Miracles with Cops and Toilets 2/27/17

Hello Everyone!                                                                                        2/27/17

Last week has been one of the craziest by far- I called the police one morning because there was thuds and cries for help below. The cops came and it turned out it was a father and son just wrestling like maniacs. It kind of was a trigger for me emotionally and it toke me a while to calm down, but me and Sister Vescovi can awkwardly joke about it now.

A while ago there was a challenge in our district for each companionship to get two new investigators in one week. Our District leader and companion said they would be praying for us to find and we prayed for them and ourselves too. I can't tell you how many people I have reassigned to other missionaries, but it's just as exciting to find someone who wants to hear the Gospel. But to be blunt I find it a tad annoying when missionaries complain how they can't find anyone when we have to hunt down specifically young single adults!
The next morning we had some emergency laundry to take care of. We tried to hand wash the clothing but it wasn't enough. Me and Sister Vescovi threw on our dresses and trudged down our apartment stairs with our dripping wet laundry bag to the basement with the washers. As we went back up we ran into our apartment maintenance workers, Miguel and his friend. Me and my previous companion had briefly talked to Miguel and greeted him multiple times in the past. This time as I introduced Sister Vescovi we were able to share more about the gospel. It turned out Miguel had known some missionary back in Mexico, and lived close to the temple there. We got his information for the Hermana's . We left a bit embarrassed with our appearance but we were elated. Even though he wasn't YSA and couldn't really speak english, we got a potential investigator for.


  The next morning our toilet decided to explode. One morning my companion nervously called out "Sister Petty....." while she was in the bathroom. We opened the toilet lid because the the lever wasn't working. Even after we attached the chain back it wouldn't work. We fiddled with a black plastic body that apparently all the water comes from- the cap fell off and water sprayed us and got half of the bathroom- we both screamed and laughed our heads off. Sister Vescovi blocked off the water as I tried to turn off the water source. I had to run and grab a hammer to wack the handle down. Now we had the dilemma of what to do when we needed to go. We called maintenance but nothing really happened. We found out later they did come but we weren't home and we thought we gave permission for them to enter. The next morning Sister Vescovi was fed up and took matters into her own hands with the toilet. I was taking my medicine and she yelled "SISTER PETTY COME HERE SISTER PETTTTYYYY!" I figured what was happening, shrugged, finished taking my medicine and than went and helped her. Kind of cruel, I know! I came in and saw that this time the water was shooting up like a guser and soaked everything in the bathroom. We laughed again but this time the water really got everywhere, and drenched us. It's all fixed now, but for 24 hours we just had to use a bucket of water to flush the toilet. Our friend Miguel was the one who fixed it and we gave him and his friend a Spanish Book of Mormon's. We also had to make an emergency toilet paper run once we realized the last two of our toilet paper rolls got drenched in both toilet incidents. This time as I entered the bathroom I yelled "SISTER VESCOVI!"


HARDIK IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON MARCH 4!!!

Me and Sister Vescovi are thrilled! Originally he was on date to be baptized on February 25, but our church building was booked with other events! He is so excited to be baptized and has such a beautiful testimony of Heavenly Father and Christ. He has such a strong will to do good and to serve others. He's been very stressed though because of some personal drama with an ex-girlfriend which I will not get into for privacy reasons and my own sanity.

Ruth, one of our fantastic YSA's, decided on a whim one day while she was in the area to take us to Hardik's Papa John's and surprise him! She has been to a lot of lessons with us teaching Hardik even though she lives an hour away. I was so excited to actually pay  for the pizza he invites us over to give so much. We were all trying not to have laughing fits when we called and pre-ordered a pizza with Ruth trying to lower her happy go lucky voice into a rough, deep one. Her alias was "Helga Smith". When we got there he was completely surprised. He offered us free pizza but we said how we were "Helga Smith" and here to pick up pizza. It toke him a second it catch on and then laugh. He still insisted on giving a discount. We sat and ate on the one waiting bench inside, and Hardik pulled out a back office chair for Sister Vescovi to sit in. It was great, and Ruth left was with some "Pocky" sticks and seaweed. The people I know are just way too nice.

You are all probably curious about Terrence. Sister Vescovi has only met Terrence once as we went over at not the best timing, and haven't really gotten a hold of him. He is now really busy having both a new job and going to college, but I'm still thoroughly miffed. (Angry. "Miffed" just  sounds nicer). His baptism date was February but the goal now is just to get to see him again regularly.. arrgggh.

