Country Backroads

Hey y'all!

I am now in my third area of my mission, which is unique since my companion who is going home at the end of this transfer is also in her third area. Sister Maria Warwood is from Hooper, UT and is the sweetest girl I've ever met. We are having a BLAST and tearing up the country backroads. We teach really well together and work really hard.

I am serving in the Fulton, Kentucky area! We straddle the KY/TN state line and our ward covers an area at least three times the size of the entire Nashville stake/zone! I was talking to a friend I met out here and she said, "Girl, you're in the country now!" If you don't believe it, take a look at the picture I took of gas prices here.



It's true.

The Fulton ward is basically 5 or 6 families. Everyone is somehow related to each other, so be careful who you talk bad about! They may be a nephew or a wife's uncle's cousin! Our area is made up of many small towns, some of them quite hick-ish. I'm perfecting my southern accent, and I had my first southern BBQ....OH about that! Barbecue out here is a bit different than back west. I showed up expecting a grill and hot dogs and hamburgers. No ma'am. A southern BBQ consists of pulled pork which they refer to simply as "butt," pulled chicken, ribs slathered in BBQ sauce, bologna, and/or various other meats that have been cooked all day. Barbecue in the south is a noun; the hamburger-grill deal we have back west is referred to as a "cook-out."

Saturday we had extra miles so we went to a few of the smaller towns in the middle of nowhere. We got lost on one of the country roads and had to pull into a driveway of a random house to turn around. I have NEVER been scared of dogs. But as I got out of the car to back my companion out, a big black dog started barking nasty at us and he wasn't chained down!! I almost wet myself. This dog was fast and chased our car for a while. I'm convincing myself he was just friendly and lonely. Or hungry....

We met a 101 year-old lady who didn't even remember whether she was a Mormon or not or what that even means (she was, because we had her on our records). She couldn't hear us very well either so we just smiled a lot. She really likes Elvis and there were posters of him everywhere. Also on Saturday I saw the Mississippi River! (Miz-sippy.) It's low because we are having a major drought and heat wave. The ward is fasting and praying for rain.

We have a baptism! Bessie White has been taught by missionaries for a long time. a former sister committed her on Facebook to read from the Book of Mormon every day and pray, and she finally did, and when we went over to visit she was glowing. She had a huge smile on her face and she said, "I read it. It's the word of God. I know it's true." It's INCREDIBLE what blessings we receive from reading the Book of Mormon every single day. It's not enough to eat a big meal once a week and be filled, and our spirits need the same constant nourishment. Bessie is so happy to have found the truth after over 60 years of searching.

I am having the best 22nd birthday today. My district leader organized a whole event for me. Sister Warwood and I woke up at 5am to get everything done (she made me cinnamon rolls) and we went to a church out in Paris (they have an Eiffel Tower in their small town, does that count?) and played Minute-to-Win-It games. A member family fixed us lunch and my favorite cake, German Chocolate. Then we went BOWLING! We had so much fun. I bowled a 140 and was pretty pleased with that. Guess I still got it in me ;)



Thank you for your prayers and birthday letters/notes! I can't believe I have been out for 5 months already! Time flies when you give it all to the Lord. :)

Love y'all,
Sister Ryceejo Nordström