Sometimes living in Fort Collins is a lot like living in Wonderland

Good day to all of the many avid readers out there! 

This week has been another adventure. It was has been rough due to appointments falling through and dinners being few and far between. But we have had some very interesting experiences non the less which I will share below.

We found a lady named Dana on Saturday from a very old potential that the Elder's gave us. It was a pretty neat experience. After knocking on the door with no answer, a lady came towards the apartment. She asked us who we were, and we told her that we were missionaries, and we were looking for a man named Tyler. She told us that he had moved - then paused. And said that we needed to talk. She then proceeded to tell us all of the horror stories of her life and asked, "Where was God?" She felt abandoned. And then her personality totally switched; she grabbed our hands and said that she was sorry for scaring us. We prayed with her and set up a time to come back. So we met with her Sunday morning before church. It was a good experience. We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and invited her to read from it. And she said that she wanted us to teach her granddaughters. And that she wanted to come to church next week. It was a great miracle! 

We also met with KJ and Athena this week. It went really well as we talked about Jesus and told some stories from his life. Thank goodness for members who have had experience a) raising children and b) teaching in primary!!! We tried to meet with them again this week, but KJ wasn't feeling well. But we did get to talk to Athena's mom: April. April is an interesting woman. She works in Greeley with her boyfriend and she is also practicing the Wicca religion. INTERESTING! I've never met a believer in Wicca before. She's not super hip on Christianity, but she is willing to let Athena learn and go to church too which is great! In fact, next week, she may even bring Athena herself. WOOHOO! 

This week is girls camp for the Young Women in the Fort Collins Stake. It makes me really really really want to go to Girls Camp! I miss it SOOO much! It is great spiritual preparation for Jessica V. though. This next week, hopefully, she will bring up her desire to be baptized to her Mom. I know she can do it! 

We also had a really great visit with Sister Jossie. I LOVE HER SOOOOOO MUCH! She works in a Dental office as the office manager. And she is the coolest lady ever! Her dog Bella is great too. Bella know's how to shut the front door after coming in from outside. (Why didn't we train our dogs to do that?!?) Anyways, Sister Jossie is great. We are trying to encourage her to become active again, but it's tough. 

I'm continuing to meet new families in the ward which is nice. I'm also starting to be able to find my way around our area without using Lowrance - Elder Bower's GPS. YAY! Although we still haven't figured out a way around the silly trains here. They have an odd habit of moving forward, stalling and moving backwards OVER AND OVER AGAIN causing huge, long lines of traffic. It creates a grand adventure. 

So I'm sure you're all really curious as to why the subject of the email home is "Sometimes living in Fort Collins is a lot like living in Wonderland." Well, imagine the story of Alice in Wonderland, put me in Alice's shoes; add my companion Sister Johnson; give it a shake and a twist of lime, and you get Fort Collins (what did you think I was making? an Alcoholic drink? I would like to inform you that Mormon's don't drink. But I did have a virgin Piña colada. It was very good. (Thanks Sister Jossie!)) Sometimes the lives of a pair of missionaries are crazy, and we never know which way to go. 

One of the highlights of the week though was when I got a surprise call from Sister Fillmore in Johnstown, CO. She has invited me to be in a chorus as part of the mission conference we are having in September. WHAT?!?! There will be 6 Sisters and 8 Elders. We will be singing Hymn#13. And even better... Guess who is coming to our Mission Conference?! Elder Quentin L. Cook. I will be singing in front of an Apostle of the Lord. (I might pass out! - Just Kidding.) 

So there you have it! 

To all whose goal it is to be a well prepared missionary: here are some good reads for you to look up:

BECOMING A PREACH MY GOSPEL MISSIONARY by Elder David A. Bednar https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/becoming-a-preach-my-gospel-missionary?lang=eng

(the other one I don't know how easily it will be to find) “Some Things Every Missionary Should Know” [seminar for new mission presidents, June 26, 2002] (This address is currently unpublished)

Love,

Sister Bryans