August 13, 2018

Funny: Sturgis is the biggest motorcycle rally in the world. In order to get to my area of the mission on Thursday we had to drive through it. There are about 500,000 bikers or so who attend it every year, and it lasts about 10 days. It is a very large event! Sister Archibald (my new companion) and I have been staying in Custer until our apartment is ready in Hot Springs. Even though Custer isn't that close to the rally it still had its main street partially closed down for motorcycle parking and tons of motorcycle booths around town. The other day I asked Sister Archibald if she wanted to walk down main street and invite some of these lovely people to come unto Christ. She was pretty nervous, but I had a good feeling about it. So we started walking and we stopped and talked to quite a few people. Every single person we talked to without fail was SO kind and accepting. One of the biker ladies I stopped to talk to was very nice and said she might want to learn more. Then she asked me if I would help tie her hair in a pony tail, and she handed me a plastic fork wrapper thing because she didn't have a hair tie on her. So I helped her out and she took one of our contacting cards. She was so nice! I love the people in Custer!

spiritual: My new area is made up of a lot of small towns sprinkled around between Mount Rushmore and Nebraska. The one we are currently staying in is Custer. The whole Hot Springs area has not had missionaries in the last three or so years. I think it's one of the few places where there are more people who are willing to hear a message about Jesus Christ than there are people not interested. I have only been in this new area for 3 days, and in that short time I've already seen so many little miracles. I believe Hot Springs is exactly where the Lord wants me to be right now, and I believe that many miracles will come to pass here. I am so grateful to be here!

where I am at: We are supposed to move into our apartment on Wednesday, but we will see if that actually happens since there is a pretty bad wild fire in Hot Springs right now. 30-40 homes have already been evacuated, and we are hoping the fire gets contained soon. We have been staying in our branch presidents barn since we got here, and we will stay there until we get the ok to move into our apartment. It's a pretty nice barn with some sturdy cots so I don't mind staying there for a while longer. Our branch is very small. There are about 20 active members. We are hoping to see a lot of growth while we are here. I love everyone in the branch so much! Everyone here is so exceedingly kind and generous. I love small towns, and especially the ones in this area! Also another really cool thing about the Hot Springs area is that it is notoriously known as the most beautiful place in the entire mission. Our mission takes up part of 5 states, and I am in the most beautiful part of it all!!! I am very blessed.