Christmas Week and Happy New Year

Sister Krueger said she is doing well. She will remain with her current companion, Sister Fry for the current transfers. Rachel was waiting to hear if Elder Price had been transferred into her area. She was teaching an investigator tonight! Rachel is very excited about having someone to teach! She loved Christmas this year! She didn't really have a lot to add since Christmas Day but will update us next week!

Baptism Pictures

This was the first Baptism Sister Krueger was involved in.

Opening his gift of scriptures!

Devin and His Mom

Sister Rachel Krueger, 17 Year Old New Member Devin , Sister Kelci Fry

I HAD A WHITE CHRISTMAS IN ARIZONA! (Behold the fields are White and ready to Harvest!)

Oh my goodness, it was the most amazing experience of my life. This boy named Devin who is 17 just made my life. He is the most faithful and amazing kid ever. I didn't find him, but that's ok, he found the way himself anyway. He had his baptismal date set when I got here, and as we had lessons together in a members home, he grasped onto to every detail and was answering questions like a boss, and basically was giving us the lesson. It all just made sense to him because he was ready and the spirit was speaking to him so strongly. Getting it all together was hectic and we only got his dad's permission on Tuesday but we got it all planned out and it was so exciting to be a part of. GUESS WHAT ELSE HAPPENED TUESDAY. we get a call from bishop and he tell us that a nine year old girl, Natalie, just randomly got her dad's permission as well and they wanted to move forth with the baptism for Saturday too. So! We scurried to get two baptisms ready in a few days and it was beautiful. I love the Devin boy so much and I was so proud of him, and cried when he went into the water. Sister fry and I got to speak while he changed, and we shared the lesson of the restoration. I had no idea it could be so powerful, or that I could be a great teacher like that. Yes, we practiced 50 times before we got there, but it was still so much more than that. Everyone in the room was touched, even his parents who only decided to attend last second! I was just me getting to bare my testimony and The Lord completely worked through us because of the need of the feeling of that spirit in the room, especially for Devin's mom. We pray she'll want to find the truth her son has found and be willing to meet with us too. Natalie's baptism was good too! It was weird, because sister fry and I for some reason didn't feel the same power, so we didn't teach the lesson and went up and just bore our testimonies. It was cool though, because we later found out that our roommates, had an investigator there and right after the service they had the restoration lesson with him, and he was so excited to talk about it and discuss it all, and it was what he needed and those sisters did too, to have that miracle(: it was fun.

 In between prepping, we did some ding-dong-ditching/re-gifting some things people give us, like chocolate or gift cards and slippers. We get stopped a lot and given things and it's so nice! We like to give it people that really need it though. We're already so spoiled here in America, I can't accept all the handouts people think we need! We make good use of it all though(: in the process we found out someone was in the hospital and people are going to help her out and it was just for some people that aren't having much Christmas. This Christmas is the best. Getting to be on the temple grounds every night reminding people the real meaning of Christmas, sharing my testimony about the Savior. Having no other focus. It's hard work to not worry about anything else...there's always something to distract you! Every day!! Ah! But I always go back to the basics, my prayers are stronger and stronger and my scripture study is much better, too. I learn so much. I love having an iPad and getting to watch general conference, the words of the prophets bring a lot of guidance and comfort too. I love being a missionary! I have been call of Him to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life. I get to promise people things, and I am endowed with love for everyone, even those I have never met but in the process can be best friends with everyone around me. It's pretty cool actually.

The Thompson Family went to see the Mesa Temple Lights and LOOK WHO THEY FOUND!

Chad, Brooke, Sister Krueger, Sister Fry

SURPRISE!! Brooke and Rachel

Brooke, Rachel and Sister Kelci Fry

December 16

I GOT YOUR PACKAGE! presents are sitting under the tree............and we started the 12 days of Christmas..............................and finished them. I'M SORRY! AHHHHHH. We just guessed them all so figured we should go ahead and open them! :D Sister fry is appreciative too. We missed the devotional because we were at the temple lights, but we get to watch the talks on our ipads still.WHAT!? Svu didn't win! Im angry. Our team is bomb.

