The Final Countdown

Dear Family,

         We got our transfer call last night. The good news is that Sister Rupp is staying in the area as Senior Companion with one of my other favorite Sisters, Sister Tittle! In the weeks leading up to this I have had a mix of feelings. The more part of those feelings being worry. We had dinner with a member last night and it was difficult to keep myself together. Over dinner she said something along the lines of, "Discouragement looks down, worry looks side-to-side, but faith looks up." We just picked up a new investigator this past week. She is 26 years old and has two kids. She is the most prepared person I have EVER met. She has made a lot of mistakes in her life but walked into her bedroom the other day to see her 7-year-old son praying. It touched her so much to know that her little son, whom she has never taught to pray, would so humbly turn to Him. She is a hilarious person! In our first lesson before we could even get a few sentences out she would say, "Well is there anything I can read about that in "this" book?" She had committed herself to read about 5 chapters in the Book of Mormon by the time we were done and then asked, "So when can I see you next?" She is so eager to have this in her life and to have access to that peace and comfort that comes through the Atonement. In our very next lesson she returned to us and had found the www.lds.org page and had been highlighting the Book of Mormon and reading up on things. She was so excited and rattled off her experience with prayer. She said, at the beginning she found it hard to believe that God could really forgive us for the bad things that we've done. But as she prayed she said she didn't understand it but she started to cry and felt a loving feeling come over her. I wish you could hear the way she describes it. All I did was sit there with the BIGGEST grin on my face. I really couldn't say a word. I just. Ah! Then she said. Oh! And I read about baptism! Can I get baptized? The answer, of coarse, was yes and she will be baptized on November 17th at 6:00pm. She was sad when we told her that Sister Ripplinger and I would be leaving. I was so thankful that I got to be here for Scott & Cindy's baptism! And Muang’s too! It was one busy day. But nothing could feel better than standing with Sister Rupp at the top of those stairs. Muang's sister Yian and a few of her other family members came to the baptism. Muang was so excited. We showed up at her house a couple of hours before the baptism to make sure everything was still okay and she was already all dressed with a little backpack of stuff just pacing back and forth. Her Sister, like I think I have said before, is a convert as of last March. When she came in and saw her Sister all dressed in white she started to cry and had to leave the room. She wants this so badly for her family. Right after the baptism we gave Yian some time to bare her testimony. She talked about how her whole life she had felt this hole. Like something was missing. As she bore her testimony I felt so strongly of my Savior’s love for these people. Muang was so happy. Her simple testimony and faith in the Savior will always have an impact on my life.

         As I said last week Cindy and Scott have had some trials come into their life lately. This past week was a rough one. We all knelt together for a prayer and she began to calm. Then when we walked past the font to the changing room she began to feel a little "uneasy." She doesn't like water and so that had a great deal to do with it. I walked into the changing room with her and we sat for a minute, just the two of us. She looked at me and said, "You know that you’re special right?" The spirit was so strong as I bore her my testimony. The minute that I spoke the words, "Your Heavenly Father is aware of you...” I felt a feeling I could never describe. And she felt it too. It is such a blessing to feel of God’s love for others. It has been such a blessing to be with her from the very beginning and to see the way the Spirit has touched her and softened her. I can see her serving others and what a strength she will be to this ward. Then. yesterday for their confirmations, Sister Rupp and I sang "I need thee every hour" in Tongan with the Tupou family. Brother Solomon even came to church to see us!

         So... you might be curious as to where I am going! I will be serving in Auburn! My new companion’s name is Sister Elliot. She has been out for two transfers. Things are going great. Just doing a lot of packing and then Sister Rupp and I are going to go to the Temple together. I have been having a really hard time knowing that I am leaving Dry Creek. But mostly, leaving my companion. I will openly admit that she is the missionary that changed my mission, and my life. She has taught me so much about the person that I want to be. I can't even describe to you how much she has changed me. President Weston knows me far too well. He knew this would be hard. But of all the places for me to end my mission... Auburn just fits. I will never forget the people I have met here in Dry Creek. They have become my family and I am so thankful that their numbers and their strength continue to grow. I look back on my first day here and my heart is just full to have seen the changes and the growth that I have been able to witness. Thank you so much for all you do for me! I love you dearly!

Love,

Sister Mitchell