Monday, June 16, 2014

...The One that Got Away...Are you kidding?

Some missionaries would choose not to tell their families the full account of what happened, but you're my family so I'll tell y'all everything.

First off, I hope my card was cancelled. 
Second, don't be mad when you read how I reacted. It's called adrenaline. 

So on Friday night we went tracting for the last couple hours of the night. We've been doing it later in the evening to avoid the heat and talk to more people when they're home from work. We parked our care along the highway, there are no neighborhoods here, and when there are there is no room for parking, so we park along the highway when we tract and we go walk. We started to head back to our car because the night was coming to a close and we needed to get home on time. We come around the bend of the highway and Sister Jones and I see another car that's parked next to our car. She asks me, "Did you lock the door?" I reply, "Yes..." And the back door of our car is open. I left my purse in there because we're in the country, no one goes by and no one's going to get anything out of it right? I mean, in all the other areas I've served in I always had my purse on me, there's no way I would ever leave it in the car. Well, I begin to walk faster into a jog and Sister Jones says, "No." Then I don't even look back, my eyes are fixed on the two cars ahead and I say, "My stuff is in there!" And I take off. Mind you, I'm wearing all black (thank goodness, made me feel more powerful) and my boots because it had rained earlier that day. I'm bolting, running as fast as I can. The passenger in his car sees me and starts to say something to the thief. I start yelling, "Hey! Stop!" He runs back to his car. I am close enough that as soon as he shuts his door I get to his car, open his door and yell "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" Sister Jones said it was done in my best cop voice. He slams the door shut, stronger than I had strength to resist, and takes off. I'm out of a license, my cards, my camera (which I didn't realize until we got home that night), and most of all, the Lindor truffles Sister Jones and I were sharing ;). 


I wasn't really thinking when I ran toward him. I understand that that was a very risky move, and thank goodness that I'm safe. I will say that I don't regret running because my blood got pumping as soon as I realized what he was doing. To be honest I don't even really remember yelling, but Sister  Jones heard and saw everything so I'm taking her word for it. Needless to say, this weekend has been taking some recuperating. It would be different had we come to the car, window broken, purse stolen and no one in site. But we interacted with him. We saw him and he definitely saw us. It keeps running through my mind and I still can't believe that it happened, and it all happened so quick. What gets me is that everyone that talks to Sister Jones and me acts like we were in the right mind to methodically think and really check his tag numbers. Next time anything happens I now know what to do, but for a first time, I can't imagine my mind actually thinking straight. Adrenaline is a funny thing. Anyway, so that was one big event. 

I will say, when the officer was writing the report I had to laugh because it went like this, "Smith ran toward the car. Jones walked and try to press the car alarm. Smith opened the door etc. etc." Sounds fake. Smith and Jones. We joke about that a lot. We want to get a Sister self defense thing going because I don't think enough Sisters know what to do in situations where they're in contact with the culprit. Hopefully we can get something started because it needs to be done, I don't know why no one has really come up with that yet... And it needs to be done frequently, maybe quarterly or something. 

Well. The WONDERFUL news is that we have someone on date! That's a real miracle! No one has baptized here in Cleveland in a year, and it was the Elders that baptized last. We're going to be the first Sisters to baptize up here. Wooot wooot. Keep our investigator in your prayers that she will continue to be prepared. She believes in Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Restoration of Jesus Christ's church and she believe in the Book of Mormon. Anyway, that was wonderful and we had our lesson with her the day after this whole fiasco happened, so #blessed. ;)

Also, on Tuesday Sister Jones and I sang this song, "My Unknown Brother" on Tuesday at Zone Meeting. We changed the chorus and its harmonies and the pianist learned the song an hour before zone meeting, so that was another blessing. 

Love you all!
Sister Smith
 
SISTER JONE'S VERSION OF THE SAME EVENT:
 
Hello everyone. Man things here in Cleveland are just nuts. Hopefully this week will slow down a bit.

Well I will start at Friday night. Its just a typical night in Cleveland. We just finished tracting, because we are obedient missionaries and were walking back to our car. We see another car parked near ours. My first thought was someone was just looking to see if it was an abandoned car. We get that a lot because we leave our car and go and tract for hours upon hours. Then we see our door opened. "Did you lock the car Sister Smith?" She replied "yes." We then proceed to see another car parked right next to ours and a man violating our beautiful 2011 gold corolla. At that point my companion turns into an FBI agent and runs after the thief; and yes she was wearing all black. Once he realizes that he has been caught and that my companion could probably mess him up #thankyouhotyoga, he gets into he car. At that point in time Sister Smith aka officer Smith is at his car door. She then with great force opens his car door and in her most terrifying voice, screams "GET OUT OF THE CAR!" I wish I could end the story with he did and he got on the ground. But he didn't; he drove away and stole Sister Smiths purse. On the bright side we have a great story to tell, and most importantly we are safe.

Then on Saturday the heavens were opened and the Cleveland sisters are going to baptize! Hallelujah!! This will be the first ever baptism for the Cleveland sister since the area has been opened. Can I get another HALLELUJAH?!? I don't think that I will be here for the baptism but that doesn't matter. What matters is that another one of Heavenly Fathers daughters is going to enter into a covenant with Him. I love missionary work!

Keep us in your prayers, we need them. And thank you for all of those that have been said in our behalf.
I love you and miss all y'all.
Have a great week!
Sending you much love from Cleveland,
Sister Jones
 
 

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