New Missionaries

Hello Mi Familia,

Sister Totau and Sister Mitchell
at a member's home for dinner.

         Wow. I have been horrible about emailing on time each week. But it’s good because it means I'm busy! This area is sooooooooooooo amazing!!!!! We picked up 5 new investigators this week. Dry Creek is the most incredible place on the planet (not exaggerating) and I can't even describe how much I've learned since I got here. I loved Dad's email about the joy that comes from living by Faith. It’s so incredibly true. There are SO many things that intellectually, I understood. They made sense and I believed. I believed that God loved me and that He knew me. But when trials come along... we're given an opportunity to either build on or rely on that knowledge, or to push it from our mind. I have seen the miracles that can happen by continuing to walk IN faith. You know... I hear all those phrases all the time. "Walk in faith." Its amazing how much things change when they aren't just words anymore. When you literally can feel yourself walking IN faith. When a thought comes to your mind, you follow it. You don't fear. You don't doubt. You just DO it! You know? I can't really explain it as eloquently as I would like to. But I have just seen so many blessings and I have seen how Heavenly Father really will lead you to those that are suffering if you will listen to Him at every turn.

Now does that mean I don't doubt and I don't fear!?!?! NO WAY! Haha. You all know me well enough to know that it might take a while for me to learn that lesson. But little by little I find myself being more bold and talking to more people. This week was crazy because "real" transfers happened. There are two other Sisters in our Zone and one "Sister Barker" got transferred to Loomis 3rd and "Sister Withers" is staying. AND TRAINING! So Sister Withers stayed with us for a day once Sister Barker left. Sister Withers is a babe. She is my favorite and I know serving around her in the Antelope Zone is going to be awesome. She actually knows one of the girls I was with in China (Shelby Lish) and her older brother was a best friend with Logan Hager when they were in Idaho! Small world right? Anyways. I got a call from President on Tuesday saying that he needed Sister Totau and I to help him out with something. He is trying something new with the new missionaries that come out. Usually. We meet our trainers right away that day and then they take us home with them. But President wanted to give them an opportunity get right to work. Sister Totau and I picked up Sister Love and Sister Barnhill and took them out on the town. We were to just go to a place with a lot of people and "OYM." (Open Your Mouth) They were so nervous but it was fun to get the opportunity to spend some time with them on their first day here. I was with Sister Love and she was awesome. We went to a shopping center and ended up running into a man that was in the Air Force. When he saw us he grinned from ear-to-ear and after we talked for a while we came to find out he had served with some Mormons. He said that he had been in several tough situations with them and even got emotional when he mentioned that they had a "deep love for their country and for their God." He kept looking at me and kept saying, "Have I met you before." It was the weirdest feeling. I felt like I knew him too. We picked him up as an investigator. (Sister Love has been here for only 2 hours and now has picked up a new investigator… Woot Woot!) We are planning to go see him next week!

          Well Family... Thanks so much for the Valentine’s Day package! That was the sweetest present of all time! Those poor members of the Twelve Oaks First Ward that had to pretend like they loved me... Haha. I miss our ward sooooooo much! Everyone is growing up so fast! I almost literally had a heart attack when I saw baby Jude! HE IS HUGE! Ah! Tell everyone to stop growing up. I love you guys and hope you have an awesome week! Congrats on the job offer Leesh! When it comes to chocolates, you’re a pro!

Love,

Sister Lose (Tongan Word for Rose)