January 30, 2012

Family,

This week I will hit my 6 month mark!! CRAZY!! I'm 1/3 of the way through! (and every time I think about that I feel sick....UGH!) Time has seriously flown for me! I love it out here so much!!!

Mom... bad news... I did not save those pics anywhere. My camera doesn't have the capacity to house that many pics. OH NO!!! Darn rain! I hope the SD will work! But here's something weird: one of the SD cards you sent me recently won't let me use it in my camera anymore. It's weird.... magnetized? Probably. I'll send it back to you. Maybe you can figure it out? Hm... Good luck! I hope you can get those pics!


Stephanie: her sd card she sent last week sat in the wet mailbox all day. It has been in a lidded bowl of dry rice for a week. I can't open the card. I have tried a couple of recovery programs online but the card cannot be read. She had over 90 pictures on it. If you know of something else to try, please let me know. I'm dying here!

But I'm glad that everyone is doing so well! I can't wait to get your package! :D 

I am happy to hear about the different families in the ward that are coming back to activity. Members are the greatest part of missionary work. We rely so much on the members. Because when we leave, someone needs to be their constant friend! I will pray for these individuals that they will remember their testimonies and come back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This week was looong... We're dealing with a lot of heavy stuff right now with some investigators, and I am spiritually and emotionally drained. But then again, I can't really say that it was a bad week at all! Just long and exhausting. Yesterday in the third Sacrament Meeting we attended I just felt so at peace. I reflected back on the past few weeks and realized how blessed we had been. And just mainly in the little things :)

Saturday night we watched the Testaments for our Book of Mormon Movie Night. We had a GREAT turn-out! M and H, B and K, J (a recent convert from before I got here) and our member fellowship! We had popcorn and nachos, and again used the couches from the foyers. The Spirit was so strong (always is!) and everyone was so touched by the movie. When the movie ended everyone just sat there in a stilled-silence. One by one they said how much they loved it and shared their feelings about the Savior. It didn't help that I was already crying, but as I listened to our new members bear their sweet and simple testimonies of this Gospel and of Jesus Christ, I couldn't help but cry some more. They were tears to joy to see how much these individuals have grown, even from the time that I first met them!  Our movie night this upcoming Saturday better be good! It'll be hard to top that! We're to the story of the Brother of Jared now... I just can't wait till we finish the Book of Mormon and get to watch the Restoration movie! None of them have seen that, either, so it'll be amazing! I can't wait!

K is now on date for baptism for March 3rd! She is so excited! (It's forever away, but unchangeable agendas are taking precedence right now)

D, our 19 year old investigator, has set a date for the 18th of February! After last week, she is so ready! She says she made a complete 180* turn, and knows of a surety that THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!! Can't wait!

And we also put a woman named L on date for the 18th of February as well! It was a little unexpected, but amazing, nonetheless. L is in the military, and has three kids who were all baptized while she was overseas two years ago. Her new husband is also a member, but very less-active. We've been teaching her for a few months now, and last Thursday was the first time we had met with her since Thanksgiving! But the Spirit prompted us to commit her to a baptismal date, and sure enough she said she was so ready and willing to be baptized! "I want to be a part of this!" she said to us. 

She and her kids came to church yesterday for the first time. She loved it! 

This work is amazing. How blessed I am to be in such an area!

Well, I love you all! Take care! And enjoy that beautiful rain for me, ok? 

HURRAH! HURRAH! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!         * * *

Love, Sister Sunscreen