introducing howard......

Hello family! I will be seeing you all in just a few hours. That is hard to believe. I got a call from President Hale yesterday morning and he told me that they had all decided it would be best if I went home. I know that i need to be healthy... i have tried to just "sleep it off" but that hasn't cut it. I went back to the doctor and got results back for many tests... but they were all negative. They tested me for lupus, arthritis, thyroid, diabetes, and even for a baby and syphilis. Haha... good thing the latter two were negative! Yesterday i went to get one more test done, and the results should be back in a few days. I know it is for the best. It will be hard to come home, but necessary. Keep in on the DL please. :) Too bad St. George wasn't next weekend eh? Looks like i will be able to go on the Family trip to Wisconsin though.

This week we went and helped a member... Sister Baker. She is a real character. Wow. She is just great. Well she had a bad fall and messed up her back, so we went over to help her clean her house. When we arrived, she had a whole list prepared for us. One of the things on her list was to set her up a blog, so i got to work on that... and she just bossed Sister Briggs around and made her clean the whole house... luckily Sister Briggs likes cleaning! Well we had lunch with her too, and she said, "you know I get real lonely here... i am allergic to dogs and cats, but that's why i have Howard." I then asked, "Who is Howard?" and she pointed to her couch... and there he was- Howard the cabbage patch kid. I picked him up and immediately she yelled! "You woke him up!!! It's his nap time-" hahaha. Wow. I was trying my best to compose myself. Then, when Sis. Briggs said the prayer on the food, she said, "Thank you for the opportunity we have to be here to eat lunch with Sister Baker and Howard..." and i about lost it. I wish you could all meet Sister Baker because she is just such a character. She has it all together mentally- but she is just so fun! She has a great imagination and really just makes the best out of life. Maybe i need to get my own little Howard to make my life more exciting!

We had a lesson with Wanda and her kids. We took them a Book of Mormon Stories book, and read about Joseph Smith. After we were done, Sister Brigg's asked if they would pray to know if it was true, and Caleb-(8) quickly replied- "I know it is true... i just already know!" It was really neat to hear that. Both of these boys are so bright, and retain all the things that we teach them. We taught them the 10 Commandments last week, and they're doing a really good job at helping their mom remember not to take the Lord's name in vain. Sharon and Shirley were pretty sad to hear that i am leaving. We went over last night, and they had a card and a Miami Heat T-shirt for me. I am really going to miss them. They are like family to me here. I am glad i can keep in touch with them, and i know i will see them again. We got a text from shirley, and it said "Have a safe flight Sister Koko. I am going to miss you so much. I feel like i am sending one of my kids off..." They are both amazing ladies, and i am very glad i had the chance to work with them.

Sister Briggs will be training again. She has one transfer left. She is really sad to see me go. Before we left the apartment, we said a prayer (like we do every time we leave) and she just started crying. She has taught me a lot, and she is going to do a good job training again.

President was very encouraging and said... "I'll give you a call in Salt Lake! :)" I am excited I will get to go to their Homecoming!

Well it is time to go. We are driving up to another area and the AP's are going to pick me up there and drop me at the airport. I will call you all once I get there.

I'm excited to see you!

xoxo

sissy

{Homestead Zone}

Mango Season!

Can you believe those mangoes! I hope you got the package at jareds... i sent a few in there. Hopefully they weren't too mushy. Well- i am still sick. But we had zone conference this week, and they had the doctor who is over our mission there, and i talked to him. Retired Doc's are called on missions to be the doctors over several missions. So he covers florida and the neighboring states. He is a convert to the church- a really neat guy... cardiologist from Cedar Hills. Well he said that since it has been with me so long it is definiley not bacterial... and probably some viral infection that just never left. I am going to have blood tests this week- and he is also going to test me for diabetes... since i am going potty much more often than normal. I will make sure to have the nurse call you when we find out the results. I took some time resting this week... but still just don't have much energy. It is really hard for me to just rest- i like to work and like to push myself... but i know my limit. and i am past my limit so i am learning patience. I know that i need to take care of myself... it is just hard not being able to do what i came out here to do. Since i don't have the energy to go out and trackt a ton and find people to teach, on Wednesday night i decided to pray for some referals. Since i have been here, we have maybe got 5... if that. Well Thursday morning while i was laying in bed, the phone buzzed... and guess what it was- a MEDIA REFERAL!! :) These come in a text to our phones from the internet... when people request the missionaries or a book of Mormon. It was truly an answer to my prayers... then the next day we got another! It was a miracle. Even if they don't end up panning out, i am very thankful that my prayers were answered.

