Hello....it's me.

SUNSHINE!!!!!

Hello....it's me.

It's been a pretty good week here! The days dragged on forever, but the week went really fast. 

I have learned a lot about myself and about life since I've been out here. I will enumerate but a few:

-I've learned how to make hard choices. Why would I have to do this, you may ask. Well, a sewage pipe on the bottom floor in the elevator shaft broke earlier this week. I live on the 9th floor. So we have the choice of an elevator ride through heck, or run up 9 flights of stairs. And I mean run, because the smell lingered anywhere 5th floor and under. 

-I've learned the importance of sobriety. I have witnessed not one, not two, but three men fall into the middle of the road at different times throughout this week, completely drunk. It was usually around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, so the men were very lucky that the cars were paying attention and didn't run them over. 

-I've learned the importance of the police. We saw two bomb squads this week, I am thankful for their fervent searches. 

-I've learned about the Belfast drug scene. We are teaching a young man who has had a very rough life. He told us all about his involvement in drug dealing and being a hitman. He's very interested in Jesus Christ and is ready to change!

-I've learned I prefer crunchy peanut butter over creamy. I know. I've changed.

 
-I've learned that, in the words of Myra and Princess Diaries, "Miracles happen once in a while if you believe". Really though, things are finally starting to get better.

We have a legitimate investigator!!!!!!!!! It's absolutely a miracle. Saturday night, after a long week of finding without any success, we get a phone call. It's the sister missionaries from Hill Cumorah in New York! They say that someone in our area went on mormon.org and requested to be taught more! We went and visited this guy Chris, and he's so cool! He's married, has the cutest little 2 year old daughter, is tatted up, and has the coolest beard. AND he wants to be baptized!! It's amazing, such a miracle.  Thanks everyone for all the prayers!

Blue sky!

WWII war hero, Ben Crawford, he's 95 and in the ward.

There was a parade outside our apartment a couple days ago! We stood on our deck and watched. Turns out Belfast is entering parade season, where they have random marches and parades every week or so. The grand finale is July 11th and 12th. If I'm still in the area on those days, I'm not allowed to leave the apartment. It's pretty dangerous. Look up the details, it's interesting! 

YUM!

So I have 6 weeks left with Sister Wagner! We are living it up while she's here.  We have a lot of fun together.

Sunset over Belfast

Thanks everyone for all the emails, I hope everyone has a great week! 

~Sister Stapley