meth alley

We had just finished an appointment, and were driving down the street. One that we knew well, but never stopped on. We saw a lady walking down the road, in a hurry and sister wheatley slammed on the brakes and pulled over. "We need to talk to her", she said.

Her name was Michelle, and she was trying to catch a bus. We said we could walk with her, and she said "okay, but as long as you go directly back to your car after. You don't want to be in this part of town."

We said we would be fine, but then she got this face like she had seen a ghost and said, "no. you do not want to be here. They call this meth alley. I have never met people like this before in my life. they won't listen to you unless you give them money, and the women do nothing but sleep around just to get high. If they see your car they will plan on stealing it, and if they know your face...then you have what they want. Can't you go up to Mesa or something? You girls really should not be around here."

 

I said we would be fine. I wasn't worried. I actually laughed and said, "can't wait to tell my mum that I'm tracting in meth alley"

 

anyways I saw she was carrying constitutional law books and asked what she was studying. She's going to be a paralegal. When I told her dad went to law school, she freaked out and completely opened up. She said that her mom had just died and her sister stole all her inheritance because she forged her mom's signature on the will (the sister). Then her dad was so upset over the death of his wife, that he starved himself to death and the sister called the cops blaming it on Michelle and got all of the inheritance off that too. Michelle has been living in her truck, and somehow got mixed up with staying in the home of a guy who is just trying sleep with her and take advantage of her. She only stays because she needs to pay for school and needs a place to wash her hair to look professional for law school. she wants to get out so bad.

She said she has read part of the BOM before, her old employer in Gilbert was LDS, and she said if she was mormon she would want to be sealed to her daughter. But she wishes it wasn't too late to be sealed to her mom who has already passed away.

ding ding ding. I said, "but you can! because of temples, we are able to do work for those who have passed away and you can be sealed to her and your dad"

you know it's good when  you get chills in the desert.

 

she started to cry and said "can you tell me more?"

I knew she missed her bus for a reason.

 

we haven't seen her since, but hopefully we can get a hold of her. She doesn't have a phone, and doesn't want to bring us to where she lives...but we have meeting spots so hopefully she remembers.

 

we've also seen some crazy miracles. I was dying the other night of a migrane during a lesson with the Silva family. I always thought Edgar might be the only one interested in the church, and he's been praying for people to change. He's been looking this whole time for an answer.

Well, as I was dying, I was trying so hard to pick up on the spanish. But it just wasn't working. It wasn't for sister wheatley either. all I know is that his dad was saying something about drinking. I'm thinking "oh great. they found him drunk a few weeks ago. this will NOT help edgar" but then I heard him say "I've been sober for 15 days. I'm completely clean"

I perked up and said "WHAT?!" and just started muttering out all these spanish words. Sis wheatley still hadn't caught on yet...and they were all laughing from my reaction. We then asked if they wanted to come to church, and all of them said "yeah. tomorrow. tommorrow. tomorrow"

AND THEY CAME!

change is happening. they are coming closer as a family. I feel like Edgar's prayers are so strong and the spirit is helping them start over.

gah. I love the gospel.

 

Also. Damian. Have a told you about him. S.T.U.D. love that kid. He's 19 and has gotten into a lot of stuff. He was kinda "whatever" when I met him about church. But he's come the past 2 weeks. and we asked him if he's prayed and he said "I prayed about baptism" (ok. what?!) "and I got my answer..it's whenever I'm ready"

sis wheatley then asked "will you pray to see if God wants you to be baptized" he said, "I already got my answer"

again. what?! if a cartwheel would have been appropriate then, I would have done one. But I didn't. I was wearing a skirt.

things have clicked in him, and he said, "when I'm at church, I feel like God is right next to me. I feel like myself when I read. and I just feel so different."

 

so many more miracles have happened. but those will have to wait.

 

I hope you are all doing well, and how are you all doing with reading the ensign? some of those talks still blow me away. (when is the deadline again?)

thanks for all your support. fam. friends. ward members. it means a lot.

hope you enjoy the pics. most of them are from a hike we went on this morning as a zone. We climbed an entire mountain of cacti. I even went to the top peak. take that fear of heights.

 

oh. and sis kindlespire. it's funny. things should scare us out here...but it doesn't. missions do crazy things to you.

 

also. shout out to bekah arnesen. sister king, your old roommate? we are in the same district. I adore her!

 

love you!

hermana aguas