And I"M so excited you have a baptism too!! THIS MIRACLE MAGIC 17 YEAR OLD BOY IN MY AREA IS GETTING BAPTIZED THE 21ST AND HE'S THE BEST! Idk what I did to deserve to be a part of this, but I'm grateful and can't wait for my white Christmas in Arizona. I think people will be good with continued fellowshipping. Especially how much more involved memebers are getting with pre-baptism work, they'll feel attached to the person/know how important they are. I love that we all are supposed to help "others" come unto Christ....not "non-members" and we're all missionaries, so we all can do it! yaaayyyy

 1. How do you approach people at the Temple? What do you ask them?  Are you feeling more comfortable with that?

UNO- It depends! We ask a lot of families if we can take their picture for them or we go up and ask them if they've been to the lights before/ what's their favorite part. We're usually stationed at different displays so if we're at the Isaiah one, we can ask if they know who it is or if they know how he fit in with the Christmas theme. Or at a nativity, ask them what they know about the story of Jesus's birth. Sometimes we just say hi and they'll start talking to us. I'm more comfortable with it yes(: I've had a couple of off nights where I just got scared, but gradually I'm just more and more outgoing, especially with my companion's help.

2. Have you had to give a talk in Sacrament yet?

DOS- I was spot called on to bear my testimony 2 weeks ago, and that was fun. We were actually just asked to speak for next week. WOOOHOOOO

3. What would you most like to hear about from us?

TRES-I'd like to hearrrr, about fun stuff, or miracles, or stuff you do with the missionaries, or work, or my dog, or...idk! Pretty much what you're sending is fine! Is perfect actually! DDDDDDDDDDDUUUDE I HAVE TO TELL YOU A SECRET THAT IDK IS ACTUALLY A SECRET OR NOT BUT WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT ON JAN 11 OR 13TH OR SOMETHING JEFFERY R HOLLAND IS COMING TO SPEAK TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's a good day. He's probably gunna come reprimand us for everything, jk, i'm excited.

4. Will you be able to Skype Christmas Day? If, so do you want to? Apparently it is too hard for some missionaries. We want to do what is best for you!

QUATRO- Yes yes yes, I'm great with doing that. we actually still don't have details.....we'll work it out though, promise!

5. What do you do on Facebook or do you do anything?

FIVE-mostly I've just been posting positive stuff. we can use it to message our ward members or investigators, and I can talk with friends from home. Sister Fry had someone message her asking for help spiritually so we're going to have a Skype lesson with her pretty soon. Messages are just supposed to stay missionary focused. But you can start a casual conversation just like if you are talking in person. or it could be super bold if you want.

I LOVE YOU TOO. oh yeah I did a bunch of service this week. 

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww thanks for doing all that just for my little piggie!!<3 that makes me happy.

Sister Fry is awesome!! Sometimes, she isn't perfect and we get a little unfocused, but...not in a terribly disobedient way. But now I can relax and be myself. woot woot! Cause she's also on top of things, and very encouraging and patient. I LOVE HER. We laugh a lot. and we've seen quite a few miracles. Just being led to the right places. there's a girl we met at Target today who is coming to be with  a ton of missionaries to be in our nerf gun war. She's excited to hang out with people her age.Then get baptized. Jk(:

We have a boy named D. we taught and he's getting baptized Saturday!! Ah(: and he is just amazing. Totally ready, understanding everything and tell us why things about the gospel are so important and other things.He rockssssssssssssssssssss. We were really busy this week, running all over to meetings and parties and mostly to temple lights. We talked to a lady and encouraged her to get a blessing because it's been years and she is sick. We told a guy how he shouldn't hold off waiting to go to the temple. (I hope to see him again and promise him what I was too scared to promise him then) We'll see him again Thursday. I was out of it bad one night and went home a little early but the next day I was just perfect, and things have just been going well. I lovedinners, but we've had to eat at home a couple times just because our light schedule is 445 to 645 some nights. This week will be crazy too. no problem! OH YEAh! I went to the temple on Tuesday! That was amazinggggg!!!! I LOVE templeness

 This sheep at the Temple cracks me up!

