Updates from Hermana Goudie: Oh the Bugs!!!!

So one thing about Arkansas that I didnt realize I would have a problem with is the bugs! They are everywhere! So a few weeks ago we had maggots all over our apartment and we thought we swept them all up. But we have had a million flies in our apartment. The other day for the whole hour of lunch we were swatting flies. I think I killed like 30 flies. So I think the left over maggots turned into flies. We thought we would be able to go awhile without flies but no. The next day there were more! And... I had my second encounter with ticks!!!! So we went to eat with a member and were holding their cute little puppies in their back yard and just as we were about to go in the house we all had ticks crawling up our legs! I was freaking out. When we got home later that night I went into the bathroom and noticed something on my leg. A tick crawling! At the same time I saw it my companion who was using the bathroom downstairs screamed. She came running up the stairs and one had crawled into her leg. She put some nail polish on it (we are supposed to use nail polish remover but neither of us were thinking straight) and then I was able to pull it out for her. So that was a fun experience.

A member gave us this banana bread this week that looked like it had bacon on top of it. Who knew when you slice bananas long ways and cook them they turn brown and look like bacon. Oh the things you learn on your mission! ;) It was really good bread though by the way.

Sorry this email is off the wall. But missionary work is just the norm now. Its just what we do. We found some cool new hispanic families this week. We set some baptismal dates with them which is super exciting. We are starting to teach more spanish now because we dont have any english investigators that are really progressing besides jasmine who has been to church like 5 times and we are working on getting her married.

Being zebra is hard but I am learning a lot of spanish because I am the only one teaching in lessons. My companion is starting to speak some more this week and is able to understand where the lesson is going now so she can say things in English and I translate for her. But it is definitely a struggle that I needed to continue to trust in the Lord and continue studying spanish hard and how to teach better. I really feel like I am starting to be able to teach well in spanish and that the people here are understanding what I am saying and understanding the Restoration of the Gospel which is such a blessing.

We had transfer calls today. We didnt get one though so Sister Millet and I are staying together here in Russellville which I am happy about. I know it is for a reason and that I will be able to continue studying hard and teaching Sister Millet spanish and finding people to baptize. It is our goal to baptize a hispanic family this transfer and we are teaching 3 pretty cool families. We are going to work our hardest. Sister Millet only has 2 more transfers, she leaves in December. I dont think she will end her mission here which means I have at least 2 more transfers in Russellville which I am so excited about! I love it here :) There is always so much to do and so many prepared people.

This gospel is true. It has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon is the evidence that God give us to know for sure! I love being a missionary and being able to help the people receive their own testimony of that.

Love yall!

Hermana Goudie

We walked into Earls apartment this week and there was blood everywhere!
He had fallen down and made his elbows bleed everywhere. So we bandaged him up
and cleaned up the apartment from all the blood. Missionary nurses! ;)