September 3, 2018

Funny: This week was zone conference! I really like my zone they are so fun! President Howell is SO awesome! Funny thing that happened last zone conference that I forgot to write about. So, President Howell and I are tight we have a lot in common and he just knows me so well! As many of you know I get cold extremely easily. Also, church buildings are often too cold because they turn the a.c. way up. Last zone conference I was pretty cold in the Chappell, but most others I guess were too hot, including president Howell. So, in the middle of zone conference he went to turn the a.c. up but then he stopped and turned and asked me, out of all of the many missionaries in our zone, if I was cold because he remembered I get cold easy. I told him I was fine and he could turn the a.c. up if he wanted. He said "I didn't ask if you would be fine I asked if you are cold." I said "a little" so he just told the elders if you are too warm just to take your jacket off so all the elders proceeded to take their suit coats off all because I was slightly cold. President Howell is very thoughtful and kind! It was also pretty funny :)

Spiritual: Last week we found a man named Andrew on a list of people who were taught a really long time ago by missionaries. He said he wanted to keep meeting with us. This week as we met with him the spirit filled the room and his eyes glowed as he talked about his experience of feeling Christ's love for him and recognizing the spirit in his life. We asked him if he would like to follow Jesus Christ's example and be baptized by someone holding priesthood authority and he said yes. I felt the great love that our Heavenly Father has for him. I know that the joy that will enter his life because of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints will be immense because I've felt the same joy in my life. I am so grateful for the gospel. I am so happy to be here and to be alive.

Where I am at: So, I don't know if I have adequately expressed yet how tiny the branch I am serving in is. The only time I see other missionaries is at district council on Wednesdays and I have to drive over an hour to Chadrin Nebraska to get there. Our area covers somewhere around 15 or so small towns that are all very spread out from each other. There is a lot of driving involved. Every week we never really know if we are going to get called up to the pulpit to fill some time. Right now, since it is tourist season we get plenty of visitors, but as far as active members in the branch I know every one of them by name since there are only 10 to 20 of them. If we went from one end of our area to the other it would take us 3 to 4 hours to drive the whole thing. I really love my area we are next to a few reservations, but sisters are not allowed on those ones because they are way too dangerous. They don't even have elders there full time. Hot Springs is a very safe nice little place though. I really love my area! I hope I get to stay here through Christmas. My apartment is very sparse since we opened. We had no decorations! So, I started this project where I cut out every picture of Jesus Christ from a bunch of old ensigns and made a Jesus wall! I really love it!

I love ya and I'm praying for ya thanks for everything. 😊