tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74047211574538657402024-03-13T21:49:52.955-07:00Love, Hermana Billsbrittanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10128178141241693641noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-19430270905188484042015-12-29T08:46:00.003-08:002015-12-29T08:46:25.314-08:00Año nuevo vida nueva<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">WELL KIDS HERE IT IS. THE LAST EMAIL EVER. </span><br />
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I'M COMING HOME I'M COMING HOME TELL THE WORLD THAT I'M COMING....<br />HOME. </div>
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So basically I'm getting super excited to come home. I know I did my best in this area and I know that the Lord is proud of me and now I'm excited for this great airport reunion that's coming and all that's going to follow it. </div>
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So here's the deal.</div>
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Anyone and everyone that wants to be at the airport when I arrive is welcome to be there. Our plane is scheduled to touch down at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1363545348" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">1:07pm</span></span> in Salt Lake international airport. You can all be there with signs and balloons and happy smiling faces if you so desire. But we have to set a couple of ground rules:</div>
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1. Mom gets the first hug, so everyone else needs to stay out of the way. After the first hug has been distributed, other hugs will be available to everyone else. I expect you all to honor the first rule. </div>
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2. This isn't going to be a long shindig at the airport. I'll leave time for hugs all around and then obviously we have to snap some photos. But I have to run some errands, so we've got to keep this thing short.</div>
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3. Please keep in mind that just because I'm in a hurry and won't be able to give each of you the full love and attention that you deserve, doesn't mean that I love you any less. I promise that if you want time in the following days/weeks to catch up and spend time with me that I am more than excited to make it a priority to make you all feel loved and feel how much I appreciate you.</div>
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I can't think of any other rules, but those seem sufficient to me to cover all the bases. Please read and understand the airport rules before arriving at the airport <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1363545349" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Wednesday</span></span> afternoon. If you have any questions, please contact my mother if at all possible. Or Michelle. Or anyone you think would know anything about anything cause honestly I don't really have any idea what's going on either. This all feels pretty surreal right now.</div>
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Alright. </div>
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Back to business.</div>
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This week has been such a blessing, really. I have felt the Savior's love for me over and over and over again. As a missionary, something that I've been really good at is always remembering that I'm in my area for a reason, and I need to trust the Lord that if I follow him, I'll get done what I need to. I think that was something that I kind of forgot when I got here to Butler, I'm not really sure why. I think it's because my whole mission I was just happy go-lucky Sister Bills. I struggled, but I was never really a "struggling missionary" persay. At least in my mind. I always felt like I had stuff under control. But when I got here to Butler, I don't know. It was just really hard. I had a lot of struggles, and I didn't really understand why. I felt super bad about it, too!! So lately I've been feeling like, "Oh, I must have let the Lord down" and stuff. Like I didn't do what he wanted me to do in this area. I honestly felt like I hadn't made a difference at all. Even though I was still working hard, still praying hard, still studying hard, still staying close to the Lord. I felt like I was doing everything I'd always done, and nothing was coming of it. I felt really worthless.</div>
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But you know who tells us stuff like that? Satan. And he is literally the worst person I know. He will make you SO sad and SO depressed. And that is super lame of him. </div>
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But you know who is stronger than Satan? </div>
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JESUS CHRIST. </div>
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And He rocks. He is literally my best friend, and this week has been a blessing because I've felt like he's taken me by the hand, and led me to those people that I've impacted most while I've been in this area, and they have opened up and told me the difference that I made in their lives, and Christ has shown me how he has used me and my talents to make a difference in the lives of these people that I just adore. That's the kind of person He is. He lifts us when we are down and He pushes us to be better and to always remember him. He is the best. </div>
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Some of these goodbyes have been super hard on me, but as I've gone around and expressed my love for the people I've met and taught, my heart has just filled with this incredible gratitude and sometimes I feel like I'm just going to explode with how blessed and grateful I am for this mission experience. </div>
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This week has been wonderful because we were able to do tons of service as well. We volunteered at the Salvation army and we went caroling to this place with all of these severely handicapped people and we visited tons of lonely less actives and shared the Christmas video with them and brought the spirit into their home. It was such a wonderful last week. I have always said that being a missionary at Christmas is the best, and I stick to that. </div>
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The Lord is so good to us. We are so lucky to be members of his church. </div>
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Sorry the emails have been short. I have been having amazing experiences. I love these people. Absolutely adore them, and my heart is torn in two because I feel so sad about leaving. But I am so excited to see all of you guys again, I have missed you so much. </div>
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So weird that as the new year comes, I'm gonna be starting a brand new chapter in my wonderful life. I can't wait to see what 2016 brings. </div>
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Onward and upward we go. </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills</div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-31508144999792747542015-12-21T20:25:00.003-08:002015-12-21T20:25:39.117-08:00Feliz Navidad<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
This week was crazy fun!! Service, service, service. I couldn't be happier! </div>
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It started off super good. We met up with the elders in Freeport and then drove to Pittsburgh for pday. We did some Christmas shopping in the strip district and it was super fun. Then we got to walk all over downtown Pittsburgh and take the T to meet up with some other missionaries at the point where we played ultimate frisbee in the pouring rain - which seemed like a super fun idea at the time, and then when Wads and I spent the whole week being really sick it stopped sounding like such a good idea. But in the moment it was super great. </div>
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I'm gonna be honest... I'm like super trunky right now and have about zero motivation to write this email. </div>
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Anyway so the service for the week started <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_368894631" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span>. Every month we do this thing called "Produce to people" where this organization donates all these fruits and vegetables to homeless and low income people. This month they donated enough for over 450 families to get produce!! It was amazing. So we help package the produce and this month they had us out handing out tickets. So what we do is we walk around with these clip boards and then the people get a ticket with a little number on it and then they show the ticket so they can get the produce. So we got to be out in the freezing cold, talking to people, laughing and handing out "A Savior is Born" pass along cards. It was so much fun. Everyone was super nice and talking and laughing with us. It warmed my little heart. Then, while we were passing out the produce, I started singing Christmas carols and making everyone laugh, and Santa even came (but he was wearing a leather vest, so I think he was feeling a little bit daring) and I think Rudolph even showed up so that was awesome! We didn't snag any pictures though, dangit! </div>
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But it was fun. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_368894632" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span> was awesome because after district meeting we went caroling to three different nursing homes for HOURS and it was the best. I love when we go caroling, people are always so sweet and will sing along and get the biggest smiles on their faces. My favorite was at the second nursing home, the guy was super awesome and took us around and we went into the "memory unit" where nobody really can remember anything, but hey! When we started singing Christmas songs their eyes lit right up and they started laughing and clapping along. They were so sweet. </div>
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Then it was really fun, we went out to the pizza hut buffet after caroling with our district and we ate our lives away. We seriously ate so much food it was sad - I don't think those pizza hut people knew what was coming. It was great. </div>
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Then our last service project was at Katie's - it was my last Katie's ever, so I was super sad saying goodbye to people and stuff. Loretta got me a "Somebody loves you in Butler, PA" teddy bear and a Butler tshirt to say goodbye and said, "don't you forget about us!" I had to say goodbye to all of the cool people that I've grown to love to much. It was awful, goodbyes are the worst. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But the service was awesome. TONS of people showed up to volunteer, since it was the Christmas dinner and giveaway. They did this awesome thing where a bunch of people donated like simple toiletries and food stuffs and put them in these big bags, and we were able to give them to all of the people that came in which was amazing. So that was the Christmas present that Katie's gave to everyone. </span><br />
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Oh, Santa came to Katie's too!! It was awesome. </div>
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We got to run food, which is my favorite. You wait for the people to come in that can't even walk through the line to serve themselves, whether because they're handicapped or have little kids or whatever, and then you serve them their food and you get to sit and talk to them. I love it. </div>
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There were tons of amazing things that happened this week, we saw so many miracles, we were able to work well with the members. We are being truly blessed. </div>
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Along with the blessings there has been some major opposition this week. I have been struggling quite a bit, Satan is really hitting me hard - trying to make me feel like I'm a failure as a missionary, trying to make me believe that I will never succeed at anything, that I should give up, that I'm going to keep failing when I get home. Those are lies. The truth is, there will always be times in our lives where we "fall short". We will all perform below our personal average some of the time. But this is no cause for alarm. "When men come unto me, I will show them their weakness." When we are working to become like the Savior, our weaknesses and faults can sometimes be blinding and really disheartening! But we are going to be okay. The Lord is going to help us and our strengths are going to overcome our weaknesses. I know that when things get too heavy for us to carry, the Lord is right there willing to take the load, all we have to do is ask him. He will take it for us, and he will strengthen us. He will never ask us to go through something we cannot handle. I know that, even when things seem hard. </div>
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I am so grateful for the Savior, and as we celebrate his birth this week, I encourage each of you to think of the things that would be different in your life if Christ had never been born, and then spend some time on your knees thanking the Lord for all of the blessings that come because He sent his son to the earth for us. </div>
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We have been given so much. Don't forget to give back. </div>
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Merry Christmas, everyone. </div>
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I love you. </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills</div>
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<a href="https://www.lds.org/liahona/1995/12/christmas-doesnt-come-from-a-store?lang=eng" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.lds.org/liahona/<wbr></wbr>1995/12/christmas-doesnt-come-<wbr></wbr>from-a-store?lang=eng</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Read this talk if you're looking for some Christmas cheer :) </span> </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-89291930554063691622015-12-14T20:12:00.001-08:002015-12-14T20:12:36.234-08:00Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat!<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Well if this week didn't put me in the Christmas spirit, I can't tell you what else would. I feel like I'm bleeding red and green glitter out of both of my ears and passing out from, sugar cookie and egg nog intake. It has been an insanely festive week.</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></div>
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I'll go ahead and lead off with all of the Chriatmas festivities, in order.</div>
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1 - first was the Relief Society Christmas celebration <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2092640315" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span>. We had a great dinner with the Relief Society president and talked about the needs of the sisters and got to know her better as well, and then we headed over together to the activity. It was a wonderful program. We got to spend time with all of the sisters learning about Christmas. One sister gave a talk on the wise men, another gave a talk about the wise men, and then the last sister spoke on the holy family. It was so great, I really felt like I learned a lot of new amazing things that I hadn't really thought about or realized concerning that first Christmas. The spirit was strong. We sang lots of hymns and ate good food... We were stuffed. <img alt="😷" class="CToWUd" data-goomoji="1f637" goomoji="1f637" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1f637" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; max-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle;" /> haha. Then, at the end, we did this super cute craft. I'm not very crafty, but the sisters stepped up to help out and we were all laughing and having a good time. It was great. </div>
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2 - the next activity was the following day and probably my favorite day of this week - Zone Conference!!! Guys, I absolutely love Zone Conferences. I love spending time with the wonderful other missionaries in this mission. They lift my spirit so much. And, especially now since every single one of them is younger than I am (except for the few elect elders that are left) it brings me back to the beginning of my mission and helps me feel young again, haha. </div>
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But really the whole day was just absolutely perfect and fun!! I curled both mine and Sister Wadsworth's hair, and we put on our ugly Christmas sweaters and our little Christmas hats. We got to spend time with President and Sister Johnson. I love being around the Johnson's. They are probably my favorite people on this planet. The food at lunch was amazing, seriously the members out here take the best care of their missionaries, we are so spoiled. I gave my departing testimony - which was absolutely insane. I went right after Elder Glick and I remember sitting on that stand, listening to his testimony and then all the sudden it hit me... Like, "Wait, what in the world am I doing? Is this really happening?" I felt like I was stepping out of a dream. I don't really remember what was said, I just know that I made fun of President at the beginning and everyone was laughing, and then my nerves went away and I think the Spirit hopefully took over. I just kept praying that what I said helped at least one person there. </div>
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I also sang "Mary's Lullaby", since it was Christmas zone conference (which is my favorite one!) and since it was my last zone conference, I really wanted to sing a song, even though I was SUPER nervous. Sister Wadsworth learned how to play it on the piano for me, and we practiced SO much to get it down perfect. There was just one high note that i was super scared of because I thought I wasn't gonna be able to hit it, but Elder Perry helped me do some warm ups so I would see that I could definitely hit the note. Before I got up to sing I gave Sister Johnson a huge hug and she told me to take a deep breath and not be nervous, and all my nerves just went away! I took a huge deep breath right before I got up to sing, and everything went really well, I even hit the high note without cracking!! I was so happy!! And everyone came up to me after the conference was over and was like, "Wow Sister Bills, I didn't know you could sing!" And, "Wow Hermana, you've got some serious pipes." And, "You have the prettiest voice, sister!" It made me all giddy and happy inside! People are so nice! </div>
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We also got to watch the new mission video that Elder Haskins made. He did a super good job, I was crying and laughing and clapping. It was a wonderous film. </div>
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When everything was over, we all went out to dinner and then went caroling as a zone!! It was super fun, we just walked around Cranberry in the rain and sang to people. We even found one family that was interested in learning more about the church and wanted the missionaries to come back! I love it when people want to learn about the gospel! It's the best. </div>
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Anyway. But it was just seriously the best day of the entire week. I love spending time with missionaries, and I love learning about the gospel and getting pumped to share it. I love being a missionary, it is the best time of year to spread the news about the Savior and his church. </div>
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But yeah, moving on.</div>
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3 - Christmas festivity number three was our ward Christmas party. It was great, there was an ugly sweater contest that Sister Wadsworth and I participated in, and we got honorable mention so we felt pretty legit. The food was great, we colored Christmas pictures and sang songs as a ward, we read scriptures, we frosted cookies. It was a great night walking around and saying hello to people and meeting new faces of people who haven't come out for a while. Christmas is a miracle.</div>
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4 - The last Christmas festivity of the week was our stake Christmas devotional. Sister Gibson roped us into singing a song for the devotional as a district, so we did a little mashup of "Away in a Manger" and "More Holiness Give Me" that Elder Whitmire put together. I think it went well, nobody boo'd us off the stage, at least. But the program in and of itself was spectacular. There were so many incredibly beautiful pieces of music performed, and our stake president gave an incredible testimony of the power of the Savior's love. He's a great guy. (who? The Savior, or the stake president?) Both. </div>
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We also had the priviledge of seeing both President and Sister Johnson again, which was wonderful. He decided he would come to the program because I, along with three or four of the elders who go home with me, were going to be there, and he wanted to give us our departing temple recommend interviews. So I got to have my little interview with President Johnson and it was so amazing. There was nothing different or special about the interview, but the questions on the interview hit me in such a powerful way, because I have seen my testimony grown and change over the course of my mission. The two that especially got me was when he asked if I had faith in my Savior, and if I had a testimony of the restoration of the gospel, because my testimony of those two things has just exploded in the past 17 months. I am so blessed. I love this gospel. I love being a missionary.</div>
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But anyway. </div>
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We were also able to do tons of service this week. As always, we volunteered at Katies kitchen which is always a highlight. I met some great new friends and I'm gonna follow them on instagram when I get home in a few weeks ;) We also got to go to do therapeutic riding and that was amazing. They just moved locations to a new indoor arena so they don't have to cancel when it gets cold, but it's been like 70 flippin degrees so I don't know what everyone is worried about!! Haha</div>
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So I'd say we've gotten ourselves into the right frame of mind for this, the last full week before Christmas. We have tons of service lined up for the week ahead, and many amazing people that we are going to see. I am so stoked. Time is definitely just flying right by!! </div>
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If you guys haven't checked out <a href="http://christmas.mormon.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">christmas.mormon.org</a> yet, do it! it's amazing!! </div>
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I can't wait to just get out and share the message of Christmas this week, I will talk to you all <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_2092640316" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">next Monday</span></span>. Love you tons!! </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-22912754745850036722015-12-07T17:36:00.001-08:002015-12-07T17:36:05.219-08:00Always a Missionary<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">What a week!! </span><br />
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So many amazing things happened this week. The first of the good news would be that we are moved out of our old apartment and into the new one!! So now all that's left is to go back and deep clean the old moldy smelly old apartment and just to thoroughly enjoy the new one for the 21 days that I get to live there. </div>
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It is such a nice apartment. It's still pretty messy right now since we're still organizing everything, and we're also decorating for Christmas! So I'm gonna have to send you guys some pictures once it's all decorated! One of the elders from the move crew - Elder Haskins - was there a couple of transfers ago when we moved into the new Lancaster apartment in the branch, and then he was there again this week to help us with the move and he was just laughing and making fun of me. I told him "I didn't ask for this" but when we walked into the new apartment and they saw how nice it was they were like, "Yeah, you definitely had a hand in this, didn't you." </div>
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I guess I have a bad rep in the office for being high maintenance? Oh well. </div>
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THERE IS NO MOLD IN THE NEW APARTMENT. And the shower head feels like little angel fingers are tickling your scalp and it is wonderful and so I'm happy. </div>
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This week we also had to go to the MedXpress for Sister Wadsworth, because she had some weird growth on her hand and we didn't know what it was and people were saying it could be a staff infection so we got told to go to the emergency room. Anyway it ended up being really bad eczema and she got some steroid cream and everything went fine. </div>
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Then we went on exchanges with the STLs and I got to serve with Sister Sibley for the day, she is amazing and I learned so much from her. She is so sweet and always jumping in to help and give advice and just super happy all of the time. </div>
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I also got to go to my very first ARP meeting this week and it was so spiritual and amazing. I'm not sure what you're allowed to say about them though. We went to help one of our investigators who we committed to go, and then said that they felt lonely and didn't want to go, so we went with them. It ended up being this super big miracle, because there was another lady there who didn't speak English very well and so I was able to talk with her in Spanish and help her out. It was cool to see how the Lord placed me somewhere where I needed to be. It was also a tender mercy for me to be able to use my Spanish. I have missed it. </div>
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We also got to see the Beers this week!! It made me so happy! They taught Sister Wadsworth about geocaching and then we sat down with them and I just opened up and I told them how much they meant to me and how they had helped me, and I told them how I couldn't leave this area without trying to help them the best I could. Lisa told us that she is agnostic and wants to believe that something is out there, and Brother Beers told us that he believes in God and Christ but feels he has to do things on his own... But when we testified to them about the love that God has for each of us and how He has a plan for us individually, he got all teary eyed. I asked them if we could go through the lessons with them, and he didn't even hesitate, he said "I think that would be a great idea." and we left and I felt so happy because hopefully some day those two people that I care about SO much are going to come to the Lord and what a great day that will be. </div>
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We also have been working with the Hoys and their older brother AJ just moved back home and he seems super legit and has come to some activities and he sat in on our lesson <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_596632162" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span> so I guess we will see if anything comes of that :) </div>
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Anyway, sorry to keep it short this week. I am feeling really excited to come home so I'm super not motivated to write anything right now. It's a good feeling. The other day I was really struggling and just felt this heavy sadness... I ended up locking myself in the dumb bathroom and just crying for like 15 minutes, and praying asking the Lord where this sadness was coming from and what I could do to overcome it. I got the prompting to go talk to my companion and she really helped me through it. I realized that I was just super sad that my mission is ending, and wondering what it will be like on the other side.</div>
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Yesterday, I decided it would be a good idea to fast for some comfort, and I really got a lot of my prayers answered during the Christmas devotional. I love living prophets. </div>
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But I feel like the bulk of my peace came only this morning as I was studying for a less active member we are going to see <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_596632163" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tonight</span></span> - I was reading about the plan of salvation, and the spirit world just stuck out to me. I couldn't stop reading D&C138 - I was just so taken by the idea that when I die I will get to be a missionary all over again! As I was reading, a line in one of the verses reminded me of a line from my patriarchal blessing, so I pulled that out and all the sudden this sweet warm peace just came over me and the spirit whispered, "You will never stop being my missionary."</div>
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Maybe I will have to take my tag off when I go home. Maybe I won't schedule lessons or sit down and teach discussions anymore. Maybe I won't have the full time calling. But I think I'm finally starting to get it - the best <i>is </i>yet to come, and I will always be a representative of Jesus Christ. When I was baptized, I took His name upon myself, and I've got to live like it every day. I've got to live like <i>Him </i>every day. </div>
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Something that Sister Johnson always tells us has helped me as well. She says, "Your mission is like the MTC for your life." </div>
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When I think about that, I just feel so hopeful. I think about when I was in the MTC, and how good I thought I had it then. And then I came out into the mission field and realized that there was so much more! It's the same right now as I prepare to go home, things are just going to keep getting better and better, there is no reason for me to feel sorrow. </div>
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I will always be a missionary!! </div>
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How lucky am I? :) </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-52691524616601999652015-11-30T19:50:00.001-08:002015-11-30T19:50:12.266-08:00A SAVIOR IS BORN<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Many warm welcomes (FINALLY) to the Christmas season of 2015!! We have long awaited your arrival, and everything that you bring - the lights, the sights, sounds, smells and just the general feeling of Christmas. We are happy you are here!! </span><br />
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So many wonderful things are happening here in Butler, PA! The first and foremeost being, the church has started a new initiative called "A Savior is Born"! When you guys get a chance, swing by <a href="http://christmas.mormon.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">christmas.mormon.org</a> and check it out. There is a whole website and it's going to be amazing and the video will give you chills! It's only two minutes, so that's all it takes! We are busy passing out cards and inviting people to remember the real reason behind Christmas, and letting people know that Christ's gospel has been restored to the earth. What a great time to be a member of His church! </div>
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There are also lots of other wonderful good news things to talk about today! </div>
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1 - WE GOT A NEW APARTMENT! The apartment shopping is over! It's right on main street in the smack center of our area, it's beautiful and wonderful and we love it and can't wait to move in. There is also no mold in the bathroom and I can't tell you how thrilled I am about that. A true Christmas miracle, my friends. </div>
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2 - I learned how to crochet this week!! So basically I'm going to be the afghan queen as soon as I can get some yarn and my own little hook! I will be crocheting afghans and baby blankets up the wazoo! I'l probably start a business! </div>
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3 - it was Thanksgiving this week and for all you lucky chumps who got to spend it with your family, so did I! (In my own little way...) I had the grandest time skyping home and getting things all prepared for my arrival in 30 days and talking to my family and laughing with them and letting them know how much I love them. I have the absolute greatest family in the world. I can't wait to see them and hug their little necks off. </div>
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More about Thanksgiving - it was just an all around wonderful day. We woke up in the morning and drove out to the Turkey bowl in Evans city. When we pulled up in our car, we realized that we were literally the only girls on the field, but we weren't about to let that stop us! We had a super good time playing, and I even made a touchdown! It was so fun. I love it when you step out onto the field and people are all like rolling their eyes, "who invited the<i> girls?</i>" and then by the end they're all like, "Who is covering the sister!?" because you're a force to be reckoned with and by golly you showed them!! Must be a pride thing ;) </div>
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Besides the turkey bowl, we had our lunch/dinner appointment at the Jones' house. It was amazingly delicious, we stuffed our faces until we couldn't eat anymore, and then we went out for a Thanksgiving walk to enjoy the brisk autumn air and to hopefully do something productive to help ourselves feel better about the number of calories we'd just consumed. It was quite lovely. When we got back from our walk, the Jones children played their saxophones for us, and then we all told jokes and laughed so hard our stomachs were hurting. I don't know if any of you have had the experience where you've just eaten so much food that you feel like you're going to die, and then you start laughing so hard that you think you're going to throw up... it's equal parts terrifying and enjoyable. I want to recommend it, but I feel like I shouldn't. Try at your own risk, I guess. </div>
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We also had pie after all the festivities were over because, obviously, what kind of Thanksgiving celebration would be complete without pie? </div>
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I'd like to take a moment and personally thank the pilgrims for creating such a wonderful holiday filled with so many delightful foods. I want to shake hands with the person who first pitched that idea. What a glorious human being. </div>
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So, yeah. Thanksgiving was great. </div>
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We also had a super productive week as far as lessons go. Some highlights from my week were:</div>
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1- Bill, obviously. He's doing so well. He got a priesthood blessing yesterday to help him stay strong with living the word of wisdom. He's over a week with no smoking now and we are getting everything set up for his baptism on the 12th. We are praying so hard for him, he's gonna start going to the ARP meetings and we are so excited for him! We had two awesome lessons with him this week, one at the Bonetti's house. We talked about Joseph Smith, and how we all face persecution and times of darkness, but that we just have to stay strong! Then we invited one of the sisters in the ward who quit smoking several years ago to come out with us and they shared experiences and things that he has been doing. I guess he got into an accident at work with a hose and it bruised his ribs and he said it hurts him to breathe and so he hasn't been smoking and he said, "I prayed for help and I guess the Lord has a funny way of helping out." </div>
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He works in mysterious ways, my friends.</div>
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2- AMY AND IAN. Okay we had this super amazing lesson... Amy is a less active member, she has been struggling with the word of wisdom for a long time but she has such a powerful testimony of the church. She recently met Ian and they started dating. He said he was an atheist and wasn't open to learning about the church. But the more she talked about it, the more it made sense to him. So she told him about the missionaries, and he said that he wanted to meet with us. SO WE MET WITH HIM, and it was like one of the best lessons of my mission, I mean they were both lighting up the whole time we were teaching and I came out with my head reeling from all the second hand smoke, but he said he wanted to read the Book of Mormon and that he'd come to church next week, and they wanted to meet with us again. He told us, "I'm not converted, but I'm ready to learn." His heart is going through this tremendous change and it's amazing to see the atonement at work in his life! </div>
