Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Matching shirt day!

You know that phrase, "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite?" It's now our companionship motto. Yikes! Remember that experience about the "fleas" that I was telling you about? Well, they weren't fleas. By the time both Sister Scott was wearing bug spray to bed and I started to get bites, we finally had a bug inspector come to our apartment. He looked around, and lifted up our mattresses. Nothing. Then he lifted up my box spring...surely enough A BED BUG WAS THERE!!! So gross!!! I never thought I'd see this happen, nevertheless, I've never known what they look like. We are in the works of getting this worked out between the missionary over all the apartments and our landlord (who is being pretty stubborn about taking care of this sooner than later.) So, Sister Scott and I are becoming champs at wearing bug spray to bed. Such is the life!

Well...other than that, it's been a pretty good week! We had a mind-blowing experience happen--it was definitely a mission highlight! We continued to have more teaching appointments, which is always a good thing.

The rest of the week went pretty well. We had another lesson with our investigator Kyle, as we reviewed the Restoration. His family is working on some personal matters, but it's wonderful to see them grow closer through the work they are putting in as they are centering their lives on the gospel more. We provided a chart for chores to help around the home and a chart for spiritual matters, including family home evening, scripture study, and prayer. Our deal for them is that once they complete it for a month, we're going to provide an ice cream sundae party for the family. We also taught Kunal again. He's taking the lessons a little bit slower now since he's very busy as he works at MIT, so we're not sure about his baptism date being at the end of September, but at least he still wants to learn and we're still teaching him.

Remember that miracle I mentioned? Here it goes! Sister Scott and I originally planned to head to our dinner appointment a little early once weekly planning would be done to do a stop by at a less active's on the way.  However, since it was a little far away we decided to continue planning instead. Later on the way to the members' home (the Swans) we hopped from station to station, switching lines for the train. On the last train while standing, a lady noticed our tags and asked where our church was located. When we told her, she was so excited! She has wanted so badly to go to a church again since she has been craving spiritual strength as she travels a lot as a flight attendant. When we got of the same T stop as we continued to talk, we saw how truly grateful she was. This was a missionary's dream moment! Sister Scott and I walked along both sides of her, wanting to pinch ourselves to see if this was actually happening! We found out the lady's name was Krystal. She kept throwing her hands up in relief, exclaiming how we were an answer to her prayer that day to send a church her way!

As Sister Scott and I tried to maintain our giddiness, we told her where the church was as we gave her our card. Krystal promised she would come this Sunday if she didn't get called in for a flight for work. We asked if she'd be alright if the members nearby (the Swans) gave her a ride, which she accepted! Sister Scott geniously then mentioned how we were actually headed to a dinner at their place and asked if she'd like to come, which she agreed to! She had a quick errand to do beforehand, so as we waited, we decided to change our dinner lesson plan to the Restoration. We called the Swans, asking if Krystal could come to dinner--yes again! It was a solid plan!

The three of us had dinner with the Swans as Krystal told more about her life. The best comparison I can give for Krystal is Princess Tiana from the Disney Movie "Princess and the Frog." She is very bubbly and dramatic in a sweet, fun way. She has an open heart and moves forward with her ambitions and what she knows is right. She shared about her family, her life as a flight attendant, and her wedding plans for next year to a man she knew back from middle school. We could see Krystal's faith and courage as she is willing to do whatever the Lord would have her do.

When the time came when Brother Swan mentioned we usually do a lesson after dinner, we asked Krystal if we could teach her the basis of what we teach for our church. She openly agreed to be taught it. The lesson flowed so smoothly as we used the pamphlet, opened the scriptures, asked her questions and bore testimony. Krystal listened carefully to everything as the feeling in the Swans' apartment was unbelievable. She's had her foundation built by going to her church and studying the Bible, but she's intrigued with it all. She gratefully accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon at the end. She described how God gives her answers and how she acts on them which led to us reading Moroni 10: 3-5. She wanted to pray to know if what we taught is true and if the Book of Mormon is true. She wanted to attend church, and the Swans offered to drive her, but unfortunately she did get called in for work at the last minute. The good news, however, is that we heard from her again and are planning on teaching her again this week. :) I am stunned--absolutely bewildered with this experience. There was absolutely no coincidence how it all worked out. The Lord led every step required to meet her right there and then on that part of the train. I sure wonder where this is all going to lead but it's definitely been one of the neatest experiences here in the mission.

I want you to know that the Lord continues to pour out his tender mercies every week. Some are more evident than others, but there are simple ones that can be shown as well. The tender mercies and simple pleasures carry us each day. Over here, it's been the cooler summer weather this time of season, when passerby's actually smile back when you smile and say hello (even better when they accept a pass-along card). It's in the feeling after a good workout in the mornings, having the spirit direct and carry words while teaching, and seeing less actives come to church more frequently.

Another tender mercy was having the sweet experience of laughing to tears with a member in the lesson in Relief Society from some things that happened in the lesson (we received weird looks from everyone else who just didn't understand the good time we were having). That's when I realized how much I a good laugh for a while. I encourage you to continue to look for the Lord's tender mercies in your lives.

I love you all so much as I pray for you daily. I still cannot believe how quickly the mission is passing by (I don't even recognize many of the missionaries here--Sister Scott and I are getting old!)

With love,

Sister Roy

Fun Fact:  There are flower carts at about every T Stop.  Sometimes we'll see a young man on the train carrying flowers for someone. :)