Can I use the scriptures to banish bugs?

Well, summer has definitely hit here in NC. Thunderstorms are a regular occurrence now. At one point, I was keeping track of which days there was a storm. For about a week and a half, there was one every single day. The storms are a nice way to bring down the temperature, but they also increase the humidity. And bring all the bugs out of hiding. Some days I wish NC was one of the missions that allowed pants to keep the bugs away:) I came home one night with 35 bug bites (probably because that was the one day I forgot to put on bug spray). Poor Sister Bobbitt though. For some reason, the bugs like her better. She has consistently had double the amount of bites I have. Another fun side effect of all the storms: the roads steam. It is a bit strange to see steam coming off the roads after a storm, I'm not used to it that warm after it rains. It looks pretty though. 

I have spent a lot of the past week trying to memorize scriptures. The mission recently created a list of scriptures for us to work on memorizing. The purpose is to help us be more familiar with the scriptures, be more prepared for lessons, and be able to teach better. As I looked through the list of 187 scriptures, I realized that there were a lot that I had memorized in seminary that I still remembered. Take seminary and scripture mastery seriously, kids! It is a huge blessing to be able to have the words of God immediately come to mind. There have been multiple times when I was able to remember a scripture in the middle of a lesson, and I was only able to do that because I had been trying to memorize it in my studies. Memorizing is a great way to do as it says in D&C 84:85 and "treasure up in your minds continually the words of life". I have found that as I ponder and review the scriptures that I have memorized or am trying to memorize, I feel the Spirit more. 

I don't know if I've told y'all about Nancy or not. Nancy is someone the elders are teaching, not one of ours, but she is incredible! She comes to church every week and has a baptismal date for the 29th! I couldn't be more excited if she was one of my investigators. I kind of feel like she is because we get to sit with her in Relief Society. She has amazing questions every week. Yesterday the lesson was on the importance of studying the scriptures. Nancy asked how we would respond to the scripture in Revelations that says "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book" and how the Book of Mormon can be valid. Well, luckily for her, we get asked that question all the time :) We were able to explain to her how the Bible as we know it today came about and that John was speaking about the book of Revelation, not simply the Bible as a whole, partly because 'The Bible' didn't exist at the time he was writing. There were very sweet testimonies borne as the other women listened to her concerns and helped her understand. I had the distinct thought that this lesson was exactly what she needed. Heavenly Father was aware of her questions and gave her that opportunity to ask them. She felt safe enough to express her concerns and was given a greater understanding. The rest of us in the room benefited, but I feel that that lesson was divinely guided for her as an individual.

I guess that's it for this week. I can't think of a whole lot that happened this week, so I will end with the wise words of my hilarious companion. "I can't wait for the zombie apocalypse when there are no more speed limits"

Love y'all

Sister Pyper 

Welcome to summer in NC. Yep, 102. At 6 pm. So. Hot. All the time. And humid. The humidity is worse than the heat. Luckily, there was a big storm later this day that brought it down to 72. 

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I may have killed Sister Bobbitt.... This is what happens after a long day of tracting. It takes too much effort to stay awake :)