS! she is powerful and she LOVES to tract... which is awful cuz it is cold and I don't like to tract, but it's cool because i can just follow her lead and it pushes me to keep staying active. we teach a lot of lessons here... but none of them are "real".
in Owasso we had good members and families that helped fellowship and bring people into the church, we really just taught the lessons and the person was already there and ready. but here in Cassville.... well, all our investigators are really just people we tracted into and they are being polite in letting us come over, but they are not ready or interested.
it's different and hard, but not awful.
Cassville is super mini! I thought Mena was small..... they don't even have pews in the church!
and it snowed on sunday, so the rest of church was cancelled and I didn't get to even experience the rest.
but we ate dinner with the Oliphants..... well, that is one unique mission experience. I don't honestly know what to say about it. my mind is in missionary mode, so it just feels like a cool family we visit. but then the little ones call me Karen and Rebecca wants me to hold her... and I just don't know if the rules apply there! I'm going to say they do so that I can be a missionary there i think... but I don't know if that will work. we were looking at old albums and I saw a picture of me. and then I saw a bunch of grandma and grandpa. so odd and disorienting.
that's basically it....
thanks so much for the package mom, I love you so much and that book was absolutely PERFECT!
you are an amazing support for me and I can't wait to hug you. but I will wait... I guess... If I have to!
