Week 5

Hello Family! It was so great to hear from all of you! I am so grateful for all of the love and support! It means the world to me! Most times it is exactly what I need to hear to get me through the week! I don't think to many eventful things have happened this week. I have been called as the new coordinating sister for our branch. Which basically means I go to meetings now and report how my companions and I are doing because we don't have any other sisters in our branch. Maybe we will get some more before I leave. We only have 3 districts in our branch now. One came last week and the other came the week before. So it us and a bunch of new elders. We taught our last lesson in english on Saturday. Our last 4 weeks will be spanish only! Crazy! I am so nervous. We got a new district leader Sunday and he has decided that we will play a game called Nativo everyday. In this game there are 2 people that draw a card with an N on it. That means they are the Native and they can only speak spanish. Everyone else tries to get a vote for themselves by speaking spanish. In other words you can't speak english or else you will lose. Monday I only spake english when I was talking to Darin. I had the biggest headache but I did it! I spoke spanish for one whole day! It's hard being the oldest in the Zone because the younger elders don't understand us and no one can translate cause we all have to speak spanish. oh well. Sunday was a really great day. For one I am off the hook! I don't have to worry about speaking the rest of the time I am here! Hooray! One of the counselors in our branch presidency was released on Sunday. They are diminishing 2 Russian branches because we are no longer sending missionaries there and they created 2 new spanish branches. Brother Jackman was called as one of the new presidents. I am sad to see them go but I am sure that I will see them around cause they will still be at the MTC. In relief society Elaine S. Dalton came and spoke to us. It was so wonderful! She said everything that I needed to hear and the spirit was so strong. She gave us a 100% invitation that will help us be happier and more successful missionaries but it will help everyone so I am going to share it with you! 1) pray everyday 2) read in the Book of Mormon for 5 min everyday 3) Smile everyday. These are so simple but make a huge difference in our lives. I have a testimony of the little things. I know they make a difference, I have felt that difference in my life. I have been learning more about myself everyday. This has been an eye opening experience for me. I have never been so humbled or drawn to prayer so many times in my life. Satan works very hard on me. He doesn't want me to be happy but I am getting better at pushing him out quickly. Last night we had Elder Stephen Snow from the quorm of the seventy come and speak. His wife talked about not complaining about the fruit that we have partaken of. We have all partaken of the fruit of the tree of life. This is the best fruit , it is the love of God! We have no reason to complain because we know that our Heavenly Father loves and that He has a marvelous plan for all of us! If we complain someone might not want to partake of the fruit. That really hit me. I see Darin all the time. He has meals right after me. He always comes and says hello or waves. It is so fun to see him! He told me the other day that he would have written me more in my letter from the family reunion if he would have known what it was like to wait for mail and how precious it is. I hope all is well with everyone! Know that the gospel is true and that it is worth it! I have testimony of this gospel and know without a doubt that it is true. I know God will bless us as we strive to do what is right! I love you all!


* Darin is another cousin who is going to Jackson Mississippi.