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.