Still, a lot of small miracles have just been popping up left and right, it's hard to keep up with! One miracle that happened this week was meeting Tomoko! Me and Sister Vescovi were outside the church finishing up syncing our Areabooks. We were both getting anxious about how it was getting late and needed to go home, but we both impressed to stay and felt peace. A car drove past us in the church parking lot, broke, and quickly reversed towards us. I was pulling out the keys, getting ready to tuck and roll back into the church or bolt to the car. A small, middle aged Japanese women got out of the car and came up to us. She shared how she belonged to another Christian faith but was visiting churches to see if there was a way we could all join together in prayer and action to stand up for religious freedom with the crazy things going on in this country today and possibly meet with our Bishop. She said how she also liked the Mormons because we stand up for what we believe, how she met some Elder's briefly once. She was aware it was late but she was anxious and felt the need to come over now. She said how she was looking for peace too. We were shocked and giddy. We shared our testimonies with her of how God is mindful of her and this country. We got who information and promised she would meet the Bishop. I was we both felt the Holy Ghost prompting us to say a prayer with her before we departed. I prayed for her and her family, country, and our future generations. The Spirit was strong. We have since gone over to her house once and which I'll have to recount later, but it seems like she will become an a investigator, and possibly her son who is a YSA!!!

During Sacrament meeting this past Sunday, Sister Vescovi and I were assigned to give talks. After I finished and she was about to begin hers, a group of three young women came in. She grabbed my arm and attempted to whisper but more of yelled "Oh my heck!" gesturing to the group. I tried to shush her, thinking she was just pumped for three surprise YSA's coming to our little branch. She than explained to me one of them was Jackie, a close friend whose family helped introduce her to the gospel and all the way from Utah! I than flipped out too and we both tried to calm ourselves. It turned out Jackie was visting Chicago and than somehow found out where Sister Vesvoci was serving without her knowledge. After Sacrament meeting we met and laughed together. She left soon after knowing we needed to be missionaries. It was a very cool and sweet experience to watch my companion light up and to enjoy this with her.

Remember to read your scriptures and be a member missionary!

--
Love,
Sister Kate Petty

Nothing Says Valentine's Day Like a Flower Shaped Pinata

Hi Everyone!                                                                                 2/13/17

I'm aware the email subject line is pretty melodramatic, but I couldn't resist and I love it! 

Transfer's have happened and I have a new companion! her name is Sister Vescovi and she is a fireball! She is a convert to the church and has such a strong testimony and love for it, including sharing it with others. She's a bit of a dork like me and we've had to help each other keep ourselves in check in focusing on what we are doing because we both get easily distracted. I've been known to literally get distracted by squirrels. But than again, I get distracted by every living thing. I love her so much already even though I miss Sister Jardine!

This Sunday was amazing! It had such a good turn out! It was funny because almost all the men passing the sacrament are recently returned missionaries that weren't even here just two Sundays ago. But that really show's how much the Lord is aware of me and and blessing this branch so there is always just enough Priesthood holders to pass the Sacrament. 

We got so many people to commit to come to ALL of our teaching lessons this week with Hardik! I was so happy. To make it more aware how that's significant, having a member present in lessons are so so vital nut hard since all the YSA live so far away. So not only did we schedule for one member to come at the very beginning of this week instead of last second, but for every single one! Sister Vescovi has quickly loved and clicked with almost everyone here. That day was such a roller coaster of emotions- a lot of worry and than excitement bouncing back and forth, It was a fantastic day.

Irving, our recent convert who just got the Priesthood hasn't been able to help pass the Sacrament yet because he hasn't come wearing the appropriate attire. In order to pass the sacrament or communion you have to be called and worthy too, and to be respectful by wearing formal clothing, which he's had a hard time with. He did wear a white shirt last Sunday which was a huge step for him but backslid to his usual clothes this Sunday. I'm not too concerned though, because he shared how he is mostly afraid of wearing it because he doesn't know how to tie a tie to wear with it- we asked one of our members to help him out next Sunday. It was possible because of our branches "Linger Longer". It's just a fun quick activity that will happen after church and some food is served. This time in honor of the upcoming Valentine's day, the branch President, President Davidson, came up with the idea of people sharing their worst date stories and than hitting a pinata that ended up being flower shaped. I was a little weary of that idea at first, but it turned out to be fun and I was even called to take a swing and share a story that got some laughs. 

This week we will be teaching Hardik the Word of Wisdom, which means he'll have to quit smoking, soon especially if he wants to have his baptism date. I've been anxious to teach this lesson to him for a long time because I know how much it will bless him but since he has minimal understanding of the Christ and the Atonement it's been a waiting game making sure he has that foundation of faith first and knowing how he can use the Atonement to help him quit smoking. 

As for Terrence, he's been quite busy with his new job and just his college, so it's been a while since we've seen him- about a week. Wow, just writing that seems like a lie. It feel like it's been two! I can't wait to see him again and for Sister Vescovi to meet him. It'll be great!

Remember that Valentine's Day is a day of love for everyone just like the Savior would! I love you all,

-Sister Petty