Remember that time. . . .

This was a long week. Roger called on Tuesday and tried to cancel his baptism. 2 hours later, we had calmed him down and put him back on date. That's about ALL that happened. *super delayed thumbs up*

Oh! We also went to Okeechobee! (Transfer dream come true! (For those who don't serve in the Vero Beach Zone, Okeechobee is where the cows live. And also some trailer parks. With a person.)) Also, flea markets are creepy! I stood in the sun for many hours! But got no pics, so...* We handed out Famiñy search cards. It was

I'll give you the pics I DO have.
There they are. Enjoy them in their full glory. All 2 of them.
Um...
We weekly planned for 3.5 hours, 2 days in a row??

This week was mostly a lot of really long, slightly apostate lessons where they just talked the whole time and every 30 min or so we'd interrupt and bring it back to the gospel, where they would promptly run off with it again. l:"
I'm deciding to NOT look back on this week and to move forward with faith.
I know God blessed those in the dry times too. I'm now gonna go look for this well of living water, and take a drink, cuz I'm parched.

Quote time:
-- Remember that time when you scared Elder Larsen and I peed my pants? (Don't worry, I didn't say it.) *
-- I'd like to go with you because I have a small RV
-- The Hobbit should've been a half hour special

Sorry All! Forgive/pray for me! And for Roger to get baptized!! And for our area to get investigators!!

Love y'all!

Pictures:
1. The Taqueria, right before a soul crushing 4 hour service
2. A random ping pong table. It made me laugh.
Oh wait, an update! I convinced the Okeechobee elders to send me some. Enjoy. This one.

[Mom's note: we're still hoping to get pictures. Tune in next week.]




*So there I was.
Every Sunday night we head back in an hour early so as to account with our District leaders (That way, we only get a week's head start to go to Texas!) But at 8:30, aka 30 min late, they still hadn't called, we started wondering. 8:45 we get the briefest of phone calls: our District leader calls telling us his companion slipped a disk and is in the hospital so they won't be calling to account. Sis. Andrus is super worried, but I'm not sure... so I start a puzzle (Neuschwannstein!)

10 min later, something metal hits our glass sliding door. Sis. Andrus was in the bathroom, and I didn't care enough to move so I ignore it. Besides, I'm pretty sure I know what it was. If I'm right, it'll hit again soon. And sure enough, it does. This time, I stop the puzzle and watch as best I can through our broken blinds. Again, suspicion is proved right and a white blog passes by the window.

Elders.

Hna Andrus and I do what any sane person would do: we hit the lights. Our apartment goes pitch black. We each grab a nerf gun and super slowly approach the sliding door. We try and take a picture (pics or it didn't happen) but because our flash is on, we end up getting only blurry photographic evidence and alert the elders we're not asleep.

Finally, Our district leader - Elder Larson - blatantly walks up to the door. Fatal mistake! I whip back the blinds and after a split second delay, he total jumps out of his skin! We die laughing, and poor Hermana Andrus has to run to save her pants.

Elder Ward was not actually in the Hospital; the whole story backfired on them. And that's why you don't lie to servants of the Lord. Especially when you ARE servants of the Lord.

Saturday is a special day

It's the day Jörg Klebingat returns with some friends. More on that later.
What a week! It makes up for all those weeks where you ask "What just happened?*" Please fasten your seatbelts as things get pretty crazy.

Monday: P-day; we drove 2 hours to a different chapel (John Young, if you must know) so we could have a sleep over with the Buena Ventura Hermanas (Hermana Swan and Hermana Robbins -- That's right! You DO know her! See pictures from Mexico in earliest posts). We had Zone Conference the next morning at 8am, and we couldn't be late because:

Tuesday: We got Smartphones! Wut. () I looked hard for the Second Coming but, no luck. It was a good meeting and I got to see all the peeps from Windy Ridge. But I didn't actually get to go home because we went on:

Wednesday: Exchanges! I went with Sister Padgett and we got to see the ocean, a rare sighting for Hermanas! What a time! I met a lady who's best friend/the missionary that baptised her lived in Smithfield. (Name is John Harold Heaton for anyone who lives in Smithfield) and I also sang in the Spanish choir. Oh Spanish choirs... But I finally got to go home and sleep in my bed, only to wake up to:

Thursday: Ma' 6 month mark! We celebrated by having a day full of knocking! And also, we went for Ice cream and had Gluten free brownies!

