Homeless with Three Homes

Have you ever had one of those weeks? One of those ones where you just think that you have got to be doing something right or Satan would not be trying you this hard. Welcome to the past seven days!
Tuesday we decided on an apartment. We prayed about it and it felt right. Or, at least, that it wasn't wrong. That day the utilities were called about. Keep that in mind as I continue.
Wednesday we got the keys and everything was settled and then we found out that we had another month on the old apartment. Apparently there was a misunderstanding. Whatever, that's just another month to clean our apartment. Hopefully they don't try sticking us personally with the apparent knife throwing contests and dartboard dart holes that were done by previous missionaries and conveniently covered. That night we moved all of the furniture. We had some good help from the ward and the missionaries from Savanna. There was still no utilities so we slept on the ground at the old apartment.
Thursday was district meeting and moving the rest of the stuff. I went with Elder Bailey to teach the lesson we had in the middle of the move. Still no utilities that night, so we slept on the ground at the old apartment again.
Friday we finally got electricity halfway through the day. The gas guy also showed up, but because there was no water on, he refused to turn on the gas. We also discovered that a spigot was missing from a pipe. We later found the spigot but the pipe was cracked so that needed to be fixed. That night the Holts had us over for dinner so when Brother Holt picked us up he took a look at the pipe and figured out what needed to be done. He and his wife asked what they could do to help out that night, and I said, halfway joking, "Let us live with you." A phone call or two later, and we had a place to stay until everything was fixed. We've enjoyed the nights and mornings since that call, with our queen sized beds, whirlpool tub, and wonderful breakfasts. I've also opened up the window and listened to the frogs as I've gone to sleep, as they live out in the country. It was also about this time that Elder Jahn, the senior office couple elder over the housing awarded Elder Unsicker and me with the fictitious Flexibility Award. I hope you're proud, Mom.
Saturday included Brother Holt fixing our pipes, which included sawing off a whole section and replacing it with PVC. As soon as that was dry, we turned on the water, which we had discovered was on but just needed to be turned on at the meter. We began looking around, making sure that the water was running well around the apartment, when we discovered that the toilet and the wall by the toilet were leaking water fairly heavily. We quickly shut the water back off and called Elder Jahn. He had been trying to get a hold of the landlord and maintenance guy and at this point called and left a message with the landlord saying that if he didn't call back we were moving out. Sadly, he called back, saying that the pipes had apparently not been winterized in time and so they would have to fix it Tuesday. And we've been over on miles. So the Holts have had to drive us into town every morning and pick us up every night. They drove us to church on Sunday and even took us out for a Memorial Day Lunch Picnic in Eagle Point Park, a really beautiful park overlooking the river from the top of a bluff.
To add to the drama, members have not been too keen on the location of our apartment. It's downtown, right up against a bluff. The downtown is considered by many to be an unsafe area, but we intentionally found a place that is south of most problems, across the street from the library, and going to have the exterior renovated soon as the city is fixing up this section of town. Not to mention that with all of the anxiety I've had lately, the only time I would feel peace was when I prayed about this apartment, so I, for a change, wasn't worried. Also, this location is so much closer to all of our work. We can walk or ride our bikes to all of our investigators, no problem. Goodbye hilly bike rides and wasted miles. Not to mention that air conditioning is pointless in it as it has a couple feet thick stone walls so it is basically a cave in there. A member believes it to be from the mid 1800s and so it was made to last, and it has.
We also have been so busy with all of this that we still haven't gotten the car in for a recall on the airbags and to get an estimate from a very minor accident we got in last week when we got rear ended.
In the way of the work, all is going great! The two baptisms that were going to happen this last saturday were moved to this coming one, and all is going well in that regard. They're great investigators and one especially, Justina, is so solid. She now sits there in lessons with both her English and Marshallese copies of the Book of Mormon and has a calling already as Marshallese Relief Society Chorister.
We also saw one of the main priesthood holders that will lead the rest back to church return on Sunday, which was awesome! I love all that is coming together here!
Seriously, though, we know that none of this good stuff and none of this bad stuff would happen without the other. There are truly opposites in all things and right now we are being tested and tried as we see legitimate miracles come to pass. There may be days where I'm tempted to hop on my bike and start heading west, but the knowledge that I am seeing miracles take place amongst the Marshallese keeps me from letting the bad stuff from getting to me. How many places do you have people that commit so easily to things, are serious about all of it, and already believe in tithing and either already do it with our church or did it with their old church? It's so crazy, I love it.
Anyway, that's been my week! Congrats to Stephanie for being endowed!
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Love,
Elder Gates
"Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing." Bible Dictionary