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3- Nora! Nora is this adorable little Chinese girl that I love teaching because she literally knows nothing about God or faith or anything. I've never taught the gospel so simply before and it's such a neat experience. We saw her yesterday and we were talking about what faith is and her eyes were just lighting up. At the end, we invited her to pray, and she did! She said it in Chinese. I told her she had to say "Amen" in English though, so we'd know when she was done haha. She's been reading the Book of Mormon and loves Nephi. She is adorable. </div>
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4- Cynda! Cynda is this awesome lady that literally lives right next door to the church. She found out about the church because of a quilting groub and she loves quilting, so now she's pretty good friends with a lot of the ladies. Anyway, we felt a prompting to stop by yesterday, so we took one of her friends and dropped in and she said she's interested in learning, but she brought up the handbook change about homosexual couples and their children. Anyway, she's the first person that's brought it up to us, but we were able to have a really open conversation and it was really good. She said she would like to learn more, and it was really cool! </div>
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5- things seem to be going really well with Perry as well. Last time we saw him, he said he was going to decide on a baptism date and let us know the next time we meet! SO hopefully it's good news <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_424134296" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span> when we have our lesson! </div>
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There are so many other wonderful things that happened this week, and so many things to be grateful for. I absolutely adore these people that I'm working with. The Hook family has been an incredible blessing in my life - Anthony and Sister Hook are some of my role models. I love the Hoys. Tira and Shana and Shakira and Lamont are the funniest kids in the whole world, they make me laugh all the time. Sister Cook and Sister Critchlow and Sister Demartini and Jeanette and Tiny and all of these people I just love. I finally feel like Butler is my home, and I am terrified of saying goodbye. God has blessed me so much, I am the luckiest girl alive. </div>
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I love Him more than anything!! </div>
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Give thanks for the blessings in your life, and remember the greatest blessing of all as Christmas gets closer and closer - Christ was born, and He lives today!! He is your Savior! HE LOVES YOU! What a joyful message. </div>
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Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to everyone. </div>
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We'll talk more next week. </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-73023056987028703562015-11-24T20:58:00.004-08:002015-11-24T20:58:32.593-08:00Just so Thankful and Stuff<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">First off, transfer meeting was great. I got to see so many people that I love. It was a really different atmosphere because none of us were stressing or worried about where we were going, we all already knew... so that was really weird but also nice. No stress. I got to spend time with Sister Duncan which is always a blessing. And, of course, got to see President and Sister Johnson. Love them. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">But anyway, I picked up Sister Wadsworth and we headed back to Butler with the Slippy elders - Elder Perry and little Elder Smith who just came from the branch. We made jokes all the way back. I was so happy. I haven't felt that happy in a long time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">And the happy just hasn't gone away. Serving with Wads is like a dream come true. We were already super good friends and everything, so there were really no awkward "get to know you" questions. And on top of that, she just fits right in here in Butler. The people already love her, and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how she's only been here for one week? It feels so natural to have her around. It has been so wonderful. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">Unfortunately, the majority of our week has been spent apartment shopping, which is frustrating. I'm super excited to work hard, but our priority has to be finding a new apartment, because our landlord now hates us and we have to be out by<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1956192979" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 15</span></span> - that's like, moved out, deep cleaned, everything. So we're a little bit stressed. But we saw some really good apartments this week (and some really not so good ones) but I think we're really close to making a decision. We have two apartments to look at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1956192980" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span>, maybe three. After that, I think we will need to just make a decision. It's weird to be apartment shopping as a missionary and calling all these landlords and explaining to all of them why we're wearing nametage and why we aren't using our first names, etc, etc. haha. It's been good exposure though, I guess? People like us... so... :) </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">As usual, we went to Katies this week. The people loved Wads, and I took her up to see the sanctuary. I love it up there, it's so cool. I feel like I'm sitting in the Hunchback of Notre Dame or something. Super legit. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F0G-m84BQno/VlU_DhKI2UI/AAAAAAAABnY/JGBg9IkZzV4/s1600/IMG_2370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F0G-m84BQno/VlU_DhKI2UI/AAAAAAAABnY/JGBg9IkZzV4/s200/IMG_2370.JPG" width="149" /></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">We also went to do therapeutic riding <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1956192981" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span>. It was freezing, but we groomed Ally and side walked with William and he sang old McDonald, as usual. I absolutely love that kid. He has the best memory in the world, and cares so much about people. If someone isn't there, he asks about them and makes sure they're okay. It is the sweetest thing. He makes me smile all the time. Those kids are angels. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">Bill isn't doing so well... we're super worried about him. We had a lesson with him <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1956192982" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span>, he was feeling really sick. We help him finish painting his house and then we talked about revelation through church attendance, and he noted a couple of times where he'd come to church and felt the spirit really powerfully and knew what they were teaching was true. I think it was really good for him, just to realize he does know how the spirit feels/speaks to him. We were over at his place with Sister Allison and then our dinner appointment called and cancelled, so we decided to go out to eat all together, it was super fun, and we actually ended up meeting this guy who is actually a super less active member of our ward and we gave him our number so that hopefully he can start coming to church again! That would be awesome. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">But anyway, Bills came to church <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1956192983" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Sunday</span></span> and had to leave halfway through. He wasn't feeling very well, but we didn't hear from him all day and we were really worried. I thought he was dead somewhere on the side of the road. But I guess he just slept most of the day. We told him to go to a doctor but he said he didn't want to... *sigh. Men.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">We also saw Lamont this week - he's doing awesome and he still wants to go on a mission! So that was good news. He always keeps me updated on the walking dead!! But yeah he sprained his ankle playing volleyball so he's on crutches. Lame. But his mom sat down with us and said that their whole family might start coming to church and that would be amazing! So I'm crossing my fingers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">We also saw Jeanette and Tiny this week. They are some of my favorite people in this world. Jeanette is so crafty and selfless. She is making me this big afghan - she makes them for all the sisters. They seem to be doing well. I love spending time with them. Hopefully some of their charity and faith will rub off on me!! :) </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">I was talking with Sister Wadsworth last night and I was just like talking about how hard it's going to be to leave my mission because there are so many people I love out here. They mean everything to me. Like... okay. Sometimes I think my heart is this big patchwork quilt with all these little pieces, and each one of the little pieces is a person or a place or a memory. And I think that the patches of the investigators or less active people I've worked with are gold because I think the Lord took the patches off of His heart and put them on mine. Because I love these people like I've never loved anyone or anything else. I didn't even know love could be this strong!! I would do anything, give anything for them. I know it's not my own love, I know it's His love. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">It's a crazy feeling and I think about saying goodbye to those faces and saying goodbye to this place and my heart just hurts at the idea of it. I know the Lord will help me and I'll be okay, but sometimes it's just a painful thought. This is my home, I love PA with all my heart. This mission has meant absolutely everything to me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">I got this email from my mom the other day that said, "thank you for your service and sacrifice." and I laughed out loud and thought, "what sacrifice?" </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">Seriously, can someone tell me where the sacrifice is? I come out here, my family supports me, I get to see these amazing places and meet these amazing people. God has taught me to love so powerfully, he's helped me grow to become more like Him... there are so many blessings he's just poured into my heart, my cup literally is running over. Where is the sacrifice?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">This is the most worthwhile thing I've ever done with my life. I love being a missionary.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">I'm seriously just so grateful. And I'm grateful for my wonderful support group. I have so many people (including each of you) who do so many things for me, and I don't know where I would be without you!! Thank you!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">And thank the Lord! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">Happy Thanksgiving. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">If you aren't the turkey, give thanks!! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.9px;">Love, </span></div>
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-62756178152558812022015-11-16T19:20:00.000-08:002015-11-16T19:20:25.683-08:00THE FINAL COUNTDOWN dodododo dododododo dodododo dodododododo do dododo dodododododododooooodooooooooo dddooooo<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Well kids, today officially marks the beginning of my last transfer as a full time missionary for the Lord. I can't believe it. Milestones, people. I don't really feel trunky... I mean part of me is definitely excited to hop on the plane and come home and see each of you. But really I just feel super motivated to work so hard and to do what the Lord wants me to do. A lot is going to happen in these next 6 weeks, and I still have a lot of growing to do. So I'm excited for that.</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></div>
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First things first. Transfer calls came <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_699836999" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: -2px; z-index: auto !important;"><span class="aQJ" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: 2px; z-index: auto !important;">Saturday</span></span> night</a> and Sister Welch is headed to Monongahela and you will never believe who is coming to be my new companion.</div>
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SISTER WADSWORTH. </div>
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For those of you who are like, "Should I be excited by that name?" the answer is a resounding YES! Sister Wadsworth is flippin amazing! She was in the megafamily with me last transfer! We literally had sleepovers and just played and had fun every single pday and now we get to be companions so it's gonna be every single DAY. </div>
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So that is amazing. </div>
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Also, if you're wondering, "where, how do you already know where Grapejuice is going and who is coming to Butler?" the answer is: someone finally decided to listen to my ideas and change the way transfers are done! <img alt="😉" class="CToWUd" goomoji="1f609" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1f609" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; max-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle;" /> haha no, just kidding. But for reals, way back in the day when I was on the MLC I brought up the fact that transfers are stressful and we talked about ideas of how to improve it and now, finally,months later, it's finally for realz. They decided that to help transfers go more smoothly, that they'd tell us <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_699837000" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: -2px; z-index: auto !important;"><span class="aQJ" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: 2px; z-index: auto !important;">on Saturday</span></span> night</a> 1- who is getting transferred, 2- where they're going and who their new companion is, 3- who their replacement will be in their current area. Then, once they give you all that information, they send you your transfer logistics and expect you to look at them and make sure that when you show up to the transfer meeting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_699837001" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span> that you know what the game plan is. </div>
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Long story short, I am super pleased with the new way they're doing transfers... Especially since it's the last time I'm really gonna be affected by a transfer since I'm pretty positive about where my new area is going to be next transfer ;) haha. </div>
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But anyway, I have a TON of stuff to tell you guys so I've got to move on. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZaKrIPbSHs/Vkqbx7GtI1I/AAAAAAAABSY/GsquqBhsrB0/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sZaKrIPbSHs/Vkqbx7GtI1I/AAAAAAAABSY/GsquqBhsrB0/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%25285%2529.jpg" width="178" /></a></div>
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As far as weeks go, this one was pretty fantabulous. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_699837002" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> we had a huge pday with a ton of missionaries up in Slippery Rock and we emailed and went bowling together and then played frisbee and then indoor soccer and we all had dinner together and it was awesome. Then I got to go on an exchange with Hermana Busath who is my granddaughter (cause I trainer Hermana Landa and she trained Hermana Busath so... #missionlingo) but anyway it was just the greatest blessing. It felt like catching up with an old friend, it was amazing. </div>
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I don't know if I'm mentioned it too much... I know I like to stay positive when I can... But this transfer has just been so hard for me. For lots of different reasons. In a lot of ways, I'm grateful it's over. But I'm also so grateful it happened because I learned so much about myself in the process. But anyway, it was just kind of a nice escape - to be able to head out to Franklin and to see some new faces. It was such a fun exchange. </div>
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Our goal going into the exchange was to pass out 2 copies of the Book of Mormon and to be more courageous in street contacting people. So that was our mindset. We taught a bunch of lessons and it was awesome. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ig1MLiDHc_w/Vkqbx6-jbhI/AAAAAAAABSU/Kac9V4f7L8k/s1600/IMG_2292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ig1MLiDHc_w/Vkqbx6-jbhI/AAAAAAAABSU/Kac9V4f7L8k/s200/IMG_2292.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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One good experience - we went to see one of their investigators. They had a set lesson with him and everything, but he wasn't answering the door. So we were headed back to the truck when we saw this guy walking his dog, and we decided to go give him a Book of Mormon. He said he was pagan but that he would read the book. His dog was psycho. Then we headed back to the truck, and their investigator was standing outside the house looking for us! So we went inside and sat down with him, and he had a bunch of friends over and so we just started preaching the word to all of them. And he had a pretty wicked sweet testimony of his own, so he was jumping in just saying how what we were teaching was true and stuff. Super rad. And all the while, more and more people just kept coming through the door and they all had questions and were super interested to know more and we ended up giving out a bunch of pamphlets and three Book of Mormons! So then we had four for the day! It was a super legit lesson. </div>
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Oh, but funny story from that... So when we walked in and sat down, the guy was like, "oh, let me turn on the light" and he flips the switch and this red and black light turn on and he's like, "dangit, we forgot to change the party light." hahaha he told us how the night before they'd had a super big party and I was dying it was so funny cause here we are, sitting in this living room with a bunch of legitimate gangsters and one of them just lights up right in front of us and we've got this party light on... Super funny. </div>
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Anyway! The other really cool story is Danielle. It was getting just about time to head back to Butler, and we were trying a couple of less actives and things just weren't working out. When we were knocking on this one door, we noticed a lady right across the street smoking a cigarette and talking to a little girl. So we went to talk to her. Anyway, long story short... We ended up having this super amazing gospel conversation and she actually had a substance abuse counselor who was a Mormon and she had always wanted to learn more, plus she had just moved to town to be a live-in nanny and she was looking for a church to attend and we were like, "We can help with that!" and it ended up being really amazing. I need to call Hermana Busath and see how things went with the return appointment. She was super cool! </div>
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When we got back from exchanges, we had dinner with the Beers, they wanted to take us out to eat. It was super amazing, they're the nicest people ever. I love them with my whole heart. My biggest desire in this area is to start teaching Lisa because I absolutely just adore her. So hopefully something happens. </div>
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We met another cool family this week, they're Messianic Jews and they told us that they're pretty happy with their religion right now, but just based off of what Mike was saying about how they found their religion and why they decided to go there, he's looking for the restored gospel. We were respectful and had a good conversation and Sister Adduru (our team up) threw down about the Book of Mormon and encouraged them to read it and find out what's inside and they both agreed. They're the cutest little family. Mike and Karie and Elijah and Asau and Isabella and their little dog Cookie. So I think we might invite them to the Christmas party or to come play volleyball with us on Tuesdays or something. We will see. </div>
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Some more exciting things that happened this week:</div>
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1- I got to teach a lesson in Spanish this week to our investigator Neftali and it made me super happy. I love teaching in Spanish, I wish Neftali would just move to Lancaster and get baptized in the branch because the members would love the heck out of him! </div>
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2- We got to have dinner with the Adduru family and they made us delicious curry and they have the absolute cutest kids in the world, especially their little girl, she was so funny. She was trying to convince her dad that she was sick so she could get some medicine and he said that she didn't sound very sick so she needed to show him that she was sick and she said, "Well the cough isn't here right now so how am I supposed to show you?" And she was just the sassiest little girl. It was so funny. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fSc8yn3oHxA/VkqbynGP4tI/AAAAAAAABSc/cXE5C2H1jls/s1600/IMG_2311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fSc8yn3oHxA/VkqbynGP4tI/AAAAAAAABSc/cXE5C2H1jls/s200/IMG_2311.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Adduru kids burying their cat!</td></tr>
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3- We had a great lesson with Bill. He's struggling again because his dogs both died and he's been having some family problems and so he's been smoking a little bit again. It's kind of sad but we know he's gonna be okay and some day he's gonna make it to baptism. He still comes to church and Book of Mormon class every single week. This week he was like, "I just want to get baptized so I can get up on fast <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_699837003" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> and bear my testimony about the church and the Book of Mormon." And we were like, "o<span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;">h Bill! You don't have to be a member to get up!" And his face just lit up and he looked so happy like all of his dreams were coming true. Super precious. </span></div>
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But anyway, that about sums things up for this week. </div>
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Honestly, I am just looking forward to these next six weeks so much, and honestly to these next couple of years of my life. The other day I was sitting, kind of kicking myself for how I've fallen short in a couple of things these past couple of weeks and I was just letting myself get really down. Honestly, this transfer has been one of the hardest transfers of my entire mission. But at the same time, I have learned so much about myself and about Jesus Christ through it all. I have been so blessed. But I couldn't help but feel disappointed in myself as I looked back on all of my shortcomings and the times where I felt that I could have done better. And then one of the wonderful members of our ward got up the other day in Relief Society and gave this wonderful lesson, and there was a quote in there that I needed to hear so much. It said, <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">"God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming than who we once were."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">That hit me like a ton of bricks, and that is why I am choosing now to look forward and not back. I can't change what happened in the past, but I can allow it to make me become stronger and better. He knows who I have the potential to become, and He's going to help me get there, but we have to be looking forward if we want to get there. Like my coach always taught me, you have to be looking at the rim before you take the shot, or you're not gonna make it in. We have to look forward to our goals to be successful. That's what God asks of us. He doesn't care about when we fall short as long as we get back up and keep moving. Christ has paid for our mistakes, He loves us. He wouldn't want us to get down on ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">So to those of you who are struggling, just remember that you matter so much to God!! He adores you and He has a perfect plan for you. He knows you can make it, and I know you can too!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">I love you guys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Bills</span></div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-53426963974759973482015-11-09T20:39:00.005-08:002015-11-09T20:39:43.171-08:00Just Chinchillin<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcsVicvcXzQ/VkFycMM4XqI/AAAAAAAABQM/EG40Um5Y8d0/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcsVicvcXzQ/VkFycMM4XqI/AAAAAAAABQM/EG40Um5Y8d0/s320/FullSizeRender%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hello all,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">What a pleasure it is to be writing you all again. I can't believe</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">another week has come and gone. They are flying. It's insane.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This was just another average week in the life of a missionary. Well,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we had interviews with President Johnson this week, so that was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">unusual and great. He just is an all around stellar guy, he always</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">knows exactly what I need. He let me go very last and our "15 minute</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">interview" seriously went for about 30-45 minutes. And before my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">interview with president, I got to have one on one time to talk to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sister Johnson about some of the things I've been struggling with and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">she is an absolute angel. She gave me ideas on what to do and just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">talked and listened to me. She had the best suggestions and I'm super</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">excited about starting them up this week! After she helped me, I asked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">her what was the hardest thing about being a mission presidents wife</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and she was able to talk to me for a while about some of the trials</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and struggles that she's gone through, and I told her how grateful we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">all are for her and how much of an impact she has on us and so that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was a really good talk, too.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And, of course, my interview with President was marvelous. I know that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">one of the reasons I was sent to serve in this mission was so that I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">could meet President and Sister Johnson. They have seriously done so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">much for me, they will never know the impact that they have had on my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">life. But, since it was my last official interview with President, I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">tried to let him know to the best of my ability just how much it meant</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to me to be serving in their mission and how much good they were</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">doing, and how all the sacrifices they had made would be worth it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">because, even if they didn't change anyone else's life in the whole</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">world, at least they changed mine (D&C18:15-16). It was a good talk.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We were laughing and laughing and crying and laughing some more. I'd</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">write about all the awesome things he said about me and how I'm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">basically the best, but I wouldn't want you guys to think I was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">boasting, so I'll spare you those details 😉. No but really, he gave</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">me just the best advice ever for how to finish strong and what to do</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to prepare to go home and stuff and I just felt so much love and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">comfort. I am so grateful for the Johnson's. Just really grateful.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway, moving on.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Some updates... Bill is doing great. We had an awesome dinner with him</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">this week... He texted us the other day and told us he was eating a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fried bologna sandwich and I just felt so sorry for him that he had to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">go through that cause, you know... ew? So, we set up dinner and a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">lesson with him and the Bonetti's (cause her food is always on point,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and we thought their family would be super good to fellowship him),</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and I mean, yeah we expected it to go fairly well, but it ended up</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">going waaay better than we originally planned. Cause here are the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">caliber of people that we were having dinner with... We mentioned in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">passing how Bill is quitting smoking and stuff, and how it's been kind</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">of a struggle but he's staying strong, and then Brother Bonetti just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">jumps in and tells this incredibly heroic tale of how when he was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">first learning about the church, he wanted to get baptized but he</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">couldn't quit chewing tobacco and he was trying so hard but he kept</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">slipping up, and one day he got down on his knees and begged the Lord</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for help and went a couple of hours without chewing anything but then</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he had to give up because he was craving too bad and he took a dip and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">put it in his mouth and he said it was the most disgusting thing he'd</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ever tasted and he spit it right back out, and he couldn't get the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">taste out of his mouth for three days straight and he never took</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">another dip again and now he's a baptized member in Christ's true</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">church, and gosh dangit if God can do it for Brother Bonetti, he can</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">do it for you, Bill! And I think there were even a couple fireworks</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that went off and we definitely all burst into applause and there</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">couldn't have been a dry eye in that room, folks. There's just no way.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So yeah, that was pretty awesome and I think highly motivating for</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Bill. He went seven whole days without a cigarette which is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">stupendous! To my knowledge, that's the longest he's gone in 35 years,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which is seriously just incredible! He's the best. Unfortunately, on</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Friday his dog Mercedes passed away and he was really sad and stressed</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">out and so he smoked a cigarette. But then he texted us and we talked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">about it and he's right back on track to get baptized on the 21st now,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">so that's gonna be amazing! We were over painting his house again on</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Saturday, doing the second coat and starting on the ceilings. He seems</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">so hopeful and happy, just a little frustrated. His big question is,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"why do you guys expect me to be perfect before I can become a member</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">of the church?" He talks about how every other church will accept you</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and let you get baptized no matter what your sins and follies, etc.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">how it seems backward in his mind that he's working so hard and wants</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to be a member so bad but can't because of one addiction he can't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">quite kick. So that's what we're helping him work through right now.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Honestly I feel like he's one of my very best friends in this area.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He's a little old sassafras so we get along really well and he just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">loves the church. Yesterday, as we were sitting down, about to start</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Gospel Principles, the teacher welcomes him to the class (because he's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">an investigator). Bill tries to explain how he's not really an</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">investigator, he's just working out some minor kinks in order to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">become a member haha but the teacher keeps on insisting that he's an</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">investigator since he hasn't officially been baptized and whatever.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway. Finally he asks if Bill would say the opening prayer and Bill</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">says yes, and haha he almost had Sister Welch and I rolling on the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">floor laughing. He stands up and starts the prayer and everything is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">going well, and he asks for the Lords help and spirit to be with us so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we can understand the lesson and feel of its truthfulness, and all the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sudden he's like, "although I guess I'm an investigator... But I'm not</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">really investigating anything because I already know it's true."</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">hahahaha it was so dang funny. I just about gave up the ghost right</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">then and there.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So yeah, that's Bill.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Also, Perry is doing decently well. For a minute we thought he'd</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">broken up with Dawn but now we think they're back together? I think</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">officially the Facebook status says single still but... who knows. He</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">came to church and I think he's still hoping to get baptized. He's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just gonna have to have that conversation with Dawn and we don't know</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">how she's gonna react. She's studying right now with the Jehovahs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">witnesses and isn't exactly open minded to our religion, and we don't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">think she'd be thrilled about Perry getting baptized?? Anyway. I don't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">want to publish their whole relationship in this email. The short</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">version of the story is that we know Perry is gonna join the church</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">some day because he knows that it's true. We just don't know when it's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">gonna be. Hopefully something will work out. Maybe Dawn can get</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">baptized, too?? Idk.