YOUR HILLBILLY IS SHOWING

Whenever I was still in Kentucky and I'd be talking to Grubb and he'd say something completely Kentuckian or do something that only a person from the hills would do I'd stop and laugh, "Your hillbilly is showing." Well, this week my hillbilly showed through. We were talking to Brother Winslow (the blind guy in the booty shorts) and we were talking about food and he started naming things he thought we'd never eaten before and Sister Ford was all like, "Woah. No, I've never eaten that." or "People eat those?" and I was always like, "Had it." or "Love it." Haha. At one point when we were talking about soup beans I said they're especially good with cornbread, an onion and fried taters and he turned his head towards me and asked in all sincerity, "Are you a hillbilly?" Haha. I didn't know quite how to respond. I'm not sure anymore.

This week has been a slow week. I've been sick and we've had to make some trips to Louisville for some visits that President requested. Next week we only have one trip to Louisville and I've decided not to be sick, so things should get better.

I got to meet a former investigator last night who is the brother of a recent convert. He was dropped because he's dying and can't really retain new information anymore. He has spinal cancer and probably won't make it till Easter. I love him though. He was feeling good last night and in a lucid state so we visited him after we saw Karen and another lady named Rowena (sadly NOT Rowena Ravenclaw). I walked in and was overjoyed to see a Kentucky Wildcats blanket on his bed. He's the first UK fan I've met since I've been in Indiana. Everyone here hates UK and loves IU. So, I pulled out my UK keychain and then I showed him my UK playing cards and showed him some magic tricks with them and now we're besties. He's really mean, naturally. I only like mean people anymore. Mean people and BYH's. There's not much middle ground.

Speaking of BYH's. Mom spoke to Otis on the phone last week and Otie wrote me about it. (He starts out every letter to me by saying, "Hey Sis! Praise the Lord!" and then goes on to tell me about how wonderful Heavenly Father is). He said that he loves mom and feels like he's known her his whole life. Otis, Logan and Reed all got the priesthood yesterday! (Well, that's what the letters say was supposed to happen. I wasn't there.) In May Otis, Logan, Reed and Willard are all on track to get the Melcheziedek priesthood! What sweethearts.

We still haven't gotten to meet with the Mullinses because Satan knows the potential they have so he's been throwing one obstacle after another at them. But, they're still interested and say they want to meet with us. Please pray for them!

Yesterday, in Sunday School, I had a Twilight Zone moment. Our teacher (think Rick Moranis with swooped back hair in a bolo tie with a red poinsettia on it) gave the EXACT same lesson as he had given last week. He started out talking and I looked around like, "Does anyone else realize what's happening here?" No one flinched. I leaned over to Sister Ford whose eyes were wide and I could see her thought process. "Is this the same lesson as last week or am I going crazy?" I asked. She looked again at our manuals. "No, you're not crazy. This is the same lesson." We then stared around at the class. No one looked like there was anything out of the ordinary. He used the same questions, people gave the same comments (including the former patriarch who now has dementia who said that the only thing he likes in the Book of Mormon is the Beatitudes. I would have thought that exact same comment would have put on a few light bulbs, but NOTHING.) He used the same hand-drawn visual aide. I kept thinking, "I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" This went on for a half hour. 

Our Ward Mission leader eventually snuck to the back of the class because he had been doing something with the bishop and he opened his manual, looked up, looked back at his manual then put on a puzzled face. Hurray! We weren't crazy. At about that time, Brother Sullivan (Moranis) got to the part of the lesson where he wanted to challenge the class to hand out 120 Book of Mormons over the course of the year. Then he realized that he'd already issued that challenge. He apologized but the apology wasn't really needed, except by the three of use who actually realized what was going on. I was just impressed that he made it 45 minutes through the exact same material and didn't realize till the last section of his lesson.

Last week we went to visit a single lady who is inactive but only because she's sick. She knew we were coming and when we knocked on the door she yelled, "Who is it?" "The Missionaries." "Hold on. Let me put my pants on!" Sister Ford and I looked at each other, grateful that she thought to ask who it was before opening the door...?

Extra Blessings: Grubb, Otie, Clementine, Uncle Scott & Aunt Patty, the Wadsworth Girls
Quote of the Week: "They call those 'roid removers."

Thanks for all of your love and support. Thanks for your prayers. I can feel them. I'm so blessed. The Book of Mormon is so addicting. And it's so true. And wonderful. And if you're not reading it everyday START. There aren't any adequate excuses you can give me. Start. You'll be happier. I promise.

This is God's church. We are His children. He wants us to return to live with Him and ALL of us have the potential to do so. This knowledge is precious and essential for eternal happiness. The Church is TRUE! Share it!

Love Yuns,

Sis Nelson