Friday 13 December 2013

I can't believe how crazy the weather is at home! A member checked the weather for me and he said it was -23! Crazy. It was 28 in Boynton at the time. ha ha Please be careful with driving and everything. 

Tuesday was my first day biking. Let me sumt up this way I LOVE BIKING! Contacting people on bikes is the best. We meet so many more people this way. Not only that but it feels so good to bike rather then sit in the car. I love it. The weather is perfect for it now--not to hot. Sister Stegelmeier bikes fast but I hold my own as well. We will be biking a lot this month because we have to go to Fort Laud multiple times for conferences and that really hurts our miles. 

On Wednesday we had exchanges. I went west to Wellington with Sister Aloi. She is amazing. Truly an example of quite dignity and keeping calm and carrying on! She is from Samoa. She doesn't have a drivers licence so I got to drive! YES! First time driving in Florida. We have this thing called TIWI and he tells us when we are speeding, or if we turn a corner to sharp or anything like that... pretty much a tattle tale. I was feeling pretty good because TIWI hadn't told on me at all but right after I said that to Sister Aloi he said "Check your speed!" haha it was a good laugh. I liked driving it is crazy but I like it. 

Guess what?! GLADYS AND KESHAWN GOT BAPTIZED yesterday! It was so amazing. It is so rewarding to find someone, teach them, and then baptize them! They have changed so much since the first day we met them. It has been a roller coaster with them being kicked out of there house and finding a new place, yet we have kept in contact the entire time. God's hand was truly in it. Keshawn even bore his testimony at the baptism yesterday. After he got baptized he said, "I am staying in the church for the rest of my life." It was so touching. He sat beside me and during the closing song I am a child of God he sang so loud and so cute!  Man it was special I had tears in my eyes the entire time. The Gospel changes people. Gladys is pretty funny as well. On Saturday night we were at her Aunts house finalizing everything for her baptism and she was telling her aunt about the sacrament, "You know at your church you have bread and wine but at there church they have bread and water. And I don't know what it is but they put something in the water and it just tastes so good. You feel so warm and so clean. It makes me cry." ha ha we laughed first and then explained that we don't put anything in the water but rather it is blessed first. She is a character. 

I am so grateful that I am on a mission. Everyone should go! You learn so much. I have learned more in the past 5 weeks then I have in my entire life! God is so good. I have especially learned so much about the atonement and not only how it blesses others life but how it blesses me as well. I need it. It really hit me this week in the D&C 84 where it talks about that in the ordinances the power of god (or the atonement) is manifest. In other words, in order for individuals to feel of the complete cleansing and motivating power of the atonement they MUST be 
baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. Christ has suffered for everyone, yet so many people do not have access to this great gift of the Saviors peace. I am so grateful to be a missionary and carry the message of the Saviors peace to all of God's children. Peace and healing can be found no other way. I love my Savior so much! I am so grateful that God is merciful. For if he were only just well lets just say that would be a sad tale because I wouldn't stand a chance. The Gospel is beautifully simple and simply beautiful! 

Lets just take a moment to dwell on the fact that I turn 20 this week! I don't know how I feel about this.... It is ok though because it is on Sunday and Jednar is set to get baptized so that will be the best birthday present ever. 

I love you all so much thank you so much for the letters, emails, and prayers! 

 Aunt Ginny sent me a birthday card. It made me cry! haha I love her so much. Guess what else? There is Tennis courts at our apartment so Sister Steg and I are practicing our skills... haha we are getting better! It is fun.
Gladys and Keshawn's baptism! This picture shows their personalities perfectly... We couldn't get Keshawn to stand normal. 

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