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This week we also visited with Roberta, Jeanette and Tiny. It was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Roberta and Tiny's birthday </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1314051873" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Wednesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, so we went over and spent</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">some time with them. They're working on getting things cleaned up and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sorted through since Joe passed away. Jeanette has been struggling but</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Roberta seems pretty resilient. They're good people, they'll make it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">through. We are just trying to do all we can to be there for them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We saw them </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1314051874" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> as well, since it's our "Evans City day" and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that's where they're parked, so we swung by to check in. When we got</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">there, they were trimming some bushes out back, but Tiny seemed worn</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">out and Jeanette seemed frazzled so we took over and started making</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">them laugh and feel a little better. Jeanette is an absolute wiz at</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">genealogy - she can do anything for anyone! So she was doing some of</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that for Sister Welch and I and she made us little turkeys out of</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">yarn, and she also is knitting me an afghan because she's always</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">serving people. They're both amazing, I love them to death. They treat</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">us like we're their own kids. I always wonder if I'm actually doing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">any good for any of these people, because I feel like I'm always the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">one who comes away feeling better when I'm trying to serve them...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway. We also did service for our "investigator" Lisa, and Michael</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">(her son-in-law) was there to help. He is super cool but smokes a TON.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We were painting her front room white and it was really fun. A lot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">easier than painting Bill's house because she actually had rollers ;)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">haha. She was really nice and Michael paints professionally and said</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he would hire us so that was a nice bonus!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Other than that, we made our regular appearance at Katie's kitchen!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This week it was tuna noodle casserole... Took me right back to the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">good ole days working at pal lunch in Hanover... Tuna surprise every</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">time. Haha it was making me nauseous, so we went out and helped</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">arrange the produce and cut up the cantaloupe. There was a cute little</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Girl Scout troop that came in to help out, so we kind of just bossed</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">them around and made some new friends and it was pretty fun. I always</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">have a blast at Katie's. Those people seriously feel like family.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">As far as service goes, the only other thing I can think of that we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">did this week was that we helped out at the youth talent show. We had</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">originally planned for me to sing some sort of song, but I halfway</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">chickened out but also halfway lost my voice with this dumb flu going</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">around and so instead I cracked a couple jokes, we played "chopsticks"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">as a duet, I made a goat noise and then Sister Welch actually played</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">something worthwhile ;) the audience got a pretty good kick out of our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">little impromptu show though. So at least it was a crowd pleaser. You</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">guys shoulda been there, haha. But yeah, there were actually some</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">seriously impressive talents. One guy got up and played the bagpipes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which rocked, someone else played the trombone, and another kid played</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the saxophone... Two of the youth put whipped cream on their hands and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">slapped it into the air and caught it in their mouths and that was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">pretty neat. It was a great show, we have a pretty stellar ward out</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">here.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We also met the Clark family this week and I just fell in love with</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">them. That was another family that I just clicked with super well.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They had us over for a dinner and I seriously could have just talked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to them forever, they were so funny and nice. Karla even started</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">talking to me about some things I could do to help me get ahead in my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">major when I start going back to school, so that was awesome. She said</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">her dad sells lab equipment for the kind of stuff I'd like to go into</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and she offered to let me come by and give me a tour some time and I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">totally want to take her up on that! So, more exciting things to come!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They're another less active part member family, so maybe something</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">could happen there? Her husband didn't seem interested at all though,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">so maybe further down the road.</span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anLsPinI_E8/VkFybO1T6KI/AAAAAAAABP8/yRHN6d0Jq7E/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anLsPinI_E8/VkFybO1T6KI/AAAAAAAABP8/yRHN6d0Jq7E/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="149" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Another fun dinner was with the Hendrix family. They had us over for</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">a western PA specialty - hot sausage. It was SO. GOOD. I was dying! I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">loved it. And then like not to mention the fact that they had a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">flipping pet chinchilla! Like you guys! They literally had a pet</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">chinchilla named PIKACHU. And I was dying because they let us hold it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and they told us all about chinchillas so basically I'm an expert now</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and it was one of the most legit moments of my entire life so I did</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">not leave that dinner appointment disappointed like you guys. A real</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">live chinchilla living in their house. This is not real.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But it was.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And there are pictures to prove it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then plus on top of the whole chinchilla nonsense they had hot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sausage and chocolate cake!! But honestly PA just has some of the best</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">foods ever, like Pittsburgh salads and pork and sauerkraut on New</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Years and I can't wait to bring all these things home to you guys and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">make you love them like I do so yinz get pumped n'at.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I love this place, I have the best life. I have the best mission.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Everything is awesome.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Transfers are </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1314051875" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">next Tuesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">. (Not </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1314051876" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, like 8 days </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1314051877" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">.)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I can't believe it's my last transfer.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I am wiggin out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anywhoozies. I'll catch you hosers next week.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">¡Besos y abrazos!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Bills</span><br />
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-72266109582393332062015-11-02T19:39:00.002-08:002015-11-02T19:39:35.375-08:0016 down 2 to go!<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dearest friends and family of me,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Today officially marks 16 months since I entered the MTC as a full</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">time missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">In some ways, I can't believe that I actually made it this far. I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">can't believe how long I've been serving as a missionary, how long</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I've been away from home. In other ways I think, "how in he world has</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it already been 16 months!? Where did the time go?" It seriously just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">flew by. I felt like I blinked and everything was pretty much over.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Each week goes by way too fast for me, they seem like a blur. I feel</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">like a week is only a day, but in some ways I feel like the days are</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">an entire week. But aside from some of the week long days, things</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">generally seem to be speeding up as I near the end of my journey. It's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">a bitter sweet feeling.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This week was a lightning one, gone too fast.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Monday was fun, we went shopping so Sister Welch could get some winter</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">clothes. Then we went geocaching - my newfound hobby thanks to the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Beers family. They taught me all about it. We found two geocaches</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which was awesome. It's like a giant treasure hunt for adults, for any</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">of who who might not have heard about it. I am absolutely taken by it.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I'm going to do it all the time, the Beers showed us a map of like</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">where all the geocaches are in the world and there are tons of them in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Utah!! And I'm gonna catch em all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B0-ReQaTITo/Vjgozr0KxNI/AAAAAAAABNc/NLQebVpU-OA/s1600/IMG_2122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B0-ReQaTITo/Vjgozr0KxNI/AAAAAAAABNc/NLQebVpU-OA/s320/IMG_2122.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1q4YMoYxmr0/Vjgoz86F5GI/AAAAAAAABNY/e3Q6qj7sy4s/s1600/IMG_2113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1q4YMoYxmr0/Vjgoz86F5GI/AAAAAAAABNY/e3Q6qj7sy4s/s200/IMG_2113.JPG" width="149" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">When pday was over, we had dinner at the DeMartinis, she made us this</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">giant feast, it was probably the single best dinner I've had so far in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Butler - steak and salad and potatoes and asparagus and garlic bread</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and everything good in this life that couldn't even fit on my plate so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I had to go back for seconds just to get firsts of some things and it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">felt like Thanksgiving day and I couldn't even fit it all in my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">stomach I felt like I was going to die hahaha.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But yeah after that we had a lesson with them since her husband is a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">nonmember but basically he just straight up told us that he hasn't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">been studying and he doesn't really want to know if it is true so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">hahahaha we got dropped.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tuesday we had a couple of really good lessons - one with Jonathan and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">one with Ross. Jonathan was all set to be baptized Saturday </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">but</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he didn't come to church yesterday, so he's not gonna make it for this</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">week. We will have to reset him with a date. Ross also expressed a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">desire to be baptized and is working toward having the desire to quit</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">smoking. We talked about how smoking keeps us from living in our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Heavenly Father's presence and tried to help him understand the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">importance of living the word of wisdom.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We also got to participate in something called "produce to people".</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It's like this food bank hat gives fruits and vegetables to needy</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">people instead of just the typical canned stuff, which is really cool.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So we bagged produce and then we stood in the line and handed it out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We were in charge of cabbages and there were all these extra leaves,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">so I took one out and put it on my head and everyone started laughing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">at me. Then Grape Juice told me to take it off, and I told her that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">people were enjoying it, so she put one on her head and pretty soon</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">everyone was laughing and having a good time, calling us the cabbage</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">patch kids and saying they liked our costumes. We had to leave early</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to go to dinner and volleyball and they were all sad and I felt all</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">warm and happy inside cause we made a bunch of new friends :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Wednesday was good, we had our district meeting and an awesome lesson</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">with a less active named Amy and she is really ready to start coming</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">back. She wrote a whole list of things she wants to change and it was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">super spiritual and amazing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Thursday was wonderful, as usual. Getting to spend he day doing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">service at Katie's is always a highlight for me. This week we had a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">bazillion pears and so we were cutting them up to make pear sauce and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we cut and cut and cut those pears until I'm pretty sure I gave myself</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">arthritis. But it was fun, some kids from the college in Slippery Rock</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">came over to help out and they were all really nice. So that was fun.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">New friends rock.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Friday was super busy, running errands and getting stuff done. We got</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to see Bill and we had dinner with the Eberlys at Chilis. I gorged</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">myself, I was so happy. They are the best kind of people. It was so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fun.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">(Can you tell I get less and less enthusiastic about writing my weekly</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">email the longer it gets?)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wbgg1ARE_Ng/Vjgo1KLHleI/AAAAAAAABN4/Pai6Bv5Y-mE/s1600/IMG_2152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Wbgg1ARE_Ng/Vjgo1KLHleI/AAAAAAAABN4/Pai6Bv5Y-mE/s200/IMG_2152.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yr6xeOZtyKc/Vjgo12OvWbI/AAAAAAAABOA/g7PmlNgtlno/s1600/IMG_2153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yr6xeOZtyKc/Vjgo12OvWbI/AAAAAAAABOA/g7PmlNgtlno/s200/IMG_2153.JPG" width="200" /></a><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Saturday was such a good day. We get to do service at this therapeutic</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">riding center and I love working with the kids and the horses.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Usually we just walk alongside the kids and talk to them and sing to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">them and help them stay on the horses. We were with William this week</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and he is so funny, he always likes singing Old McDonald and he's a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">real good singer. After Williams lesson, they didn't have anything for</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">us to do because everyone else cancelled for the day, so we groomed</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Ally (she is the prettiest quarter horse in the whole place) and it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was awesome. We cleaned her hooves and wiped all the dirt. We were</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">talking to her the whole time cause she wasn't having a good attitude</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">about it, and at the end we were taking her back out to the field and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">when we let her loose she just turned around and followed us, she</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">didn't want us to leave. It was so cute!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MwlQcFGYR48/VjgozoGgPAI/AAAAAAAABNU/Hu129vYNpnY/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MwlQcFGYR48/VjgozoGgPAI/AAAAAAAABNU/Hu129vYNpnY/s200/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After that, we went home and had lunch and language and then we went</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to Bill's house with one of the RMs in our ward. It was so fun, Bill</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">is the funniest. We took rags and wiped all the nicotine off of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">walls, and then we painted over them. He couldn't find any rollers, so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we were using these tiny little brushes and it was taking a lot longer</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">than we thought it would and we were laughing so hard because Bill was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">about to give himself a heart attack looking everywhere for the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">rollers and finally I just told him, "Don't kill yourself, Bill. We</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">don't even need them that much." And he just turned around and was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">like, "that's your opinion." And it was so funny we were all laughing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for like 5 minutes straight. Because he hadn't smoked for about 36</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">hours, so he was really irritable and it was just so funny.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The good news is he still hasn't smoked, and it is so amazing! He's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">been smoking since he was a teenager and tried to quit tons of times</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and could never do it and now he's finally doing it!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After Bill's house, we went to stake conference. It was really</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">amazing. Elder S. Mark Clay of the Seventy was visiting and it was so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">cool. We got to sing in the choir, and I just love the spirit that I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">feel whenever I share my testimony through music, so that was awesome.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Plus it was amazing to see President and Sister Johnson. I talked to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">her about some of the struggles I've been having and she helped me so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">much, it was amazing. Somehow, she knew just what to say. I have such</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">a love for the Johnsons. If I can be half the woman that sister</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Johnson is, I've got it made. So anyway, I was left feeling so loved</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and just like Heavenly Father is so aware of me and the things I'm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">going through that I cried pretty much the whole ride home, haha.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sometimes you've just got so much bottled up inside and one thing just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sets you off. It was good to get it all out.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sunday was more stake conference. There were some power house speakers</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and the temple president spoke about how it's not a matter of "if"</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">there will be a temple in Pittsburgh, it's a matter of "when" and I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">started freaking out because that is amazing. I would love for there</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to be a temple here, that would be so amazing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After church we had lunch with this amazing lady that we are trying to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">teach, she invited us over for </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1395145728" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> dinner with her family and we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">got to know them all and they were so amazing and funny and family</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">oriented. It felt just like being at a family reunion or something.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Some day I want to be teaching all of them!! We are hopefully going</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">back to help paint her house this week, so maybe something will</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">happen.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After that, we had an appointment with this girl Norah - we teach her</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and her mom English and she is super funny. Usually we just help her</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">with her homework to understand what it's saying. She reminds me of my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">bae Cynthia Chan #shoutout mostly because she's Asian.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">#datasianpersuasiondoe love you chan! ❤️</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Then after that, we had weekly planning since Friday was so busy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><div>
<br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And that was my week! Today we went to the Pittsburgh zoo and we just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">got back from that. It was super fun, we met up with the zone leaders</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and the sisters in there ward and the Beaver elders were there for a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">while, so it was super cool. I saw a sloth and almost had a heart</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">attack because they're so wonderful and I love them. We also saw a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">really cute polar bear </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SX7Pd2ve6hQ/Vjgo40cFIRI/AAAAAAAABOs/gqgRBesRtho/s1600/IMG_2185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SX7Pd2ve6hQ/Vjgo40cFIRI/AAAAAAAABOs/gqgRBesRtho/s200/IMG_2185.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and the zone leaders decided that I should</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">climb the fence and hop onto his back and then he'd sprout wings and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we'd ride off into the sunset. So that was awesome. </span><div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QIxWmZ4cX_c/Vjgo2wizrvI/AAAAAAAABOY/aIPVhzUhnFo/s1600/IMG_2177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QIxWmZ4cX_c/Vjgo2wizrvI/AAAAAAAABOY/aIPVhzUhnFo/s200/IMG_2177.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">There was also a </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">llama and some lions and cheetahs and tigers and a giraffe that really </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">liked me and a baby gorilla and it was just all around a great day.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Plus this Sister Butler made us homemade cafe rio for lunch and so o</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was basically in heaven when that happened.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">More good news, we passed out apartment inspection so ✔️ for that. Now</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it's time to move apartments haha... *sigh. The life of a missionary.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway, basically everything is great and I'm having a great time. I'm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">really starting to click with a lot of people here and it's starting</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to feel so much like home. I also met this super awesome family and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">they tell great jokes so hopefully I'll remember some of them so I can</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">tell them to you guys when I get back :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">My last interview with President Johnson is this week and I'm super</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">excited! I love that guy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway! I just want you guys to know that no matter who you are, where</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">you are, whatever - God is aware of you and He loves you. He knows</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">your individual trials and each of your goals and aspirations, and he</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">will help you reach your fullest potential. I know He loves us, I know</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He lives. This gospel is true, never doubt that!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Have a good week.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Bills</span><br />
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-6636898331188402642015-10-26T20:55:00.001-07:002015-10-26T20:55:45.470-07:00Cheers to the Beers, and look out for Deers!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">First off, the title is because I met the Beer family this week and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">they're the absolute best and also it's hunting season so there are</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">deer everywhere in this city, just running around. And there was no</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">deer emoji so I used a cow because I can.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Moving on.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So...this week was super lame.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Last week we went to visit one of our investigators, and it was super</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">cold that day, but he's a single guy and we didn't have any woman who</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">could come with us and so we had to sit outside on his porch. While we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">were sitting and talking to him, we found out that he was really sick</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and I felt really bad and so we tried to have a quick lesson with him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">A couple hours after the lesson I started feeling pretty crappy but I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just thought, " ain't nobody got time fo dis" and so I pushed through</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it for about three or four days until my body finally just crashed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Just goes to show you that if you don't take time to rest you'll take</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">time later to be sick.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Which is what we did.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And let me tell you, we took a lot of dang time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It started </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323534" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> - just cold and chills and stuff, we went out a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">little, but I slept a lot. </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323535" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we had zone training so obviously</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we went to that and I just sat out for all of the activities and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">stuff. When we got home I tried to tell myself that I was feeling</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">better, so I pushed myself too hard again and we went out to our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">dinner appointment and to our meetings at the church and to try a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">couple of people. When we got home that night, I was just exhausted</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and miserable, so </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323536" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we spent the entire day inside which made</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">me really sad because it meant that we had to miss working at Katie's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which is the best part of every week. At this point m symptoms has</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">escalated beyond the fever and achy and now included nausea,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">dizziness, congestion... I didn't have any appetite at all, and when I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">tried to eat, I couldn't keep it down. Sister Welch felt really bad</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and she tried to find me some medicine and she ended up giving me this</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">pill that totally knocked me out, so I don't remember anything about</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323537" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> because I was unconscious.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323538" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> was a little bit better, we were able to go out and see some</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">people and get a couple things done. A member of our ward passed away</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">this week and we were able to attend his funeral and to comfort his</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">wife and daughter, they're both less actives that we've been working</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">with, and they were really happy to see us. They told us how much Joe</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">loved the sisters and how we were like family to him.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Death is so weird. It was just a couple of days before, maybe like 8</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">or 9 days, that we were over at his house for a dinner appointment. He</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">had made us grilled cheese sandwiches with pickles on them and orange</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">jello on the side, and we were sitting there, laughing, telling jokes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and cool stories, he showed us his photo albums and shared his</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">testimony with us, and we shared a spiritual message and said that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we'd see him later...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But the next time we saw him he was just laying there in his coffin,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">no color in his cheeks and no big grin on his face.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It definitely wasn't an expected thing by any stretch of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">imagination. He was the primary care taker of his wife Roberta, who</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">has been sick for a really long time, but Joe was healthy as a horse.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Just had a heart attack one morning and died before the ambulance</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">could get there, so I guess God must have really needed him up in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">heaven.