They are so cute!
President and Sister Jenkins

My Texans!

oh there was a HUGE mission Christmas party on Wednesday. Best day ever

My MTC comp!

Sisters at the party

Freddy Ashby and Clyde Bowden. Apparently they're famous or something.Or they should be they performed at the party and they were amazing!

This guy served his mission at Fort Bragg!

Sister Fry and The 12 Days of Christmas!

 

Wonderful People In Mesa TEXT Pictures! And Facebook pics!

Sister Krueger and Sister Fry

At The Mesa Temple

Lights at The Mesa Temple

On The Move, Again!

Lol so secretly I think we found out we're not actually allowed to do that (make videos). ACCIDENT. HEY, guess what I did this week! I packed up my bags and moved! TWICE! Ahhhh, I moved three times in a row, the moment I unpack we get a call that I'm leaving! We first moved into a member's mansion (these people spoil the crap out of us, this lady I never met gave me a stocking with a bunch of candy and $40 to Walmart, I'm not keeping it hahah) that's so nice and there were orange trees in the back yard! Woot woot! Then I get a call from President, and he's all like, "Sister Krueger, I just want to call and tell you how much I admire you and am proud of how you've turned things around in just a couple weeks...., can you leave your trio and replace a sister that's going home early?" SO! I am now with Sister Fry! SHE"S AWESOME! All-star missionary. But really fun and relaxed too. She's really understanding. She's super patient and we're working on getting me acquainted with the wards, Harmony Park and Lyn Rae (I thought that was special) Things have been going well, I even ran up to a stranger and invited him to the Christmas lights all by myself and didn't freak out. I can do stuff..I am talking to lots and lots of people at the Temple Christmas lights every night! It's so lucky we get to be there, because it's almost unavoidable to share our testimonies of what Christmas is really about and of the importance of temples. I have even been useful a couple times and cheered up some grumpy boys and and have met some people that are just...ready. It's great. It's all a slow process for me. That's how things often are for me, but Heavenly Father knows that and if He's sees fit, then it'll make it for the best. Losing my two companions has been a little scary but prayer and mind over matter with the Lord's strength has helped me keep a more clear mind, and be prepared for miracles.

 HEY! Also I sprained my ankle a little bit playing K-ball. I jumped and decided to land on the side of me foot. This guy in the ward gave me a wrap thing for swelling but it's really minor, I can go running on it and everything., I GO TO THE TEMPLE TOMORROW! ding ding ding. LOVE YOU

5 Thanksgiving Dinners!!!

Since when is Emily a Sister Trainer Leader? How to he gain 20 pounds?!  I'm working really hard to not gain lots of weight but it's kind of hard because I had five dinners for Thanksgiving.  I counteracted them because I played sports all day. Yayyyyy I play sports now! I can catch things like Frisbees and volleyballs it's great. I'm so glad you decorated the tree with the sister missionaries.  Ding ding ding.

 My iPad is really cool I'm speaking all this to Siri right now I don't have to type at all.  Too bad it doesn't get all of my voice inflections. I'm really excited right now it can't tell though. Summation point. Crack...that was supposed to say exclamation point. I got my coat thank you so so so so much!! It's not that cold but standing there in the temple lights...its yeah, but it's nice to have a coat just standing around like uhhh the lights are so much fun. I love it. I'm getting better at talking to strangers, a little bit. Tomorrow we're moving into a members house and I'm going to decorate everything with the stuff you sent me and also with pink snowflakes with glitter.  It was pretty crazy as soon as I found out no wait as soon as I finish unpacking we got a phone call that we are moving. 

 I feel Okay, about work and mostly right now work is a lot of going to the temple lights but we also have been going and teaching lessons. We have a lot of member lessons which is good. Just going and uplifting people and whatnot. Oh yeah and also I shot arrows on Thanksgiving. We do lots of discussing what to do for people and try not to fight. With families, we ask a lot of people to try and invite their friends to The Temple Christmas lights and also today The Gilbert Temple open house. There were some investigators when I got here but they seem to not be progressing very well and I haven't got to meet most of them. It's mostly nice just to start working on trying to figure out what kind of missionary I am and enjoying going out to visit. I feel like a super visiting teacher....but more obviously.

