August 9, 2011

Hello everyone!!

It's been an immensely better week than last. Still hard, but better. I got like 10 very long emails so it took me a while to read through them all! I am serving in the Mission Lake ward, which is the ward Tiersha Whitmore was born into. I got permission from my mission president for her to come see me and she brought my companion and I lunch. It was awesome! She served a mission and was able to give some awesome advice and update me on the Whitmore family. She is a great addition to the family!!

Anyway, this week was very good. I def felt all the prayers said for me and had a much more encouraging week. I am really starting to love the people and become attached. Being the planner I am, I am always freaking out about how much I already love these people and how I am going to be transferred eventually and how it will be sad for me! The ward has so many cute families. We get fed basically every single night. I love it! I am eating way healthier than back at home because we always have delicious fruit and salads. I wish I could take pictures of everyone and show you all so you could love them too!

Our investigators, Jessica and Aaron, are getting married on Saturday. I am so excited to go to the wedding and then the following week Aaron is getting baptized. I am so lucky to have been able to come and help teach them. They will be my first baptism. They are 21 and 22 with a two month old baby. We go over to teach them and end up hanging out with them and another young couple, the Merricks, who are helping fellowship them. Last night they forced us to stay and play Uno before we could leave. They are so fun. I always hold the baby (illegal, I know) and pretend it's my nephew. He cried a lot though. haha.

We picked up two new investigators this week, which I hope can be good. They both have been taught before but they are allowing us to come back. One of them is a Bible basher according to his teaching record (from past missionaries), so I am excited to see how our lesson goes. The other is a young couple who were really offended by previous missionaries but they are letting us come back and try again. They are super cute and I really hope we can teach them and allow them to feel the spirit and know it's true! That appointment is on Thursday so I'll let you know how it goes.

Today I had such an awesome personal study. I read Alma 26 which is when Ammon is boasting of the Lord and his brother tells him to stop, but he can't because he just loves God so much and wants to shout praises about the gospel. I loved it!!! I was overwhelmed with how much I want to learn and I am excited and ready to learn it all!!! If you go and read it, think about it read in a really excited and joyful tone---it's so awesome.

Also, my favorite hymn is "Come Come Ye Saints." I have already made my comp sing it twice for comp study because it just speaks to me. The pioneers went through so much. Some of the members in our ward are facing such enormous trials and heart aches. I was so homesick, but all is well, all is well!!! Read the lyrics, they are awesome.

Something funny that totally made me laugh was, my companion and I, were tracting and when we were leaving my companion accidentally said, "See ya later, Lady." She was like, "....Why did I just say that??" and then later that same night to another woman, she was like, "Have a nice night, Lady"....I died laughing. She was like, "I have no idea why I keep calling people 'lady'. It just comes out!"

Also, we stopped by a house where kids were having a lemonade stand and it reminded me of when Jill and I did a lemonade stand. Total disaster. We carried the juice up the big hill for like an hour, sold nothing, and when we were walking back home I dropped the whole thing of juice! And THEN, Dad was like, you girls need to cover the cost of the juice, but we hadn't even sold any!!!! Oh my gosh, I am laughing so hard right now and the guy beside me is like "wtf". Tears are running down my face. This is getting embarrassing. Ok. Anyway, I had a good laugh about it.

Anyway, the more I work and get to know these people, the more I love it. I have moments where I freak out, but I know this is where I need to be. I love you all and hope all is well at home!!

-Sister Christensen