SISTER MELISSA RICHARDSON LETTER #3

SISTER MELISSA RICHARDSON LETTER #3

JULY 29, 2013

Hello all!

It has been a whirlwind of a week, but still so good.  I don't even know where to start. 

It was sad to part with my MTC companion Sister Ashcraft, but it's  okay because now I am with Sister Hutchins! She is the one person I knew that was in this mission!  We know each other from BYU.  She is so great and we are already best buds and have the same expectations of obedience and dedication. She has only been out for one transfer (6 weeks), but is already a trainer since so many sisters came in with our transfer...about 18 sisters.  We are in St. Mary's, Georgia.  The second oldest city in the US (after Jamestown).  The ward building is in Kingsland which is right next to us, and we work with a lot of people there as well as in St. Mary's. 

So I thought that Arkansas was Southern, but it's nothing compared to the Southerness of Georgia.  I seriously feel like I stepped into the streets of To Kill a Mockingbird or The Secret Life of Bees, or The Help, three of my favorite books that are set in the south.  Now I will describe the people here, but don't think I'm trying to insult them or look down on them, but it's the reality of life here.  It's pretty dirty and lower class here.  Few have a college education.  People work as truck drivers, motel maids, bus drivers, things like that.  Everyone has an accent and many have horrible grammar, haha.  People live in one or two bedroom apartments that are filled with accumulated stuff and are pretty dirty.  Everyone smokes.  Lots of African Americans.  So it's not the environment that I grew up in, but I am getting more used to it.

People are so darn cute here and they totally fit the stereotypical Southerners.  Yesterday this beautiful black woman came to church in a pink dress and pink blazer, a pearl necklace, and an adorable white hat with silk flowers.  It was so elegant and classy, I just about died.  The ward mission leader wears suspenders with everything, including basketball shorts.  A counselor in the bishopric told me that you can tell people are from around here if they're short and have a pot belly, haha. 

There are a lot of people in the military here.  There is a huge Navy submarine base in St. Mary's, made me think of Bobby! 

Okay so the people here like I said, are hilarious.  And they can TALK like noone else.  They can just talk and talk forever about anything.  Which makes it hard to leave when we need to be somewhere.  Southerners here are so down to earth, so much so that they tell you about all of their business and all of everyone else's business.  At first I thought everyone was just super gossipy (including ward members), but that's just how everyone is--this is way things are and that's that.  No use hiding anything that is obvious. 

My companion and I joke that the people here aren't real and are just straight out of a book or a movie.  Everyone has such a complicated life story that most likely includes several divorces, wayward children, mental disorders, physical health problems and everything else.  Definitely makes things interesting!  We don't have one investigator that is physically able to kneel on the ground to pray--bad back or legs or feet...etc. 

This is just the stuff I notice as we do MISSIONARY WORK!!  Which is the best.  There is seriously nothing better than forgetting about yourself and talking to people to try and figure out their needs and how you can best help and serve them.  It's also so great to study the scriptures and preach my gospel and having the spirit guide you to what they need to hear and be taught that day.  I have already had great experiences being prompted by the spirit to pray for or say something.  It's the only way to do it out here, because you just want to help them and bring them Christ so badly but don't know how. 

There are about 200 members that come to church, but about 500 on the ward roster.  So a lot of our work is in working with less-actives and even members to keep them strong.  Which is not what I expected.  But it's what is needed in this area.  We do a lot of service for people and just building up people, whether it be members, investigators, or less-actives. 

We are teaching a lady from Sudan that hopefully will be baptized soon.  She is so cool! I've learned some cool things about Africa from her.  We are also teaching this INSANELY CRAZY woman named "investigator A".  She is hilarious.  She is 68 and has been through about every horrible thing you can imagine.  And is a little bit psycho because of it.  But she lives on her own and is so lonely because everyone she knows has let her down and hurt her.  We are working on helping her to know that God will never let you down, but that's hard for her to accept.  She goes to bed at 4 in the morning and wakes up in the evening/afternoon.  Soooo it'll be a long process to figure out how to get her to church.  But she is changing and knows that God sent us to her since she prayed for someone to help her and then later that day the missionaries knocked on her door.  She is so sweet. 

We're teaching other people, but I don't have enough time to tell all their stories!  It's cool to see why I was sent to this area--most everyone either has a mental disorder or has a child with a mental disorder like autism or bipolar or adhd.  Yay psychology!! Also, on the first day I was here when we flew into Jacksonville, I used my French and my Chinese to talk to people. 

Here are some funny things/expressions that show how cooky and funny this place is:

-"I'm down like four flat tires"

-"Are y'all kin, cuz y'all favor!" Somebody expressing how me and Sister Hutchins look alike.

-They say Joe Smith or John Smith here instead of Joseph Smith

-in Relief society: "Don't be a cafeteria mormon! Picking and choosing what principles you want to live."

-"I done did my part"

-A memeber's dog as legit diagnosed OCD with licking...it wears an anti-anxiety collar that emits pheromones to calm it...apparently, ha

-A member in the ward told us about how she has the spiritual gift of an empath...she can physically feel and take people's pain away by touching them...she kenw people were pregnant before they did because she felt their nausea....she told countless stories proving this...I'm not sure if it's true, but sure was interesting/amusing

-"Freaky Friday" a convert's substitute for other profanities

-A member teaching me and Sister Hutchins butt muscle strenghtening exercises that we can do while sitting in the car...haha

-People put water in a gallon size ziploc and hang it outside their front door....apparently it keeps the flies away? Ya I have no idea how

-Yes it is possible to get a mosquito bite on your forehead...happened to me my first day here.   It's a swamp here which means lots of mosquitoes, humidity, frogs, lizards, and sweat.

-Our Bishop is German and has an incredible operatic tenor voice...so random

-the grass here is different...it's crab grass and is prickly.

-we moved to a different apartment this week...which was fun in the heat/humidity. But we moved because the last place we were in was not in a very safe area.  Our new apt is MUCH nicer and safer.  I won't tell you the exact reasons of why that place wasn't safe....ha because then you'd be scared.  so don't worry about it and know that I'm in a safer place now!! :)

Sister Hutchins put it best yesterday when she said These people are hurting and they need us.  That is so true with the people here.  Everyone's life is messed up and they've lost hope.  But we are here to bring the light of Christ and His love into their lives.  It's the best way to spend my time! 

There are so many good and loving people here.  We get fed at least 3 dinners a week by 3 women that have been feeding missionaries every night for years.  One is a member, one is less-active, and one is a diehard catholic from Jamaica that lvoes anyone that is serving God!  At church yesterday, a sister came up to us and gave all 4 missionaries (elders and us) a $25 walmart gift card. 

That's all for now folks.  I'm doing well and am happy! God is helping me grow and become a better teacher and disciple.  Thank you for your support and love!  My new address is

1028 Park Place

St. Mary's, GA
31558

I'll have to send pictures next week, because I can't figure it out today. 

Love,
Sister Richardson