30 March 2009

This week we stopped by the famous Arsenic and Old Lace house, where all those
famous arsenic deaths occurred. Yes, the actual house. It looks like it's had some
rooms added on to it. No one was home so we didn't go inside. But when we knocked on
the door we started smelling natural gas, like there was a gas leak coming from
somewhere. So we left pretty quickly after that.

Met some really great people this week including a music therapist who works at one of the places where we are trying to volunteer. It was so fun talking with her about music therapy!

Another lady, well, we knocked on her door and she opened the door and immediately said, Come in, I know who you are, and offered to feed us! It was pretty shocking because, as you might guess, that never happens. She is not interested in taking the lessons but she has very positive feelings about the Church because a lot of
her children and grandchildren are members. And she feeds missionaries all the time. Not only that, but she defends the Church when other people say things about us. Which,sadly, happens a lot. Most people here don't know much about us at all, but the little information they have is usually wrong. Anyway, this angelic soul who let us into her house always defends the Church. The churches in town sometimes have interfaith events that she wishes we were invited to. (It probably doesn't help that our meetinghouse is located in Bloomfield, 20 minutes away, and not here in Windsor.)

We got some new investigators this week that we are REALLY excited about. Had some good first lessons. We have a new ward mission plan that we introduced this week to try and get our ward members into Preach My Gospel.
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Funny stories--well, the other day we were at the home of two new members. The mom and oldest daughter in this family just got baptized and there are two younger daughters in the family, ages 7 and 5. Whenever we come to teach the new-member lessons at this home the two younger daughters do all sorts of things to try to steal away our attention from their mom and sister. It's really funny. So the 7-year-old was drawing pictures in a diary and showing them to Sister Haueter. The 5-year-old got jealous and she said, "You don't need to show people your diarrhea." Let's work on that vocabulary, kids.

Did I mention that EVERYONE HERE HAS CATS AND DOGS? I don't think it's exaggerating
too much to say that every home I've been in is a pet home. Nearly every home. I've
been really blessed as far as my cat allergies. It actually hasn't been much of a
problem. It's funny, though, being around cats. They are SO stinkin smart and they
can just sense when a person isn't comfortable around them. Cats ALWAYS know that I am allergic to them, I swear, because they always come near me when I go into someone's house.

Sister Laulu...I have no words. Except maybe "you're brave." VERY brave. Kudos
to you for having a positive attitude. I can't imagine going into an area after stuff
like that- ESPECIALLY being brand new. Way to be the amazing missionary that your pres. can trust with such a task! Hmm, well, I'm trying to compliment you and I just end up sounding negative. I'm probably not helping. Will you enlighten me in my dumbness...what does "meuli" mean? OH, and do you get to go to Graceland on your Preparation Day? I'm so jealous! I'm jealous that you're in Memphis even though it is a scary place. Well, not really jealous, I love being here but Elvis? Seriously? Go to the King's house for me! if you can. Take lots of pictures.

Love,
Sister Monson