Scabies / n a contagious, itching skin disease.
=> Scabious / adj covered with scabs; of or resembling scabies.
These definitions describe my life this week! Haha. BUT - no worries. We're good. We've lived, and we're MOVING FORWARD! It's just... cost us a bit of money. And lots of time in the way of cleaning.
It all began on Tuesday morning: Sister Boiteux waking up and saying, "Um... I have more bug bites. And they're starting to look like yours." So, we called Sister Beckstead. And this was the beginning of our conversation with her:
Me: "Hello Sister Beckstead! It's Sister Boiteux and Sister Ottley."
Sis B: "Hello Sisters! Is everything okay?"
Me: *Laughing.*
Sis B: "Sister Ottley... I don't like that laugh!"
And then she got Sister Boiteux a doctor's appointment at Kerikeri Medical Centre. And, of course - I knew right where it was! So no need to drive around finding it this time! So I now have pictures of my cute daughter in the doctor's office - (sad face) and me somewhat laughing at her... but all out of love, of course! Her doctor entered the room, shook our hands, asked what was wrong with us, and so we told him about the bites. And because we'd been told by many people at that point that "it could be scabies!" (skae-bees) we asked our doctor (Dr. Matthew Brook) if that's what it could be. He then took another look at it, gave a gross-face look, and said, "Yes, yes it could be... I'm going to go wash my hands now." ...Good times! Haha... But Sister Beckstead told us it's not spread as simply as just shaking hands - so no worries for the BAJILLIONS of people I've shaken hands with in the last 4 weeks! So he then gave us a perscription - for a lotion and (another) antihistemine.
Sister Boiteux & Me Crying/Laughing after the Doctor. Hahaha...
Our New Prescriptions!
At this point Sister Beckstead told us we then had to gather EVERYTHING we own, and WASH it (all the joy!) ...So the Clements took pitty on us and let us bring all our things to their flat and wash there (because they have a dryer). We also took our coats and things to the dry cleaners. (Um.... EXPENSIVE. What?? $50+ for just my coat and the zip-out part!) Then we took ALL our bedding to a cleaner place. (Another $34 each to use their big washers and dryers!)
So therefore, Tuesday and Wednesday were spent mainly at the Clements' flat—washing all the things we owned, and at our flat—cleaning like mad women and getting our lives back together. We thought we'd have a bunch of time for personal study, and putting together more things for our Plan of Salvation lesson - but alas, WE CLEANED. But it was good. Our flat is now free of things that weren't useful, or were just nasty and old...
Then Thursday came around, and we were allowed out again! We had a Zone Conference which was lovely - and which I was *lucky* enough to share the spiritual thought at AND Sister Boiteux and I taught a part of our training for the day. Haha... We laughed a little when the Zone Leaders called us Wednesday night asking if we'd prepared things. It was a lovely Zone Conference though. All about "experimenting" on things we can be better at. This is something that Presient Balli has been stressing lately - starting at mission conference - "experimenting on our testimonies and how to gain more in three areas: The Doctrine of Christ, Obedience, and Expanding our Visions." So, like I said, we taught a part of this training. We taught The Doctrine of Christ. I found a scripture in D&C 88:77-80 (and 81-82) that we focused on in our few minutes. It brought some lovely discussion, and Sister Boiteux and I ended with telling an experience of how we've gained a testimony of the Doctrine of Christ and different ways we felt we could use to experiment more upon it. Good day. :)
Later that night we were stopping by a less-active family's home, when we were greeted by two men, who, as they walked up to us said "Hey! Are you the Mormon missionaries? We're the Jehovah's Witnesses. We don't like you!" —And this is where I have to explain. It was REALLY dark outside this house.. Ha. So, I couldn't see their faces. But they shook our hands and then the family let all of us into the house... Sister Boiteux was saying, "Oh, we don't want to bother you! We'll come back later!" ...And then, in the light - I realized. Brother Ngakuru. Hahahaha.... Yup. Brother Ngakuru and Brother Netzler are their home teachers - and were dropping by pictures of the Saviour and Temple!... #
Anyhoo. It was a good day - and SISTER BALLI called us that night to see how we were doing. Isn't she sweet? We love her. :)
Friday brought a WHOLE NEW adventure. Starting off in Kaikohe (Thursday also started in Kaikohe with zone conference!) with .... DRIVER'S TRAINING. Basically, the Reeve's came down from Auckland because people are reckless drivers, and so they came to lecture us a little. But no worries - I passed, and all is grand! For the rest of the day we were in the Matauri Bay area, and dropped into Te tii for the day. We have a less active (?) sister out there, so we decided to drop by to say hello. And what does she ask? "Hey - do either of you cut hair?" "Um...no?" "That's okay - I'll go get my scissors." So... we cut her hair!! (Just one of the many missionary services we do.) It definitely wasn't the best haircut ever — her scissors struggled in actually cutting straight... But we "got the curls off" as per her request!
