High on the Mountain Top

Well, this was definitely an interesting week. Wednesday night we played floor hockey with the YSA ward for their activity night and when they took a break for a few minutes, Sis. Balmforth and I decided to play a few minutes of one on one. It was great fun. Two days later, we wake up early to go down to the church building and play basketball for a while, but Sis. Balmforth can barely move. Her back was killing her, but she wanted to play real bad. So we did. We got home and she laid face down on the floor for 20 minutes, not being able to move. We tried going to visit people, but by 4:00 she couldn't handle any more so we went over to a member's house that we were already planning on seeing and she got some real good pain meds there. Which meant that we were stuck there the rest of the night. I helped the family with dinner and stuff and tried to be busy while she was zoned out on the couch. She got a blessing that night and we just kept praying that she would be better the next day. She kind of was. After our meeting with the ward mission leader though, I tricked her into going back to sleep. I told her we were going to do personal study on the couch and I would read to her. Like it's possible for anyone to stay awake while someone is reading the white handbook and the Bible to you. She fought falling asleep for a long time and finally went and laid in her bed, but said to wake her up in 20 minutes so we could go work. That wasn't happening. She slept for an hour. Then we went back to the member's house that we were at the day before and got her some more drugs. DISCLAIMER: I don't want anyone thinking my comp is a druggy or anything, but she was in a lot of pain and needed it pretty bad. Anyways, we were sitting there feeling pretty useless, at least I was, when she said that I should go on base with the Finnegans. At first I was super against the idea because that would mean that I would be all by myself (kind of) and I'm still a little baby greenie missionary and I don't really know what I'm doing, blah, blah, blah.....but the longer we sat there the more I knew I needed to do it. So the Finnegans came and got me and we went on base. We didn't get to teach a single person. Everyone was busy and could only talk on the doorstep. So I was relieved about that, but I felt good about going. I think the Lord needed me to know that I could be a missionary and that I have learned a lot. I can do hard things. It didn't matter to Him that I didn't share a message with anyone, it just mattered that I went.

That night we went home pretty early so Sis. Balmforth could sleep. She fell asleep around 9. I asked her if she needed anything. Nope, she was good.

A few minutes later I had to go in our room to get some laundry and she said the Manette sisters called but they never said anything when she answered. And the district leader might be calling.

Ok, I can take the phone. Go back to sleep. You doing ok?

Yeah.

Need anything?

Are my heating pads out there?

Yeah, do you want them heated up?

Sure.

So I go heat one up and try and get it so it's keeping her back warm but it's kind of failing, so I look for the sock one that we got from a member. I have to take it from her hands cause she doesn't know where it is.

I get her all ready for bed, she's doing good, then,

Thnks fr ll yr hlp tdy.

What?

Thanks for all your help today.

Oh. Hey no problem man, you needed it.

Lllvv y.

What?

Love you.

Oh. Love you too man.

Super funny.

An hour later I go back in so she can take the rest of her medicine, but she didn't want to take it. So I felt bad that I woke her up, but she said it was ok since she needed to say her prayers, but she was just going to do it laying down instead of kneeling. I said I would check on her to make sure she didn't fall asleep. She said if she didn't answer it was probably because she was still praying. I thought, orrrr ya fell asleep again, but either way she would be happy. So we're both saying our prayers and in the middle of mine she goes, "Hey, I'm done, just so you know." Cool.

Sunday rolls around with it's 6 hours of church. We skip out on one of the Sunday Schools to get her some more medicine and go the rest of the day. The pain pills made her really lethargic, so it was funny to watch. We watched the CES fireside, which was really good by the way, it was all about the Holy Ghost, and the Finnegans know the guy that spoke. They talked about it for a week. The opening song was "High on the Mountain Top." I leaned over and said, "I think you're a little high on the mountain top." And then we laughed through the whole opening song and I found a really great title for my email.

So, sorry that was so long and that was the most exciting thing that happened all week, but I was grateful for that chance on Saturday. It was a really simple thing but it meant a lot to me. And, I got the best surprise ever when we went over to the Finnegans this morning. She opened the door and was on the phone. She asked how Sis. Balmforth felt and then looked at me and said, "And how are you today Sister Chronister?" "Awesome." "That's awesome. Come on in." So we walk in and to the person on the phone, she says, "Well it was great talking to you Sister Ballantyne." "WHAT!!???" She was talking to my mom! So. AWESOME. It totally made my day.

I guess I should end on a spiritual note. I was planning a lesson for a less active and came across this scripture and absolutely loved it. Moroni 7: 27-28. Those who have faith in Him cleave unto every good thing. So simple. That's all I got for now. Oh, and thanks for the responses on the song and the talk, they were great :)

Love you!!