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So anyway. That was really sad. I think it was harder for Sister</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Welch, cause I didn't know Joe as well as she did. The hardest thing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for me was to watch the people's reactions and how sad they were and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just to wish that there was something that I could do to help them, or</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">some words I could offer to take their pain away, but all I could do</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was just cry with them and hold their hands or just sit and hug them.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway... There have been fourth deaths in this ward since I got to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">this area three weeks ago, so I think I'm bad luck. But it's caused me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to reflect a lot on how grateful I am for the knowledge I have of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">plan of salvation. It's also been weird, two of the people that passed</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">away had requested that there be no viewing, no funeral service,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">nothing. Just a graveside prayer and some short words and that's all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And our bishop was taking about the importance of a funeral and the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">respect that we show for our body as we lay it to rest in preparation</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for the resurrection, etc. and I guess I never thought about it that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">way... I love that idea, that you're just laying your body down and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">keeping it safe until your spirit can be reunited with it again.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Especially that we get to be all dressed in our temple clothes, that's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the coolest part for me, all ready to stand for judgement and be</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">welcomed home into the celestial kingdom to live forever with Christ</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and our Heavenly Father!! That's the dream, right?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But yeah. Enough about that.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323539" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> and </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323540" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> was back to business.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We had some really great lessons </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323541" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">. My favorite was with our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">new investigator Ashley, she is so cool. She has had the absolute</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">hardest life I've ever heard, but she's just decided that she wants a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">life with the Savior on her side again and so she was trying to find</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the right way to go and that's when we found her. She said she is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">going to work toward baptism on </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323542" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 5</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> and we are so excited for</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">her! This week we got to teach her the plan of salvation and she just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ate it up, she had a big smile on her face. We asked her if she felt</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that our message was true and she said yes. Then we talked about how</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to recognize the spirit and committed her to read and pray more and to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">come to church with us. She couldn't come this week because there were</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">some family members that were in town, but she said she would</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">definitely be there next week. So that was awesome!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We also saw our investigator Bill, who has a baptismal date in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">November and is trying to quit smoking. We had a great lesson with him</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and talked about what he thought it would take to have the willpower</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to quit smoking, and he committed right then and there to quit</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">smoking, we shared some scriptures that would help him and we have</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">been texting him every since, just about every other hour or so to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">check up on him and make sure he's doing okay and giving him</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">encouragement. He says he knows he can do it which is awesome, we know</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he can do it, too. Please keep Bill in your prayers! He has the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">strongest testimony ever and he knows these things are true, he wants</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to get baptized so bad! He is so amazing and I know that he can do it,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he has a real love for the Savior and the gospel, he knows the Book of</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Mormon better than anyone else I've ever taught... He rocks! We really</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">want him to make it through this week!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Then we had a lesson with Brother Zajacs, he's an excommunicated</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">member who is working toward getting re-baptized and has recently</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">(like just within these last two weeks) lost both his mother and his</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">father. I'm telling you people, everyone in all of Butler county is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">gonna be done for by the time I leave!! Anyway, it's caused him to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">think about what really matters in life. We talked about the plan of</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">salvation with him as well and about the sanctity of life, and why</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it's important to keep ourselves close to the Savior throughout our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">lives... And, just like every other lesson I've had with him, we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">committed him to come to church.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But guess what.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">THIS WEEK HE ACTUALLY CAME.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It was amazing! We walk into church yesterday, and there he is sitting</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">in his little pew with his brother.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It was like...wow. Amazing. Everyone was going over and talking to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">him, just welcomed him back with wide open arms and it was the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sweetest thing to see. We have a great ward here.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5vx_nPBtZw/Vi7z4bneQPI/AAAAAAAABMI/pa_JXqa_kwk/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5vx_nPBtZw/Vi7z4bneQPI/AAAAAAAABMI/pa_JXqa_kwk/s200/IMG_2069.JPG" width="149" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They also know how to party! We had our ward trunk or treat this week</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">as well, and that was a huge success. Even though it was raining, tons</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">of people came out. Even our investigator Perry came out, he was so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">funny he said he felt like a creep walking in since he didn't have any</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">kids haha. But he seemed to have a good time.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway, now for the two highlights of my week.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">First, was last Monday when we took our pday trip to Pittsburgh and I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was probably just about the happiest person in the whole city because</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">dang flabbit, Pittsburgh is amazing. We met up with Sister Welch's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">grandparents who are also serving in our mission, and they took us and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">4 other missionaries to the Carnegie science center which was probably</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the coolest building (besides the temple) that I have ever set foot</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">in, literally ever. I think I probably could have spent hours in</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">there, they had everything you could have ever wanted. They had zero</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">gravity astronaut training and microscopes for looking at dead bugs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and robots that you could play air hockey against and a fake tornado</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which was absolutely amazing for me and they had a human yoyo thing</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and a roller coaster simulator and a giant trampoline where I did my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">first successful back flip and a gift store and friendly people and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">tons of kids, the most excited of all of them being myself. It was the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">greatest party ever. I was so happy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Then Elder and Sister Butler (grape juice's grandparents) treated us</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to Peppi's, it's like a Pittsburgh restaurant which is super cool, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I guess the elders go there all the time so when we walked in they</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">said, "Ah! It's the eldettes!" Haha 😂 he was the funniest guy.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After that, we went and walked along the strip and I was sooo happy,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">saying hello to everyone and I wanted to stop and look at everything</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and I even got a pirates t-shirt and Grapejuice got a cats in space</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">calendar and the Butlers got some Pittsburgh popcorn and wow. It was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the best pday ever. I literally could not have been more happy. Even</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the bus ride to and from Pittsburgh was amazing (except that I wasn't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">feeling super good and so that wasn't fun) but other than that, it was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the most perfect pday I ever could have imagined.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then the best highlight of all was meeting the Beers.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Mind you, I had already heard a ton about the Beers from Hermana</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Tolman and Hermana Davis since they both served here in Butler. But I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">had no idea how amazing they were going to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Here's the thing. I just came from my favorite area that I have ever</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">served in, and I don't think I will ever feel more like I belong</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">anywhere than I did in Lancaster serving in that branch, that was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">literally my home! I miss it so much. And to make things harder, I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">really haven't felt like I've been able to really connect with very</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">many people here. Like, I love a lot of people, don't get me wrong,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">they're amazing. But I haven't really felt like I'm here for anyone,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">if that makes any sense. Except for Perry, there was like that instant</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">friendship with him. But other than that... I kind of just thought</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">maybe Perry was the only reason I was serving in Butler.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then we went to the Beers last night.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They literally had that spark in them from the moment we sat down, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I never wanted to leave their living room ever for anything. I kept</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just asking them question after question, sitting on the edge of my</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">seat and hanging on absolutely every single word that they said. My</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">love for that couple was instantaneous, I could have listened to them</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">all day long. When 9 o clock finally rolled around I was devastated</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">because I knew it meant we had to leave, and it had been so hard to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">set the first appointment with them, I was worried it would be like a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">million years before I saw them again. But, to my great astonishment,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">they invited us over </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323543" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">TUESDAY</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Like, </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1848323544" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, people!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So we left their house and I was just like so happy and excited, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">flying on cloud nine because I finally felt like I had found someone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">other than Perry that I could connect with and I finally had my moment</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">where I felt like I found out why I was sent to Butler, and that is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just a great feeling.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So basically I'm super stoked for this week is all.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Finally feeling a little bit better, still gonna keep the diet simple</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">this week though, try not to push myself too hard. Got my purpose, got</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">my motivation, got my Savior... Everything I need.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">How could I ever fail? :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Bills</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-39551519885405842522015-10-19T10:31:00.003-07:002015-10-19T10:31:15.760-07:00BILLS IN THE LITERAL BURGH YINZ GUYS<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Wow! What a week!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I can say that things are getting better and better! Slowly, surely I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">stop worrying about the people I left in Lancaster and just realize</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">how inspired it is that I'm here in Butler.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But, like I said, it's a slow process. I'm a slow learner :)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But! I have a lot to write about and a short time to do it, so here we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">go. </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871771" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Monday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we had an AWESOME dinner with our Puerto Rican</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">investigator Ivan. He made this amazing spicy rice with like salad, I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">don't even know. But it was amazing. It made me so happy! It felt like</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">being back in the branch again...almost 😉</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871772" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Tuesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we had an amazing lesson with our incredible investigator</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Perry! He's probably my favorite person out of all the people that we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">teach, he's just amazing! He's been having some issues with his Jdubb</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">girlfriend who doesn't want him to come to our church, and I was just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">feeling super passionate and I looked at him and said, "Perry, there</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">are some things in this life that are worth compromising with and that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">are worth working around. This is not one of those things. Your</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">salvation is not worth compromising." And I was just like crying and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it was super embarrassing because it was like the first lesson I've</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ever had with this guy and I already cared so much about the choice he</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">made and how it was going to effect his happiness and GUESS WHAT! He</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">came to church yesterday!!! He just like waltzes in and we're like,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"Geez, Perry! What are you doing here?" And he looks at us like we're</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">idiots and says, "Well I'm coming to church, duh!" Haha. It was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">amazing though, he's only come one other time and he's been taking the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">lessons for like 3 months! So it was a huge deal and we were just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">grinning from ear to ear. So cool.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871773" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Wednesday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we had our district meeting which was super awesome. Our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">district leader is really good, his name is Elder Perry and he's from</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Canada so that's nice. We learned about getting referrals and the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">spirit was really strong! I felt super motivated!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After distinct meeting we will usually go and play revenge in the gym</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">since we all like basketball. It's pretty funny. This time we played</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"bump" so you could hit each other's balls around and stuff. We were</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">laughing so hard. There's this elder - Elder Klima (he was in my zone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">back when I was serving in Hanover) but anyway he's like one of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">funniest people in this mission and he's just... If you've ever seen</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">brother bear, he's like the moose on that movie and it just cracks me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">up. He's from Canada, too. 🇨🇦</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway, so he's just the big, goofy kid and he was like flailing all</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">around, throwing the balls everywhere and dunking the ball or like</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">smacking it away from the net and it was the funniest thing ever.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I hope someone else gets a kick out of that, but maybe it's just one</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">of those things you had to be there for...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But anywhoozies.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871774" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> was amazing. It's like my absolute favorite day of the week!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">First off, we had an awesome lesson with out investigator Jonathan. He</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was set to be baptized and then kind of fell off the grid for a while,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">until a couple days when he texted out of nowhere saying he wanted to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">meet up. We called and invited one of the boys in the ward who just</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">got his mission call to California and he got all dressed up and was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">all nervous and it was really sweet. They got along really well and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the lesson went great and Jonathan said he wanted to get baptized! So</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">we set him with a date.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But then yesterday morning he said he wasn't coming to church because</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he had a runny nose and I was like, "Well that's the lamest excuse</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ever." So (in nice, patient, sister missionary words) we told him that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he'd better get his hiney to church and hahaha he was there!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I'm telling you, the excuses that people come up with... It's ridiculous.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And then THE BEST PART OF EVERY </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871775" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">THURSDAY</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we went to Katie's kitchen to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">do service 😍😍 I know it's only my second time, but I love that place</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to death. The people there are literally the best. Jean and Larry and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Barb and grumpy Bob are my favorites. It was Jean's birthday, so Barb</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">made her this multi-flavored pie which was awesome, and we sang to her</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and had pie and told jokes and laughed and cooked food for the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">homeless people in Butler. Then, during our break time, Sister Welch</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">took me up to the sanctuary in the church (cause the service is at an</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">old Lutheran church) and it was breathtaking, there were all of these</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">stained glass windows that basically told Christ's life story as you</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">went around the room, and this GIANT organ, and there was even holy</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">water and a tithing box or whatever and !!! It was sooooo amazing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But yeah so then when we were serving dinner, this youth group from</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">another church came in to help out and there were a couple people that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">were super nice to us and were talking and laughing, but then I don't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">think the other girls liked us very much. Hm. #theirloss</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Oh...hold up. I realize now that the dinner with Ivan that I said was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871776" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Monday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> was actually in </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871777" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">, so now I don't remember what</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">happened </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871778" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">... I know we had pday and it got a little cray... We</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">bought onesies and I'll send some pictures for you all to enjoy from</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that adventure. It was hilarious.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Moving on.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1951871779" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> we did weekly planning and one of the people in Sister Welch's</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ward in St. George ordered pizza for us and had it delivered to our</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">house! Like they called the Dominos here in Butler and paid for it! It</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was so nice! I didn't even know people did that! When I get home, I'm</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">gonna order chicken wings for every missionary I know on weekly</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">planning day and send it to them hahaha. Don't ask me how I'm gonna</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fund that. But it has to happen.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So while we were enjoying that, we got this call from one of the less</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">actives in our ward and she was calling to confirm dinner and we asked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">her how she was doing and she said she wasn't doing well and we asked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">why and then she went off for like 15 minutes about how her fish had</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">died and how the other one was sick and she didn't know what she was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">gonna do... I was looking at Grape Juice, trying to figure out if this</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">was a for real thing that was actually happening to us. Well we asked</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">if there was anything that we could do, and she ended up asking us to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">come over to keep her company and so we went over and we vacuumed and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">did the dishes and talked to her and she sang to her fish and I was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just trying to wrap my head around what was happening... It was so</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">awkward and random and funny but also sad, because you could tell that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it was really affecting her. So on the one hand, I was happy that we</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">could be there to help her out and to cheer her up. But on the other</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">hand I was kind of like, "Come on. It's literally a fish." I don't</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">know. It must have been really important to her, and I know it would</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">be hard for me like if my dog died or something. So I guess I can feel</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">for her. Just kind of...random.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We had some other good lessons. One with an investigator named Kristie</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">who said she'd like to be baptized, but she's got some pretty big</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">things to work through before that can happen, but she said she knows</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">our message is true, so I think we'll get there!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Then we had a lesson with Ken, who is probably one of the most</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">mentally "there" people in the whole town of Butler. It was kind of a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">nice refresher. He asked tons of good questions and basically came to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the conclusion that our church had to be true, it made sense. There is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">only one God, one truth, etc. It was cool to watch him pretty much</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">work it out for himself in his mind. He also said he'd like to be</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">baptized, but wasn't ready to set a date.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I also met Bill for the first time. He's awesome! He reeeaallly wants</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to be baptized but he's got this bad addiction to smoking. He said he</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">knows he just needs to throw his cigarettes away, they don't make him</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">happy or healthy. He couldn't come to church because he was puking his</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">guts out, so hopefully he gets feeling better. He's such and awesome</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">guy, totally knows the church is true, loves God, willing to do</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">anything... Just needs help overcoming this addiction, but we know he</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">can do it!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway! Yeah! It was an amazing week, and to top it off, yesterday was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the primary program which was adorable and today we are going to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">PITTSBURGH!!! I FINALLY MADE IT, MY DREAM COME TRUE... A PDAY IN</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">PITTSBURGH. 🎉🎉👏🏾👌🏾👍🏾</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This is for real, guys.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This is Bills in the Burgh.</span>melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-62164868753103415162015-10-12T11:00:00.001-07:002015-10-12T11:00:07.588-07:00Just Keep Swimming <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Alright, kids! When I said I wanted to go as far west as I could</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">possibly get, PJ definitely delivered for me. I went clear from the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">border on the east side of the mission to the border on the west!!!!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br /><img alt="Displaying IMG_1805.PNG" height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b704a769d8&view=fimg&th=1505cbbeb60a658a&attid=0.2&disp=inline&realattid=93a90020981d5aec_0.1&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ-VFJeVHKa90efyaTmJsrvmwQYHBLtCIhRQvR3Hbap43SNfVE_yWQINdbl088hOJqCzjeQgHy-92GON3XT9eAKQxmXJ08kNxKv2QSOnSPFREY3x7L4PTeWt_kY&ats=1444672066689&rm=1505cbbeb60a658a&zw&sz=w1016-h508" width="150" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">My new area is.... Drum roll please....</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">BUTLER, PA!</span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><img alt="Displaying IMG_1838.JPG" height="61" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b704a769d8&view=fimg&th=1505cbd7cee3f254&attid=0.2&disp=inline&realattid=3bb865c135128c37_0.1&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ-U4KOTSpPA7ejFmrBQDNZV04UhxbU-yR02GoN8brBw5Fj-R79j-BxyPuLArdLI9iyUe3LLCyJOB45QqPvUnm2USyGyb0FQ1dz4pt0f58j9ttRicT4E8BNPbZQ&ats=1444672066653&rm=1505cbd7cee3f254&zw&sz=w1016-h508" width="200" /></div>
