WOOOOOOAH HEY EVERYBODY!!!!

i'm on a CRAZY like weird happy something cause i feel like i have ADD right now. haha I CAN'T FOCUS ON ANYTHING!!! i just feel like running around the library flailing my arms everywhere!!!! 

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE........ i just read everyone's emails. like missionary email weekly things! and oh my heck it made me so happy. SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE MISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE MISSION WORK AND I LOVE STORIES AND I LOVE PEOPLE AND I LOVE THE HASTENING RIGH TNOW AND THE MIRACLES AND EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!! AND I LOVE JOY!!!! haha 

anyway...............

Hey! i didn't get transferred! me and sis. meldau are together for another transfer here in valrico! with all the white people......... hahah just kidding i love these people, these wards are awesome and i love everyone we're teaching. President is reeeeally pushing dropping people who aren't progressing. he said we have 3 lessons and if they aren't keeping commitments or coming to church we have to drop them or get special permission from the ZL's to keep teaching! AH! i have never been good at dropping people... ever... hahaha but it's cause we know there are the elect waiting to be taught. and he wants us to find them. SO it's a good thing :) 

ANYWAY. OKAY LET ME GET ONE THING STRAIGHT.

when i said... .that i cried last week, over hot chocolate.... it was NOT like gushing tears!!!! okay?? hahaha i teared up! that's all! 

OH and those frost pictures? yeah if we weren't in a hurry i would've scraped it all of the window and made a snow ball.... but i couldn't :( but WASN'T THAT AWESOME??? i was so happy. haha BUT i find that i'm getting more and more scared of the cold. it's like 55 degrees in the morning and i have to build up courage to open the door and go exercise! hahaha i'm such a baby... 

OKAY here's something cool. so like i've said before tampa florida isn't the highest in numbers, neither is our area, but our mission president gave us a number for lessons he wanted us to have in a week, that came from L Tom Perry i do believe... i think... anyway, YEAH! elder Perry challenged our mission to have 20 lessons at least a week, which doesn't SEEM like a lot, but it really is over here i promise! haha and all week.... lessons were falling through... PEOPLE.... cancelling last minute....... everything! making our numbers low... and our hope on reaching the goal... dim............................................. 

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

it was sunday. we needed five more lessons!!!!!!! which on a sunday is usually impossible because we have two churches and then studies AFTER church and so we don't get much time left for proselyting, it looked slim.... but our faith was HIGH!!!! and...... WE MADE IT!! WOOOOOOOOOO!!!! not only that we hit every goal! member presents, less active, even our Proselyting hour goal! which you probably don't know what that is! but still! haha anyway it was cool, God is so awesome. 

OH! here's a cool story, they were painting our apt's and they were all hispanic guys doing it, and we were leaving and I gave one of them a BoM, left it on the bush cause he was high on a ladder, but he was like, wow! thank you! that's so special! and i was like I KNOW! it is! haha so then.. a couple weeks later... we're in comp study and someone knocks on our window! i look out and it's the guy! and he's like happy new year! I'm reading that book! and i'm like.... wait.. what? haha and he walks away and we're like... uhhhh and run outside and talk to him for a bit. anyway THAT was cool.

AND! HERE's a straight up MIRACLE YOU GUYS!

a less active we're working with, who's reactivating :) she told us that she has dyslexia, and when she was younger it made her so mad cause she couldn't read the BoM, and so she got a blessing.......... and from THAT DAY ON!........ the only things she's ever been able to read with OUT a problem, is the BoM, and any church material or book. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? SO COOL!!!!! she told us that right after we read a chapter with her and she had been reading perfectly! it's so awesome. 

okay. also. I just ate salmon. i cooked it myself, i bought it cause the guy at publix is a WAY good salesman!!! hahaha it's stupid. but anyway, it's okay cause we gave him a BoM and stuff. BUT. so i dunno if i cooked it right and i'm terrified i'm gonna die now. haha just letting you all know.

AH! no time! moving on.

okay basically... i just wanna talk about something i really have been seeing more this week. just the difference between darkness and lightness. I love Uchtdorf's talk about how darkness exists, but we don't have to dwell in it, because it's true. man, there is SO much darkness in the world. I have just been seeing it a ton! haha and feeling the difference between it and light. like for example yesterday there was a gangsta drivin by, haha, and he was listening to a rap song, that waaaaaaaas ya know a bit HORRIBLE. haha and we got in the car and how firm a foundation was playing and i was just like... man. MAN! i love the gospel. GOSH! you guys i don't have time to get into it but there's just! AH!! i can't explain! haha all the darkness and temptation satisfies the natural man in you! so part of you wants it or likes it or feels cool listening to it or doing it, but that is NOTHING compared to the true joy and happiness and peace you get from the gospel. from all of this. i just can't describe the difference enough! i can't describe how much better it is on this side. I love this gospel and i am SO GRATEFUL TO BE IN IT. and to be understanding more and more my savior and gaining a testimony. i love it.

