KICKIN' UP MUD!

Hello Wonderful Family!

Here we are again.... P days are comin' quicker and quicker!

This week has been a very hard week. Very, very humbling and challenging but I am so grateful that the Lord trusted us with this trial and that we have been able, and are continuing to learn lessons from this experience.

Sister A, one of the sisters I live with, is a temple square sister and is serving her proselyting mission here for a few more weeks. She has been feeling very ill lately and she was in so much pain that we took her to the ER where we spent most of the day. Many things happened, and she has received excellent medical care, but she is still very sick. If you ever are blessed enough to meet Sis "Sunshine" you will know what I mean, but she is the sweetest and THE most Christ-like person I have met. She has been through many hard trials in her life, the most recent being this terrible illness. It was awful seeing her go through this.  We were feeling helpless because we didn't know what to do. There have been many prayers, miracles and blessings, but not without having to deal with many stumbling blocks, or in this case, boulders. Please pray for Sister A.

Last Monday was the most wonderful P day we’ve had so far! Once we finish all of our errands and work, we usually go to the church for a couple of hours to write letters, play sports, and I sometimes play the piano. Well we were playing volleyball in the gym and we noticed that it had started raining! Alright my Utah peeps, you don't know what rain is until you come to the south! We are talking tropical storm here! Nothing like we have in Utah! It pours down buckets and the water is sooo warm! But I love it and I love the rain so ... what did we decide to do? We grabbed the rugby ball and Frisbee and ran outside and PLAYED IN THE RAIN AND MUD! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!! We were slipping around in the mud and grass and getting soaked to the bone. It was awesome.

We also get to go to a member’s home for FHE every couple of weeks. Last week, the family taught the lesson on agency. They used an object lesson involving me and my companion. The point was to demonstrate what it would be like if we didn't have agency.  So Sis L was feeding me a banana, forcing me to swallow it and I wasn’t allowed to stop her. You can imagine how hysterical this was! The kids thought it was pretty entertaining and I think they’ll remember the importance of having agency!

Thank you so much to all of you for supporting and loving me. You can’t imagine how wonderful it is to get a letter from you. Our mail comes pretty early in the morning, so when a letter comes, it really makes my day. I love you so much! Is there anything that I can do for any of you? I’m sending home some Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning – you haven’t lived until you’ve sprinkled some Tony’s on yo food!

I think that I have told you about Miss M before. She is my favorite “elderly” lady! She reminds me so much of Grandma J because whenever we try and leave her house, she fills a couple of grocery bags with food; she never lets us leave empty handed! The other day we went to visit and she was making bran muffins and I was able to help her and of course, eat some; they were delish! She shares stories of the Congo and Singapore and I absolutely love her. I pretty much pleaded with her to come to church yesterday and she said, "Baby, I'll come if it's not raining outside" so I prayed soooo hard for it not to rain! The whole morning, I kept looking out the window and sure enough, it didn't rain!!! But, no sign of Miss M. Ahh …

I can't believe that I am in Louisiana truly having the time of my life!! When I think back to a year ago I never would of thought in a million years that this is where I would be and what I would be doing. I feel like everything, the people, the place, my companion, everything has been a part of me my entire life. I love serving a mission. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Sometimes I think of all the things I could be doing back home – like walking into Libby Gardner and walking up the stairs to the Dumke recital hall or sitting in history class BUT I am so grateful that I AM HERE SERVING THE LORD! What better thing could I be doing with my life?! I mean, really?!

It’s time to wrap up so here is your homework assignment:

In Alma 30 is the story of Korihor and Alma, right? Well Korihor says that he will believe if he is given a sign - read vs. 44..  Are those not signs enough?! Haven't we been given all the tools to believe and strengthen our faith?! There is NO excuse! Then in Alma 34:33, "as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate" or else we will be vs. 35 "subjected to the spirit of the devil..." please read these two chapters! I don't have time to explain it all and we should all read and receive revelation for ourselves.

Well family, I love y’all so much and I am praying for you a trillion times a day! BROTHERS BE SAFE!!!!! PLEASE, PLEASE BE HAPPY, HAVE FUN AND BE CAREFUL!

I love you more than all the Tabasco in Louisiana!!!

MUAH!

Ali, Alex, Alexandra – Sister Lloyd!

Thank you Jeff for getting Sis Lloyd her fro-yo fix!
Orange Leaf in Baton Rouge? - Who knew!