So much to write and so little time!  I quickly will tell about the 4th of July (who am I kidding?  I never tell anything quickly!).  It started with a bike ride at 7 am.  It was really fun, but my wrist was not ready for it, so I spent the day trying to keep the swelling down.  It wasn't too bad.  We went with Britta's home teachers) the Betts', another person from our ward here, so with Sister Morris and I there were 5 people.  We came back and got ready to go to breakfast at the Rasmussens.  They are the nicest people!  I am just so impressed with them.  We visited for awhile outside, while it was still pleasant.  The only unpleasant thing was a helicopter flying around and around - I think they were looking for us, but luckily we were hiding under the shade of the tree.....  Apparently, they look for people often over in the Rasmussen's neighborhood....

We came back to the house, and Britta had a nap - she had taken some nyquil trying to keep a cold at bay, but kept falling asleep at breakfast.  Sis. Morris worked on her lesson for this coming Sunday - she was asked to teach Relief Society #12 - "An Enthusiastic Desire to Share the Gospel".  I did some laundry, and started getting some things ready for going to dinner later.  We were invited to Elsie Marrott's home for dinner.  Britta's daughter had invited us there, but we couldn't go because there was going to be alcohol there.  So Elsie invited us to her home.  We were going to take a salad, so I started working on that.  Sister Morris has a veg-a-matic (slicer) and I thought it would be fun to use it.  You can all see where this is headed!  I was fine on the first vegetable - the zucchini, but when I started to cut the carrots, I for some reason didn't think I would need to use the "holder" "guard" - whatever it's called, and tried to make the top of my finger part of the salad......

     Bandaged

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  Blurry, but sort of showing the chunk taken out

  yeah - it's gross

It's not too painful right now - I honestly thought I had just received a paper cut type of cut - it does hurt when it's not wrapped and I bump it!  I won't gross everyone out by saying I threw away what I cut off.....

So - needless to say - Sister Morris finished the salad!  Not a good way to get out of doing some work.

We went to Elsie's, had pizza and salad, chips, pop, treats!  We went to fireworks after that.  We sat in a cul-de-sac where someone had made homemade ice cream and handed it out.  We were by a stadium that lit some fireworks off too!  We couldn't see the ones on the ground very well, but that's to be expected.  There were lots of people in there and everyone brought fireworks (legal kind) to let off while waiting for the big show.  Here's some pictures.  The 'big show' picture didn't turn out very well.

 

 

 

Pretty blurry, but we were there and we could smell them and feel them!  I love fireworks!  It was a nice day!

I had wanted to tell about one of the missionary experiences we have had.  It started out really kind of weird.  A man came to the door with some tire lug nuts and a part of a tool.  He was pretty scruffy looking, so I reached up and locked the screen door.  He said he had a flat tire and was stuck down the road about 3 houses.  I wasn't about to let him in; I couldn't see his car - I was thinking - uh huh!  whatever!  ain't buying that!  I told him, sorry, we don't have that tool.  I felt bad as I didn't for sure know whether or not I have the tool.  He leaves, and I see him go to the next door neighbors.  I was worried about them having this scruffy fellow come to their door, as they have little kids...  I wondered what was going on, and what I would do if someone was hurt.  But really, I had no idea who this person was, but because of the way he looked, I had determined he was up to no good. 

As I was doing laundry (forever laundry), I saw this same person walk back down the street.  So I wait for him to go past the driveway, and a little further, and I go out to see, as quietly as I can, if he really does have a flat tire.  Sure enough, there was a car about 3-4 houses down the street and he's pulling a spare tire out of the back of the car. 

The Spirit worked on me a bit and told me to go see if I had that tool, or something that would fit and take them to him.  I pulled out the biggest rachet I have and a couple other tools (thanks, Mike!), as well as my tire iron, asked Sister Morris to stand guard by the mailbox just in case, and took the tools down.  I didn't think they would fit, but I was trying to listen to the Spirit. 

I told the man (I'll call him Fred), showing him the tools, that this was what I had.  He looked at the tools and said they wouldn't work.  Then he looked at my missionary tag and asked what church I belong to, and that he was looking for a new church!  I told him!  He asked where we meet for church - I told him!  He asked if it was a good church - I told him yes!  We talked for a bit more then I asked if there was anyone I could call for him, and he said his sister, so she could arrange a ride for him.  I took his name down, her name and number down, and on my way back to the house, tears streaming down my face - I told Heavenly Father thank you for allowing me to be a part of this, and to forgive me for judging this man.  We can be wise with our personal safety, but someday I will learn not to judge unrighteously. 

Sister Morris and I took the man some water and a couple of snacks, and also a Book of Mormon and a couple of pass along cards.  We talked about the church, and his family, and other things.  Fred remembered having contact with LDS Missionaries before.  Fred asked if our church was the church that had that John Smith guy, with all the wives, and that he didn't think that was right.  Sister Morris answered well, which alleviated some concerns!

The story that wasn't suppose to be long is being very long indeed.  We ended up calling a senior missionary couple over to Britta's house, the Elder is a mechanic, to see if he could help, but the Elder ended up taking the man for a replacement tool as Fred had just bought the one that had broken.   The store was on the other side of town!  I felt bad about that!  Fred and the Elder returned,
the tire was changed with the help of a really nice young man.  We told Fred that God had sent us to him to help him, and that he needed to remember that God loved him and wanted him to learn about the LDS Church.  We asked if he wanted people to come over to talk with him - he said yes!  We were able to call in a referral!  It was such an amazing, and interesting experience.  I learned a lot!  The last I heard, Fred had agreed to have the missionaries come over.  Amazing!  It would be nice to know if he continued on...

Well - I shall post this - there is more, but not for today.  Too long of a short story - I hope everyone is doing well - It was frying hot today.  The temp was cooler than yesterday, but the humidity was much higher - oh boy!  Here we go - (whimper, whimper).  Love, Sister Ure

PS   HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TAEGEN!