Hiding in a Bathtub 🛀

 

Week: 16
Date: May 27, 2024
Location: Southside, St Louis Missouri
Email: leah.kimball@missionary.org
Companion: Hermana Larsen/ Kaysville, Utah 
Blog: https://livinlavidastlouis.blogspot.com/?m=1

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The famous sopa de mar
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

Heyyyyy squaadd!!

We back for another!

MONDAY NIGHT WHOOP!!! Jose got put on date!!! Blessings! Jose is a super faithful guy but he said he was nervous about getting baptized!! Personal background: Back at home when Jack was in the process of getting baptized he would always quote to me “Faith Over Fear” and it has always stuck with me. So Monday night, I felt very prompted to ask Jose, “Is your faith bigger than your fear?” and he said, "10000%" Which then got him asking when he can be baptized! So we set up the date for June 9th! So we will see, but we are excited for him!! Big prayers for Jose! 

Y'all, Hermana Larsen and I have found a jackpot apartment complex. Every single person we have met from this apartment complex is from Colombia!! So we decided to knock on every door. So far we have only knocked six, and all six have scheduled us to come back and teach another lesson!!! Miracles baby! We even had someone open the door and say “Missionaries oh good come in”. BECAUSE THEIR SISTER IS A MEMBER IN HONDURAS!!! Such a cool experience!! We are so excited! Our goal is to teach this whole complex lol! But there's like 150 doors! So slay! 

Car selfies cause it's always pouring! 
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

 Marty Joe Murray ruined my cute picture..
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

This past week we had a member, who hasn't been to church in 3 months, call us. We have been visiting him and his family pretty regularly to get them back to church. Although, on Monday he had back surgery because he fell off the roof while working one day, and he's the only driver in his family. So that was tough news. Anyways, he called us and told us he has zero food to feed his children. Hermana Larsen and I had no idea what to do. Although, we work at a Catholic food bank every Tuesday. So we asked the Catholic father (the guy in charge of the Catholic perish) if we could get food for this family, and he said yes! So we went in and they had carts lined up for us to take to the family. SO MUCH FOOD! It was crazy. Hermana Larsen and I got the privilege of dropping all the food off, and the family was beaming!!! They were so excited. We were so blessed we were able to be a part of their joy, when in reality, all we did was drop off the food from the Catholic church. So so cool! 

We taught Jose the word of wisdom this week! Which we knew was gonna be pretty tough for him! BUT HE SAID, HE WILL FOLLOW IT!! Jose has been super cool and awesome! He has so much faith and he's super passionate about the Bible! It's super fun to have him read the Book of Mormon because he has that same passion! Since my comp and I have been to his AA group 3 times now, we know he loves to bear testimony! He starts yelling about how much dropping alcohol has changed his life! We are pretty hyped for the upcoming testimony meeting with him on Sunday lol! 

 Punk rock or whateva 🤪 
St. Louis Missouri
May 2024

 Ted drewes w/ the district!!! 
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

Aysel wanted us to take a pic with her baby lol! 
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

Saturday was so awesome!!! I love Saturdays here!!! Everyone is outside hanging out and the weather is beautiful! Just perfect! As Hermana Larsen and I were going somewhere for lunch we noticed that a flea market was happening at one of the parks we like to go to. So we thought It would be fun to look around! So we went. When we were waiting in line for food we noticed that everyone looked so different. They were all wearing dark clothes and very dark makeup! And everyone was staring at us.. We also heard some guy screaming in the distance. We then felt like we needed to leave, and while leaving we noticed a bunch of signs that said “Punk Rock Concert Flea Market”. It was an all day thing with a bunch of punk rock artists.. lol It was so funny. Had to take a pic of course! 

On Saturday we also visited the Montoya family that we gave a bunch of food to on Tuesday! We had the appointment with them right after our dinner. Which was a mistake… right when we got there they told us they had so much food, so they asked us to have some. We were very hesitant but of course agreed. Then they brought out a small caesar salad and I was like, oh good I can eat this… but no. It was just the beginning of a 3 COURSE MEAL! Help! They then gave us “sopa de mar” (sea soup). It has 8 full grown cooked shrimp in one bowl of soup plus fish, plus platanos, plus rice. I thought I was gonna die. My comp and I were drinking this sea soup and as soon as it looked like we ate enough in our bowls, we asked the sweet hermana if we could take it to go. She said of course and then put 7 more shrimp in our to-go container… My comp and I are not food wasters so we gave it to the Elders the next day at church! 

Anyways, when we were at the Montoyas, they told us they had a surprise for us. They then told us that they promised to go to church that week! They said we had been angels to them and they knew they needed to start putting God first! AND GUESS WHAT EVERYONE! THEY ACTUALLY PULLED UP TO CHURCH!!!! It was crazy.. Our prayers were answered and all the Montoyas were there at church!!! Our branch made sure to greet and love them all, and Brother Montoya said he definitely wants to start coming more!!! 

Sea soup..
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

Hiding in the tub..
St Louis Missouri
May 2024

Gosh, Sunday night was wild! There was a huge tornado and thunderstorm. While Hermana Larsen and I were studying our scriptures. Our apartment complex started shaking, the lights started flickering, and we heard the loudest lightning ever. I thought it was the 2nd coming. Turns out there was a lightning strike right outside of our apartment building! But that's not all, then our phones started sending out crazy loud alerts and the tornado sirens went off. The sky was green and hail started pelting from the sky. We were terrified. We got a call telling us to go to our bathtub and hide, and do not go out for the night. So we stayed in the bathtub on the phone until we were safe. After about 45 mins we found out the tornado was just south of us and the sky cleared up.  So we continued our missionary work for the night lol. It was a crazy hour and half though! 

Anyways, my spiritual thought comes from my studies this week! I have been studying the atonement of Jesus Christ! Which is just amazing! I don't think I realized how much Christ really suffered for us and through Him, He gave us the greatest gift!! We are so blessed to be able to return to our Heavenly Father and I have the strongest testimony that I know Heavenly Father is happy we get to return to him too!! This week I was also studying this talk by Elder Holland called “Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet” it is seriously the best talk ever! Please listen to it this week if you get the chance!! And if you don't heres a 5 minute inspiration video that sums up the talk that WILL make you cry! The best video ever! I am so grateful for the sacrifice of my Savior and my Brother Jesus Christ! And boy am I grateful to be preaching/teaching his love to the people in St. Louie!

I love you all so much! Have the best week ever! And shout out to all my friends starting their missions today!!! It's a great work! Y'all are the best! Have the most fantastic week! Remember God loves you! GOD IS SO GOOD! 💓💓💓

Dad: All the Honduras here told me to tell y'all to be very careful there this week 😜 

Mom: The package was so sweet! I literally cried! Thank you for thinking of me! The dress was super cute. 

Colton: The vid of you everyday this year had me dying.. 🤣 

Caryn: One meal fasts are the way to go! Thank you! 

Taylor: Got excited when you jumped in the call last week. Sad it was on accident. Lol

Bailey: You and Shaye are super cute 

Clay: Went down a slide this week #numba1advice

Lexi: Bye bye Sis Simmons

Bella: Sorry about the choir sitch! Maybe at BYU? 

Collins: Loved your letter! Sorry Jack is always at the house hahah jk 

Capri: Loved your card! Especially the picture of Jesus! I have it hanging up now ! 

Kash: Haven't heard from you in a while…. lol