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<br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Few fun facts about Butler for you all,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">1. This is the heroine capital of the U.S. The high school is</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">literally called heroine high</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">2. You will literally never get a speeding ticket in Butler because</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the police are always powning noobs</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">3. Everyone is related to each other...literally.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">4. Our apartment looks like people were murdered in there</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">5. We drive a Subaru and it makes me happy</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">6. It's really hilly...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">7. With a lot of trees</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">8. Night of the living dead was filmed here and they hold a zombie</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fest in Evans city. Basically awesome</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">9. It's like 45 minutes from PITTSBURGH</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So anyway, yeah. Butler is pretty much AMAZING!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And I really am happy. I like having Sister Welch as my companion, she</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> is fun and we are always laughing and joking around.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But here's the thing. There is this illness that you might sometimes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">get as a missionary and it is called</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">"post-really-good-area-</span><wbr style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></wbr><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">depression" and I went to a specialist this</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">week, and it would appear that I've come down with the bug. The</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">symptoms are really horrendous: blurry, watery vision; long, sleepless</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">nights; aching heart; hallucinations/seeing things (mostly the people</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">you left behind).</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The worst part? There's no cure! You just have to ride it out. It will</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">either go away or...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Let's just say the alternative ain't pretty. (Death)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So let's just say the transfer wasn't as easy/exciting as I imagined</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">it would be.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The initial goodbyes felt a lot like dipping a razor-burned leg into a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">vat of vinegar or something. Or like a paper cut in lemon juice. I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">don't think I've ever cried so much at a transfer meeting, it was bad.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Saying goodbye to the megafamily was awful, but saying goodbye to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Davis... I almost didn't even want to do it. 💔</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway. Long story short, we ended up having to have the Harrisburg</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">zone leaders pretty much tear us apart and tell us we had to get on</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">the road. We had to stop halfway to Pittsburgh to fill up gas, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">ended up being about 7 minutes late to the transfer meeting in Pitt,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which was embarrassing, and PJ totally called me out on it in front of</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">everyone. Whateva.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">It was the weirdest thing, sitting in that meeting. I've only ever</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">attended the Pittsburgh transfer meeting twice - when I got out to the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">field, and 12 weeks later when I picked up Hermana Landa. Other than</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">that, I'd always just been in Harrisburg, so it was really knew, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">honestly I was so heartbroken from leaving the branch and saying</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">goodbye to everyone, and so out of my element and uncomfortable</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sitting in the Greentree chapel, that I just started crying and I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">couldn't hold the tears back. I managed to pull myself together when I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">had to stand up so they could announce where I was going. They said</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Butler, I made some gun fingers and a clicky noise at Sister Welch to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">acknowledge that she was my companion, and then I sat down and I was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">just shaking so bad. I don't know why I was so nervous. I felt like a</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fish out of water.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">After the meeting, I was talking to some friends and PJ came over to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">talk to me. He asked me if I was doing okay and I just looked at him</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and I couldn't keep it together anymore, I just broke down and started</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">crying right in front of the dang mission president... Talk about</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">embarrassing?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">But he was just so nice, he stood there and told me about how I was</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">one of his very favorite missionaries and how much he appreciates me</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and told me that I was going to be okay, that if anyone could bounce</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">back from this I could. I told him I'd be fine, I just needed to throw</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">myself into the work, etc. it was an emotional encounter.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">He kept coming up to me and trying to help me feel better. PJ is the best.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">And Sister Welch has been amazing and helping so much! She literally</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">loves Butler a ton, and her excitement and energy is super contagious!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">She works so hard and loves the people and is just so proud of the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">area... It's amazing. She has been the best. We are having so much</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">fun! She loves the walking dead and we always jam out in the car, and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">she's suuuper good at basketball and just an all around awesome</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">person, so she makes this transfer a whole lot easier. So all of you</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">should be s big fan of her. I call her grape juice for fun. Feel free</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to follow suit. 😊</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Anyway. This week has been good. Honestly, it feels like I made it</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">back to Lebanon. We are constantly teaching lessons and meeting new</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">people. It's the best.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Cool story:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We went to visit a less active this week and her boyfriend came in and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">they were like, "Hey, we've been thinking. We really want to start</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">coming to church so that in March when he gets off of probation he can</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">get baptized." So basically it was a miracle and we taught the first</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">lesson and he knew everything already and it was awesome.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">We also went to visit a less active and there were all these zombies</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">walking around and that's how we found out about the zombie fest,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">which was super awesome and we were like geeking out.</span></div>
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<img alt="Displaying IMG_1826.JPG" height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b704a769d8&view=fimg&th=1505cbca4a234baa&attid=0.2&disp=inline&realattid=476c96dd2ab572f7_0.1&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ8oRkAkjf_oz8HIEo3kmcO6hoTyhBGOb8j6KWN2WfbHQR4WdSo_wVD7HU3-RSGgxAzJX8vVgQDJALut8Y6lCgOIVXBXSkTznoWmt3FfjtmDFGvb8rfPQaFqXyM&ats=1444672066671&rm=1505cbca4a234baa&zw&sz=w1016-h508" width="149" /> <img alt="Displaying IMG_1835.JPG" height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b704a769d8&view=fimg&th=1505cbca4a234baa&attid=0.3&disp=inline&realattid=476c96dd2ab572f7_0.3&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9ZY7PUze7f3Fc5utp-z7i62Hk68DbgCla-J0O7rpukhq9oRi5qf3IDX1vX4bHA_KkJ2dRo5967gKcba5aRs05DVD2yJ-yhxXTbYh5LMuyFF9Tko8kCiLrHAAk&ats=1444672066671&rm=1505cbca4a234baa&zw&sz=w1016-h508" width="149" /> <img alt="Displaying IMG_1819.JPG" height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b704a769d8&view=fimg&th=1505cbbcd06b2039&attid=0.5&disp=inline&realattid=9da06d85cf4b36c0_0.5&safe=1&attbid=ANGjdJ9MAYvHgZDG6JmhIdjLGVfTtYrY_fjS7Gtu9ToQffvA3AW8-JfosmeA8hEOYRLYOEUaaDdtrT9EAMowhf_BrOAXa3i2dNYTefhOK12c_URse2SQNK414bYW6pU&ats=1444672066705&rm=1505cbbcd06b2039&zw&sz=w1016-h508" width="149" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">In other news, WE ARE GOING TO PITTSBURGH FOR PDAY NEXT WEEK AND I</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT. I am like a child on Christmas, this is going</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to be amazing.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">In other news, the Lord is still great. I love the fact that</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sometimes, even when we're afraid or think that we know better than</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Him, he still loves us enough to cut us down so that we can grow up to</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">our fullest potential. He is my best friend, and I have learned sooo</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">much through this past week as I've poured out my heart to him and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">searched for what he wanted me to learn in the scriptures.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I found my answer in Ether, in the story of the brother of Jared. The</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Lord wants us to get to the promised land, but sometimes we are</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">content to sit on the beach for 3 years. Haha. But the Lord wants us</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to KEEP MOVING. Never stop! If we stop, we will never reach the</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">promised land, and the fullness of blessings that he has in store for</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">us.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">I love Him and I am so grateful for him pushing me to move forward and</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">to keep growing! He knows best!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Have a good week, and keep moving forward!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Love,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Hermana Bills</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-52280424903200062392015-10-05T21:05:00.004-07:002015-10-05T21:06:06.693-07:00Go West, Camilla Capibara<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">For all of those folks out there who don't get the title of my email, I am deeply sorry that you didn't have a childhood. I invite you to repent and change your ways and go read "Hooway for Wodney Wat."</span><br />
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IN OTHER NEWS, I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED AND IT'S OFFICIAL, FOLKS!! I AM FINALLY HEADING WEST. </div>
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Now some of you may be thinking, "Alright? What's so special about going out west. That's just a simple direction. No big deal."</div>
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WRONG. </div>
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It's a really big deal, people!! </div>
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Many of you may not realize this, but I have literally spent 15 months as a missionary in the same tiny corner of Pennsylvania. Like literally, my ward/branch boundaries literally border one another. But I'm not complaining, really! I<i> love</i>my little corner. I have grown to know so many people, not just in the wards that I've served in, but in other wards as well. Some of these people have become lifelong friends. I know it :) </div>
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But here's the thing... I'm serving in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania mission. Many years ago there used to be 3 missions that divided Pennsylvania - The Harrisburg mission, the Philidelphia mission, and the Pittsburgh mission. Now, there are supposed to only be two. But I was talking to my companions the other day about my areas and transfers coming up, etc. And I told them that President Johnson better send me out west, cause if he doesn't I may as well have just been called to the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania mission. EW!?</div>
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So I'm finally going out west and everything is just falling right into place :) Hooray!! </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D-wPBYbHJnY/VhNHlgPqMfI/AAAAAAAABI8/8-N81jqvgwE/s1600/IMG_1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D-wPBYbHJnY/VhNHlgPqMfI/AAAAAAAABI8/8-N81jqvgwE/s200/IMG_1687.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service</td></tr>
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Although I'm excited for a change in scenery and an opportunity to serve in a new area with new people and a new companion, I'm also torn up inside. Like I've said before ( and I'll probably say a million times again) my heart is completely in this branch. There are people here that will be in my thoughts daily for the rest of my life. They have changed me, shaped me, molded me. I love them.</div>
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An especially tender farewell occurred last night when I said goodbye to Eunice. It was just hard. I don't think I've ever been in an area and felt so strongly that I was sent there for one person. Maybe I'm just forgetting someone or an experience or something. Don't get me wrong, I know the Lord has been able to use me to help people in my other areas. But I've never felt so strongly that I was sent to an area to help one individual person/family the way that I felt about Eunice and the Martinez family. </div>
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Eunice - pronounced (Ay-oo-nees-ay) </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wduqRbFKPY/VhNHlfyZBTI/AAAAAAAABI0/z95jWD_eh4A/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252824%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wduqRbFKPY/VhNHlfyZBTI/AAAAAAAABI0/z95jWD_eh4A/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%252824%2529.jpg" width="176" /></a>Eunice is my best friend. She is my twin, literally! We're both even hispanic. :) haha But it was amazing to see how the Lord had prepared me to help her. She has the strongest testimony, she just hasn't been active for years. She would always tell the sisters, "Yes, I will come to church before you leave the area." She's told sisters that for FOREVER, apparently. When I first got to the area, I immediately fell in love with Eunice. She was my idol! I talked to her brother and sister-in-law about what we could do to help her, and they pretty much said it was a lost cause. I just felt like there was something I had to do. So we never gave up. </div>
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Every lesson, we would sit there and I would think, "If I for some reason went less active in the future, what would I want the sister missionaries to say to me? What would help me make it back to church?" And then I just said those things to Eunice. And because the Lord was there with us every step of the way, the things we were staying started sticking with Eunice. She started coming to church for the first time in years and she is completely reactivated now. She reads the Book of Mormon daily, and shares the gospel with her friends. She is the best example to me and I love her. </div>
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We sat down together last night and just talked about the gospel and the atonement and the blessing that we have to live in the fulness of times where we having living prophets and authorized priesthood holders. We talked about her goal to get to the temple, We cried together. It was kind of embarrassing, but it was also really sweet. </div>
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Saying goodbye to Ruth and Nacho (the Martinez's - they're Eunice's brother and sister-in-law) was hard, too. We had dinner with them for Sister Canseco and Elder Hatch's birthday and it was emotional because we had to tell them we were getting transferred. They said they were so sad, but that it would be okay. We tried to go by <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1311489621" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Sunday</span></span> and say goodbye, but they said they weren't home. Hermana Martinez texted later and said she was sorry, she didn't want to see us again because she had been crying too much. She said she loved us and hoped we'd come back soon to visit because we are her family. Her and her husband are going to go through the temple and get sealed in a couple of weeks and I was so sad that I can't be there for them! But it's okay, I will be there in spirit! </div>
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It's also going to be so hard saying goodbye to this district. I feel like I just love each district more and more. This one definitely takes the cake. It's a HUGE district, so we started calling it the #megadistrict. But because we are all so close to each other, we spend so much time together, we've started calling ourselves the #megafamily. I seriously feel like these people are my family. They have helped me learn and grow in so many different ways, each one of them has a special place in my heart, and they are the best missionaries. We have spent every single pday together, district meetings, zone conferences, mission meetings, etc. We see each other at church every <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1311489622" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> and throughout the week sporadically. We're just always together and it feels like the MTC all over again and it's just wonderful. I love these wonderful people. We're spending our last pday together, since quite a few of us are being transferred. I'll probably cry. I tend to do that. </div>
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This week we were finally able to go out and work hard every single day and it felt so good. We saw so many people and met so many amazing new people. There is so much work to be done in this area and I can't wait to come back and visit the Columbia STAKE! :) Some day in the future. So many amazing things are happening in the area. </div>
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I have been struggling with "how am I supposed to leave this area, there is still so much for me to do, the work never ends!" But I know that the new Hermana that comes in is going to tear it up and do so much good and the people are going to love her! And I'm going to go to my new area and it's going to be amazing, as well! I know that the Lord helped me and gave me the strength to do all that he needed me to do while I was here. That is a good feeling. </div>
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It appears that this will be my last transfer, folks. The next time I pack my things, some of you will be helping me unpack them. </div>
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#12weeks.</div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills<br />
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-40454829716143120792015-09-28T19:28:00.001-07:002015-09-28T19:28:01.127-07:00Perfectly Happy<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1wJ48In7Imk/Vgnzz4p48VI/AAAAAAAABGE/ciJL5rsKx28/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252822%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1wJ48In7Imk/Vgnzz4p48VI/AAAAAAAABGE/ciJL5rsKx28/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%252822%2529.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This week has been SO amazing! </span><br />
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It was seriously one of the funnest weeks ever. Mostly just the weekend. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207892" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> was funny cause we blew up a pumpkin with rubber bands. I love our district. The rubber bandits. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207893" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span> was fun but a little bit sad. Sister Canseco wasn't feeling good. Again. It's been such a hard transfer for her! She's been sick so much :( </div>
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But honestly, Hermana Davis and I could not spend another day in that apartment not doing missionary work, so we called around to some of the sisters in the branch and found one who was willing to stay home with Sister Canseco. So the elders drove us to the sisters house, and Hermana Davis and I worked while Sister Canseco got some rest. </div>
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We were out for about 5 hours, just walking around, talking to people, laughing, working hard. It felt so good. We saw a less active sister and she had read from 1 Nephi 1 all the way to Mosiah 15 IN ONE WEEK!! It was amazing!!! She said she has felt such an amazing power come into her life and her home. It was so crazy!</div>
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Then we met some awesome new people and taught them a lesson... ON A BUS! Guys, that has been my dream for the longest time! I've always wanted to do that! </div>
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Unfortunately, they didn't speak any Spanish, so we sent them over to the elders in the Lancaster ward. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207894" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span> was another day inside. Sister Canseco was still sick, and we couldn't find anyone to take care of her, so we just stayed inside with her. We cleaned a little and studied the scriptures while she slept. We played some card games and just talked and pulled the hairs out of our heads one by one as we slowly and painfully died of boredom. </div>
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The end. </div>
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No, just kidding. We actually did manage to get out of the house. We had this dinner appointment, and we had already had to cancel on her last week because of something, and she was so worried that we were going to cancel on her again. So Sister Canseco put on a brave face and sat through the dinner appointment. </div>
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When we got home she was laughing and talking and joking and playing card games with us and she seemed to be doing a lot better. We asked her if she was feeling well enough to maybe go out and try someone. She said she still felt really sick. I just hope she starts feeling better this week! It is the worst to be sick as a missionary, you could literally be puking your guts out and still feel guilty for not doing missionary work. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207895" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span> was THE BEST EVER! We got to go do service for one of our favorite families in the world, we were stacking wood and like cleaning up leaves and twigs and logs from a tree he had felled and chopped. He drove us around in his tractor and we worked really hard raking and loading the wagon with twigs and leaves and rocks and stuff. It was the funnest thing ever. Sister Canseco stayed in the car and slept so she could get better. Then they took us all out for lunch afterward! So nice! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f1a4x1Ta_8w/Vgnz3BSHlDI/AAAAAAAABG8/s-DBLuIu-7M/s1600/IMG_1597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f1a4x1Ta_8w/Vgnz3BSHlDI/AAAAAAAABG8/s-DBLuIu-7M/s200/IMG_1597.JPG" width="150" /></a><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207896" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span> WAS AMAZING! We had zone conference in Harrisburg and it was seriously so inspirational. I always love going to zone conference, the spirit is so strong, and it always feels so amazing to be with so many other missionaries, it really just buoys you up! </div>
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The funniest thing! President Johnson was ON one during the conference. He started off the conference with a #BLANDIS photo and he said "I know some of you may have heard some rumors, and I just want to clear them up. </div>
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#BLANDIS is a no go!" </div>
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I was so done with his attitude haha. No one else in the entire chapel even got it except for us and we felt so honored and special. </div>
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Then, since we're the assistants to the assistants now (I hope you're all up to speed with that joke, otherwise this isn't going to make any sense), we were doing the lights at the conference, like whenever the lights needed to be turned on or off that was our duty. And we were totally doing an awesome job with it. And the conference was coming to a close, there were just a few more remarks, and President Johnson told us that we needed to be sitting up on the stand with the assistants and with him and Sister Johnson and we were laughing cause it was so funny and then he totally shouted out to us over the pulpit! Like President Johnson is a full on homie! He was thanking the people who did musical numbers and Sister Johnson for how wonderful she is and the assistants for all the hard work they do for the mission. And then, in our finest moment, President Johnson turns around, looks at us, <i>smirks</i>, turns back around and says to the missionaries, "And thank you to our fabulous AAs for the amazing light work." IT WAS THE SINGLE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.</div>
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Like we could not believe our ears! Six weeks ago this started as a joke with Elder Birrell and Elder Gates and now it's for real! Hahaha the mission president literally holla'd at us in his closing remarks! </div>
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Pinch me. Am I dreaming!? </div>
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It was the funnniest, best thing in the entire universe. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mmSbGk0mTXw/Vgnz4XE0rmI/AAAAAAAABHg/ab9QsAHwdyo/s1600/IMG_1612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mmSbGk0mTXw/Vgnz4XE0rmI/AAAAAAAABHg/ab9QsAHwdyo/s200/IMG_1612.JPG" width="200" /></a>We all took pictures and everything together after zone conference. Then we gathered up our posse and went out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and had a roll eating competition. (Cause we're broke and can't afford anything else ;) haha #missionaryprobs) It was the funnest thing, there were 11 of us crammed around this tiny little table and it was the funniest night. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207897" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span> was SO AWESOME because we got to get up and do service for this family in the branch that was moving to a new apartment. And their apartment is SUPER close to ours! So we're way happy! We moved them all morning, and then we had lunch with some of our recent converts, they took us out to lunch at Golden Corrall and it was the best time ever. </div>
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Here's what happened. </div>
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So Elder Gates and Elder Birrell are the AP's of the mission. They're super cool. Elder Gates served here in Lancaster just under a year ago, and he was the one who baptized Nydia and Luis (the ones who took us to lunch). So when we found out that the AP's were going to be coming to Lancaster for an exchange, we knew we had to surprise Nydia and Luis! So Hermana Davis and Elder Andrade and I set up the lunch appointment and we surprised them by having Elder Gates be there and it was the best, cutest thing in the ENTIRE universe!!! It was so special. </div>
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After lunch, there was a baptism for the branch in york, so we all loaded up in the party van and headed over. We played the ABC game and it got so intense. I love being with other missionaries. </div>
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The baptism was amazing. It was a brother and a sister, and the spirit was so strong. Joel said his testimony at the end and it was super powerful. I also got to sit by my little friend Sofia as I "played the piano" (thank heaven for whoever invented player pianos). </div>
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After the baptism, we got some ice cream with the missionaries on the other side, and then we drove back home and street contacted some people before the women's broadcast. </div>
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It was so fun, we had an ice cream social before and all the women from the stake were there, which is kind of amazing because I know a lot of them since I've stayed in the same corner of the mission my entire life ;) haha. So I got to see a lot of really cool people. Then we watched the broadcast with the branch sisters in Spanish!! It was so cool, but I will definitely be going back and watching it in English. It was sad though, because we didn't have dinner that night until like <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207898" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:15</span></span> and we were STARVING and it was right before fast <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207899" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> so I was really sad!! Haha but we made chicken nuggets before bed really quick. #missionprobs</div>
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But <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207900" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> was probably the best day of my whole life. I kind of know that it's going to be my last Sunday with the branch, since <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207901" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">next Sunday</span></span> is General Conference and so we won't be with anyone. What happened was that we had a combined branch <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207902" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>, and the whole branch met together for the first time since it was organized. </div>
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It was just the biggest blessing... for me to have been a part of the branch since the very first <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_712207903" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> that it was organized, and then to be able to just SEE all of the branch all together like that... wow. That was powerful. It was definitely the biggest blessing. I couldn't help but cry. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_bh4tKicuLQ/VgnzyOXJKVI/AAAAAAAABFw/96xw0qA2p6g/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252818%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_bh4tKicuLQ/VgnzyOXJKVI/AAAAAAAABFw/96xw0qA2p6g/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%252818%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNXJo3hOtWI/VgnzzN8cNCI/AAAAAAAABGA/V9D-2NxOU2E/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNXJo3hOtWI/VgnzzN8cNCI/AAAAAAAABGA/V9D-2NxOU2E/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%252821%2529.jpg" width="0" /></a>I got up and I shared my testimony. I just want to stay with these people forever. To help the branch grow. I would seriously just spend the rest of my life here with these people doing missionary work and trying to make this branch become a stake. It means everything to me. </div>
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I've been thinking a lot lately on how we can tell if we're successful in the Lord's eyes. I know that all He asks us to do is our very best, and to follow His spirit and rely on Him as we do it. I know that I fall short constantly, but I'm so grateful that He loves me and helps me in spite of everything. He sees me for my potential - who I can become. I love Him for that. </div>
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I'm so grateful for this gospel, and for the knowledge that I have that things don't have to be perfect all the time for me to be happy. </div>
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And I'm perfectly happy with that. :) </div>
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Love, </div>
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-13919845938778123692015-09-21T20:30:00.003-07:002015-09-21T20:30:13.035-07:00Wake me up when September Ends<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Okay this is really embarrassing. Like to the point where I don't even want to write about it, it's that embarrassing...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hGIZtx6tfwk/VgDInmFUZbI/AAAAAAAABD4/N-UJP4gx0bE/s200/IMG_1521.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="149" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, wait, that wasn't what I was talking about!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4jGnnTY9vs/VgDImxRnEVI/AAAAAAAABDo/ikVAmhXQxik/s1600/IMG_1516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hGIZtx6tfwk/VgDInmFUZbI/AAAAAAAABD4/N-UJP4gx0bE/s1600/IMG_1521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4jGnnTY9vs/VgDImxRnEVI/AAAAAAAABDo/ikVAmhXQxik/s1600/IMG_1516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4jGnnTY9vs/VgDImxRnEVI/AAAAAAAABDo/ikVAmhXQxik/s200/IMG_1516.JPG" width="149" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbFRXm4wJo0/VgDInadcHNI/AAAAAAAABDw/D32F9yJavaY/s1600/IMG_1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jbFRXm4wJo0/VgDInadcHNI/AAAAAAAABDw/D32F9yJavaY/s200/IMG_1520.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
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I know I said last week that I'd have a longer email this week because more things would happen. Unfortunately, I feel like I can't remember a lot of things that happened this week...</div>
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...Why is that??</div>
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oh yeah, I remember. </div>
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Because I got a flippin concussion, that's why. </div>
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I am seriously so embarrassed about this, I don't want to write it. The more I tell the story, the stupider it sounds. Plus my head is still a little bit fuzzy and so I can't really think straight haha. </div>
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Alright. I just have to face the facts that I do stupid things and that my stories are going to be stupid. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qAOQHIWqeRU/VgDIkqUCRXI/AAAAAAAABDE/zjIjBt2R6Go/s1600/IMG_1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qAOQHIWqeRU/VgDIkqUCRXI/AAAAAAAABDE/zjIjBt2R6Go/s200/IMG_1468.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6vJBBcvxKU/VgDIlWGs5CI/AAAAAAAABDQ/4QJPxazAXB4/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j6vJBBcvxKU/VgDIlWGs5CI/AAAAAAAABDQ/4QJPxazAXB4/s200/IMG_1472.JPG" width="200" /></a>So last Monday. A week ago today. We were having a family home evening with this cute spanish family. Johnathan and Yaritza have been married and baptized for just about two years now. They have two of the cutest kids in the whole world. I love spending time with their family. So we were having family home evening with them, and all the sudden Johnathan pulls out this white handbook and he was like saying something and telling a joke and we were laughing. Then I asked, "So, is that your white handbook? Where did you serve your mission?" </div>
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And then I realized what a dumb question that was, since he'd only been a member for two years, so how would he ever have served a mission? So my face went bright red and I tried to hide my face behind the couch (because I was sitting on the floor) and I accidentally smacked my head on the side of this dumb metal table that I didn't even realize was there. So now I was even more embarrassed but I just tried to laugh it off because it was just... really awkward. But seriously my head just started reeling and I got this giant lump almost immediately and I had to just take a step back from everything. I didn't want to say anything, so they just kept going with the lesson. MY head was hurting so bad. When we got home I had like a mach 5 migraine and I was just done for the night. We planned for the next day and I went straight for my bed - no brushing teeth, no jam jams, no washing my face. Nothing. I slept the whole night and through studies in the morning. When I woke up, I ran to the bathroom and just dry heaved over the toilet for like 20 minutes and just cried. I was so dizzy and nauseous and my vision was blurred. It was awful. I told the sisters and they called Sister Johnson. I remember feeling like really confused and like irritable. The mission doctor called, and I talked to him for a while. He told me to go back to sleep. </div>
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I slept a lot. </div>
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For like 3 days. </div>
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I remember periodically waking up throughout the day and feeling confused. Sometimes I thought I was in American Fork, sometimes I thought I was staying in a random hotel... I thought I was in like all these different places.</div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1771983008" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday</span></span> night was the worst. I tried to get out because we were so bored in that little apartment, but that ended up being a really bad idea. We were driving home and I seriously felt like I was going to lose it. I told myself that if I just took deep breaths, I could make it back to the apartment. </div>
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Well the elders dropped us off, and I was waiting while Sister Canseco was backing them, and I knew I couldn't wait anymore. So I ran to a nearby bush and just started puking. Well not really puking, it wasn't actually that bad. But anyway. The elders started freaking out and they said we needed to go to the ER. I said I was fine, I just wanted to go to sleep. We called Sister Johnson, she said we didn't need to go to the ER, but if we wanted to find a MedXpress we could do that. So we tried to find one, but they said they couldn't do anything for a concussion cause they didn't have any equipment or something. I don't remember. I was crying in the back seat. </div>
