Monday, June 15, 2015

June 15, 2015

So this week has been fabulousssssssssssssss!

Alaska is amazing! Firstly, we've been having record highs here in Soldotna (we're talking like 85 degrees!) and I'm loving it, but everyone else is complaining about how hot it is... oh, Alaskans :) It's pretty funny when you see everybody's kids running around in their swimsuits and people tanning outside... except there's no pools up here (too much upkeep). Although there definitely are lots of beaches! But some are on the river and some are in the ocean and I'm not sure where everything is but people go and have been having lots of fun!

I met an interesting man this week who doesn't believe in organized religion--he says it, like the government, is inherently evil. Well... obviously I'm not going to get into a big argument with him, that's not why I'm here, but I think the coolest part of our visit was when I asked him if God told him to go to church, would he go to church? He answered back that he absolutely would, and I told him I had faith God would tell him that. He was a little surprised, and was also surprised when I agreed with some of his points (he's had lots of experiences with missionaries from Utah :D) but ultimately, I told him I couldn't change his mind, only God could. I think that surprised both me and him, but it was an interesting experience, and hopefully got him thinking. He actually was a member of the Church since he was young (his parents were converts), but left the church when his parents got divorced and hasn't been back since. Anyway, I'm not sure if we'll go back and visit him again, but Sister Price didn't like meeting with him... he talks a LOT, haha. Pretty much everyone talks a lot, especially compared to Sister Price and me... but I loved just that question: if God told you to do something that's super hard for you, but you know He wanted you to do it, would you really do it?

Oh, and some exciting news! We've had a lady who's been investigating the Church for about a year, and she finally set a date that she wants to be baptized--July 19th, her birthday! We're so excited that she finally has a day that she can work toward to make that very important covenant with God! We had challenged her to fast this past Fast Sunday, and she finally knows that this is something not only she wants, but God does as well. I'm so excited for her!

We did a fair amount of service here! Since it's been so "hot" outside, we've helped a lot of people in their gardens, mowed some grass, pulled about 40 million weeds, and I even punched a moose! Also, everyone's yards are full of trash... in the wintertime, everything that goes outside gets lost in the snow, which then you find in the spring! It's amazing what you can lose out there.  It's also amazing how much nicer people are to you when they see you cleaning up their yard... yay for the Lord softening their hearts!

In terms of wildlife sightings, I've now seen three moose (two chewing, one galloping), four caribou (just chillin'--apparently they used to have a herd of about 30, but then there was a cave in/avalanche in a canyon and most of them died! sad) and one bald eagle! At least that I've noticed. Everything here is blooming and green from the rain last last week and then the sunshine this week! It really is awesome to be here in this beautiful place and really come to love all of the amazing people here.

I'm still doing so good! Sister Price and I are very similar and easygoing and we have lots of laughs. It's fun cuz I'm the talkative one in the relationship... Which is kinda weird. We have the same sense of humor though, which is good.

Thanks for all of the kind emails and communication! Hope everyone down in the lower 48 is doing well :)
Sister Rollins


This photo above was sent to me from a less active she was visiting: "You should've seen the shocked look on her face when I told her I was going to take a picture of her and send it off to you she didn't think I would really do it but I thought it was funny just the look on her face."


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