Dearest Family!
You are all the best family in the whole world--I just wanna let you know. Other people say they've got the best, but you kids are really tops!
This week has been great! My new companion is Sister Marley. She's from Idaho/Tennessee, is a cake decorator, is a great teacher, and is just super awesome. And she loves Hayley Mills movies! And she's heard of In Search of the Castaways! I was very impressed by that. Anyway, with her help, we've reorganized the area book and have met three new people to teach! I don't know how likely they are to stay, but still, if they can learn a little bit from us and from the Spirit, that's good.
Poor Sara--this week was supposed to be her confirmation, but she didn't show up for it. She was going to tell her family (about her baptism) in a few weeks when she went home to Atlanta. She was so excited and happy about how she felt though that she called them and told them this week instead. They were not happy, to say the least. In fact, they were just plain mean, telling her she won't ever have a forever family and that she's following the devil and such. Her dad flew in and insisted on meeting with her at 8 am Sunday morning, and because of that, she missed being confirmed. She is planning on doing it next week though. In the meantime, I was wondering if you guys could write some uplifting and encouraging letters. Or draw her some pictures or something, and send them this way. ASAP would be best. She knows the Ward loves her and that she has a family here, but I just want to help her have as much encouragement as possible right now.
In other news, last night we went to Berniece's and she pulled out an old song book. She proceeded to sing us such hits as Hello Dolly, Tea for Two, Sunrise-Sunset, Bye Bye Blackbird, and many others. It was great! I also am now the proud parent of an accordion that an elder gave me! I'm so excited to learn to play it!
And lastly, this week in our District Meeting we learned about the Restoration and how the thing being restored is the Gospel. Faith, Repentance, Baptism, conferral of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End--these are the things that Christ taught and that prophets taught, and these are also the things that were distorted and changed during periods of apostasy. Joseph Smith restored these simple principles and ordinances in their pure and proper form. He was also given the power to teach these principles correctly and perform the ordinances, and then give others the power to do the same. These are super simple things, and are what we need to do in order to live with Heavenly Father again, but they've been changed immensely, and that is super obvious as I listen to people out here. Ok, I know I'm rambling now. Anyway, I learned a lot this week.
I love you kids, and I'm sorry--I forgot my camera, so no pictures. But just know that it's still super flowery out here, and now it's also very green! And all sorts of community is happening (father-son catch, people with strollers, etc.). Okay, love you and have a good week!
-sister mis