sharon and shirley made it to the temple for baptisms. they had a beautiful experience. they were both able to take their own names. They absolutley LOVED it of course. We taught shirley last night and had a really great lesson. She is so converted, and willing to follow the commandments with EXACTNESS. Both of them are HUGE sports fans and sunday is her normal day to watch all her games. Well even though "The Heat" were playing... in the playoffs for that matter... she didn't watch the game! She said that to keep her mind occupied to fast and not watch TV, she read in the BoM and went and watched a bunch of Mormon Messages on mormon.org. It is so great to see that already, she is taking things so seriously. After she was baptized we asked her how she felt... and she said, "I feel good. Everyone has been coming up to me and telling me 'congrats' and stuff like that... but i don't see it that way. Baptism is something I know i needed to do- everyone needs to do it. It is like when a guy tries to impress you by saying 'i take real good care of my kids...' well- he should that is what you SHOULD do... just like baptism." She is just so humble, and really thinks a lot about life and can see the big picture. It is great. The best part.... was last night, when we pulled up at her house, she had an "LDS" sticker slapped on the back of her brand new car! How converted is She!?

I got a call the other morning with a crying sharon on the phone. She had just got the box with their scriptures. They LOVE them. THANK YOU! The colors were perfect! They were also real excited because they found out my first name. THey have apparently been trying to figure it out for some time now... and now they know! :)

We have been working a lot with a recent convert- Mauricio from Mexico. He is a really fun guy. He would fit right in at WMC. Really. Well he works at a nursurey and has crazy hours, but we were finally able to have a lesson with him last night. We haven't seen him in a while and have been worried that he might have slipped up. (When the missionaries met him, he was drunk... and just a major alcholic and just was going no where with his life. he came here to work to support his daughter back in mexico, but has no one here. He slowly accepted the gospel. and it has really CHANGED HIS LIFE. He is a completley new person) We ended up watching the Restoration with him- a 20 min video about the restoation of the Church of Christ, and about Joseph Smith. He was really moved, and even started crying. It was a beatiful experience and really helped him remember his conversion and that this is the true church, and where he needs to be. I need to talk him into moving to Utah to join the lawn crew. He wold be a terrific addition! :)

We had Zone Conference this week... and it was the last time that I will see the Hales... at least for now. We talked all about the timberlakes reunions! :) It is amazing how many connections we have made. But this past week, i have been thinking a lot about foundations. How Christ was such a great missionary and teacher because he had a sure foundation. At Zone Confrence, president talked about foundations. He said that since he was in real estate land development, he could look at a foundation and have a pretty good idea of how tall/deep/wide a building would be. He can look at missionaries and see their foundation, and what their building will look like at the end. We had the opportunity to bear our testimonies at the end of the conference, and i wasn't planning on it, but i got up.

"I have been thinking a lot about foundations the last couple days, and really enjoyed hearing more about them today. My Dad owns a constuction company, and growing up, i went to work with him often. I have helped and watched many foundations being poured, and houses being built. But now, I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to build my own foundation..."

President talked about how that is exactly what we are doing... we are laying the foundation for the rest of our lives. I really am thankful that i have the opportunity to be a missionary. I am learning so much that really will bless be for the rest of my life. I am so looking forward to the rest of my mission, and the rest of my life. I wouldn't be here without you. I miss you and Love you. Talk to you next week!

p.s.

since last monday was memorial day, we had p-day tuesday. and next week it will be on tuesday because of transfers!

Exhanges with my favorite Sister Geest....

May 31st, 2011

HI FAM!!!

Sounds like you had a great time at J's. I need to thank apple for
inventing ipads so i can get emails from both of you.

I am still sick. Today is the worst it has been, so i think i will
break down and go to the doctor. I am just real tired and have no
energy. I have had a headache for like 2 weeks now- i don't know what
it is from...