Aunty Luana and Her Haircut Day. :)
That night Sister AND President Balli called us to check in - but our flat still hadn't been fumigated at this point, so they were a little disappointed. Let's just day there was a lot of struggles in trying to get the Kerikeri fumigator to our flat...
Saturday we headed to Matauri Bay again, seeing a couple of people in Kaeo, and Daniel down Martin Road. Then - when we actaully got into Matauri, we found that there were LESS than ANY people home because there was a funeral going on at the Marae. Soooo - President Himiona and his family also happened to be at the chapel - so we stopped by to say hello. They told us to go over to their house because no one would be home. So...we did. And had cake, and talked to President about the less actives that we didn't know where they lived. Good times and productive!! Oh! And... we also had a fun time with a possum on the way to President's house! Haha... So I was driving along, and there's suddenly this little animal (about the size of a squirrel/chipmunk) that dives into the road in front of the car.... So I break. Sister Boiteux reaches over and honks the horn at it. What does it do?? ...RUNS TOWARD THE CAR. Why? Why stupid little animal? So - we both burst out laughing, she gets out of the car - it's STILL under the car. She gets her camera, and takes a picture. It then HISSES at her - so she jumps back into the car. And we drive off. It was STILL in the middle of the road behind us... #struggles. We get to the Himiona's and ask "What is this?" "It's a POSSUM. They're pests! RUN THEM OVER!" ...Yup. This is their response.
Sunday was spent in Paihia - figuring out better ways to get lessons with one of our investigators who I've still never actually taught... he's a 14-year-old boy who comes to church every week and has expressed a desire to be baptized... but has a hard time talking with his mum about it I guess. So - hopefully something will move along with that this week. :) "Fingers crossed!*
OOH! Ahh... And how did I forget the happiest part of the week! Haha... THURSDAY, along with Zone Conference, WE GOT MAIL! :) Soooo finally all the packages! And letters. And one from Julie Muelleck! All the excitement!! And I'm SO grateful and excited for all the things in the packages. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It was honestly JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS. Little pieces of home and happiness. You're so sweet! I don't even know how to express how grateful I am... All the nutritional supplemental things are beautiful, and I'm excited to have some again! ...So many things I've taken for granted in my life living with you people! ;) And Sister Boiteux was definitely most excited for the bag of penny candy that was given to her from the family Stay-cation. She didn't even know what "penny candy" was - but I explained it, and then she ate it. :)
Again, I LOVE love, love all the things. I love your poem - I laughed out loud. And the little "lego missionary me?" AH! Laughed so hard! And there WILL be pictures taken. And the CHAPSTICK Leesh made - and the makeup and the mini primary song book... all the things!
BTW: Our flat finally got fumigated THIS MORNING. (Which was an adventure... because we were originally told he would be able to get a key from someone else... but then that was false. So we had to drive back to the flat from Kaikohe - which was depressing, because we were having a really great Zone Devotional...:( ) So... we're just not allowed back in it until 3-ish or so. But that's not too hard.
Anyhoo. It's definitely been an adventure of a week. Struggles on my part of feeling like a failure because of the lack of work (missionary related work) that got done... but then we also needed time to get ourselves cleaned up from our scabies. (Even though they didn't really seem super positive that it truly is scabies either.... But we've now been treated for it regardless!) And my stupid scabs and bites and whatever are finally going away. *Angel choirs sing!*
So - life is good. Definitely a new adventure every day. But good. :)
MUCH LOVE, PEACE, AND JOY! —
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
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| Making Chicken Divine! |
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| The Tua Children |
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| And CUTE LITTLE BISHOP with his Boxing Gloves on. He's President Himiona's youngest son. |
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| THE POSSUM... On the Asphalt Under our Car. |
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