Natives doing Native things

So out of all of my areas this one has the highest concentration of First Nations people. That being said these last few months are going to include a LOT of native things. This week being no exception.

So the beginning of the week we did lots of finding and teaching. The amount of people we're meeting with here is very comparable to some of my most successful transfers in that aspect. It's been wild. Especially because the size of this town is comparable to Melville and I think we can all say Elder Mikesell probably taught 3 lessons there. BUT, anyways, That was the beginning of the week. I'm finally getting the hang of getting around Ghetto Lake. (Sidenote on Meadow Lake: the nickname I have for it I'm realizing is apt for what it's like. I don't think there's a section of road here that doesn't have a hole in it or have dirt trying to fill up a hole. It's rough on the car. (there are other factors in this but this is one of the most prominent)) 

Moving on. One of the wildest things happened this week. To really give the full import it needs some back story. About a year ago. Elder Tippets and Peck decided they were going to go out on the back roads to trackt. While doing this they found Walter  (I don't usually use people actual names but, I'm going to be attaching a news story that has his name) When they found him it seems like they became good friends with him or something along the lines because they told us down in Battleford all about him. Fast forward 8 months. He's been in the hospital this entire time because when Tippets and Peck found him he had a mechanical heart. That got infected and he miraculously was able to get a heart transplant. Thus, being in the hospital for more than six months. Anyways Elder Peck told me I needed to go find him. And so we did. He had gotten out of the hospital not too long before then. It was almost coincidental. But, Shout out to Elder Thompson, it turns out its a Godcidence. Because not only had I caught him right as soon as I got back to the area and he miraculously survived. But, I found out on Sunday from a members mother Who Usually Isn't In Town but was because of a unknown allergic reaction. He had been worked on by her to look at the church. Coincidence? Nay nay Godcidence? Yea yea. 

 Now for the Natives doing native things. One of the big things we do here in Meadow Lake is do service for this lady that is the mother of a member here. She is very native and still is fluent in her native Cree language. But, Anyways we went up to her land in Waterhen F.N. and helped out with whatever she needed help with. This time it was repairing roads. I suddenly had much more of an appreciation for ancient civilizations that built roads out of rock. They didn't have a truck and all the fancy things that help us now to repair and build roads. So a lot of that day was spent taking 5 truck loads of old Sweat lodge rocks and dropping them in muddy tracks so that it wouldn't be so mushy. It was good hard work. 

The next day she invited us to a Sundance feast. For those of you who don't know what that is. I didn't either. But, I now know. Basically there's a few Sundance feasts that happen from winter to summer before the Sundances happen. At the feast you sit in rows males with males and females with females with all the Elders sitting together. (not us Elders. Native Elders) And while you're sitting on your mat, or as a lot of them brought: couch cushions, you get a bunch of food placed in front of you by these guys who come around with their big pot of whatever they have or with bannock pieces. And you just eat and eat. it was nice. But, after that's all over they get out the drums and sing for each Elder there. They would sing the same 4 or 5 songs and each Elder in turn would lead them. I forgot to mention. While this is all happening they've got sweat grass burning like incense and the peace pipes are going around. For those, like us, who don't smoke we just touched the mouth part to our chest around the heart area. So after that I was smelling like a Native for sure. It was a good time. We were pretty lucky to get invited to that because I don't think there was a single member there. It was an interesting experience. 

I think this is all I've got time for. But, thank you all for your support. I love you all.

love, Elder Mikesell

 https://northernprideml.com/2017/03/heart-recipient-heading-home/

"Stand Up Inside and Be All In"

So I found out why in Conference Elder Sabin talked about "when possible, make a legal U-turn."

Apparently in Saskatchewan U-turns except at stop signs are illegal.

Whoops... 

Unfortunately playing the dumb, doesn't know what's going on American did not work. 

Well... I guess 230 bucks is enough to make sure Elder Mikesell never U-turns again in his life. Amazing how General Conference talks have universal application ;) The Church is true. The Book is blue. I watched Gen Con and so should you.

Anyways rant over. I'm hopefully going to get that price tag dropped from that unseemly amount to a more reasonable amount. Welcome to Canada where tickets destroy you financially ;) Ok I guess my rant wasn't completely over but now it is. 

I've got to say it's super super weird being back in Ghetto Lake. Beyond weird. But, it's been super good so far. I feel like this last little bit of my mission will be good. Elder Nielson is a good little greenie and I'm sure we'll go far together. Some super exciting things so far has been seeing people I met a year ago again. It was super good to go around North Battleford remembering all the good times I had down there. 

You know you're an older missionary in this mission when they ask you to drive a vehicle on the transfer train. Which is probably the most fun I've had driving a vehicle on the mission. Probably because it brought back memories of driving the silver bullet back home. It was a dodge van as well except 2017 version. I may have accidentally spun out the tires a couple times. It's got some kick to it ;) Another thing that makes you realize that you're an older missionary is when you're in a room full of Elders younger than yourself and when they look to you and pay a lot more attention to you. Time has changed things up. 

Overall this week has been super weird. Especially when the trip to Meadow Lake started. Just a bunch of super weird things happening. I'm not sure if I like it yet. But, We'll see :) I think this is all the time I've got but I should hopefully be able to send off a few pictures. 