Friday: All I remember from Fri is having to wait super restlessly for:

Saturday: A VISIT BY ELDER DOUGLAS B. CARTER, BISHOP GERÁLD CAUSSÉ, ELDER JÖRG KLEBINGAT, AND ELDER GARY E. STEVENSON!!!!!!! [It's over 9000!] I got to shake Elder Stevenson's hand, and true, he definitely said "Elder Bayer?" And I said yes, so, I may or may not have lied to an apostle... But it's OK because Elder Klebingat started his 30 min. By saying "Where did Nephi say liars go? That's right, they are Thrust down to Hell" *smiles!* Wow I love Elder Klebingat. :) I may or may not have had to spend the rest of the day in a car with 4 English sisters, but wow was I spiritually fat from all that feasting.

Sunday: We got torn apart by our investigator in front of the Ward mission leader for a misunderstanding that happened last week. But on the bright side, he's going to get baptised on March 4! Yay! Bringing souls unto God, even if it destroys all of my credibility and dignity!! But we really are super proud of Roger, and we love seeing his super intense love for God. So plz pray for his making it into the font!

Quick spiritual note: Brother of Jared said "God, we need light." God said "Yep. Why don't you devise a means." Brother of Jared thinks for a bit, then comes back with a bunch of rocks. "Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee." Lord, I know you want light and I brought you rocks, but it's the best I got. I know it isn't enough, but please, help.
God: I will make your efforts enough. *touches rocks* Bring God your best. Even if it's salty or burned or lop-sided or the wrong color or too small; bring him your best. And He will make it enough.

Ok bYYYYEE!!!

Pics.
Cuban Mexican food with the Hermanas

You Can see the Waves!

I'm slowly getting Hna Andrus hooked on pixy stix

First ocean sighting! What a sunset!

Triple Chocolate for achieving the first 3rd of mission.

Holy English sisters, Batman!

BEACH P-DAY HOY! bet you didn't see that coming!

Pink Elephants

"... oh hi!" (Name that Reference!)

This week. Happened. I think... Sis. Andrus doesn't remember it either... "that's not a good sound..." (NtR!)

We did missionary work. I think. Our Zone is focusing more unity so we made the goal to "Come Together" and memorize the Living Christ. When they first called with the proposition and said "Its alright It's alright It's alright It's OK!" We know this is a lot but "Stay Calm and  Carry On, my Wayward son!" And we were like "As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of his matchless life and the infinite virtue of his great Atoning sacrifice." Yup. Sis. Andrus already knew it. ("I knew it!")

Other great moments for this week:

-- I had my first catfish ("at the codfish ball!")

-- I had a moment where The Impossible Dream came on and Sis. Andrus commented on it being from the Man of La Mancha. I immediately busted a gut as the quote "Look it was my dream and it was impossible, OK!" Clicked in my head.

-- And I got to meet the members down here. We had stake conference last week so I this week was really the first time. They have so much heart, and I even managed to not say Hallelujah at the end of Sis. Gloria's soulful testimony. That was fun! (She definitely testified over the pulpit "This church is the most awesomest church in the universe." I love her!)

To try and save this email from its worldly ways, I'll mention Pamela. She asked for a Book of Mormon online; previous attempts to contact her had not come to fruition, but this time when we dropped by, she was there! ("Rumors of my death have been Highly Exaggerated.") She invited us right in and started talking to us, even though all of her grandkids were there for the 1-year-olds birthday. Her brother moved to Utah and has been a Mormon for 35 years. She got interested and asked him to bring her one, but he said no, she wasn't going to get one that easy. He gave her a link and said she had to go through the system ("We're just tryin' ta break the system!"). He had 2 kids serve missions so he made sure she met with those serving here. Aka ME! She loves God and has a lot of faith. We're super excited to talk to her more, and I hope she can hear God's answer when she prays! ("Pray for her Penny. She's gonna need it!") Also, she's all about respect. ("Find out what it means to me!") Something that's losing value in this world. You could probably say she's "something Amazing, I guess."

Ok, things are going downhill here ("And trip, and trip and trip andtripandtripit!") with all the quotes and worldly references. Good thing I studied Matthew 6:24. Oops. (Mental image of Indiana Jones and the golden boots in Cerebro!! Wheeeee! #mnemonics!)
So, I'm going to "take the trigger off ol' Betsie" and "back-it-up back-it-up back-it-up" now. "See you, on the other side." "For Science. You monster." ("Drive into the river, Bob, oh Drive into the River, BOB!") *insert the Dumbo pink elephants train wreck*

Ciao!

