Monday, November 30, 2015

Corgi's, guns and Star Wars


What she called "throw-up Thursday"


This past week I was on exchanges in little dinky Webster City and it was so dope! I was with Hermana Smith, who also went to BYU-Hawaii! We weren't there at the same time, but we had so much fun talking about all the crazy hikes we've been on, local kids riding bikes with chickens on their laps, and the special spirit  and love that is in Laie. Man, it made us both Hawaii trunky!
In spite of our extensive Hawaii reminiscing, it was an amazing exchange and we got work done. For one appointment we drove out in the boonies to a beautiful farm in the hills. We were seeing a less active member that the sisters had been trying to be more bold and loving with so that she could progress. We got out of the car and there was a little corgi dog with his chow dog friend. The little corgi just waddled quickly up to me, slapping up the mud with his midget legs. He was so cute! I bent down to pet him and he jumped up on me... muddy puppy prints on the front of my black skirt! I couldn't help but laugh and keep petting him as I stiff armed him. He was so cute I just couldn't walk away, so I kept petting the little bugger. He jumped up again, I stiff armed him too late, and there smeared on my black skirt were two more puppy prints. By this time Hermana Smith was busting up and I couldn't stop laughing either! I trudged into the house with four muddy puppy prints on my black skirt. The sister we were visiting didn't even notice! The lesson went amazing, I felt the spirit so strong. I could feel God's love for her immensely. Testifying of Father in Heaven's love as a representative of Jesus Christ is really hard to describe. But it is so real as you see people as their Father in Heaven does. Her grandson then came into the kitchen and put a handgun on the table and started cleaning his hunting rifle. Only in Iowa. 
Three weeks ago we had a tornado system come through, the week after we had about 6 inches of snow, and this past week we had an ice storm! What's next? Sister McKinstry is getting the full gamut of Iowa weather here in these weird fall months! It keeps us on our toes, that's for sure.
We went to the Higgs house for Thanksgiving dinner and it was so so good! I carved the turkey and picked it clean. It was sweet. Other than eating lots of turkey it was normal missionary day for us, so not too much else to report on Turkey Day.
Something I have loved and learned here in Iowa is the concept of accepting and loving EVERYONE! A "come as you are" attitude enables you to see others as Christ does. When you see others as Christ does you instinctively reach out in love, you experience real joy, you learn from others the treasures of life that you on our own cannot obtain. Strive to have a "come as you are" approach. If the person at the store looks sketchy, talk to them, serve them, love them. If the person at work is an ultra Star Wars geek and you could care less, listen to them, help them, genuinely get to know them! Because love does. Love is not something you can put on a shelf, stare at, and think "huh, well that's real pretty". Take people as they are and you will find the joy of loving God's children. It's true!!!
Love y'all,
Sister Skaggs

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