1 YEAR MARK!!!

Can you believe this week was my one year mark?! It's crazy to think that it has been one year. Sister Chandler and I both thought a lot this week about what we have learned the past year and how we have grown. I think some of the biggest things that I have learned is of course my increased testimony that the church is true and this really is the Gospel of Jesus Christ once again on the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon really is true. I have seen it change people's lives, but most importantly, my own.  I have learned about the Priesthood, and a lot about Christlike Leadership. I have learned how I want to raise my family and my kids to be missionaries and I think I have learned a lot that will help me to help them gain testimonies. I have learned how important my family is, and how much I love them. I have learned what kind of person I want to marry and what things are really important. I have seen a lot of different families and marriages, good and bad and I want to take from the best of all of them, and leave out the things that I don't want. Ha ha. I have learned so much from President and Sister Craven about how important it is to have living prophets and apostles today, and a lot about the Doctrine of Christ. 

This week we went on two exchanges and I was in our area for both. Monday we went with a companionship that is having a hard time that we got specifically called to do an emergency exchange with. I had one of them in my area. We talked alot about having the faith to find people to teach, and she was very teachable. I tried to build her faith and tell her that she's doing a great job and that everything is going to be just fine! We talked about doing things other than knocking on doors all day to find people to teach. 

Tuesday was the COLDEST DAY on my mission so far. Steve, I know it doesn't sound cold to you. But... for us it was cold. It was like 10 degrees, and it was SO cold.One of our members made us come in and do service for her because it was too cold to go out. But the rest of the week warmed up and now it's back to the 60's. :) I am going to be a baby when I come back and have to face Utah cold! BRRRR 

Wednesday we went to the New Missionary Meeting. President asked us to come. They had the Sister Training Leaders up front answering questions in a panel discussion for the new missionaries and trainers. Most of them were about how to get along with your companion and how to find people to teach. President would randomly call on people to answer questions they had. It's always fun to be with new missionaries though and get to know people. We love traveling down to the mission office. There are so many memories there and that feels like our home away from home. 

Thursday was our year mark on our mission.. so we got frozen yogurt during our lunch hour, and the member that was meant to feed us got sick and gave us money to go out.. so we went to a nice Mexican restaurant and talked about what we had learned during the past year. Good times. Then we saw the Elders in our ward (all 4 of us came out on the same transfer) because we taught a hand off lesson, we handed them one of our investigators, Frank because we think he'll do better with them.

Friday we had Zone Meeting. I love those, always so fun to see everyone. The Zone Leaders gave a great training. After, we went on exchange with the Newton Sisters. We have been with them twice and they are wonderful. We had a great exchange, except for on Saturday morning it RAINED BUCKETS AND BUCKETS and we literally got soaked through. Everything I had on was soaking wet. And my shoes were filled with water. It was a "car fast" day so we had to walk. But it was good times, good times. 

Yesterday, Sunday at church we invited Gladys to the Mission Home Fireside. She wanted to come! Her fellow shipper Paula drove us all. It was so fun. We had a great time. It was a fireside at the mission office for investigators, recent converts, less actives, or whoever. And President usually speaks on something really simple, like faith or repentance, or baptism. BUT this time he read the scripture in the Book of Mormon how adam fell that man might be, and talked for 1 HOUR about the Fall. It was pretty deep but it was fantastic. I loved it. 

MIRACLE STORY::: So one of our members gave us some referrals for people who go to school with their kids. We went to one, he wasn't interested, but we being great preach my gospel missionaries asked who he knew that we could go to. He said "well, my Mom next door, she'd probably love to talk to you." So we go to the door, and she answers in a grey BYU shirt. The first thing I said was "WOW is that a BYU shirt?!" She's like "YES my Mormon friend gave it to me. Are you Mormon?" We were like "Of course!" She said she never ever wears that shirt, and she never ever answers the door to people she doesn't know. She took it as a sign and let us in. We talked to her about the Book of Mormon, she said she had one but hadn't read it. She seemed really excited and wanted to learn more. She had just moved in to the house, lives by herself. BUT she has been Methodist her whole life, because that was the church closest to her. BUT she just moved across the country and hasn't found a church here yet. BINGO! :) :) But she was out of town for the weekend but we are supposed to meet with her this week! YAHOO! Her name is Barbara. 

Other than that, still just finding people to teach. We have some people in our teaching pool, but not really progressing or coming to church. Let's get this train moving and get these people progressing this week!! We have 3 exchanges to go on this week as well. So let's hope they can be productive and we can keep our area up while we are gone!! Ah! it's hard sometimes having so many other people come to your area. With your companion, especially one that you've been with for a while, you have a rhythm with teaching and finding and you learn to work together. BUT with all of these exchanges, you have to teach with someone you haven't taught or went finding with before and sometimes they are different! But the Lord will help us. 

I LOVE SISTER CHANDLER SHE'S THE BEST!! We miss each other on exchanges. Ha ha.  We already plan all of our adventures we are going to have in Utah :) She lives in Spring ville, so really close! 

Love you all!