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We ended up just going home. </div>
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Luckily I'm feeling a LOT better right now. The worst seems to be over. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpWTWO_vNc4/VgDIl9pL34I/AAAAAAAABDc/3N6JDmSPbZw/s1600/IMG_1505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpWTWO_vNc4/VgDIl9pL34I/AAAAAAAABDc/3N6JDmSPbZw/s200/IMG_1505.JPG" width="200" /></a>In other news, Elder Stanfill from the quorum of the 70 came to visit our mission. We had a big half mission meeting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1771983009" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span> with all of the people that I love and I was seriously so happy. It was so fun and amazing, and so spiritually uplifting. Sister Stanfill was seriously the biggest answer to my prayers. There have been so many things I'm struggling with or have questions on, and she just answered all of my prayers. She rocks. It was a great day. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oiIxgf9s70o/VgDIkWRVyzI/AAAAAAAABDA/NGIuJ5DheZM/s1600/FullSizeRender%2B%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oiIxgf9s70o/VgDIkWRVyzI/AAAAAAAABDA/NGIuJ5DheZM/s200/FullSizeRender%2B%252816%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a>Then yesterday there was a big fireside for the Harrisburg zone, and President Johnson asked that everyone from Lancaster zone attend, so we got to go and I SAW SO MANY PEOPLE FROM LEBANON WARD! I saw Joe and I saw Sebastian and I saw the Gards and the Behunins and the Boggs and the Johnsons and the Laudermilch's and....</div>
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It was literally the celesital kingdom up in that hizzle. </div>
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Then we got up to sing the closing song and everything was amazing because it was the EFY medley and wow. </div>
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That was something else. </div>
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As a missionary, you get to feel the spirit pretty strongly, and pretty frequently. But I have not felt the spirit THAT strong for a long time. That was amazing. </div>
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I was just crying... being able to see all those people that I love. I remember kneeling and saying my prayer and thanking the Lord for the people that I have met on my mission and for how incredibly blessed I've been and how grateful I am that He sent me out here... I am the luckiest girl alive. </div>
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I love this mission. So much. </div>
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Love, Hermana Bills <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-55029576049273933192015-09-14T19:03:00.001-07:002015-09-14T19:03:09.836-07:00Drip drip drop, little April Showers . . . oh wait, its September!<div style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Hey, I don't have a lot to say this week. We had a really good week, it was slow - there was a lot of rain. The leaves are changing colors and I seriously have anxiety attacks whenever I see them because I realize how close I am to going home and I have serious bipolar issues when it comes to the idea of leaving the mission. Like on the one hand I don't think I could ever see myself doing anything other than missionary work for the rest of my life. And on the other hand I'm super excited to see everyone again and just be able to hug everyone and go to college and further my education and all that good stuff. </div>
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Anyway. </div>
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Enough about that. </div>
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This week we had a super legit lesson with our investigator David! He is sooo cool. In the middle of the lesson he just stops us and is like, "Guys. I just got goosebumps. This is the Holy Ghost, can you feel it?" </div>
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Woah, wait... I already wrote this story.</div>
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Oh yeah, I just remembered that last week I started writing on Tuesday! Ah, that's why I feel like I have nothing to write about. </div>
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Well anyway. We had another great lesson with Ramon. We invited to be baptized on a specific date. He said that he knows he wants to get baptized, but he wouldn't set a date because he felt like he wasn't ready. And Hermana Paulino came to church, but he wasn't there! So we're just really sad because we don't know what to do! We can usually get in to see them if we just drop by, but if we ever happen to set a return appointment, they like never keep it! Which is really sad, because how are we ever supposed to get member fellowship over there? Ah... But we are praying really hard for them. We had a lesson with just Hermana Paulino and invited her to pray for each of the members in her family by name and she said she would. I have such a testimony of the power of prayer! The Lord can work miracles for us if we turn to Him. </div>
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We've also been working with the Rodriguez family - they are amazing!! Waldo, Yara, Tammy, Waldo Jr. and Gingy. They are the cutest family. We had a dinner appointment with them this week and it was so delicious and they gave us food to take home and I was so happy. </div>
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Their kids are so spiritual and have the strongest testimonies. It's amazing.</div>
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So here's what happened. </div>
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On Sunday we had to report to the branch council that Jose is no longer going to be able to get baptized on September 26 since he hasn't been coming to church, and we were really sad. But then our branch president was just like, "I expect there to be a baptism on the 26th anyway." So we were just like blown away cause we couldn't think of ANYONE at all who would be able to make it to baptism so soon. No one had come to church enough times and we definitely haven't taught people the lessons well enough to have someone get baptized. </div>
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But then during sacrament meeting we were thinking about it and looking around and then we realized... YARA! Yara isn't a member yet! </div>
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So right then and there we started praying for a miracle, because President Gogna still expects us to have a baptism on the 26th and SO HELP ME we are going to get it!! </div>
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We were also able to have a super awesome lesson with that guy Lewis that randomly texted us. He's super interested to learn more. We had a lesson out in front of Prince Street Cafe which was really weird but hey, you gotta make it work ;) </div>
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We should be meeting with him tomorrow in the church building though, so hopefully he'll be able to feel the spirit. He's really awesome and I actually just saw him walking through the library! Hard at work :) </div>
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In other news, it is finally getting cool outside and I LOVE IT! </div>
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IT POURED RAIN like 2 whole days this week and on Thursday we were out walking in it, and Hermana Davis and I forgot to pack umbrellas so we were SOAKING wet!! But it ended up being a great way to start conversations with people. We kept telling them, "go hard or go home." hahaha it was so funny. We made so many friends and it was such a fun experience. </div>
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But we had this dinner appointment at a members house and we were soaking wet... they thought it was the funniest thing ever. </div>
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Other good news... we have been listening to Christmas music and I just want it to snow. I love the snow. Can someone please make sure there is snow in SLC on December 30? Please and thank you. </div>
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Okay... well I'm really sorry this email is so short! I just don't really have anything to talk about. I will have more to write next week, guaranteed. </div>
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Love you all,</div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-21233993584687977482015-09-08T20:28:00.001-07:002015-09-08T20:28:15.444-07:00La-la-la-labor Day<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This week absolutely flew by! But at the same time I feel like this week was a year long! So many things happened. </span><br />
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So. </div>
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Many. </div>
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Things. </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985989" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> we had our <span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">#blandis exchange which was really good but also </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">really bad because it made me wish that #blandis was a real thing...</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was just so easy and fun. We talked to like everyone on the streets </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and it was just normal and triple testifying was something that is </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">just out of this world. I'd forgotten how good of a missionary Hermana </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Landa is. She is amazing for reals. She is one of my best friends in this whole world, and I know that she's had a hard mission and that she feels like she just needs a break. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">THIS LADY SITTING NEXT TO US PUT ON AT LEAST A GALLON OF PERFUME THIS MORNING AND I CANNOT BREATHE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Anyway. The #blandis exchange was fabulous. We walked all over the streets of Lancaster PA. We OYMed, we got rejected, we laughed, and we found a lot of success. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">THREE AMAZING STORIES</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985990" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> night as we entered into hour 1 of #teamblandis we were walking out of a dinner appointment and I got this prompting to go check up on a LA sister who had been in New York all week the week before, and since she didn't have a phone, we hadn't heard from her. She was home when we knocked on the door, and so was her nonmember husband, Ramon! We had set a goal in one of our companionship studies, that if we had a chance, we were going to invite him to sit down and have a lesson, so I did not mince words. I reminded him that he had told us in the past that he wanted to learn, and that we'd love to sit down with him and have a lesson. So he sat down! And we had a great lesson and the spirit was amazing! He said that he would be baptized and we were like crying. So that was awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">The <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985991" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span> we were coming up on the 11th hour of the #blandis exchange and we were on our way to the church and we were saying hola to every hispanic person we saw, but then all of a sudden this one guy got super excited that we were speaking in Spanish, and we told him about how we were missionaries and we were learning so we could preach the gospel. Then we started talking about the Book of Mormon and told him what it was and that Christ's church had been restored to the earth. He said, "I've been looking for this. This is the best thing that I've heard all day." It was so amazing. We set a return appointment so we could come back the next day, and we brought a member with us to fellowship him. The lesson was amazing. His wife even came in mid lesson and started listening and accepted a Book of Mormon and was super interested. He had so many great questions and everything made so much sense to him. We had a kneeling prayer with him at the end of the lesson and invited him to ask if the things that we had taught were true. He just said, "I already know that they're true." I was like freaking out!! Who is this guy!! He accepted a baptismal date for late September but he wasn't able to make it out to church, so we're gonna have to push it back a little bit which made me sad! But he is still going to get there, and hopefully with his wife as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><i>Also</i> <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985992" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span> we were walking, trying to contact some less active families that no one has ever met, and this guy was walking behind us and all the sudden Hermana Landa just whoops around and says, "Can I share a book with you?" It was crazy, this gospel conversation broke out and turned into this great street lesson. At first he said, "Well I'll take the book but it will just go on top of all my other bibles back at home." But then Hermana Landa smacked down with, "Well why would you do that? If God sent you a text message to your phone right now, wouldn't you want to open it and know what it says? Well this is God's message for you, and if you don't read it, you will never know." I was just like stunned into silence, and so was the guy. So he promised to read it, and we wrote our number in the front, not thinking he was too interested. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">WELL. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">A couple of days later we get this text from a random number that says "Hello. My name is Lewis. We met on Prince Street. You gave me a book to read. I had a few questions." We started freaking out! It was so amazing! So we're meeting with him <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985993" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tonight</span></span>, and we're really hoping that he read the book! I can't wait to see what happens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">A few more amazing stories from throughout the week....</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1518985994" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Thursday</span></span> morning we were walking to our weekly service and this lady stopped us and started complaining about how rude people are, and all the sudden she just started crying and we just testified to her that God loves her and knows she is there. She said she really needed to hear it. She told us her name was Misse and she'd be interested in meeting with us. We called her that night and she was so surprised to hear from us! She said, "I didn't think you guys actually cared." Hopefully we will see her today as well! Stay tuned.</span></div>
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We were able to do service for Hermana Carcamo this week to finish painting her house. It was so fun, I love painting. We were laughing and joking with her and each other. Then her husband came out - I've never met him! Him and Elder Andrade started talking and really hit it off. They bonded over the what's happening with the mafia in Mexico, and it was so amazing. I was really happy because I don't know if Hermano Carcamo has talked to anyone from the church in a really long time! Then they paid for us to go out to lunch at Olive Garden! I was so happy! </div>
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Last but not least we have David. </div>
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DAVID IS AMAZING, PEOPLE.</div>
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We had a lesson with him last night and he just stopped us mid lesson and said, "You guys. I just got goosebumps. The Holy Ghost is here right now, can you feel that?" Then we took that opportunity to invite him to be baptized and he said that he would, but he needed to be sure about everything first. The only problem with David is that he doesn't have ANY time. He works 7-7 every single day of the week. So we are praying for him that something changes with his job! We know how amazing and prepared he is for this gospel! When we were teaching about priesthood authority, he TOTALLY just got it - he compared it to like a doctor that goes to college for years and then gets that degree and they have the RIGHT and like the certification to perform surgeries or write prescriptions because they had been certified to do so. It was so cool. He said an amazing prayer thanking the Lord for, "sending his servants to preach the good word" and asking for help to be faithful in studying the scriptures... guys. He is golden. </div>
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It was just such a good week all in all. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iLus6kh_EXU/Ve-l1U6oRxI/AAAAAAAABB8/Ab_WCwMDDWg/s1600/IMG_1316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="83" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iLus6kh_EXU/Ve-l1U6oRxI/AAAAAAAABB8/Ab_WCwMDDWg/s200/IMG_1316.JPG" width="200" /></a>The funny thing is that for like 2 days straight we were just cooped up in the apartment. Sister Canseco had to go to the ER one day... THAT was an adventure. </div>
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She woke up with a swollen eye and a headache in the back of her head. I told her to take a nap and drink some water...hahahaha. This is why I'm not a doctor. When we called Sister Johnson about it, she called the mission doctor and he told us to go to the ER right away. So we called the Lanc elders and they drove us to the hospital. We were there for a whole like 45 minutes was all, I think. The ER doctor rolled his eyes and seemed super annoyed that we were there. He said it was nothing, gave her an advil and some ointment for her eye and then we went home. Sister Johnson was so annoyed with him haha it was funny. </div>
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Sister Canseco didn't start feeling better until we had to drop her off at a members house because we needed to go teach a lesson and she still wasn't feeling better. Hermana Martinez told her that she was stressed. She gave her some medicine, we started icing and heating her neck, and Hermana Martinez gave us like this massage stick thing that we did on her back and her neck and head and she is all better now. </div>
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I would be stressed if I had to be Hermana Bills' companion, too!! hahaha. </div>
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Yesterday was such a good day. We had a huge branch party at a park and played football and frisbee and beach volleyball and sang songs on the ukulele and guitar and had a bbq with the best food in the world and I was the happiest person alive. It was so fun we had like 70+ people show up! It was an awesome success. </div>
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Then we had dinner with some members in the Lancaster ward and they taught us how to eat crabs and it was so fun and hilarious and we even ate the eyeballs! I felt like survivor man.</div>
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But anyway, that's pretty much it for this week. It was super awesome and really fun and, as usual, full of laughs and happy moments! </div>
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I am thankful for the positive example that each of you are in my life! I am so grateful to have you all and for the way you support me and help me out!</div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">I LOVE YOU GUYS!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Hermana Bills<br />
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-83890461034766014672015-08-31T22:18:00.002-07:002015-08-31T22:18:29.138-07:00This Week Though<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I feel like the last time I wrote was like a lifetime ago. Something pretty big happened this week.... Something monumental. Never before seen in this mission...</span><br />
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We have been called as the assistants to the assistants.</div>
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Yeah. </div>
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It's pretty legit. We're kind of a really big deal. People are coming to do a photo shoot and we're going to a have a whole segment written about us on LDS.org and a second missionary apartment in bora-bora with a private jet and unlimited free salads at cafe rio and it has just been such a blessing but also a huge responsibility to have this new assignment... I'm just asking that everyone pray for us because this is so huge.</div>
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Hahahahahahahahaha oh my gosh no I am just kidding. But seriously we have been joking about this all week. It started last Monday when we were trying to figure out the transfers, and the assistants - Elder Birrell and Elder Gates (we are like best friends) - Skype'd us to talk about logistics or something, and we were asking them to show us the transfer boards and he showed them to us super fast and we got really excited but we didn't actually see anything that was worthwhile... So that was disappointing. </div>
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Anyway. The joke started about us being their assistants somehow, and it has just escalated ever since. We know have like a good portion of the missionaries in the mission backing us up and saying that we are the assistants to the assistants and it is SO funny. President Johnson even called us the other day just to check up! </div>
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"I just wanted to know how the assistants to the assistants were doing."</div>
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Like he seriously had NO purpose for his phone call, just to laugh about us being the assistants to the assistants. </div>
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But... yeah. this probably won't even be funny to anyone but me. But it has seriously escalated from us joking about being in charge of transfers to saying that like we'll be speaking in General Conference and hahahaha the apartment in Bora-Bora was probably the highlight... we are always just joking and laughing about the glamorous life of assistants to the assistants. It has been so fun. </div>
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Fun fact, though! The assistants actually gave us an assignment to find people to do musical numbers for zone conferences. </div>
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So we're pretty excited. </div>
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Okay but for real this week has been amazing. Sister Canseco is our new companion and she has been the absolute most chill, amazing, easiest person to get along with in the entire world. I love her. She is from California and she's a native Spanish speaker.</div>
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There is a guy sitting next to me drinking fanta and reading a book and listening to smooth jazz and dancing and he is fantastic, I think I'm going to invite him to get baptized....</div>
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There is no way he's getting anything out of that book he's reading.... </div>
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Back to business.</div>
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We have loved working in the walk area this past week. It is so fun. We're meeting some of the coolest people. We talked with each other as a tripanionship about how important it is to follow our promptings, and we're getting a lot better at recognizing and following our promptings and we have seen some really cool things come from it! We are being really blessed. </div>
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One of the miracles that happened this week... we had a prompting to go visit this less active sister who, the last time we went to visit her, she told us she wanted her name removed from the records of the church and everything, and we were so sad. But we volunteered to help her paint her house, and the members have just kept reaching out to her. And it was so amazing, she has changed so much! She wanted to download the gospel library onto her phone and she was willing to sit down and have a lesson with us and... honestly it was just the biggest miracle. She is so cool!! We're going to see her<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_844539372" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span> morning and help her finish painting! The elders are going to start working with her.</div>
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OH YEAH! There's another thing! We have another set of elders here in Lancaster - that's 7 missionaries serving in this branch! That is a TON of missionaries! </div>
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AND FURTHERMORE, we now have 11 missionaries in our district and so we have a mega district! There is only one other district in the mission that has more missionaries than we have and they have two senior couples so if we're just talking like young, full-time missionaries we have the biggest district in the whole mission and it. is. a. party. every. dang. day. </div>
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I love this. </div>
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We were so mad stressed out that our district was going to get split and we were going to be really sad but we are all still together just +3 more! </div>
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It's fantastic! </div>
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District meeting was insane, we had to bring in one of the big tables from the gym cause we didn't fit around the table in the relief society room haha.</div>
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Anyway. Other than that... nothing really happened this week. Transfer meeting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_844539373" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Tuesday</span></span> was really fun. President Johnson decided that he wanted transfer meeting to be done via skype but it ended up not working out very well because right as he decided to announce the transfer board, the video and sound cut out so we didn't even know what was happening and the Zone Leaders ended up having to announce them. But at least we got to hear the introduction. President talked about how an "inspired companionship" isn't always one that just clicks right away. Sometimes it's the ones that take a little more work. I really liked that. </div>
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Another thing that changed... after transfer meeting, we used to go work in someone else's area for the day, but they decided to stop doing that. So we just hung out at the chapel and waited for for 5 hours for people to show up from Pittsburgh. So that was... fun. I love spending time with missionaries. </div>
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We are going to be seeing the missionaries so many times this transfer! We have a member of the 70 coming to visit the mission so we'll have a big meeting for that, and then we have a zone conference, and then there are two missionary firesides! It's going to be way awesome! </div>
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Also, since our district is so big, we started doing pday eve sleepovers which has been legit. The sisters come to stay at our apartment and we watch like 17 miracles or ephraims rescue or the testaments and eat popcorn and then in the morning we make waffles and study the scriptures together. It's a blast. Then we all have pday together! </div>
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This is seriously the funnest time of my life. I love everything about this area - walking, riding the bus, going to subway cause we don't have any dinner appointments and having my companion spill her ice water all over me, this #MEGADISTRICT, our beautiful apartment, the incredible members of this branch...</div>
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I don't know. I have felt so close to the spirit lately. Yesterday in sacrament meeting I just felt such a strong love for the people that I have met on my mission, and the people that I have in my life. I have really started to understand the way Heavenly Father feels about us, and the love that he has for us... obviously it's just a small portion of the love that he has that he allows us to feel. I am so grateful for my Savior and how he comforts me and helps me to feel so loved and blessed. </div>
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I hope each of you feel the joy that the gospel brings and openly share it with others.</div>
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I love you! I would write more but my district is nagging me to go. </div>
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#BLANDIS is on exchange starting <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_844539374" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tonight</span></span>.</div>
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#blandis is go</div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-89888039058629460892015-08-24T20:07:00.002-07:002015-08-24T20:07:20.483-07:00Three's a Crowd<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This week. </span><br />
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Wow. </div>
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I just do not know where to begin. </div>
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Let me think... </div>
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AH, I found a good place. </div>
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This week was insane. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_157788250" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">On Wednesday</span></span> we got a phone call from President Johnson, indicating that WE ARE IN FACT GOING TO THE WALK AREA. So that was much rejoicing had in the land. </div>
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Beside the rejoicing, there was also much cleaning and packing and moving had in the land. Which I hate moving so that was really stressful. Our new apartment is on the third floor of this old building so that was fun carrying loads and loads of furniture and things up those stairs. Doesn't get much funner than that, my friends!! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khloee</td></tr>
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BUT! The apartment is suuuper nice and recently refurbished and I feel like I'm living in some sort of bachelors pad or something. Like it's a dang nice apartment so we were pretty spoiled. </div>
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However, something was slightly different in this apartment than in any other missionary apartment I have previously lived in... </div>
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This apartment had...</div>
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3 tables</div>
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and 3 beds. </div>
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YOU GUYS.</div>
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WE ARE GOING TO BE IN A TRIO.</div>
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I have had like 12,007 mini panic attacks. </div>
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<i>I do not know how to do missionary work in a trio..</i>.</div>
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SO I need your help! All of you returned missionaries that served in trios or know people who have served in trios that were good and that worked out really well, I NEED TIPS! </div>
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INFORMATION PRECEDES REVELATION, FOLKS. </div>
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So if you guys could help me out with that this week, I would sincerely appreciate it. </div>
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PS - you guys were the best this week. I got so many wonderful and kind emails all throughout the week that made me feel like the most incredibly loved person on the entire planet earth. So thank you for that. I love you all. </div>
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But anyway! So at first the idea of a trio was a little bit alarming. But when we thought it through, we realized that it had to be Hermana Landa coming! (Since there are only 7 Hermanas in the mission - Me and Hermana Davis, Hermana Sears and Hermana Busath are in the middle of training, Hermana Blackwell is an STL, and Landa and Hermana Smith just got done training so Hermana Smith was going to train a new missionary) And we got really excited. Because I have been wanting to serve with Hermana Landa since the moment I left Lebanon 7 months ago. So we got really excited and we smooshed our three last names together and called ourselves #blandis and that was suuuper trending (in our minds) for like a whole two days until <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_157788251" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span> night came and President Johnson called Hermana Landa and told her that she was going to be a Sister Training Leader and we were really sad because that means that #blandis is officially dead. Along with all of my dreams. </div>
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So then we were really unamused so I grabbed the phone and texted President Johnson "that was not funny." because he knew that we had thought Hermana Landa was coming to Lancaster all along and he just let us believe it. Cause even before we moved into the new apartment we had a feeling that we were going to be in a trio because of something the assistants said to us on the phone... So anyway President texted us back saying that we are going to love our new companion and she is going to make a big contribution to the area and all this stuff and I answered back with, "We love you, President Johnson. But that was still not funny." So then he called us and talked to us on the phone for like 20 minutes but half of the time he couldn't even talk because he was laughing so hard saying that he knew that we thought Hermana Landa was coming and how funny he thought he was... We were just so done with his attitude. </div>
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Well anyway we eventually hung up the phone with him and the next day in the middle of our lunch hour he texts us, "Is is funny yet?" </div>
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That wily old man.</div>
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He thinks he's so clever...</div>
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So we replied with, "Yes, President. We haven't stopped laughing. You're hilarious." </div>
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Then I called him this morning to ask him about whether or not I could get permission to start applying for college and all dat fun stuff and he answered the phone, literally, didn't even say hello, just answered by saying, "Is it funny, NOW?" hahahaha</div>
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That guy. </div>
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He told me, "Are we on speaking terms? No. You're just like my children. They only talk to me when they want something." hahaha</div>
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But anyway. Aside from all the bullying coming from our mission president, we actually were really really sad that Hermana Landa is not going to be here with us. </div>
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Another super sad thing that I found out (and who knows if this will mean anything to anyone but it was really really hard for me) is that Lebanon is being closed for sisters. I cried for like 20 minutes. Not only because Lebanon is really near and dear to my heart as the place where I was born into this mission life, but also because there are only 2 Spanish areas for sisters in the entire mission, and now there is only one, and it's this branch. </div>
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It's just so hard. I remember the struggle while I was in Hanover and I only taught 2 Spanish lessons my whole 4 months there and I always wondered, "Why in the world was I called Spanish speaking to Pennsylvania. Who ever uses their Spanish in PA?" But serving in Lebanon and in Lancaster have been amazing. I have truly been able to magnify my calling. That means everything to me. I mean, I know that we do missionary work all the time in English as well, and it's just as important. But you just wonder why you got YOUR call, you know what I mean? And now there are 7 Hermanas and only 1 area that they could possibly serve in and so I just know that not all of them are going to have the opportunity and it breaks my heart. </div>
