Hey Loved Ones!
#34 (probably): Hear church bells ringing: No, not wedding bells. 
Every single town I have been in in Indiana, if you are in city limits and outside on the hour, any hour, you will hear church bells chiming the time. That's how many churches there are here. I knew that Indiana held the record for most churches per capita, but I had no idea it was this many!
#35: And if you are literally wondering how many churches there are in Columbus, I live within three miles of over 50 churches. Yep, you read right: Within a three mile radius of our apartment, there are over 50 Christian place of worship. And we live closer to the country than the downtown.
#36: From just what I've been able to count, there are over 100 churches in Columbus alone. Just Christian churches, not Jewish or Hindu or Muslim, although there's a good amount of those given the international population. At least. Columbus has a population of about 45,000. So that's 478 people for every church. Carmel was the biggest town I've served in, with a bit over 70,000 people. There were only 93 churches there. 
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#37: But Edinburgh takes the cake: We have been exploring the far reaches of our area lately. A little town called Edinburgh. They have the most churches per capita of anywhere I've been. 1 church per every 401 people. Which may not seem like much, but think of it this way: Sister Giles' hometown, Highland Utah, which is 98.7% active Mormons, have two or three wards to a building which is likely about 1,200 people. So in a town where there is literally a church on every grid-systemed corner, Edinburgh has three times as many churches. Speaking of which, I have made a goal to take pics with all of them.
The other side says, "Prayer is the world's best wireless connection."
Who So Ever Will What?
#38: Adopt a pet chicken: Don't worry, it's not at our apartment (: We have gotten to know the Cox family, who take in hurt chicks and rehabilitate them. 
They let us "have a chicken of our own", and name it. I named mine Chuckie, 
after my parakeet in middle school. Sister Giles named hers Sonny.
The other yellow one is named Jeff. 
They're all females. 
We had a wonderful Easter! The quote of the week is sponsored by Chip: "I knew I had to get back into church, but I had to come the week before Easter. I couldn't be one of THOSE people." Glad to have ya back, Chip ol pal!
The Linders are taking the initiative to organize ward fellowshipping activities! Tuesday night at BDubs! 1st Ward is #1!
This week has had more miracles than I can count. The small ones are sometimes the most meaningful. We went to visit a family this week and were hoping to get them excited about coming to church again. When we showed up, we had a great devotional and they seemed really enthused to get involved with the ward again. But the thing that struck me the most was as we were leaving, the Brother said. "You know, over the years, whenever we have been arguing the missionaries have stopped by. And we've been fighting all day. We're so glad you stopped by. You really left this home different than you found it."
There was another cool incident. Met this woman named Tamika doing a service project. I said the smallest little prayer in my heart that I would find a way to be able to transition into the message of the Restoration with her. Out of the blue she said, "I got this book I've been reading. I've been really looking for a book to bring me closer to Christ." "Well..." I said, "There's this one Book that has brought me closer to Christ than anything, along with the Bible....Have you ever heard of the Book of Mormon?" She said no, but said she needed to find one if that was the case. "We'll bring one to you. We're missionaries." When we came by, she was waiting for us on her porch. She had a whole stack of religious books. When we invited her to read it, and taught her about the Book of Mormon, she put it on the very top of the stack. "I'll read it. I'll try to read it all today, but I might have to finish it tomorrow...I've been having this feeling the past couple of months," she told us. "I've had the feeling that something was going to change, and there was something good coming my way, and then I met you. God sent you to me for a reason." She accepted a date to be baptized on. How powerful is that Book.
As Easter week has come to a close, I've been thinking about how much Christ has done for us and how little he asks of us in return. He makes everything possible. He is the only reason our Father left us leave His presence and come to this beautiful earth, and have all the blessing we receive in and from this life in the eternities. Christ being willing to be that Sacrifice is the Only thing that could have persuaded a Loving Father in Heaven to let us leave Him! He loved us that much! And even though Christ was His Firstborn and Only Begotten, He loved us all enough to let Him suffer and die for us.
The story of the Christ's exchange with the Rich Young Ruler comes to mind.
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, ...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them...Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life...But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. (Matthew 16)
All of us are in the top 10 percentile of all that have ever lived in the world, ever. Proven fact. And even Peter, a poor fisherman, was humbled by that reply that the Savior gave. But to me this shows how little consequence it is to have anything that will not tend to our Eternal Life. "If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation." (D&C 6:13)
He's given us so much. It's all we can do to serve Him "with full purpose of heart." (2 Nephi 31:13) "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
Love you, but Jesus Loves you Best!
Sister Pugmire
Found the apartment building where the first missionaries in Columbus lived! So cool!
Columbusing
Like Mommy, like Baby.
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