Our first appointment is with a an older single lady who recently became active after 5 or 6 years. As soon as we go in she starts telling us how she moved to AZ in March to take care of an old man, but 10 days after she got here, he died. So now she just is chillin at his house until the bank or his family or someone realizes that she's living in this house rent free. We get in, say a prayer, and start to tell her what the lesson is about. She asks us if we can talk about something else. So she starts talking about how her mom has been abusive her entire life, how her mom's an alcoholic and addicted to pain pills, and how she was homeless and lived in some bushes next to the freeway somewhere in CA. Some guy starts being her boyfriend and she moves to AZ with him and he tries to prostitute her out so she moves back to the bushed is CA. Her mom tries to kill her so she moves behind a dumpster across town. Her dog wsa ran over and then she found out she had a tumor in her breast. Got surgery and the healing process went bad, got another surgery, and now has no right breast. This whole time, I say basically nothing. My companion is trying to help by saying random spiritual stuff, but this lady just goes on and on. We were there for almost 2 hours and we barely said anything.
So then we went to the next appointment (almost an hour late). This is a single girl who just moved into our ward from the single's ward I was in for the last three years. We also had an institute class together. This girl is a GREAT piano player, but she would hide in the bathroom until after I started playing piano and then come in. I have a little bit of a struggle to make it through hymns on the piano, so I had a slight grudge against her. I didn't dislike her, but I guess I just thought she was weird. Then, once I was finally allowed to be a visiting teacher in that ward, she's my companion. She called me once but I never called her back. And then I got married and I thought our pathes would no longer cross. But now I visit teach her. I guess that's Someone up there telling me I'm supposed to befriend her. Which is fine with me, but how do you make friends with someone who barely talks? And is quite awkward in most social situations. She said she liked to read, so thinking we had something in common, I ask what she usually reads. She tells me she reads self-help books and books about relationships, because she can never get one. How do I respond to that? I was about to just sit there awkwardly but my companion cut in and saved the day. So within like 25 minutes we're done with that appointment.
On our way home, my companion asks if I know anything about alcoholism. I tell her I know the basics but I've never actually had any experience with it. She tells me about the alcoholic members in her family. And about her conversion. And about her lost high school sweetheart. which was sad.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be visiting teaching, and I do like my companion, but it was just a lot of information for the small amount of time. I shouldn't be too surprised though. I tend to make people comfortable enough for them to tell me life stories and the occasional secret. I just wasn't expecting for that to happen on the first trip. With all three of the other girls. haha.
and let's try to start this up again...
This week I'm grateful for:
cheap books from amazon.com
a few hours hanging out with a friend
ferenc. who plays kid video games with me even though they're pretty lame
the new GI bill. and the bill that was just passed saying that FAFSA can't consider the money that you're getting from the army when determining how much money they're going to give you
and costco shopping trips.
1 comment:
who knew visiting teaching could be SO much fun?? haha.
By the way I went online to the U of A scholarship website in hopes I would find something but I didn't, good news is that they have special scholarships just for those who are in the ARMY. Ferenc should apply, you never know!! :)
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