Dear Family and Friends,
So our week started about the same as it usually does (as far as planning goes). We were driving home from our walking path and got a call from the Sisters informing us that a member of the church was stranded in Eutaw (that’s the same as Utah only with a southern spelling). He was moving from Utah to Georgia when his U-Haul truck broke down and he had to have some help moving his belongings from the broken truck to the replacement truck. We told the sisters to call him back and tell him we would get there as soon as we could, but it was going to take a while. We came home and changed clothes, called the Smiths to see if their three boys would come and help us, and then drove 20 minutes to pick them up and another 40 minutes in the opposite direction to get to Eutaw. When we got to town we called the man to find out where he was and he said he was towed to Livingston. He didn’t bother to call anyone and tell them he was no longer in Eutaw. Knowing that would have saved us about 30 minutes driving time. So we got to Livingston about 25 minutes later and found a very healthy young man (late 20s to early 30s) sitting in his airconditioned pickup with the broken U-Haul trailer (not truck) attached, and the replacement trailer next to it. The trailer was full of personal belongings, which included one item (a headboard) that would have needed two people to transfer because it was bulky. If he would have at least started transferring his things then maybe he would have been the one kneeling on the floor of the trailer, in 96 degree weather with 90 percent humidity, picking up all of his Lego pieces that spilled out of his half bushel apple box either when it was loaded or during transit, instead of Elder Owens. He had a cooler full of soda and when we finished loading the trailer we were leaving and he asked us if he could have a bottle of water that we brought for the Smiths.
We are finally admitting that President James was right when he told us, when we first arrived, that people here tend to tell you what they know you want to hear. Out of the four active investigators, all of whom told us they would see us at church, none of them came today. The less actives that told us they were coming last week and didn’t, who told us again this week that they were coming, didn’t come either. The couple that served here until December, that is visiting here this week, told us about the time last year that they were trying to visit a lady and couldn’t find her. They went to the store and met her on the way out of the store. The first thing she said was that she was coming to church on Sunday. That was the lady that told us last week that, no matter what, she was coming to church. Then told us again this week that she was coming. We still haven’t seen her at church. Elder Owens is feeling kind of badly that we are going to be judged according to our works AND the desires of our hearts, because what he desires to do with most of the people her is kick them right in the….. Well moving on.
We did have our most exciting cultural experience of our whole mission so far. This week we got to tour the Crimson Tide Stadium with the Elders and Sisters. We got a call, while we were on the way to help the stranded mover Monday, telling us the guy at the stadium said that if we could be there by 3:00 PM we could do the tour. We were pretty sure we weren’t going to make it, but we actually did. I could fill a couple of pages telling you about that, but I will forbear. We did learn, though, that two seats in the Ivory box (see attachment #2) cost $150,000 and then on top of that they have to pay $40,000 to $45,000 for the tickets to the games for the year. He told us, though, that they don’t have to pay the $150,000 every year. They only pay that every five years. It would be a pretty awesome place to sit to watch the game though (attachment #1). After we toured the press box, the President’s box, and the Ivory Box all the Elders and Sisters went down the stairs on the bleachers to the field. Sister Owens and I got to go on the elevator with the tour guide (cause we’re old). When we got off the elevator, he said, “I’m not going to show this to everybody, but I’ll show you guys, since we’re here.” Then he took us into the visiting team locker room. He explained that it used to be the home team locker room and that a gentleman made a very generous donation to the foundation that enabled them to build a nice new locker room for the home team. They told the gentleman that, to show their appreciation, they wanted to name something after him. He was pleasantly surprised and said nobody ever wanted to name anything after him. They named the visiting team locker room after him (see attachment #3) and we were told the winning rate since they installed the plaque outside the door has been 99 percent.
So we actually planned our day Wednesday, and just as we got going we got a call from the sister that was taken to the Phsyc. ward in Tuscaloosa after being transported by ambulance last week. She was discharging herself and called us to come and pick her up because her cousin’s car wouldn’t make the trip. We explained that we had commitments for the day and we just couldn’t come to get her. Her family, who has disowned her, is one of the richest families (and largest) in the area. We told her she might have to call her aunt and see if she would come to get her. We went on about our day and learned, the next day, that her cousin’s car made the trip after all.
Book of Mormon class was really good this week (although Gloria, who promised us the day before that she was coming, didn’t show up). The Joneses were there (Senior couple from last year). We had a birthday cake and a little party for Debrah. She is the one that really wants to be a member of the church but her children will not allow her to be baptized. Sister Nixon got there a little late and Sister Jones was behind her as she came in. When she saw Sister Jones they hugged each other and screamed and jumped up and down like little children. Then they did it again about three times. Everyone there felt their joy. It was awesome. Junior Cantrel is a new member we caught at home the first week we were here and haven’t been able to see since. He has never been to church since we have been here. The Joneses said we just had to hear him sing “Come, Come Ye Saints.” He came to Book of Mormon Class and we all convinced him to sing for us. Everyone sang without accompaniment and, quite honestly, it was disastrous. He wasn’t quite on pitch without a piano. It wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the eight of us in Priesthood meeting this morning trying to sing “If You Could Hi To Kolob.”
Sister Owens had a really fun experience Saturday on P-Day. She was trying to scrub the bathtub ring and a nice big black spider came crawling up from the bathtub drain. She said it certainly got her heart pumping for the day. She washed it back down the drain and let the water run for a good five minutes or more and as soon as it drained she put the big rubber stopper over the drain and it hasn’t moved since except to drain the tub after her shower (yup, she showers with the drain plugged now). She hadn’t seen any spiders for two or three days and was just starting to relax a bit and let her guard down. Now she’s nervous about it everyday and keeping her eye out. Good news!! Our six month lease will be up the latter part of September and they are looking for another apartment for us. We so will miss garage, sweet garage.
Well, if y’all will keep the commandments and read your Book of Mormon, Elder Owens will work on his attitude.
We love y’all,
Elder and Sister Owens
PS: It was so exciting to get a picture of the kids when they all got to be together in Boise (attachment #4). Made us a little bit homesick.
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