A New Area and Happy Thanksgiving!

Know the missionaries!! BE FRIENDS! LET THEM DECORATE CHRISTMAS WITH YOU! I've gotten to do it and it's such a good time and a fix for not getting to do it with y'all! They want service to do and they want to be friends!! I had dinner with President Marsh's sister a couple days ago! IT'S GREAT!. I remember the Logans! we're friends on facebookkkkkkkkkkk, YAY FACEBOOK! We get to be on it, go hastening the work!! ding ding ding. 

Thanks for all the packages!! I'm sitting here eating pumpkin bread right now. I have amazing companions now I'm happy and having fun.They say I'm the glue of the tripanionship. I like resolving conflicts when I can for other people and knowing someone is pleased with my efforts. I love my companions. They're Sister Robins and Sister Clemons. Theyre both really different. Sister Robins is my trainer (step-mom) and is really on top of things and shows us how to actually do the work and answers questions very patiently and with encouragement. Sister Robins is tom-boy-y and has a great sense of humor and sillyness but is so open and sweet and talented in sharing love. They rock though.

lol I love the people here! They are so misisonary-minded and full of service. I love my mission president, even though he's a little busy with so many missionaries. I really really love his wife. She's the sweetest and most helpful! I love my apartment, we are so spoiled! I love my car (the new one's name is Fizgig) again we are spoiled. I love this new area where the people feed us pretty healthy food. I love the gym! Running is soooo important for me to get my wiggles and tension out. I love getting to study the scriptures a whole hour a day. I love that whenever I need to stop and say a prayer, I'm with people who are willing and ready to pray with me at random moments. I love the children here. Now that I can't touch babies, I want them all. And all the kids are so easy to connect with. I love how so many people here have dogs. I love the sky. OH!! and ummm...I might need you to send me a coat of two. I'm going to be a hostess at the Christmas temple lights every night starting Friday and it will be chilly! I'm sorry it's last minute. I love gospel library that we get with the Ipad too. Studying is fun.

OH I JUST SAW MY PIG!! I have on my little Westie ring now. Snuggle her so hard for me!

I miss the MTC a little. But I love where I'm at now. 

Sister Vallidares was my sister trainer leader. Her coming was one of the best days of last transfer.
She brought me a lot of peace and encouragement

They have the prettiest skies here. OH! it rained the past few days.
More in one day than they've had in like 8 years

Here's the Petersons.
A ward missionary from last transfer who did everything
that she would want someone to do for her daughter on a mission.
 She was awesome!

we set up a Christmas tree again last night at this amaaazing home. 

we messed up a little and we we laughing and singing
and it was the best evening I've had since I got here

November 18, 2013 Sister Krueger is a girl of few words!

 I got your package toooo!!!! thank you soooooooooo much, I love it all. my companion wouldn't believe that half of it was her's....cray cray.  My roommates think I'm crazy for not having opened them yet! They don't have self control.
I'm getting transferred!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ding ding ding. I actually don't know what to expect, but I love changes. I'm going into a trio,one sister is a visa-waiter.  I'm going to the Citrus Heights stake area...I have no idea where that is actually.But I'll go on Wednesday.