I guess it's not Strawberry Fields forever...

Did you know, that when it snows, my eyes become large.

All the nerdy references are going mad! *bonk*

Don't look now, but I think he's the avatar!  [note the Airbender sticker on the laptop]

Here's a picture of us sitting in Fast and testimony meeting. I'm in sweater town, and Hna. Andrus is hiding in her bed. I love it! (I keep getting this great hold music!)

0 __, o ...ok

Wow. What a week. We're gonna bulletpoint this one.

-- Did you know: There are cows in Florida? Here's a picture of a field. I didn't know I missed grass so much! (I forgot to find a field with a cow in it.)

-- Sis. Andrus is the bomb.com. We're both kinda awkward and laugh when we don't know what to do. Needless to say, there's a lot of laughing going on.

-- Sugar ants die when you spray bleach right on them. And it may or may not be super fun!

-- our District leader got a smart phone this week. We're next. The second coming is near.

-- We had a fabulous week when I met LITERALLY none of our investigators. So, that was cool.

-- Turns out having a lesson at Golden Corral was the most awkward thing of my life. The most cringey part is, we think he has some real intent. We'll see him next week. :) So excited.

-- no alligators, but a lot of dogs. In fact, I'm contemplating learning dog so I can preach to all creatures the word of God. One time, we knocked on a door, and 12 dogs answered. #animalfarm

-- Trailer parks are fun!

-- I made cookies using a 2/3 cup measure. Turns out our apartment is only 1 generation from Elders. Sis. Andrus being that 1 generation. 👍

-- Chicken comes in a can. ... And so does dog food.

-- Sis. Andrus has an Achilles heel: she's gluten intolerant. Other than that, she's perfect! (Which probably makes me the lousy companion. Oh well. *munches on bread*(JK!))

-- I managed to lose all of my missionary skills in the move down here. BUT, I'm excited to learn all over again! Also, I've been going through the Book of Mormon and marking all the promised blessings from the Lord for everyone and also for missionaries, specifically. I kinda forgot there are promised blessings for missionaries, and they are cool, if not as numerous as the promised blessings open to everyone if they just repent and keep God's commandments. So do it! Both reading the Book of Mormon looking for blessings and keeping the commandments!

Ok, I'm done. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, quandaries, or extra bags of Cheetos, please mail them to: 300 Treasure Day Dr. Apt #107 Fort Pierce, FL 34947.
Thank you.


My first Trailer park! The sun shone brightly upon us that day.

Ice cream is gluten free. And delicious.

Bird. Point. (Oh please oh please oh PLEASE be my prisoner!)

A cow-less field. Sorry everyone. But also... take that Orlando!!

And it is an abomination unto me.

Did I really do that bad of a job?

29 February 2018 

"Yes." -- Jeremy Brett.  [references Sherlock Holmes and the Solitary Cyclist]

Don't ask me why I still remember that. And also, please don't ask me where "Good cheer, no fear" is in the scriptures.

TRANSFERS: now that Hermana Wade has a decent grasp on Windy Ridge (like a python:), they decided to send me to exile. AKA Fort Pierce.
Here's a picture.  First of all, here's my current area (give or take). It's about an hour to get from corner to corner.

Ok, now here's the mission.  My current area is pretty small, huh.

Ok, now here's Fort Pierce.

Basically, I just get the Gromit pat every time I tell someone where I'm going. :)
I'm excited.

All I remember from this week is a bunch of sight reading music. I sight-read some baptism songs for a member's 8-year-old daughter at her baptism Friday, then we headed to Sis. Wades last zone as the three sons of her recent converts decided to get baptized too. That was way cool! They're an amazing family! Here's a picture of Downtown Orlando. (That was a jump that made way more sense in my head:)

Check out this cool scripture!
D&C 78:17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

Wow. Sounds like a lot. (Sounds sticky!) I'm excited. I guess I'll keep working hard here on Earth and hoping I'm doing something good. But it’s kinda cool to know that anything great on this Earth is pitiable in the world to come. A little motivation.

Ok, I gotta go pack!
CIAOOO!
Hermana Baer

Pics:
The prettiest Florida has ever been!

Sis. Wade getting her dream fulfilled: dinner at Waffle House! What an experience!