Soul-Collecting Ginger: Broken Ribs

This has been an interesting week. On Monday, Elders Richards, Johnson, Rucker, Dibble, Smith, and I went to this dirt jump course off 11th street. We were jumping 4 people laying down on the ground side by side. Then Elder Dibble wanted me to jump him while he sits Indian style. So the way I am, never to back down a challege (especially bike related), I did it. Soo... I wasn't going quite as fast but I pulled as hard as I could to clear him, which I did, BUT I nose dived, tumbled, found out I'm extremely flexible by folding in half with my feet at my face, and just eating the ground. So I displaced a rib, broke another rib, probably tore something in my shoulder, have road rash all over my back but I'm loving it! Wednesday I called the nurse at the mission office and explained everything and she told me basically don't go to the hospital. It's a waste of money because they can't do anything to help you anyways. Sweet. So I was told to take 3 Ibuprofen's 3 times a day. My back and shoulders and chest muscles have been extremely tense so it hurt just to move. But I got a priesthood blessing on Wednesday and I can't feel anything anymore! My back isn't even torn up anymore it looks normal with no scars or anything! So I definitely am thankful for the priesthood and for Heavenly Father for healing me!!

On Wednesday we helped out at the food bank again with Dan Lick who runs the bank. It was cool because all the Sheridan missionaries were there! Even Sister Alder and Taylor! I didn't do much unloading the truck though so that was great having the other 5 missionaries there!

We taught Evelyn Tuesday night I believe. She's a 14 year old girl who's the daughter of a recent convert. Evelyn lives with her Dad out of our area so we focused on her a lot these past 2 weeks while she was here. This lesson was the most amazing lesson I've ever been apart of ever! When Elder Richards was talking I could tell the spirit was working through him. He was saying words I've never heard him ever say before. We could both see that Evelyn's spirit was so happy to be able to remember these teachings. She was eating up everything we said and asking some really great questions! When we handed her a Book of Mormon she smiled so big and said THANK YOU like it was the best present she could ever get on Christmas! She looks at us differently now. The first time we met, she was so stuck up and thought we were the stupidest guys ever but now she actually likes us! She asked us how old we were before we left then came outside and watched us ride away. Heavenly Father loves this girl so much. The first lesson we had with her she got up and left half way through and now she had us come over the last 3 days she was in town and send her home.

The sisters found 3 investigators on Wednesday! AND Elder Smith's wayward brother is reading his scriptues again and is coming back to church! He was crying so much when he was telling us that over the phone! The spirit was so strong that entire day! I cannot deny the realness of our Heavenly Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. The truth has been manifest unto me by small and simple ways but I KNOW what I know.

One of our investigators, Sister Duffy, has been doing great! She's been coming to church for a month now since we started teaching her! We put her on date for baptism on Thursday for July 19th! She's so solid and doing everything right! I'm so glad I'm out here learning the things I am! It's the best decision I've ever made in my life!

I love being a missionary even when it's hard because Heavenly Father always blesses us the inversely proportional joy! It's great!!

Elder Autrey