Part of District at the MTC

Elder Carlos Rivera and Sister Krueger at The MTC

Mesa Temple grounds

With Sister Sacher AT the Mesa Temple
11/14/13

Mesa Temple 

Service Saturday with Sister Sacher
11/16/13

Veteran's Day

No no, my clothes are all fine. But when people go around giving me free stuff, how do you expect me to resist?? Cause my roommate is about to go home and has lots to get rid of. This week was good. I finally have had a whole good day! We went on exchanges with our sister training leader and she really brightened things up. I feel amazing today and I think it's the first time since the MTC I've felt good like this and I love it so much! It was probably my other roommate throwing orange juice on me last night. I didn't realize the importance of shaking the bottle when it's high pulp. So it was all separated and we were pretty dang sure I bought a bottle of orange pulp mush and then the sister squeezed it and it exploded onto me. Great stuff. It was funny, but only actually because I was in a good mood first. I like being happy.But can you believe it's been about 6 weeks already!? It feels like longer but....not at the same time. We find out Friday if we get transferred and whatnot. I think sister Sacher and I will stay put at least for my first 12 weeks cause I think we are just now getting the hang of stuff. We had three people come to sacrament yesterday and had a couple of inspired visits this past week with less active people.
 We're having service days on Saturdays now where we just wear our jeans and people sign  up for us to come do service for them so we can get to know people in the ward or do it for their neighbors too and do our job. Everyone feels bad having us do stuff for them but we want to help out and come closer to the members through doing what The Lord has called us to do. So we told the ward to sign  for us to come by on Saturdays to do their dishes or wash their car/dog/house or anything they need. One lady is having us set up her Christmas tree! CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Oh!! And we get to go to the Temple on Thursday. I would squee my pants off...but I don't wear pants anymore. Well I've always hated pants, I get to always be in a skirt...spiffy stuff.
 I cannot. Believe it is November...I'm suppose to be in a coat! Well I wear a hoodie in the morning and to sleep in a lot but it most definitely still feels like....not November. It's a weird complex in my heart. It feels good outside though. I'm pretty sure I'm determined to be a snowbird when I'm retired and rich. I will have a go cart. No lie.
 I'm so glad you're working with the sister missionaries! (: we know everyone is busy and has lives but we really just want to get to know everyone really well so that we have the opportunity to serve together or find people through the members because yes yes...they are the ones with lives and friends. But don't let them steal all your time!
 Shout to Aunt Linda, I am so grateful for the Goat Milk Soap she gave me because it is so DRY HERE!

November 4, 2013

What happened this week? There was Halloween, so that's great. The dinner we went to was for a bunch of neighbors and we met a couple of nonmembers and got to know some members even better. The members here really are spectacular. Our ward is full of all these past relief society presidents and bishops and stake presidents and patriarchs, it's impressive. Everyone else is really sweet too and missionary-minded. I'm not sure if it's just here or if it is other places because of the past few General Conferences we've had. I love all the kids here too, they easily help me loosen up and enjoy myself. Lots of people have dogs too and I for some reason thought missionaries couldn't touch animals but I found out we can...so I do! Yeah yeah. We've been able to meet with a couple of almost investigators and try really hard to help them get closer to accepting lessons. We will get there! It'll come with a lot of help from the members, so it's great to continue getting to work with them.

The apartment I live in is super amazing, we're spoiled rotten. The two other sister we live with are crazy and fun and messy and busy and love teaching and are hard workers but really know how to make it fun. It's cool to see, they really love what they're doing.

October 28 Week 3 in field

Not a lot of news from Mesa this week. Working hard on being the BEST Missionary I can be. Learning so many things about myself and what I need to do to help the work move forward. We had a Trunk or Treat Thursday and I wore ORANGE, not PINK! DING DING DING

Rach and her 1st companion

Hello Krueger and Sacher families!
I had the privilege of meeting your beautiful daughters on Thursday when my presidency helped with a sister missionary clothing exchange during one of their conferences in our stake center.  They are both doing SO well!  They are very happy and healthy and adorable :)  My son, Michael Costello, is serving in Clearfield, Utah.  He was just transferred there on October 2nd.  He and his companion, Elder Lima, are the zone leaders and their area covers one family stake and also the YSA stake.  So, Sacher family, please look for Elder Costello and if you see him - tell him his mother loves and misses him!!!  
Sincerely,
Lori Costello