THE BATTLEFORDS PT. II

Well the day has come. I'm going to be almost going back to an area. It's going to be super weird... I never expected this but here we come Meadow Lake :D It's going to be weird being back in that district. To make it even more weird one of the Elders that was in Meadow Lake while I was in Battleford is in Battleford. WE TRADED PLACES!! IT's WEIRD!! But, I'm super excited. Elder Peck told me today that it's his favorite area. And it's likely going to be my last area unless President decides to move me for my last transfer. Which has happened many times before. I don't know but I feel like there's something up there that I didn't finish a year ago so I'm going back. Haha I'll have been to the two opposites of the mission after this :) Oh one other thing that I haven't mentioned to anyone yet. I'll be greenie busting so that should be fun. It'll be a first for me. It should be good :)

Other than my brain being scattered this morning we had a great week this week. I can really only think about going back up North again so bear with me now. 

So Really the exciting things that happened this week were concerning the people we're working with. We were able to start teaching this girl this week and she came to church! We also have a date for the 29th for her as well as the Part member family that we're working with now as well. Some good stuff happening here in Portage. Of course right before I leave ;) 

Another fun thing we did was help the family that has been coming out to church from Long Plain F.N. with building a deck. It was nice to just be out on the rez living the rez life. While we were waiting for them during this we went out and checked out a part of the rez I hadn't been in. It's a lot bigger than I thought it was. I just realized that I had a dream of driving around on that part of the rez. I told that to Elder Dagenais just barely and he was saying he felt like we needed to drive around that part as well... "THE TWILIGHT ZONE" Anywho it was a good time. I was glad to be a part of that families life for a while. It's been good. 

Overall a pretty good week. I LOVE it I hope y'all have a grand week and I'll hopefully be more ready to email next week

The Bees....

Welp. I still don't know what I'm going to do after my mission. just joking but, after every session of Conference I would ask Elder Peck if he knew what he was going to do after his mission now. It started because he told me that the last general conference of the mission is supposed to tell you what to do after the mission. The exchange went like this after every conference "So Elder Peck do you know what you're going to do after your mission now?" 

"Nope" 

"Haha Neither do I" 

After the last one we both decided that what we were supposed to do was not pile out after the mission and still be faithful. So I guess that's what's going to happen. And of course do lots of Family History and contribute to the family history ;) 

Other than that it was a wonderful General Conference. There's going to be lots of reviewing I'm going to be doing. Overall it was an answer to prayers. Plus I had a good time with the members here and just had a generally good time

So now for the rest of the week. I've promised a few people that there was a large mass email coming and I hope to fulfill. 

First of all we had the Winkler Elders over for a large part of the week. They were here at the beginning of the week so they could email. We had a good time on P-day and got lots of good stuff done. It's been a good time this week being able to talk with them and have a good time with them. Tossing it back to the Battlefords I remember why I enjoyed the district up there so much and a large part of it was Elder Peck :) He's still good. I may be getting sick now though because Elder Morales had quite the cold going on.. Still a great time talking to them and having a good time

Next day. Tuesday. We had quite the amazing experience. We found out on the Sunday before that we were going to be wanting some Addiction recovery stuff. We weren't entirely sure what our Branch President was meaning by that but we found out. So, basically there's this Part member family that really wants to change their life. He's trying to kick the bottle and they're both trying to stop smoking. We had a wonderful wonderful lesson with them that night. They've really been prepared for this. One of the highlights of that lesson was him telling us he's never been so excited for something in a long time. I don't know about you but, That's amazing. The guy never really had much Religious background he looks like he's been through punk stages with some interesting tattoos not only to add on that he's struggling with alcoholism. But, he's excited for something that after two meetings with people from our church, one with the branch president and one with us. He's excited. So good :)

Next day. Wednesday. The most frightening service I've ever been through. Alright imagine with me.

Imagine this red lit room. The only light comes from 5 red bulbs. The kind that you would imagine in a submarine to keep your night vision strong. Then imagine a buzzing noise all around you. You see these stacks of boxes in the room and their's crunching under your feet. Then you hear a buzzing get louder near you. and then a buzzing come whipping past your face. There's bees. Millions of them. One of them lands on your arm that's luckily covered by a jacket that has the sleeves Velcro'd up. Looking at the boxes you see bees swarming at the entrance, not flying, but like ants swarming. Then something lands on the back of your neck and as you try and swat it off pain courses into you. 

I was just about done when that bee landed on me and stung me. You know I had my hood on for the rest of that service. We were helping move hives around for him so he could prepare to get them out into the yards. But, I was getting super anxious and scared. I'm sure that was helping a lot because he was talking about how bees go for the CO2 the stuff you breath out. Shout out to the boys who know about my new dance moves I made up when I was like 10 years old. That memory and others of being stung came back to me in there and I was not having a good time. I think I left the room at least five times just to take a breather. You probably won't see me being a bee keeper ever. 

But, the next day we did some of the funnest service I've done on my mission as well for the same guy. We went out to one of his yards to go take down some trees that were blocking the way to get in. Don't worry I never operated the chain saw. But, I got to chuck logs and stick around after he cut them up. It was a good time being out in the bush. It was also the second time I heard gun shots on my mission. For some reason some guy was shooting his gun at something out on his farm. For those of you who know Canadian laws, guns are hard to acquire and harder to legally shoot. So that was really odd. It brought be back to growing up in the U.S. though :) It was a good time. 

The next fun thing that happened was Winkler came back for interviews here in Portage with President. That was a good time and it was great to talk to President again. Overall a good day that day. We were planning on going on exchanges but it didn't work out. Which is all good. It would've meant me staying inside with Elder Morales so he could be sick. Also this day and a few other days during the Gen Con weekend we got fed quite a bit by the Judge and others. It was super nice. I don't think I've been fed this much in a long time. 

Then Back to Gen con which again was a great time. One of the best on the mission. Everyone seemed super happy and there were lots of great talks. Anywho I hope y'all have a great week. Spring is coming up here. We've had so much snow melt. Which I finally took pictures so I'll be sending those.