and i love you all!!!!!! SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

adios :)

our nice cashier Mike! he'll be baptized one day :) hahaha

uh YEAH i took a picture of my groceries. MOM LOOK HOW HEALTHY I'M BEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE LOOK!  that's all.

that's me after I ate a HUGE THICK piece of cake right before bed time..... it killed me. i have no self control with food lately!!!!! hahaha

AND THERE WAS TOTALLY ICE ON OUR CAR!!!!!!!!! OH MY HECK LOOK!

okay aren't these just FLIPPIN beautiful? I KNOW! the ice :) I LOVE IT. and the classic mission plaque on the ground pic. hahah

okay LIKE I SAID IN THE PICTURE...... I AM SO FLIPPING HAPPY IT'S THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING! hahaha wavaney and Orion.... :)

the baptism was postponed without knowing when! because of some family issues, so i was like ya know FREAKING out haha but then i watched that awesome video from jeffrey r holland, mormon message about the two roads, and how when something starts going wrong, to NOT freak out! know that God loves us so much, and trust him! haha so THEN we had a lesson and talked about baptism again and she said... well. my mind is made up, i'm getting baptized. i just wanna make sure it's with Orion and that he's ready, and OH BOY he was ready so we did it :) and man when we were singing that opening hymn and they were in their whites i was like.... just. oh man. my face hurt so bad, haha, i couldn't stop smiling. it was just a happy. happy. happy. day. and wave gave the BEST testimony afterwards, oh man. IT IS AMAZING. 

i'm just gonna have to move on or i would talk about it for the rest of the email. hahaha cause it's SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! 

okay moving on. SOOOOO!!!! here's a cool story!! wait first... wait. no... OKAY WAIT!

first, here's a cool quote that sis. ormsby shared with me on exchanges. 

"Go where you're celebrated, not where you're tolerated."

ISN'T THAT GOOD?? i'm sure i've heard it before, but with people we're teaching, with just anyone really in lilfe, to go where you're celebrated not tolerated is cool. president is really pushing dropping the people who aren't progressing and going to find those who will. and it's hard cause you come to love them so much, and you want it so bad, it's a big step of trust and faith knowing that the Lord will take care of them. ya know? anywho. 

okay NOW! cool story! so we were teaching Minerva, really sad cause her mom said she has to wait a couple years to be baptized.... but i know she will!!! it'll happen. 

ANYwho, and we were teaching about fasting and i went to bear my testimony on it.... and i was like. i dunno. words wouldn't come! and i was like, uhh.. well it's awesome and brings blessings! i didn't know what else to say, haha and i didn't really feel the words i said, and i was like SHOOT! I just realized that I don't have a testimony on fasting.....so the next morning i was about to go eat breakfast. and you all know i love food a lot.. so i was excited. and i thought, hm. better fast today. and i was like WHAT. food! and i was like no.... better fast today. so then i started a fast, i think it's like the 2nd time i've ever fasted on my own for something. and i really just was fasting for a testimony on fasting. fasting for the spirit, and fasting for peace. then... the WHOLE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! was just amazing. ALSO! i had prayed that i would recognize the blessings from fasting. and oh my gosh. it just was AWESOME! seriously i can't even describe it all. i was WAY more tolerable of the stupid florida drivers for ONE thing. hahaha that's a big deal cause they drive me crazy sometimes, and we were able to do all of our plans and more. we taught inspired lessons, brought the spirit, asked good questions, and we taught so well together! and i DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO BREAK MY FAST AT DINNER!!!!!!!!!!! AND THAT IS MY FAVORITE PART OF FAST SUNDAYS! DINNER! so that was amazing. haha i just felt good. i just felt close to God, and i'm SO HAPPY and grateful that I am capable of acting and testing God and praying and searching for a testimony on something, and he will give it to me, he will help me. so yeah. THAT was cool.

anywho, something ELSE pretty great was one morning for some reason i was havin a down morning. just not feeling good, happy, spirit, anything. and I was getting ready and sis. meldau knocked on my bathroom door and i went out and she wasn't there. and i went out further and she was saying her study prayers and i said why'd you knock? and she didn't say anything, and i was like.. what the? okay. and went back and outside the door was a hot chocolate she made for me :) GUYS I CRIED. there i said it. hahaha i did. i cried. IT MAY SOUND PATHETIC! but it was exactly what i needed! just.. a little love! and we all have those days where it's hard and where we need something simple like that, but we don't even know that's what we need! but the Lord does, and so I challenge you all to be aware! and try to notice times when you feel prompted to do something, whenever you have a thought to do something for someone else, don't question it, just do it. you will bless so many peoples lifes if you let the Lord know you are ready and you will do what he asks to help everyone else. 

