July 14

We had a great week! I can't believe that things are going by so fast.
This week was wonderful, we were able to teach more lessons than this
area has had in a while! There is lots of work to do with the less
active members in this area. We were able to help a father and son we
have been working with who hasn't been to church in years, a couple
who hasn't been coming in a while, and another woman who is less
active and her investigator husband and daughter came to church. The
last one has some serious word of wisdom problems, but they have real
intent and we were able to help them to make a plan to live it! They
have already come a long way and have cut in half their drinking and
smoking in the past week. We are so excited for them and as soon as
they overcome their addictions the father and daughter can be
baptized. It was such a tender mercy to see all of the people at
church. We are so grateful that we are able to work with them, and we
know it's nothing that we did but it is the hand of God working in
their lives to help them want to come back. We were just instruments.
They invited us to dinner and we were able to make a step by step plan
for them to stop by next Monday, the 21 and we are going to celebrate
with them next Monday night when they have stopped smoking and
drinking! YAY!

Also we are teaching the foster daughter of one of the members and she
is doing great. She is 16, and she loves yw. If it were up to her, she
would be baptized tomorrow, she went to the temple with the youth
yesterday and sat in the waiting room and walked around the grounds as
the others did baptisms. How cute. She has a date for August 9th. I
can't wait to hear about it. But she has a phone so I will have to
Skype her after I get back and talk to her on the day of her baptism
:)

One neat thing that happened this week, we were going to visit someone
on our Ward roster that we didn't know. We drove up to the trailer,
and there was a man outside working in the yard. We asked if he knew
the name, he said yes, that's my wife she is inside. It was really
really hot and their air conditioning was out. We sat and talked with
her for a while. Turns out she was an excommunicated member who was
working on coming back to church and going back to the temple. She was
so sweet. We talked a little and she prayed, after she did she got
tears in her eyes and said "Sisters, I know why my air went out today.
Because if it had been on, he would have been in here watching the
game and you wouldn't have been able to come in. He doesn't let people
from the church come to our house." So that was a small tender mercy
that we wee able to get into that house.

We had a great district meeting this week, we played a game where all
of the missionaries would act as people who were not the elect, just
trying to talk or waste time, and one of the 10 was elect, and you had
5 minutes to find them. Fun game :) After district meeting this week,
we went out to lunch as a district and it was weird because it was on
my 18 month mark and so that was bitter sweet. Everyone was asking me
how it felt, and what it's like. I can't describe it but bittersweet.
I am grateful for all that I have learned from observing priesthood
leaders, marriages and families, and the Cravens. I have learned a lot
about leadership and how to be a good member of the church and how to
serve in a calling. I know that God lives, I know He loves us! As I
think about the scripture I read when I felt that I needed to to on a
mission, now I see the truth of it. I know that there is nothing I
would have rather done the past 18 months than share the gospel and I
know that it really has brought me the most joy and has been of the
most worth to me.

Doctrine and Covenants 15: 4-6 "For many times you have desired of me
to know that which would be of the most worth unto you. Behold,
blessed are you for this thing, and for speaking my words which I have
given you according to my commandments. And now, behold, I say unto
you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be
to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto
me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father."

I love you all and I will see you real soon! Just be warned, there are
about 20 other missionaries on my flight, so the airport is going to
be a real crazy place :) It will be really fun and exciting though :)

This week I get to have my exit interview with President and the rumor
is he tells you who you are supposed to go home and marry so we'll see
if he has advise for me. Ha ha :)