Florida is trying to kill me! 5-5-14

The wildlife here in Florida is against us! So first and foremost I think 
Shaylynn's irrational fear of ducks may have some validity. We pulled up to 
a house and I opened the car door and a giant duck was staring me down. I 
got out of the car and it starts waddling toward me! I run to the front 
door and duck inside the screened in porch. This daemon duck then goes 
after my companion! She's screaming and the thing is chasing her around the 
yard when the people we were visiting came out and just laughed and 
laughed! Finally we all get inside and close to an hour later as we were 
getting ready to leave we see the duck PACING IN FRONT OF THE DOOR! It was 
waiting for us! We named it Patoloco! Apparently that means crazy duck in 
Spanish? Idk... Then on Friday it was pouring rain and I am now the driver 
(Whoo!) so I can barely see as I'm driving due to the waterfall pouring 
down on my windshield! Finally it gets so bad we decide to pull over. 
It lightened up after about 30 minutes so we went on our way. That night we 
looked at the phone and saw we had a message from the mission that said, 

"extreme tornado alert! Seek shelter now." Oops.... 
 
The next day we were sitting outside messaging some people on FB when a 
huge black snake came out of NOWHERE and slithered about 6 inches away from 
my foot!  Meanwhile the past week or so has been pretty warm so every 
insect imaginable has come out to play. I am pretty convinced 
bugs can sense fear too because they seem to leave everyone else alone, but 
me! Then the icing on the cake.... Mom, remember that one time when I was 
like 10 and we were doing yard work and I was convinced I had gotten a 
sunburn on my palms, but you didn't believe me? Then we found out I was 
allergic to weeds? Well good news! I am 
still very much allergic to weeds! Haha we were doing yard work for this 
lady and after about an hour I notice my arms are covered in hives! I tried 
to take a picture, but it didn't do it justice... It was great! 
 
Even though I'm pretty sure I almost died 100 times, this week was still 
amazing! One experience we had was with this amazing lady who hasn't been 
to church in a long time. When I first met her she was pretty depressed. 
She didn't feel like she had any purpose. We met with her  this week and 
she has been coming to church a lot more lately and everything about her 
has changed! Anyway we are about to say the prayer and she says, I have 
something to tell you.... She looks up at us and said that she had decided 
to pay tithing, but she wasn't sure how. She can't even afford the bills 
she has now. We started to testify that it will all work out, but she 
motioned for us to stop talking. I was kind of taken back by it, but 
listened. She said , I came home last night and divided up my check. 
Tithing first and then slowly I payed everything. When I got to the end I 
just started to cry." My heart sank at this point because I knew she 
didn't have enough money to pay all her bills. She then said through tears, 
"I had money left over! How is that even possible?" I am so grateful for 
that sweet lady! Of course I don't really know what her budget looks like, 
but she had amazing faith. 
 
I know that whenever things seem to not be working out, whether it is with 
school, work, family, or whatever, we just need to see if we are putting 
God first. if we do that then everything that needs to work out will. 
(Malachi 3:10) <-- that is a sweet promise! 
 
I love you all so much! Have a great week! 
 
Love, Sister Upshaw