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But also because... gah. It's Lebanon! That's my home!! <img alt="😩" class="CToWUd" goomoji="1f629" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1f629" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; max-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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Well anyway. There's nothing we can really do about it. </div>
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So I was seeking comfort from the Lord last night and this morning through my prayers and the scriptures and something just stuck out to me... I read several chapters in Mosiah this morning and I couldn't help but notice the difference between the people of Limhi and the people of Alma. Both were in bondage, both ended up looking to the Lord and being free from bondage and got their happy ending and were strengthened and ended up better people because of their trials. But something was different. </div>
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Limhi and his people were subject to the Lamanites because of their personal wickedness in turning away from the Lord and not keeping His commandments.</div>
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But Alma and His people were taken into bondage for a different reason. As it says in the book of Mosiah, 23rd chapter, 21st verse, sometimes, "the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." </div>
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I just really needed that this morning. It reminded me that there are three different kinds of trials that we go through in this life</div>
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1- trials because of our own poor choices</div>
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2- trials because of the poor choices of others</div>
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3- trials from the Lord because he knows we are prepared to grow</div>
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I love that we have a God who works that way. Who trusts us to go through trials and troubles and afflictions and things that scare us because he wants us to rely on him and he wants us to grow. </div>
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I know that my Heavenly Father adores each and every one of us, and that His plan is for us to become like Him some day. If we just have faith in the things that He asks us to do, everything will work together for our good. I know it. Just like in D&C 121 when the Lord is comforting Joseph Smith - these things will only be a small moment, and if we can endure them well, we will be exalted. We will receive more blessing than we could ever imagine. That will be an incredible day. </div>
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I know it's something small that I'm going through right now. But if it's important to me, it's important to Him. And that applies to each one of you. It doesn't matter what trial or tribulation you're going through, it matters to Him. But it's important to identify what kind of trial we're going through. </div>
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If our trials are because of our own poor choices, we can repent.</div>
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If our trials are because of the poor choices of others, we can forgive.</div>
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and if our trials are because the Lord is ready to help us grown, we can be faithful and trust that He will take care of us.</div>
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He loves us incredibly. I know it. I hope that you all know it. </div>
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I love you, too :) </div>
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Love, Hermana Bills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-76209574669970007662015-08-17T21:23:00.002-07:002015-08-17T21:23:14.328-07:00The Fruit of My Vineyard<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Hey guys! </div>
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So the title of my email this week comes from Jacob 5, I was studying this chapter of scripture in my personal study this morning and it really spoke to me. I love the story in Jacob 5, even though I know that I don't fully understand the significance of everything that's being said. But anyway, verse 75 stuck out to me this morning specifically. I just want to share one excerpt with you, </div>
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"<i>And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit, that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away, behold he shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard</i>."</div>
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This week has been amazing! </div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1701181674" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span> Jorge was able to get baptized. The spirit was so strong and we had tons of members from the branch come to show their support. Jorge was so happy, and at the end of the service, he was able to stand and give his testimony... Honestly if you'd heard that testimony you would probably think that this guy had been a member all his life. He talked about his gratitude toward Joseph Smith and how grateful he was for a living prophet Thomas S. Monson, and how he loved the Book of Mormon, and even though he had yet to finish it all the way, he knows that the things he is reading are true. Then he shared one of his favorite passages of scripture with all of us and it just blew me away. </div>
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What he shared is found in 2 Nephi 25:16-17 and it says: </div>
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"<i>And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind--and when that day shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things.</i></div>
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<i>And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the children of men</i>."</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKD9auP4nuA/VdKwYO2cn4I/AAAAAAAAA9o/GD7AdgA1k_o/s1600/IMG_1139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NKD9auP4nuA/VdKwYO2cn4I/AAAAAAAAA9o/GD7AdgA1k_o/s320/IMG_1139.JPG" width="320" /></a>That was the most incredible thing! To hear our investigator reading those words and bearing his testimony of the restoration of the gospel!! </div>
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So anyway. Other than the fact that we just baptized the next prophet.... The baptism was pretty normal :) his confirmation was really cool. We were small numbers this week in sacrament meeting - only about 27 people. So pretty much the whole congregation stood up to confirm him ;) hahaha just kidding. </div>
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But when he came to sit back down he had the BIGGEST smile on his face and he just looked like the happiest person in the entire world. He said his heart was beating so hard and he just felt this warmth and joy, and I knew that he had really felt it! That he really had received the Holy Ghost. </div>
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Out of all of the amazing and prepared investigators that I have found and taught and baptized... Jorge Salas has got to be the one who gets it the most. At times I'm pretty sure that he gets it even more than I do... And I've been a member of this church my whole life! Explain that!?</div>
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Anyway. Hopefully next week Jorge will get the priesthood and be able to start helping with passing and eventually blessing the sacrament. That will be an amazing opportunity for him. </div>
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The only thing that breaks my heart is that Diana decided not to be baptized. Not only does she not want to get baptized, but she also decided to just keep going to her other church. I was completely devastated... And completely baffled! The week before she had just been telling us over and over "I am SO sure I want to be baptized into this church." And we just don't know what happened! :( we just hope that she was able to feel the spirit at the baptism and that the Lord will continue to look after her and continue preparing her to accept the gospel. She's got Jorge, though, so we're not too worried. </div>
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But ALSO we just found out that Jorge is probably going back to Ecuador for a couple of months to work and save up some money. He will be leaving mid September. </div>
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The first counselor in our branch presidency is also leaving mid September to move to Florida. </div>
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AND our branch mission leader leaves for Utah to go to college... </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the three people going home!</td></tr>
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So someone please explain to me how we are ever supposed to build this branch up and help it grow if we baptize one person and three people leave!? </div>
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Well that's exactly what we have been thinking about, and the Lord gave us this great idea to do a 40 day fast for missionary work and opportunities. So we explained the idea a couple of weeks ago to the branch council and the idea was implemented and everything is set to begin on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1701181677" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">September 6</span></span>. </div>
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So what the 40 day fast is, is that each day for 40 days, a member of the branch signs up to fast for missionary work and for opportunities to share to gospel and things like that. Or if they have people in their lives that aren't members or are less active or something like that, then they fast for their hearts to be softened or whatever. </div>
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So every day for 40 days there is at least one designated member of the congregation fasting for missionary work. </div>
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We sent around the sign up sheet on our side of he branch yesterday and already over half of the slots are filled! We couldn't believe it! </div>
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Next week it will be passed around the York side of the branch, and hopefully all of the slots will get filled!! </div>
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This branch is so amazing. We really think that this idea will help the work take off as the members become more aware and as we become more unified through this fast. </div>
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Meanwhile we're just trying to do our best to move forward with the work! It's been really amazing! We have been praying so fervently to know what the Lord's will is for this area and to follow his direction in the work. The past couple of weeks we have just felt so strongly that He's been telling us to focus on working with the ward members and the less active or part member families. We have been a little bit confused because we also need to be getting baptisms if we want this branch to stay open, but we knew that it's what the Lord wanted so we just decided to go with it! And we have had some amazing blessings! </div>
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The other day we were going over to visit with a less active sister that really seems like she's ready to be reactivated. We had an awesome lesson with her and then felt prompted to ask if she had anyone that we could share our message with, and right away she brought up her neighbor who just moved in from another country! We got super excited and said, okay! And asked if she had a name and an address or a phone number or something. But she was like, "hey! let's just go over and visit with her right now!" we were just baffled. </div>
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So we walked over to Dolores' house and she was just heading out to visit with someone, but Hermana Paulino told her who we were and why we had come over, and Dolores was just like, "Oh that's awesome! I've been looking for a church! Let's go upstairs in my apartment so you can talk to me!" So that's what we did! And we had a super great member present lesson and the spirit was really amazing, and Dolores said how much she loved the Lord and appreciated that we had come. Then she gave us these little pears and we walked back to our car and drove home and we were just dumbfounded. We could not believe what had just happened.<br />
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It was our little miracle. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not Eduardo's Pitbull!</td></tr>
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Another miracle that we had... we were going to try one of our recent converts who has been borderline less active lately and there was this guy just standing with his dog by the place where I usually park the car, and I felt prompted to talk to him, so naturally I strike up a conversation about his pitbull and ask if I can pet it and then we got into this long conversation about God and how He loves his children and all His creations and we shared a Book of Mormon with him and he said, "Oh my gosh! I used to have one of these, I read a little bit in it, but then I lost it. I will definitely read it this time, thank you for the copy!" And he told us we could come over to talk a little bit more about the church! His name is Eduardo. </div>
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We love the Book of Mormon! We had an awesome Zone Training this week about the role of the Book of Mormon in conversion. We talked about how it is absolutely essential for our investigators to be reading if we want them to have true and lasting conversion! Now the whole mission is doing a competition which will be really cool - each day you have to ready 1 chapter of the BOM, one of your investigators or LA members has to read 1 chapter of the BOM, and you have to give out one BOM. Every day that you do ALL THREE of those things, you get a point. Each night, the Assistants are going to call EVERY companionship in the mission and find out how many points you got! The score will reset every single week! We're so excited, we've already been committing people to do it! We have been getting a lot of really positive responses! </div>
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When we tried to commit Jorge to do it, he just looked at us and was like, "I've already been doing that!" Haha we were just like, "Who are you!?" </div>
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Anyway. Things have been going amazingly. Since we decided to work with the members and LA's, we have been getting super tight with a lot of the people in this branch. They're really starting to love and trust us. The scary thing is that I know eventually I'm just going to have to leave this area, and I never want to!! I'm probably just going to find an apartment and move in to Lancaster, PA and be in the Spanish branch forever and go on team ups with the Sister missionaries every single day! I already have a family who said they are going to adopt me! Actually they said that they already DID adopt me. So that's an important first step! ;) hahaha</div>
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I love this work! I love the Book of Mormon! That book has played an incredibly large part in my personal conversion, and I invite each of you to read it over and over and over - to study the message that it contains, and to fall in love with the Book of Mormon! It will help you with any problem you are facing or question you have.</div>
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A chapter a day keeps the devil away ;)</div>
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LOVE YOU GUYS! </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A straight shot home!</td></tr>
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-7175261435201771442015-08-10T19:58:00.000-07:002015-08-10T19:59:34.044-07:00Purging<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Holy cow! </span>So many ups and downs this week! </div>
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This morning, Hermana Davis and I were studying in John 15:1-16 and we loved verse two which says, </div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"> <i>"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." </i></span></div>
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We absolutely loved that scripture this morning because it just described our lives this past week. There were so many amazing incredible moments and so many "purging" moments as well. But just to read that scripture and know that the Lord is not purging us because He doesn't love us or feels that we're not working hard enough. He is purging us because we're bringing forth fruit, and He wants us to reach the fullest of our potential. </div>
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We are praying for charity. </div>
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We are working on becoming more bold. </div>
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We are developing our faith.</div>
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It has been such a wonderful experience serving with Hermana Davis. Because we work so hard and we try so hard but at the same time it just comes so naturally because she is such an outstanding missionary. It's so easy to work the area because we really don't have to work at our companionship. It's exactly what this branch needs right now. We can completely focus all of our time and love and energy and just put it all into the branch because we don't have to worry about getting along or being disobedient or anything. </div>
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It's amazing.</div>
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So that's exactly what we've been doing. Putting everything we have into the branch. The work is exhausting, but it is well worthwhile. </div>
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Some of the lows that we hit this week...</div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1967625558" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Monday</span></span> we got cut 300 miles which was a real hit for the area. We have been praying to know how to work the area and last transfer we received 300 extra miles so that we could get to each of the sub areas that we cover. But now with the cut, we're not sure how we're supposed to make it work. We've been struggling a little bit because we don't understand how there are missionaries who are only covering the boundaries for half of a ward who have 900 miles, and we're supposed to cover the boundaries for half of a STAKE and we only have 1000 miles - only 100 more than those other areas. Someone tell me how we're supposed to cover 4 enormous wards with 1000 miles. Hahaha. Soooo it's just kind of stressful and we're trying to pray for patience to deal with the situation. We've just been spending a LOT of time walking around from appointment to appointment and getting better and better at planning things closely together so that when we have appointments in our far out areas, that we have the miles to get there. </div>
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BUT I guess it's just preparing us for our new area!!! </div>
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We were just confirmed this week that we're DEFINITELY getting moved to the new walk area that's opening up in the branch and honestly we are just so stoked. We have wanted this so bad and just prayed and prayed to receive it and the Lord was all like, "Knock and ye shall receive." And we were all like, "OMG did that really just work?"</div>
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TOTES DID. </div>
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So that was a highlight and definitely not a low light so it shouldn't have been included in this section but it was just such a good transition so it had to be done. </div>
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But I guess I shouldn't really focus on the negative things that happened this week. I do what you guys to know that I definitely have days where I struggle and cry and that things are really hard but in spite of all of those things I always focus on the one guy who pulls me through and that is my Savior Jesus Christ. Why should I be focused on the bad things that happen or the trials that come when I have a God who loves me and is perfectly aware of me? Who directs me in the work and has prepared a plan for my life that is perfect and beautiful beyond anything I can ever imagine on my own? </div>
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And I truly have felt that. </div>
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This week we had the amazing opportunity to go to the Washington DC temple. As I sat in the Celestial room I was just overcome with this incredible joy and feeling of love that the Lord has for me. I am becoming (slowly but surely) more and more aware of His watchful hand, guiding and directing me in my life. Always for the better. I know that He prepares each of us for our great callings in life. My love for the Lord and His commandments has never been stronger. This gospel is so amazing. I am so blessed to be a part of it! </div>
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The temple was incredible. I learned so many new things as we went through the endowment session. I was grateful for the opportunity to go. It has been hard to only go every couple months as a missionary. I have made a goal to go weekly when I get home, and I'm so excited for that! </div>
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Something else that I will never take for granted LITERALLY EVER AGAIN is Cafe Rio you guys. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iufjOG4UkY0/VcljHzBbLiI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/ukdftEA1t6Y/s1600/DSCN0314%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iufjOG4UkY0/VcljHzBbLiI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/ukdftEA1t6Y/s200/DSCN0314%255B1%255D.JPG" width="200" /></a>That place. </div>
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Is.</div>
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Amazing.</div>
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We went there <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1967625559" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span> on our way back from the temple and I literally wept tears of joy. </div>
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Cafe Rio is the food of choice in the celestial kingdom. </div>
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I know it. </div>
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I have leftovers in the fridge back home and I am planning on eating them within the hour. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtiMrcobU3Y/VcljH41cWiI/AAAAAAAAA6g/DZC83o1EZJ4/s1600/DSCN0305%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wtiMrcobU3Y/VcljH41cWiI/AAAAAAAAA6g/DZC83o1EZJ4/s200/DSCN0305%255B1%255D.JPG" width="150" /></a>I haven't felt this excited about anything in a long time. </div>
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Jk.</div>
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Speaking of excitement, though! Some exciting news! Diana and Jorge got married <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1967625560" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Thursday this week</span></span>!! There was so much support and love from the members of the branch. Hermana Martinez (our hispanic adopted mother) called us <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1967625561" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Wednesday</span></span> night and we spent a little under an hour getting things set up so that Diana and Jorge felt special and loved! It went really well and looked really nice! It was a super short ceremony, and there was a little gathering afterward. We met Diana's daughter and son-in-law! They were really nice. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ICSZixq3rs/VcljK2Fl7rI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/AUsSTGJdItA/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ICSZixq3rs/VcljK2Fl7rI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/AUsSTGJdItA/s200/IMG_1006.JPG" width="200" /></a>More excitement, Jorge finished the lessons and passed his baptismal interview, so he'll be getting baptized <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1967625562" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">this Saturday</span></span>! We're so stoked! </div>
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We were able to work with some awesome families this week and so see a lot of success! Honestly it's something that is so exciting to be able to work with FAMILIES rather than individuals. So cool. So we'll see what comes out of some of those things. Stay tuned.</div>
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We were also able to pick up a new investigator living in Elizabethtown! He doesn't speak any English so he wants to come to the branch with us! But it's like a 45 minute drive! He has a car and everything, he's just got to be willing to make the sacrifice! So we're hoping that as we teach the gospel to him boldly and with love that he will understand the importance of coming to church! He seems like a seriously great guy, and hopefully we can start teaching his son as well!! </div>
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Anyway! This work is amazing! I'm out of time for the week, I feel like I could go on and on and on! </div>
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You guys are so amazing! I hope that you feel my love and that you know how spectacular you are! We each have a purpose in this life - we are so important in the Lord's work!! He needs us! </div>
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So go out there and change lives! </div>
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I'll be doing the same right along with you! </div>
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I LOVE YOU GUYS! </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-28260268933331762942015-08-03T21:07:00.000-07:002015-08-03T21:07:10.480-07:00MI VIDA HA CAMBIADO. I finally get it.<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">HEY GUYS!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Everything is great! Seriously! </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UN7E-ZZ09Ms/VcA4C1HYSDI/AAAAAAAAA48/G4hN3Y-LKjk/s1600/IMG_0959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UN7E-ZZ09Ms/VcA4C1HYSDI/AAAAAAAAA48/G4hN3Y-LKjk/s200/IMG_0959.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This week was so amazing. I have seriously been able to see the hand of the Lord in my life this week in a powerful way. It's been truly incredible. I am so blessed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Things started off wonderfully when we happened to miraculously run into Kathy again as we were running on the track one morning. She asked if she could walk with us and she confided in us some of the things that she was going through and struggling with. We told her that we'd love to come do some service for her, and she actually stopped and thought about it and said that she would try to think of something that we could do for her. So she was going to let us know! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BUT THEN I GOT SICK! D: I was so sick and running this awful fever and I just felt awful. So we didn't do missionary work all day one day this week cause I was just so gross and sick. We went to the church to get a blessing from the elders because I was so sick... did I mention how sick I was? It was awful! The worst part of being sick is that you feel guilty for being sick because you're not doing missionary work and then it's just even worse because you can't do anything about it but sleep so that you can get better so that you can do missionary work sooner but then when you're sleeping you feel bad cause you're not doing missionary work! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The cycle! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is just awful. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But anyway, the blessing was super awesome, even though I don't even feel like Elder Ekins was talking at all about how I was going to be healed and get better. He talked more about the importance of the work we were doing and how I am here for a reason and how the people need me and I need to be here and there was one point of the blessing where Hermana Davis and I were just SO SURE that he was going to tell me how much longer I am going to be serving in the area, but then he changed what he was saying mid-sentence and it was awful! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But anyway. So I finally got better and then we went and had interviews with President Johnson and that part of the blessing was just tearing me up, so I made sure to ask PJ if I'll be staying for another transfer and he said YES!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">YOU GUYS!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">HE SAID YES!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I GET TO STAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<wbr></wbr>!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am literally the happiest sister missionary en todo el mundo!! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Anyway. The interview actually went super well. We talked about some awesome stuff. I love being able to have one on one time with my mission president. He makes me feel like I'm the best missionary in the whole world and that I can do anything! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I bet that's how interviews would feel like if we were face to face with our Heavenly Father!! The best! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Well, I guess unless we were wicked. Then we'd probably want the depths of earth to swallow us up and the mountains to cover us and the whirlwinds to carry us away and buildings to fall on us and crush us to pieces and grind us to powder.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Either or. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But anyway, at least I'm not wicked so I didn't have to worry about that sensation in my interview. It just went good and we both cried together and it was really nice. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I told him again of the love I have for this area and the people and Hermana Davis and how I don't know if I've ever been happier in my entire life. Everything is awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some awesome things that happened this week specifically was that we were able to do service for an inactive member who is really struggling with her testimony right now and has been thinking about leaving the church. It ended up being really good and we thought of the perfect idea to invite the relief society president to come with us since she is a professional painter. Maybe some fellowship will help this lost sister feel loved and important and have a desire to come back! Who knows what will happen. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were also able to get a team up with one of my favorite people - Hermana Mateo! She drove us ALL the way out to columbia - a 30 minute drive one way - drove us all over the town looking for potentials, and walked around with us while we knocked on doors for like a whole hour. And then when we were FINALLY about to leave, thinking that the whole evening was a failure, I saw this young mom unloading stuff out of her trunk. We went over to see if she needed help, and we offered her the gospel and she was super interested and she said we could come back! Now we have a return appointment for <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324385" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">this Wednesday</span></span> and Hermana Mateo is planning on coming again! The Lord blesses us so much! We have the best members in the whole world! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We've been following the prompting that the Lord gave us to spend a lot of time with the members whenever we can. This week we were able to stop by and visit with a family that is struggling right now that we didn't know very well, and now we're super close! We found out that they've been wanting to do family history for forever and didn't know how, and now we have an appointment with them to do it at the church with another member! We also found out that they have two less active sons, and that we can work with one and try to help to reactivate him! It was such a good visit. The spirit was really strong! And now we have a great relationship with that family, they called us a few times this week and we just love them so much and are super excited to get them to the temple to do the work for their ancestors! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The best day of the week, however, was fast <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324386" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">sunday</span></span>. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Honestly yesterday just changed my life. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had the opportunity to go to SPC which was the first and probably only time any sister missionary in this whole mission has and/or will ever go to that meeting so that was crazy. Our stake president just asked us to be there to talk about the branch and it was insane. We had to wake up <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">at <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324387" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: -2px; z-index: auto !important;"><span class="aQJ" style="border: none !important; cursor: inherit !important; position: static !important; top: 2px; z-index: auto !important;">5am</span></span></a> and drive an hour to get there, though. Crazy. But it seriously changed my life. He was talking about the reason they decided to organize the branch after YEARS of trying and how it had never been right in the past but they had FINALLY gotten the ok from Heavenly Father to go ahead and try it. But he told us that if they do not see SIGNIFICANT GROWTH in the branch, that they'll just dissolve it back into the wards and that was it. It just got so real after he said that. And I think right then it finally clicked how important this work is. Like... Not only do I feel the urgency for the branch - if we're not baptizing at least one family a month, they're going to close it down. But I feel the urgency for e<i>veryone</i>. For like missionary work in general.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Guys! THE LORD IS COMING. Like we are preparing the way. This is the only dispensation in the whole history of the earth where we will not fail. Literally all the other prophets in every other dispensation of time knew that eventually the gospel was going to be taken from the earth. But THIS is the dispensation of the fullness of times. This is the one and only time where it will not fail. We are literally destined to succeed. And these people need to know that! They need to know that this is the way to live in God's presence again! If we don't tell them, who will!? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But yeah so then we had church which is always great. Somehow we ended up not having anyone signed up to feed us for dinner which is SUPER unusual, not only for a <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324388" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span> but especially for a fast <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324389" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span>, so we were really sad. But we had some leftovers from dinner with w member from a couple of days ago and we figured we could just eat that. So we were leaving the church after sacrament meeting with heads hung low and ALL THE SUDDEN this member (the Martinez family) just put their van in reverse and called us to come over and talk to them and get said "Hermanas, where are you going right now." And we said we were just going home cause we didn't have a dinner appointment. Then they said "Hermanas! Eso es apostasía. Ustedes tienen que venir con nosotros a nuestra casa" so they invited us over and we had dinner with them and it was amazing! They made us authentic Colombian food and I was drooling it was so delicious. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then we had a miracle! One of the sisters in the relief society called Hermana Martinez (cause we have an elderly member that was checked into the hospital <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1969324390" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Saturday</span></span> - grampa Arocho) and she was looking for someone to go to the hospital with her because she wanted to visit him but she didn't want to go alone. Luckily, we didn't have any set appointments, so we were able to help her out! She expressed how grateful she was because she had called like 4 other people and no one had been available. But honestly it was just such a good experience for us. We got to sit and listen to him tell his conversion story and we sang hymns together and talked about the gospel and it was super spiritually uplifting. It was a great blessing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So basically missionary work is the best thing ever. I can't believe it took me 13 months of being a missionary to finally start to get the full importance of being a missionary, and the urgency in the work. I do not want to let one single person pass me by without making sure that they have a real chance to understand and accept Christ and His gospel. This is way too important. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I love this work!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I love you guys, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Have a good week!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Love, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hermana Bills</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only in Pennsylvania!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these people. and free newspapers. Nothing better!<br /></td></tr>
