They both covered the Timberline Ward here in Fort Collins, so now, for a week and a half before transfers on February 4th, we are covering both the Parkwood and the Timberline Wards!! Fun stuff, but I guess it's only temporary. We have three sisters in our kind of crowded little space downstairs, but we make do!!
The Elders had to take our car on Wednesday after District Meeting, so we were on foot. It started out being a nice-ish day, and we were fine, but towards the end of the day, it suddenly got a lot colder, and the clouds decided to cover the sun... We were dressed warmish, but Sister Strasser didn't have any tights on. We knocked on lots of doors, but just as luck and missionary life would have it, no one was home. We were getting pretty cold and joked about us being on a news story because they found two sister missionaries on the side of the road, but it was all in good fun. :) Finally, we ended up near the Briggs house, and they gladly let us in and gave us some herbal tea to drink--they're such great people!!
The Briggs are a part-member family. They just had a little baby a few weeks ago, Beau, and he is super cute but unfortunately on oxygen. :( They are a young couple and some of the sweetest people ever!!! He is a member but hasn't been active since he was a teenager. He is a farm kid from Wyoming and kind of reminds me of some of my cousins. :) She is not a member but really pretty open to what we have to share. She is a nurse, and a super great little mommy, even to her little 3 yr old step-daughter, Kyra, who is super cute as well and absolutely fearless!! Sister Briggs became a new investigator last week, and I'm super excited to continue teaching them!!!!
We are also teaching this family, the O'Hares, who are kind of a part-member family, as well. Sister O'Hare is just reactivating herself, but is really such a spiritual strength. She has two kids, Alex and Peter ( a girl and a boy), ages 13 and 12, who are not members. They don't know a lot about the church, but come to church and mutual more regularly now. Their dad won't let them be baptized, but they really seem to soak up the things we tell them. They're great!!!
Okay so one more. There is a young man in the ward named Mitch Pixler who is completely active, but he is struggling with a lot of questions and little things in the church. He is a super great kid, but he just really really wants to know these things for himself. We have been teaching him and his little brother, Keith, the missionary lessons weekly and trying to answer their concerns. It has been such a strength to me, and they are like little brothers, so it's great. :)
I wish I could tell you about everyone I am meeting, but the list goes on forever!!!!!!! I really feel like a part of the ward, and I know this is where I am supposed to be! :)
I wish all of you a splendid week, and I thank you for all of your prayers and your efforts at missionary work!!! You're great!! :)