Starting Transfer 13!!!!

February 22, 2016

Oh my goodness. This week has been insane! But amazing. Hopefully this email isn't too all over the place.

Shout out to my amazing companion, Sister Sommer, who is boarding her flight home RIGHT NOW. It was another really hard goodbye this morning...that girl changed my life! But it brings me so much joy to see her move on to the next phase of her life...returning with honor! Seriously she was an incredible example to me of a sister that worked hard to the VERY end. She gave her all to the mission, and the blessings that came from it are amazing! She blessed so many lives, and I look to her as an incredible example of how to end a mission right :)

Me and Sis. Sommer - Aren't we not cute. I love her!

Right now I'm in Glen Carbon with Sister Williams (Centralia sister) and Sister Furniss (my MTC buddy)! We are all waiting to pick up our new companions tomorrow morning :) Sister Williams has been with sister Sommer and I since Thursday, which has turned out to be an amazing blessing! She is the sweetest sister ever, has only been out for 5 months, and her mission has been eventful! She was training last transfer, and her trainee decided to return home on Thursday :( So she has been hanging out with us, and we have been working Glen Carbon and Centralia! What an adventure. She seriously kept us positive and sane this last week, with all the craziness of Sister Sommer leaving. I'm so grateful for her! She will be training again in Centralia, and I am so excited for her.

So on Saturday, all 3 of us spent the entire day in Centralia! It was paradise. Best throwback ever! I love and miss that place with all my heart, just like all of the rest of my areas! The best surprise was being able to visit the P'S, who are as amazing as ever! Both J. and R. are doing so well. They are Sunday School teachers and J. is in Young Women. They told me they are progressing towards being sealed in the temple, and invited me to come when they are sealed later this year in the Salt Lake temple! So much joy. I can't even. AH! I love them so much, they taught me what Christ's love really is. I'm starting to realize how long-term the joy of missionary work is. These people--companions, converts, members--will FOREVER mean everything to me, and we will all continue to progress together! That's real joy. I'm so grateful!

The P Family!

We were also able to see the M.'s (my missionary grandparents!!) and eat at Cracker Barrel again, just like old times. Man. I love these dear Centralia people.

We had some amazing lessons this week, I would need another 10 pages to tell about them all. It's just been a miracle to see all of our amazing investigators progress so well in the gospel. I love this area! It's just teaching me to deeply love people, all over again.

Highlights: 1. D. coming up to us at church, and saying "Oh by the way, I prayed about March 20th as a baptism date, and my answer was YES." Oh my heavens I love her. 2. Everyone crying in C.'s lesson as we testified of the Savior and His love, and Sister Sommer giving her her favorite picture of Christ as a parting gift. SO TENDER. 3. Picking up a part-member family this week! 3. Dumpster diving for the keys....YIKES. That may be a story for later. 4. Wearing fake mustaches and taking selfies and laughing until we cried....good times with Sister Williams!

Mustache photo!

I am so ready for this next transfer, and so excited. So many miracles, just waiting to happen! :) :) :) I totally forgot, my next companion will be Sister Weldert, who is one of OUR rockstar sisters in Sikeston! She's amazing, and she is a fantastic missionary. I'm so excited to have her as my companion! I have a feeling...it's going to be a good transfer!!

Our District!