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melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-20008720846004176642015-08-01T16:13:00.001-07:002015-08-01T16:13:03.596-07:00TIRA-MISU GUYS, lol, get it? ;)<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Wow! What a week! </span><br />
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So this week we were starting to get SO stressed out because one of our goals for our companionship was to involve the members WAY more in missionary work, and we feel like we've been trying SO hard to do that and like no one ever answers their phones, or if we leave messages they never call us back and it's just really really stressful.</div>
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So we were having this stake activity this week and we really wanted our investigators Diana and Jorge to go. They had even made food to take for the potluck dinner and they were really excited, but no one was answering our phone calls or returning any of our messages. I think we tried almost everyone on the branch list and like half of the people on the Lancaster ward list that I know, and hadn't heard back from anyone and it was just really dumb! </div>
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Basically we were just feeling really frustrated so we decided that we needed to pray about it. So we took it to our Heavenly Father, and he just gave us the peace and comfort that we needed. We knew that we had done all that we could do, and so we just left it in his hands. So we started getting ready for bed, and all of a sudden, a member called us back! Not only was she willing to take Diana and Jorge to the activity, but she wanted to come to the lesson that we were having with them right before the activity started! It was amazing! And she is the perfect fellowshipper for them because she is bilingual! It was amazing! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diana and Jorge</td></tr>
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The most incredible thing was that she was absolutely key in the lesson that we were having with Diana. Diana has been struggling with how she feels about Joseph Smith, and honestly she really just didn't understand that there is ONE church. So we knew that we needed to go back over the story of the restoration, and to talk about the importance of sincere scripture study and fervent prayer. The member was able to come in and boldly testify that the things we were saying were true. We knew that things were finally clicking with Diana. We were so bold that sometimes I worried if it was too much, but it ended up being exactly what Diana needed, and the spirit was so strong! Then that evening at the stake activity we watched Meet the Mormons. Diana came up to us afterward and told us about how much of a blessing the whole day had been for her. In regards to the movie she said, "I really felt something, wow. This makes my decision to join the church so much easier." </div>
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SO SHE FINALLY GOT HER ANSWER! </div>
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Which is really awesome because tonight we're teaching the word of wisdom hahaha so just keep us in your prayers! ;) </div>
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Speaking of... </div>
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We had a SUUPER awkward dinner appointment with them this week. The food was really good and everything was going great. We were "No Spanish" at the dinner table and Jorge was practicing his English and he's actually really good! And then Diana is like, "Oh I made tiramisu for dessert, so I hope you saved room!" and luckily Hermana Davis was like, "Oh, what's tiramisu?" And then Diana told us it had coffee in it and she just went off on how delicious it is and how much she loves tiramisu and how it's her favorite desert and she made it for her birthday but made sure to make enough so that there'd be some leftover for our dinner appointment and how she likes it with <i>extra </i>coffee and Hermana Davis and I just got all quiet and awkward and changed the subject. I was just praying that I would know what to say because at that point, we knew that she didn't have a testimony of Joseph Smith. So I was just praying and praying. Then she says, "Anyone ready for dessert?" </div>
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So then I just explained to her a little about the word of wisdom, and how we don't drink coffee because of it and she was just really shocked and had a lot of questions. But it ended up being really good, even though at the beginning it was super awkward. We talked about what was really important was that she needed to get a testimony of Joseph Smith and to understand that he was called by God as a prophet, and once she got that testimony, then she would understand why it's so important to live the word of wisdom. So it ended up being really good. But at first it was just soooo awkward. hahaha #missionprobs</div>
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This week was also awesome because we were able to pick up two new amazing investigators. Reilin is probably 14-17 years old. He is so amazing! We just street contacted him and he said he was really interested, and hopefully we can start teaching his whole family as well! They are all super nice. Reilin is a super sharp kid and he totally picked up on everything we were teaching really quickly. The next step is just to find someone who can be his friend! </div>
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The other one is Rosie<span style="color: black;">! So we were working in Columbia one day, tracting doors in this apartment complex and w<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;">e knocked on Rosie's door and her first instinct was not to let us in. We told her who we were and why we were knocking on her door, and she went off on this whole schpeel about how her brother had just passed away and she really didn't want to hear it. But instead of giving up, we bore our testimony about how this message was exactly what she needed in her life right now and how we know that families are forever and that the gospel will help her find greater peace and her countenance changed completely and she cut me off mid-sentence and said, "Come on in." and we had an amazing first lesson and we've got a team up to go back Tuesday night! So hopefully great things will come from that!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.8999996185303px;"> </span></span></div>
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This week we were also able to do a lot of service! We helped one of our less active members clean her house because she is taking care of her granddaughter and never has time to do it. </div>
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We also volunteer on a weekly basis at the hispanic center where we make food and prepare lunches for poor and homeless people and it's always so amazing. This week was super crazy cause we just kept running out of food and they had to keep bringing different things out! It's so sad to see all of the people who are suffering - especially all of the children. The hard thing is that like all of them have these smart phones but they can't afford to feed themselves! It just breaks my heart to see these people who don't know how to take care of themselves. And like quite a few of them that we've talked to never even graduated from high school so they don't have educations and they can't get into a university or get a good job... it is seriously heart breaking! </div>
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It just makes me realize how important it is to have strong families in today's society. The prophets and apostles are SO inspired! (Obviously!!) They talk so much on the importance of establishing strong families and basing them on the principles of the gospel. I am so grateful for my mission and how it has taught me how blessed I am to have parents like mine, and just especially to have the gospel in my life because I receive SO many blessings from the teachings of the church and being a member. I am so blessed. </div>
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Something that has just blown me away is the love that I have for these people. I did not know that I was capable of loving anyone as much as I love the people we're teaching and the members in this branch. Like last night I was just saying my nightly prayer and I seriously started <i>crying </i>because I was just overwhlemed with love as I thought about the incredible individuals that I have the opportunity of working with and...wow. I am the luckiest son of a gun out there. </div>
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Funny story for the week. AND IF THIS DOESN'T SHOW MY LOVE FOR THE BRANCH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL.</div>
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So something that the branch has been struggling with is finding people to play the piano every week. Like I am the unofficial branch chorister and so I get up and conduct the music. Usually at the last second, they'll scrape something together so that we have audio. But this week nobody showed up and we didn't get audio hooked up or anything. So the first councilor in the branch presidency just asked if I would conduct and just sing really loud. I was super nervous because I DO NOT LIKE SINGING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. Haha. But I told him that I would do anything for the branch! So I got up. The first song wasn't too bad cause everyone knew it. </div>
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Then came the sacrament hymn....</div>
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Nobody really knew which hymn it was. </div>
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Heck, <i>I </i>didn't really know which hymn it was. So I tried to hum it out in my head and then I thought that I had figured out which hymn it was, so I indicated to the congregation to start singing and I just went into it whole-heartedly, fully expecting everyone to join in.</div>
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But no one did.</div>
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So I was literally just singing a solo.</div>
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In front of everyone.</div>
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For like the first two lines. </div>
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Cristo el Redentor murio will forever be my least favorite hymn because of that. </div>
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But Hermana Davis laughed about it throughout the meeting and for a good five or six hours afterward, so at least someone got a kick out of it. </div>
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I love you all. </div>
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Lancaster is amazing. I never want to leave.</div>
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I'm talking to President about it this Friday during our interview.</div>
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I'm really excited!! </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills</div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-62223658348612466962015-07-20T18:06:00.003-07:002015-07-20T18:06:38.688-07:00Homies and Humidity<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
This week has been incredible. </div>
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Is that how I start my emails every week? </div>
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I don't know man, it's always the truth though. I have been having a pretty dang good mission these past 12 months. But this one really takes the cake. It just gets better and better every day. </div>
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So honestly I was really scared when Hermana Tolman left because I felt like I'd never be able to have that much fun with another companion. But I was wrong. Hermana Davis is literally the best, funniest person on this entire planet. She is so awesome. We're going to have a lot of fun together. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aix7mMg_b70/Va2af59lNVI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ddpAK1jE0AA/s1600/IMG_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aix7mMg_b70/Va2af59lNVI/AAAAAAAAA3U/ddpAK1jE0AA/s320/IMG_0805.JPG" width="320" /></a>The only problem is that she is SUPER intimidating! Not only is she the nicest, funnest person you will ever meet - she always has a smile on her face and she is not afraid to talk to every single person and she has the ability to make them feel so loved and needed - but she is also the hardest working missionary I think I have ever seen. She is so focused on her purpose. All of the time. Like companionship studies with Hermana Davis are some of the best things that I have ever experienced. We get so much done. We stayed completely focused during weekly planning. And yet somehow we're still laughing and happy and having a good time. </div>
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Also she is literally the most beautiful person you will ever meet. Ever. And she like doesn't even try!! Her outfits are always professional and adorable. Her face is perfect. </div>
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So the problem here is that I will never be able to measure up to Hermana Davis. But I am just blessed to serve with her. </div>
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What a blessing. </div>
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SPEAKING OF BLESSINGS.</div>
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Can we just talk about <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1770964410" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday</span></span>? </div>
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At first it wasn't a blessing because Hermana Tolman left me and I was really sad about that. But it was her time, you know? It was her time... </div>
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But then! The greatest thing happened! </div>
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I got to go work in Lebanon for the entire day! </div>
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DO YOU GUYS EVEN KNOW HOW AMAZING THAT IS!? </div>
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I got to see so many people that I miss and love and that I haven't heard from in quite a while and it was really amazing. And Hermana Tolman and I spent <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1770964411" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span> night in the Lebanon apartment and it was just like old times. </div>
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Well, except for the fact that we weren't sleeping in beds. But whateva. </div>
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ALSO! Anyone remember the Christmas tree that Hermana Landa and I purchased in December? IT WAS STILL UP! I have never been so happy! Hahaha it was so rad. </div>
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But anyway. One of the best experiences was with Sister Dourte. She is a recently reactivated member that I love SO much. Like she seriously means so much to me!! And I want to share this story not because I want to boast or anything but I just want whoever is reading this to know that YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES even if you don't realize it. </div>
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So when I was serving in Lebanon, we used to visit Sister Dourte pretty regularly. She was someone that I felt a real connection with, so even though she didn't exactly show signs of progression, I still wanted to go and visit with her. Honestly she reminded me a lot of my grandma Johnson. Her husband wasn't a member and I was always really interested in teaching him the lessons, but he always seemed pretty weary whenever we asked. So we didn't push it super hard. </div>
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When I left the area, I thought about them a lot but I never found time to write them or anything. When I heard that Brother Dourte had passed away, I was really torn up about it. I was super worried about Sister Dourte. I wrote her a letter to let her know how much I cared and I bore my testimony of the Plan of Salvation, but I never heard from her. </div>
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When I found out that I was spending the day in Lebanon, I knew that Sister Dourte was at the very top of people that I wanted to visit. So we got to go over there and that conversation changed my life.</div>
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I've never really felt like I've had anyone on my mission that I was sent specifically to teach them. You know how like you hear stories all the time about people who have "their missionary" who like none of the other missionaries seemed to be able to connect with them until that one missionary comes along and says something that just like changes their mind or finally clicks with them or whatever? Well I'd never really felt like I'd had any of those people on my mission. I just felt like all of the people I taught were so prepared and that the Lord had just helped them along so much. And honestly, that's really what it all comes down to. But the Lord loves to use us in His work to touch the lives of people. We literally are His hands. And as I sat there and listened to Sister Dourte explain how much of an impact I had on her and her husband, and that he had started to think about joining the church, and they talked about how much they missed me when I left, and I was just so shocked! Because honestly I had no idea! </div>
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I think sometimes we underestimate the impact that we have on people's lives. We know how much other people mean to us, but we forget that we are important in the lives of other people as well. I know that I have a tendency to forget about that. But we are SO important to the Lord and to the people in our lives. If <i>any one of you</i> ever forgets how important you are to me, I just want you to remember that YOU ARE AMAZING! And you mean so much to me! </div>
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This week I got a couple of letters in the mail from the young women back home and they made me cry because they were so sweet and wonderful! I wanted to just hug each of those girls and tell them how much those letters meant to me and how much I needed them! I also got one from my sweet Mamma! I felt so loved!! You guys are seriously the most amazing people! </div>
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This week has been hard but SO good! Hermana Davis (like I already said) is the hardest worker ever! At the beginning of the week I started to feel really sick, and I couldn't seem to shake it throughout the week, so we haven't been going to the track in the morning to work out this week. But <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1770964412" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span> we had weekly planning and comp inventory and I set me goal to go to the track and run EVERY day this week! Because I was just tired of feeling sick and icky! </div>
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So this morning we got up and headed out the door and the Lord was able to bless us with the miracle of running into this awesome lady named Kathy. We invited her to walk with us and she just talked with us about her faith and some of the miracles that the Lord has given her in her life and we got to share our testimonies of how Christ loves us and we even talked about the Book of Mormon and she thought it was so awesome! Ugh! I love people! </div>
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She said that she is usually out walking near the track in the morning, so hopefully we get to run into her again! I'm going to bring a copy of the Book of Mormon with me every morning to work out! Haha #missionprobs</div>
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Also! This morning we saw a bunch of Amish people at Walmart while we were shopping and ever since we did service on that Amish farm I feel like all of them are my best friends so we were smiling and waving and talking to all of them and it was so fun. </div>
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Being a missionary in Lancaster is the best. </div>
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I seriously feel like our apartment complex just sums up what it's like to serve in this area... on the far side of the complex it's like... pretty sketchy and a lot of questionable people live there, and then there's us in the middle with our asian neighbors who sit on their porch and play the guitar and bbq every night and just are all around really good people, and then on the other side is this giant glorious Amish corn field in full bloom and I just seriously love living here. </div>
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Just... gah.</div>
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I love it.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgMu7Gsceoo/Va2agJGh0lI/AAAAAAAAA3c/gXjsPlefQ3Y/s1600/IMG_0803.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgMu7Gsceoo/Va2agJGh0lI/AAAAAAAAA3c/gXjsPlefQ3Y/s200/IMG_0803.PNG" width="150" /></a>(except for the humidity) </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skype-ing Correlation meetings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our District</td></tr>
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</div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404721157453865740.post-9699448764994124292015-07-14T21:44:00.001-07:002015-07-14T21:44:04.223-07:00Mormon 9:15;19 HE CHANGETH NOT<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
SONG OF THE WEEK</div>
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"God of my Everything"</div>
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not actually sure who sings it. The USB says Aaron Shurst but... who knows. The USB has been wrong before. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">This week was so amazing! so many incredible things happened! There's no way that I'll have time to write them all, we're short on time this week because it's Hermana Tolman's last pday as a missionary, and so we've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to get everything done. I'm just amazed that I had time to brush my teeth this morning! I haven't even eaten yet today and it's </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_853231633" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">noon</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">!! Woah! </span><br />
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Well the first and most important was our lesson with Hector. </div>
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Oh my gosh.</div>
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Have you ever read that account in the Book of Mormon when Alma the younger sees the sons of Mosiah again and they're all just so happy and wow! That feeling is a real and legitimate feeling. I didn't know that feeling of happiness even existed. I could relive that moment over and over again. </div>
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It was so funny. </div>
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So we were walking on the street and getting closer and closer and it was honestly just... wow. The anticipation was killing me and then we round the corner to his house and THERE HE WAS!! And I was just so done with the situation like Hermana Tolman and I just wanted to run up and hug him but then he wasn't wearing a shirt so we definitely DIDN'T do that... So instead I just turned around and walked the other way haha cause I was so done with the situation. LIKE WE HAVE LITERALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS MAN AND HIS FAMILY FOR 5 WEEKS AND THERE THEY WERE? </div>
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No.</div>
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Just no!! </div>
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Miracles like that do not just happen!! </div>
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But they totally do!</div>
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And this week they did! </div>
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Well, Hector was his usual sassy self and we just could not stop smiling and we bore our testimonies that they were ready to make this commitment and that God had allowed us to find them again because he knew that they were ready and we invited them to be baptized and they said yes and we all lived happily ever after.</div>
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Except not really because Hector and his family live in West York and so we don't actually get to continue teaching them... :( So we had to send them over to the elders which was truly unfortuante because I would have given anything to teach them because they're so prepared... </div>
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But I was just praying about it, wondering why we couldn't have the opportunity to teach them because honestly I was just sad... and the answer that I got was this really warm feeling of peace and a voice that told me, "If I needed you to be teaching him right now, he would be living in Lancaster." And that was enough for me. All the fear and sadness was just replaced with this peace and gratitude that I had been given the opportunity to take part in the miracle of finding him again. Like... </div>
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wow. </div>
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Just wow. </div>
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We had so many other awesome miracles this week!</div>
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It was just a week of miracles! </div>
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One of those miracles is Rufino.</div>
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So when Salvador was baptized last Saturday (the 4th) we passed around these little cards and invited people to think of a name and write it on the card. Then our branch mission leader just got up and testified that whatever name the Lord was going to put into their mind was someone that He had prepared to hear the message. </div>
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One of the sisters - Hermana Concha - had this person come into her mind, but she didn't think it was the right timing or anything, so she didn't write him down or refer him to us. </div>
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But the very next day, Rufino was calling her and told her that he was feeling really lonely and lost and that he felt like something was missing in his life and he just wanted to be happy. </div>
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She was all like, "Whaaa??"</div>
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So she told us to go contact him and he was so happy to have us over. We taught him the message of the Restoration and he loved it and invited us back and even came to church <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_853231634" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">this Sunday</span></span>! The members were so sweet and welcoming and it was just such an amazing miracle.</div>
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AND GET THIS.</div>
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He's Salvador's old roommate! </div>
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#whaaat</div>
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#miraclesonmiracles</div>
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So when Salvador showed up at church we told him, "Hey! Rufino is here!" And he was like, "What? Rufino? How?" And they sat by each other and smiled and laughed and were so happy and honestly I've never seen Salvador that happy than to sit in church next to his friend who had decided to follow the Savior just like he had... </div>
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Ugh. So many tender moments. </div>
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And speaking over sacrament meeting... that may have been the biggest miracle of all... </div>
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WE HAD NEARLY 50 PEOPLE AT SACRAMENT MEETING YESTERDAY.</div>
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YOU GUYS.</div>
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IT WAS INSANE. </div>
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A lot of them were just visitors. One of the members - Mercedes - had her daughter in town and all her family from the Dominican Republic and they stopped by to visit. Well Mercedes' son (also a member), was giving a talk in sacrament meeting that day - he had been assigned to do so like a month in advance. So when the whole family came to visit, he was like, "I'm sorry guys, I have to go to church because I'm giving a talk." And they were like, "Oh, it's fine. We'll just come with you!" IT WAS SO COOL! </div>
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The spirit was super strong. Hermana Tolman gave a departing testimony and I was just bawling because I'm gonna miss her so much. The talks were very spiritually uplifting and I think a lot of the visitors and less actives that were there felt the spirit super strongly. There have been some less actives coming out recently that haven't been to church in YEARS and it's been so incredible! </div>
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One of those is our best friends Eunice. Ugh. she seriously means the world to me. She came yesterday for the first time in a really long time. Like I don't even know how long it's been since she's come out. Then, later in the evening when we had a lesson with her, she told us about how peaceful she felt. We committed her to just keep it a habit now, and she said that she would. She's committed to coming to church again next week!! It was such a break through! </div>
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Anyway! After sacrament meeting we talked to this couple who were visiting from Washington, they're members of the Concha family (the family that is baptizing nations in this Branch - Hermana Concha referred us to Rufino and the other Hermana Concha referred us to Salvador. So basically they're boss.) but the guy apparently has been less active for a couple years, and his wife wants to take the lessons and get baptized!</div>
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WHAT? </div>
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Wow... </div>
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Pretty much just another day in the life of Hermana Tolman and Hermana Bills. People just walking around, asking us to be baptized ;) hahaha. ;) </div>
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Not much else happened this week. Just trying to finish up some loose odds and ends before Hermana Tolman heads back home to that eternal pday in the sky ;) We said goodbye to a lot of people. </div>
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One of my favorite things about serving in a branch as opposed to serving in a Ward is that you have the opportunity to help out a LOT because the members need a lot of help. So this week, because there are not a lot of sisters in our ward, but a lot of less active sisters to visit, we were given a visiting teaching list of people that we're assigned to visit teach. Haha. Didn't think I'd have one of those for at least a couple more months! So we had a good laugh over that. </div>
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In other news... we had Zone Training <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_853231635" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Wednesday</span></span>. Learned about setting expectations and how important that is. </div>
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We watched President Packer's funeral. So sad <img class="CToWUd" goomoji="gtalk.340" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/gtalk/340" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
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We found an investigator in Columbia. So our next step is to just go ahead and baptize everyone living in that city... or at least have enough work there so that President Johnsons can send another set of missionaries to start working there <img class="CToWUd" goomoji="gtalk.347" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/gtalk/347" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; vertical-align: middle;" />. </div>
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IN OTHER NEWS!! There was a tornado warning in Lancaster County and we were just leaving a dinner appointment when the storm hit, and I don't think the tornado ever touched down or anything but the wind definitely tore a bunch of stuff up and knocked some trees over and wreaked a decent amount of general havoc and made a mess and blew stuff around a lot. You know. typical wind business. The craziest thing was that we were RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT and it legit was probably one of the most exciting moments of my entire life. Like.... Hands down. I don't think I've ever been so excited about anything. Cause we were just driving and it's like <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_853231636" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5:00</span></span>, right? But the sky is all like dark and greenish and then the lightning just starts flashing everywhere and the clouds are literally like SO close to the ground and it was just like we were in this tiny little dome of crazy hulk weather... and then it just starts POURING down rain like in these torrential sheets and we're literally driving like 12 miles an hour and the wind is seriously trying to blow our car away and I think that is one of the single happiest moments of my entire life. I was just so <i>sure</i> that I was going to see a tornado. I have never seen weather like that before!! Ugh. Coolest. It was so cool. </div>
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Lastly, we committed two of our investigators to get baptized on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_853231637" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">August 8</span></span>! It was amazing! They both said they feel so ready to start a new page in their lives. So hopefully we'll be having a couple awesome baptisms in the near future! </div>
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Guys, thanks for all that you do for me! For the love and prayers and support. And the letters!! Thank you for all of the letters! You guys are seriously amazing. There is nothing that brings a bigger smile to my face than getting a hand-written letter from someone in our little mailbox on hitching post lane ;) hahaha. So if any of you are looking for a pen pal who usually doesn't respond to anything you send but at least you'll know that she was happy to hear from you... I'm your gal! ;) </div>
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Hahaha. I love you guys. </div>
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Love, </div>
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Hermana Bills </div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: georgia, serif;"><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="14e88588267097c8_15" style="border: 0px; color: #222222; line-height: 25.2000007629395px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </a><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25.2000007629395px; margin: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">15 </span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do </span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">no miracles</span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: georgia, serif;"><i><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25.2000007629395px; margin: 0px 1px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">19 </span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">And if there were </span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">miracles</span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;"> wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he </span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">changeth not</span><span style="line-height: 25.2000007629395px;">; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.</span></i></span></div>
melanie billshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14433181549530978140noreply@blogger.com0