ANYWAY. lots of other stuff happened this week, but i can't remember much and i gotta go soon! transfers are next week so just in case, don't send anything to the apt. after friday! or maybe thursday... haha 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! there IS light at the end of the tunnel and there is a purpose for it all. let the Lord do his work with you, and make sure you use the trials you have in this life to learn. there is a lesson in everything. I promise you that, the Lord doesn't waste time, he gives us ways to be better and happier every day. so pay attention! have hope, hold onto the hope. and most importantly, love everyone. not just the people it's easy to love, but really, honestly, do your best to love everyone. please. everyone needs it. 

have a HAPPY WEEK FULL OF JOY AND JUBILEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

farewell. adios, hasta luego, hasta la vista baby, BYE!!!!!!!

i dunno why but i just thought this cat picture was funny. hahaha right before they were watching a cat fight and they all just surrounded and watched! i was like... where is the LOVE HERE?? 

 this lady is the greatest lady ever!! I LOVE HER!!! met her on exchanges with one of the greatest sisters ever, sister ORMSBY!

Another awesome Florida sunset

oh my heck I CAN'T FREAK OUT ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY AND YOU GUYS THEY GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i really... juust... WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE. it was the greatest day. ever. EVER! 

January 6, 2014

AH NO TIME! 

okay how ARE YOU EVERYONE???

how was uh new years and all that good stuff? AS YOU CAN SEE in my BEAUTIFUL insane fire picture some members burned all their christmas trees and it was way cool.

okay but seriously CAN YOU BELIEVE THOSE PICTURES????? 

i look at them all the time.... the fire is SO PRETTY. 

ANYWAY. 

guys it was freezing the other night...... I blow dryed my feet all through studies because our heater is broken! and DON'T MOCK AND LAUGH!! it really was cold! haha 

but it's back in the 70's soooo...... 

Hm I'm just staring at the screen trying to think of what to write... my brain is going crazy and I can't pinpoint any specific things that i was thinking of during the week.... 

WELL HEY! today's my ten month mark! officially! WOOO!!! 

ummm I dreamed of a missionary sacrificing himself to save armadillos from the alligators.... ummm I I DON'T KNOW! 

okay we'll just get right to the good stuff.

SOOOOO. we have a less active and she's awesome, super great. She shared her whole life story but not even only like 1/100 of it i feel like but it was already crazy... she was raised in the church but got offended at something and decided to leave it in her teens, and now her life is just... I dont even have words, she has had to go through so much. SO much. it's insane, and it's really heart breaking. she's had to fight for SO MUCH. for her children, for her life, for a place to stay, for money, everything. And she's seen all the worst parts of this world, some of the stories she told us made me sick. but as we were standing in her trailer park, I was just thinking to myself, how DRASTically different her life would be if she had stayed with it. her life didn't go down the drain right after she left the church, it was continual and slow and painful. I just imagined two different lifes for her and all the unnecessary horrible things that she's been through that she wouldn't have had to experience otherwise. and We had an awesome lesson on agency at church, and it REALLY opened my eyes to something I thought I already knew, but now I'm seeing was more clearly. Just how Satan works SO hard to destroy our agency, to make us stuck and chained down, and he does it by so cleverly making us think that the rules and commandments of God are restrictions and holding us back and chaining us down. and He gets us to go do stupid things and "break free" from the teachings of our parents and prophet and apostles. he is so good at making things SEEM like something else. because looking at this less active having made her decision to leave, and be "more free", and seeing how restricted and hard her life is now? man. Satan is good at his job. DO not let him convince you that God is holding you back. that the commandments are too restrictive, I have never felt like I had more agency in my LIFE. and I have never been more obedient to the mission rules either. EVERY single thing God asks us to do, is for our benefit. and for OUR happiness. not for himself, it's for us. we need to stop being so prideful and stubborn and just realize how much he loves us. ANYWAY. just thinkin about it. 

OKAY REAL QUICK. on sunday i had to translate and i was like PLEASE HELP ME HEAVENLY FATHER and I did it and i DID IT! haha guys it was a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!! I didn't even have to TRY THAT HARD! seriously it was definitely a blessing, so awesome.

anyway.......

ALSO. God answers prayers, I prayed for a less actives favorite hymn to be played in church for her when she came, and it was sung in sacrament :) MIRACLE! even though she didn't come, and God knew she wasn't gonna be there, he still answered my prayer :) it was cool.

ANYWAY. i have to go but i hope you all know how much i love you ALL! I'm so grateeful for everything and everyone I have in my life and that I WILL have in my life and man it's just a great life ya know? It's hard sometimes but it is just good.

hasta la vista :)

HERMANA RUSSELL!!!!

um are these not the coolest pictures you've ever seen in your life? I KNOW! i love my camera. and fire. it was fascinating me BIG TIME when they burned the christmas trees. SO PRETTY AND AWESOME! JUST LOOK!

NEW YEARS! we set an alarm to get up at 11:59 but slept through it all... SO MAD! haha oh well. 

SO this is the story of one time how we didn't have a strainer so I made one out of a cereal box and outlined it in tape so it wouldn't soak through and stabbed a bunch of holes in it

 and it worked and i was way happy...

Add and then it all broke 

and fell down the sink........

And I was sad :(

and then sister meldau shook the bottle of sauce but the lid wasn't on so it went everywhere, hahahaha