and a Ford Fusion named Vikki. It is super rural out here. But a lot safer than the city where I was so I am happy for that! Within the District is the Outer Banks. I want to live on the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks is amazing and so pretty! :)
We had two awesome lessons this week. One was with a less active in the Branch and beforehand we had an idea of what we were going to share, but nothing solid. So we went in there and I got to know him a little bit and I completely forgot what we had planned to share with him! Everything went right out the window! But I had an idea of what he might need to hear and so we shared a scripture based on that need. I couldn't remember the reference to the scripture I had in mind, but there was another one that at the time kinda fit (Helaman 5:12) so I decided to go with it. It turned out to be just the scripture he needed to hear and as a consequence of that, the Spirit was so strong and we were able to help him figure out what he needed to do to get back on track (reading his scriptures). Even though at the moment I was screaming internally because it seemed that nothing was going right, I realize now that we were being lead by the Spirit and I am very grateful for that. Without it, we wouldn't have been able to meet his needs!
We also had an awesome active member lesson! In District Meeting we talked about not just sharing a cute scripture with members but on choosing a message based on their needs/capabilities to share the gospel. We decided to apply this Saturday night at a dinner with two couples in the Branch there. Before we started they were teasing us about how most missionaries just share a scripture so that was blessing #1, we didn't just have a scripture. Long story short, we invited them to seek revelation in Sacrament meeting to know who they could invite back to church! The Spirit was definitely there and we left knowing that we shared the message that was just right for them!
I know that Currituck is going to be an amazing experience and with my companion (who is simply an outstanding missionary) I know that I am going to grow so much! :D
But yes it is super country. But I actually prefer serving in the country because of who you meet.
These dogs were outside a house while we were tracting and they were doing happy barks and probably wanted some loving. But right when we opened the car door there was a loud BOOM from the forest just behind the house in the picture. But not a normal boom. It sounded like a cannon and froze us and the dogs in our tracks. The people behind us working on a house being built also froze then went "Well I have no idea what that was" and dogs put their tail in between their legs and ran inside the garage through a doggie door. The reason that they stayed back where they were is because they have an electronic fence. On the dog on the left you can see a black box looking thing. That is the fence! When the dog crosses over the "fence" it zaps the dog! (and whoever is holding the dog we found out from a member). I have never heard of this before and I think it is pretty cool!
This is the Chapel! But it is so humid that if I pull out my camera too quick the lens will fog up as it did here! I have got to let it warm up first! But the chapel is actually a former Baptist church.
Decapitated snake. The head is to the upper left of the snake. Need I explain more?
So we were tracting this one road and this we the last house on the road. We didn't see any "No Trespassing" signs and so we started to walk up the driveway (which was about 1/4 mile long). A chihuahua came out to greet us, and we assume he was the alarm. Because when we got a bit closer a lady came out on the porch and pointed at us (she was facing away from us). Then two huge dogs came out and started running and barking at us. They weren't happy barks. WE immediately stopped and the dogs stopped about 5 feet in front of us and would't come closer, all the while growling and barking. We decided it wasn't worth it and started to walk back down the driveway. We were almost to the end (about where the picture was taken) when the guy came out of the house, jumped on an ATV and took a back way and cornered us at the end of the driveway (another 25 feet away I think. Could be longer. The driveway wrapped around the pond). The conversation went like this:
Him: What are y'all doing here?
Us: Well we are your local missionaries and we were just in the area and we're...
Him: I get it. I get it. Don't ever come back here again. Got it?
Us: Ok?
Then he took off as did we. We were never in any real danger but we both had such a bad feeling about the whole thing.