Rachel and Sister Sacher

Rachel, President and Sister Jenkins

Week 2 in The Field October 21

I AM a missionary lol This place is really interesting though...I love love love the people and the ward but we don't have any investigators! we almost had one (this dry Mormon  and he cancelled on us and the people who said they'd come to church didn't show up lol we're still working though. You asked me though to share any spiritual experiences and I had a great one (there's lots but not good stories) a couple days ago...So once upon a time we we texting a lady in our ward about a potential investigator and then she sent us a text that she meant to send to someone else. We found out that the dog of the family we were going to have dinner with that night had been put down that morning. I got all sad for them cause, we all know I'm the crazy dog lady. We asked if there was anything we could do for this family, and this person actually gave us an idea! (You know how you always ask if you can help but no one lets you do anything for them and are just like "oh no, we're fine") She asks if one of us is an artist, so I tell her I kind of am, and she asks if I could draw their dog for them, and make it specifically for the 13 year old daughter in the family. She gave me all sorts of ideas to make it special for her and so I pen this picture for the girl with a tree and her standing with her brother and their dog. I was super focused on this drawing for a while just praying to make it special and right. I couldn't remember what these kids looked like for the life of me, so I just guessed....also I had never seen the dog before, so I made him up to. Meeting them, I was excited to see the kids WERE blond and blue-eyed and looked really similar to my little sketch, and after dinner and the song we sang (Sister Sacher and I love to sing hymns for our message) I gave this girl the picture. They all freaked right out! The dog looked just like theirs. Like same black scraggly fur and size and ears and I even drew him kind of standing on his hind legs in excitement, so they show my a video of how this dog always stood up and danced around. It was amazing, I really know that by letting myself focus on making this picture important, that the Spirit drew it through me. So....yeah, that the best so far!
 Thanks for the advice on the Spirit too. I learned a great analogy at the MTC, where the Spirit works a lot like the stove.It can be turned on really high, making the soup boil and stuff, but it can't stay on that level all the time. It has to be turned down to a simmer more often than not, but that doesn't mean that it's off or that it isn't cooking the soup. Spirit can still be there even if he isn't screaming at you. It should usually feel natural right? But when I don't know what He's telling me, I won't lose faith(:

We have 2 Missionaries serving in Mesa from our Ward!

Elder Price sent this picture of Rachel and himself.  So cool that we have 2 from our ward in the same place. Doesn't happen that often in North Carolina!

First week in the Field

TO: Madre
AH! So I'm like a real person now. All missionary-y. I don't know what I'm doing. Boy do I need to work on like a lot. Missionaries can't be shy lol or tired. My trainer is Sister Sacher! She's a sweetie, actually we have a ton in common. A lot of the ways we think and work are similar and our personalities and junk. She likes Supernatural too. Good times. We're white washing our area, so neither of us have been there before, and our area book has not been updated in the last 6 weeks or so, so we there's no one to contact from there. We are covering only one ward (Mountain Vista) and it has just recently been split. The only investigators there have been split out lol WE HAVE NO ONE TO TEACH. It's OK I guess, we're working on really getting to know the members. We are a no tracking mission so we have to work through members for referrals and investigators. No bikes either, at least not in my area. Our car's name is Dean, of course. Ummmm, the weather is amazing right now and I'm loving all the cactus! But I don't understand their purpose. Like...do the give oxygen, are they food, what the weird are cacti for?! I got sick coming in on Tuesday for a couple days from pure exhaustion and I think the climate change (being all dry and whatnot) but it got betta. YAAAY! I 

TO: Padre
 Let me think...I am with my companion Sister Sacher and we're almost exactly alike...so that's interesting, I gotta learn almost how to be my own friend and stuff. Well we're different in many ways obviously but we function the same on lots. lol  I'm working on trying to be not introverted and be bold and have more desire to be here. All the meetings we had on Sunday were like...have more purpose, don't be lazy, be a better missionary, why are you here. And I was all like...why the heck am I here? It'd gotta be more than "God told me to come" because I won't be effective if I don't have the desire and it's equally as slothful as if I hadn't come. I'm getting there. The Atonement works a lot faster on a mission than it does in real life. lol  I've mostly met with members so far and they're all just amazing.  They're great and I hope to open up with them quickly. Another thing I'm also not use to. But everyone is nice and I'm trying to be myself. But the myself God wants of me, not the myself the world has shaped me to be. I'll find it! Maybe lol

To Danielle:
How are the kiddos? I talk about them all the time and everyone thinks they're sooo cute, probably because they are. and by probably, I mean definitely. Ummm things are cool here! Just working on a brand new-ish ward. I loveee the people so far. We've got some oldies. Lots of them. I've already been hugged be two old men and I'm all like ahhhhh, I don't know how to reject this grandpa's love! So I didn't. They're cute. My companion is Sister Sacher and she's great! She's making me be unified with her. Is good! I'm not used to it lol I've only had mexican food once. It's hard to believe I'm a real missionary. Like...what am I doing?! GAH!

