6/8/21 Grandma Sanders Rolls Strike Again

Good thing it's Tuesday. My apologies for not sending my email out yesterday. I was on the road again and was not feelinging like staring at a screen for the entirety of it. The great news is that I have witnessed so many miracles! like REAL GOOD miracles!

A few days ago I got a call from some other sisters down in Nebraska and they had organized this Music Devotional for their community and all their musicians dropped out just days before. Luckily with God's help, we were able to rally the troops and all take a big road trip from to Gordon Nebraska. The Fargo sisters drove to Bismarck Sunday morning and picked me up after the sacrament meeting and we started the 8 hour journey. The only way to go down to Gordon is to pass through reservations. There is only one res that Sisters are allowed to be on right now. So we were lucky to be escorted by some elders through it. You honestly can't tell you're in a res sometimes. It looks pretty normal. Going through the first one was fine and then into the second one, we started being followed by a cop for about 45 minutes. We called the elders for instructions because we were all warned not to be pulled over because they will do anything to fine you. We were right on the speed limit and had nothing to give them to pull us over. We are warned not to get out of the car, at least us Sisters. We've heard stories and thats enough for me to be scared of reservations. But as this cop car was following us, I said a prayer. I kid you not, the cop flipped a U-ie and left. That is a miracle in itself. 8 hours of driving later we arrived in Gordon. Let me not forget to say that it is fast Sunday. All 6 of us missionaries have been fasting for the whole trip. The Elders administered the sacrament at the church and we all broke our fast. Once we broke it, they all collectively realised they had no official meal to eat. There were a few packs of peanut butter crackers and some goldfish and the two cuties I brought for breakfast the next day, but that was it. The Saturday before, I woke up and was given the prompting to make some bread. I mean, not the weirdest thought, but not really in our missionary schedule. But I took my breakfast and lunch time to make some Grandma Sanders rolls. I packed them for the trip and at the moment when I realised we had nothing to eat I went and grabbed the rolls and it was enough to keep us full till Monday. I am very grateful that that prompting was given, 6 hangry missionaries trying to be Christ-like is quite humorous but was getting old.

We drove to their community center and rehearsed a bit and performed an assortment of christian hymns for their community. About 25 people came (all of Gordon lol) and about half were non-members! I say it was a success! We stayed the night with the Gordon Sisters and left the next morning to make is back to Bismarck. 712 miles in total. 16 hours of driving in 48 hours. But it was for the Lord so we are in happy spirits.

Now to today. Today is Tuesday so that means we meet as a district today. I had the thought to drive through Sertoma Park and not through the highway this morning. The highway was quicker but it has a lot of construction right now so we both agreed and left. As we are driving by this park we pass by this woman and Sister Erdmann and I both to ourselves thought "that is the saddest looking woman i've ever seen". But we kept driving. None of you would know, but Sertoma park lines the Missouri River but a mile or two, it is absolutely beautiful and green! We were just enjoying the view and Sister Erdmann looked at me and asked if I saw that sad woman and right then I felt the spirit REBUKE ME for not turning around quicker. We turned around hoping that she had not left and found a place to park and there she was. We go over and right away Sister Erdmann gives her a big hug and she just starts to cry. She explained her situation and in fact, she was about to take her life. We sat with her as she cried and we talked about Jesus Christ and his plan for her and offered to walk her home. As we walked we got to know her and found that she is a Christian and loves Jesus. We walked about a mile and a half to her home and turned over to her family, who had said they had been looking for her for a while. We exchanged facebook profiles and we are keeping in touch with her. We walked the mile and a half back to the car as we both just walked in awe of the spirit. I write this as this was just a few hours ago, But I am so grateful that Sister Erdmann got the same prompt that I didn't listen to. This was my lesson to never turn a thought away from the spirit.

Since I missed my pday yesterday we went to get groceries at Walmart and we didn't need too much, but I had the thought to turn down the salsa ilse. I turned the cart and see this girl and I complimented her cute red pants and she just lit up. She told us she just moved here from Minnesota and had no friends, so we exchanged instagrams and anyways, God is in the details of this story.

I feel that a lot more happened this week but this is all I feel to share. Listen to those promptings. You never know who the Lord has been consoling.

- Sister Barlow

p.s. It hit 105 F on friday. We were hotter than Florida. How does one go from -48 to 105 in a matter of 5 months...

pictures

-Mo's Snow Shack is owned by members so we get free snow cones

- metal t-rex in the home of Faith North Dakota

- Im getting so good at travel plans lol

-Cutest home in Mandan

-poopoopaper lol. moose poo paper

- the despicable me house

-Zone Pday! (last week)

- King's Drive-in in Faith ND (only restaurant in Faith)

- 5 of the 9 Sisters who stayed in Gordon