What a week! This has been a busy week full of lots and lots of service. Of course, we got to do the usual feeding cows but we also ripped out carpet out of an old trailer for an old couple, built a stone walkway for a nonmember in Almo, and helped chop wood for people around the area. I love serving people! Service is one of the best ways to show people that you care about them and are willing to work for it. Once the people around here see that you are not afraid to work they trust you more and are willing to let you back. I am so grateful for my parents' teaching me how to work hard. That has definitely blessed me in the last 2 1/2 weeks I've been here.
I told you about Jim last week. He is one of the recent converts in the area and he absolutely loves missionaries. He has a wall in his trailer that is covered with pictures of missionaries. My nickname around here is now officially carrots. Jim termed it and now it has stuck. It is more a joke with everyone. They call me that because of my hair and the fact that I am a "Utah Mormon." Everyone thinks it's pretty funny. We had dinner again with him this week and this time he fed us goose and stuffed mushrooms. Goose is not my favorite, but it was pretty good. He has been preparing all week to get his patriarchal blessing and yesterday he did just that. He talked with us a little bit about his experience and how incredible it was. The first thing he said when he opened his door was, "Eff-raim! (Ephraim)." He was so excited to hear about where he came from and the responsibilities given to him. He is one of the greatest people I have ever met. Earlier in the week we met with him and he shared with us an experience he had during the week. He told us that he took the Lord's name in vain and as soon as the words left his mouth he was filled with such guilt and shame. He couldn't believe that he had done such a thing especially since he now knows how sacred His name is. He was so worried about this as he told us and I could tell that it was really weighing down on him. He said that he knows that the atonement can make up for our sins and we talked with him about how he can be forgiven. I love Jim! He is so special and has such a strong testimony of this gospel. He has had a tough life, but this gospel has been able to help him see the good in his life and find happiness even through his pain. His brother, who is a nonmember, wants to have us over for dinner sometime so we are trying to set that up.
We have not gotten to teach many others this week. There is still lots of sickness going around town and all of our lessons have fallen through due to it. We are praying that this week will be better. Just today we found out that we have a new person to teach in Almo. It is actually the lady that we did service for and rebuilt the stone walkway. She contacted the Ward Mission Leader in the area, who she is good friends with, and told him that she wants to start taking the lessons. We have a lesson set up for the 14th and we are excited to start teaching her.
It is starting to get warmer here and I am so excited for Spring! It has been in the 40s all week and I have even got to take my big snow coat off! My funny story for the week (I always have a funny story) has to do with building that stone walkway. We were in Almo on Thursday and Brother Packer took us over to Tina's house. Since the snow is starting to melt everything is just muddy everywhere. It is so muddy that she can't get out to her car without getting a mess. She used to have a stone pathway that led out to the car, but over time it has been buried. We were shoveling the frozen ground and Brother Packer was just watching me. After a little bit he said to me, "You're left handed aren't you?" I told him that I was right handed and then he asked me, "have you ever used a shovel?" I didn't know if I should be offended or what to say. Of course I have used a shovel! I didn't know that there was a right way to shovel dirt, but he showed me. Honestly, I don't think I could ever be offended by Brother Packer. He is the nicest old man ever. I just listened as he showed me the proper way to hold a shovel and it was more effective but that sure was a humbling experience! Then after we got going more he would make comments like, "watch out!" and "she's got it!" My companion was trying so hard not to laugh the whole time. While we were raising these stones, we would fill in more dirt underneath them so they would be level with the ground. Then for some reason he would always have me (the smallest person there with the least force behind my jumps!) jump on the stones to pack them down firm into the ground. I felt ridiculous jumping up and down, but we did eventually get it all done. Our efforts were definitely rewarded as we are now on schedule to start teaching Tina next week! I am so glad we had all these opportunities to serve this week.
That same night we had dinner with some members there in Almo. The husband is really good friends with Casey (the guy we want to teach in Albion). His name is Lavell and he told us that Casey has been going to church most of his life. The Young Men's leader in their ward would always invite him to activities and he would always go. He has read the Book of Mormon and is even taking an institute class right now in Declo. One day he and Lavell were talking about the church and Casey was upset about something. Lavell told him that the church is not the people and no matter what people do, it will always be true. Casey told him, "I know it's true." Lavell said that when he is ready he will come. His mother and both his grandparents are super anti. His dad is a member, but is inactive. We are thinking that he is saving up money so he can buy his own land before he joins the church. All of his cows are on his grandparents' land and if he joined the church they would cut him off and he would have nowhere to go. Lavell told us that if we ever started the lessons with him, we were welcome to do them there in his home. I really think that it was inspired that we now have Almo and Elba in our area. There are so many connections between the towns and I really think that Lavell will be a huge part in helping Casey be baptized.
We got to help Casey this week as well, with his cows. We got to help tag a calf and give them their vaccinations. Sister Meredith got to give them their shots. He asked me if I wanted to do it, but I just couldn't! The calf's mom was standing right there the whole time we were holding her baby on the ground. I filled the syringe and Casey held down the calves while Sister Meredith gave them their shots. I also got to write the number on the tags. Cows are so cute! They are really dumb though. I can't count how many moms we had to match with their babies because they kept loosing them and other mothers wanted to take care of them. I even got to feed a blind calf this week. My boots are definitely being put to good use.
Our car is a complete mess with all the mud and dirt we have driven through this week. I don't know why we were given the white car. Anyways, this week has been great and I can't wait for another great week ahead! I love this work and I love this gospel. Heavenly Father looks over all of his children, even those in little Albion, Idaho!
Love,
Sister Beutler