SLC Airport

I met some wonderful missionaries at the SLC airport this morning. I thought 
their families may enjoy seeing their picture.  One sweet sister told me to tell 
her family, "ding, ding, ding".
From
Kim Bennett

For anyone who doesn't know Rachel, she was the missionary who said "Ding, Ding, Ding!" 

Letters from the MTC

To Danielle: HI! I'm on west campus (the better one) and I think everyone else is one main. No conference for me yet! we'll see it during priesthood session. Thanks for the Pictures! i felt giddy inside in viewing them. I look at my book all the time! well when I have any time. I'm soooo busy and im exhausted, but I feel really strengthened as well, praying to focus have a clear mind so I can learn from my amazing teachers and through the broadcasts and devos and everything. my companion Sister Sirarath is from oklahoma! she's like my best friend! my whole district is! and I my zone rocks. she and I are the sister training leaders. faith is so helpful! I'm working on that too and see it's sacredness, and on turning outward, like Christ. Not inward like the cookie monster. ME WANT COOKIE NOW! you should look up elder bednar's doing this interpretation so hard.  I love you so much!! I can't wait til I can't send you some pictures

AT The MTC

MAAAAAAADRE!! There is no choir going on for me to join during my duration! lol and I didn't even get to watch the broadcast. we'll watch it while the elders are in priesthood session. AH. It stinks in the bathroom a lot cause everyone else is really effected by the caf food. It's good, I eat mostly soup cause they make it some delish-ness. But my air thingy is coming in handy. I saw Elder Ensey within the first hour lol I was mostly just awkward. first thing he asked was "how's Emily doing"  was like, you're a weirdy. but I saw him just a couple more time, and I know he's gone now.Last night I spotted Elder Rivera on main campus during our big devotional. No time to see him though:( but yeah yeah, on west campus! it's totes the best.! WHAT ELSE IS THE BEST! my district! did I already say that? They rock my socks. and we're our teachers' favorite. My clothes have all been fine except the salmon skirt is giving me a litte grief when I sit down. I GET TO GO TEMPLING TODAY! ding ding ding. Have you rented out/repainted my room? I suggest you avoiding doing these things. I wish I could tell you more details but....I can't remmeber them all. The days are so cray cray that I can't distinguish one from another. How is my dog? I got that planner from Em!! thanks (: The elders made me open the package in front of them, they thought it was cool. My didtrict leader reminds my of joshykins. anyway, Happy p-day finallllllyyy


Padre
I haven't even seen the Women's broadcast!! I was like what the weird? But we'll watch it the same time as the Priesthood session. But don't worry I've seen a butt ton of broadcasts. AHHH! I miss you too. This week though has been the BEST! ooooh my gosh, I've been soooo busy and always in class and always doing stuff and studying and going to meetings for my calling and roleplaying and junk, it's made it feel like I've been here for forrrrever! I love the things I've learned so far, and I absolutely love my district. We've all become automatic best friends!! I've learned a lot about teaching and the structure but  think the most important thing is speaking from your heart. We practicing with this one elder who has some problems, he will jump in teaching me something that doesn't have anything to do with what his comp was saying and it was confusing but i never had felt the Spirit more strongly than when he said what ever it was because his testimony was the most amazing thing and he knew what the was saying is true. so I hope I can do that myself! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! ding ding ding

Happy Trails to You

Rachel leaves on her mission to Mesa, Arizona this week.  This weekend we hosted a farewell open house for her at my parents' home.  Of course we had to have a Cowboy themed party to wish her "Happy Trails." 

 We decorated the house with bandannas and cowboy hats and Southwestern vases.  We ate chili and had Cowboy Cookies, Haystacks, and Cow Patties.  A huge watering hole, and note cards for guests to write messages to Rachel.

We had lots of fun western props and Rachel took pictures with each of her guests as they arrived. 

Our guests were such great sports.  I am so grateful for such a fun family and family friends!