Interviews with president were really good. I got to visit with Sister
Hale while Sister Briggs was in her interview and that was so fun too.
We made cookies and just had girl talk! :) Guess what- they have a
cabin on Green briar road/ lane- right by us. they showed me a pic and
i have totally seen in. it is a similar layout as ours, but has a big
cobblestone chimney/fireplace on the back side. green roof. small
world huh? they said they will need to barrow ours for the sister's
reunion! i can't wait for that!! It was fun to talk to president. He
didn't realize that our area had turned to pretty much all english.
For this he said that sister briggs and i needed to have "english
fasts" and only speak spanish like tues/thurs/sat- or something but we
have tried to do it every day... He gave me a blessing and promised
that my mental capacity and comprehension would increase and my ability
to learn would be strengthened. I am going to continue to work hard on
my part! He also said that i would be a conduit- and that my family
would be blessed through me for the rest of my life. AND the best part
was... that at the end, he gave me a HUG!!! :) It was the Best.

We had exchanges.. .that was fun. I was with sister Geest. She serves
in the YSA ward. It was fun to get to work with her! We had a blast.

I am running low on time so i am trying to get in all that i can.

Shirley's baptism was AMAZING. There was more investigators there,
than member it felt like! It was so special. Sharon shared her
conversion story, and the spirit was so strong. I asked both of them
to write their stories down, so i can have them. I will send them your
way when i get them...


i am out of time already! i am sorry. i will write today!! to answer
all the questions from your email.



xxoxox love you

{Sister Geest and I}

{Me, Sis. Mata'u, Sis. Hopkins, Sis. Geest}

Crabs, Baptisms, and The Young Ambassadors...

May 23, 2011

Hello family!

Thank you everyone for the mail this week. I will be busy this afternoon responding. :)

It has been a pretty good week- but I am sick again. I don't know why... it is really annoying. And I have a hard time stopping to rest. there is only 3 weeks left in this transfer and so much to do. ugh! I don't have time to be sick.

I didn;t know you and Dad were going to J's- that should be fun. Eat some Oberwise for me. And how lucky that you and Ty's fam are going to see the Little Mermaid at Tuachan. The girls will love it! I didn't know you were going on tour for choir... that will be so fun! The dinner dance you had sounds fun. How is grandpa? Feeling better? Thanks for sending the pics of Cohen's baby blessing. Good to see everyone. I miss you all so much.

Well guess what.... SHIRLEY IS GETTING BAPTIZED SATURDAY. We are so excited for her. She is a really amazing woman. She has been through so much. (some kid just sat down at the table with us and is probably gonna ask us for our number or something... good thing we can just give him a Book of Mormon instead:) ! ) Her kids are all going to be there, and it will be a special experience. She will be confirmed Sunday so that she can go to the temple in June.

Sharon got her temple recommend yesterday, and she received a calling to be the Family History consultant for the ward. She is SO EXCITED. So are we. We had dinner with both of them last night and guess what we had. STONE CRAB! It was so so SO good. Mom and Dad- you were right all these years... i didn't even know what i was missing. :) They both say hello. I have told them a lot about you.

Wanda- i don't know if i have told you much about her. We went to her house yesterday and had an INCREDIBLE lesson. She is going through a lot right now. Her husband doesn't work, She is a school teacher, doesn't have a car, and just found out she has Lupis... just to name a few. She is really struggling right now, and just needed someone to talk to last night. She totally opened up, and we were able to learn a little better about how we can help her. She has two sons- Josh-11 and Caleb-8. They are so bright. They sit down with us when we go over there,and they love learning. I am really excited to see her progress. Despite all her problems, I know the gospel can help her.

Asha is from Guyana.. I am not sure if i told you about her either. She is a really neat woman. She doesn't have kidneys and has been on dialysis for 9 years. She is waiting for a visa before she can get on the transplant list... and is doing her best to raise money to pay for her transplant. She sews clothes to sell when she is up to it to help raise money. She is way sick every other day- the dialysis just takes it out of her. She really likes the BoM and wants to know if it is true. She is an honest seeker of truth, and wants to know what the Lord's will is for her. We have really been able to show her how the BoM and the Restored Gospel can help her get through. We met

her husband Peter yesterday- he is from Trinidad. He is very nice, and we are going to try and start teaching him too!!

I have my first PPI with president Hale tomorrow. I am looking forward to that. We have to drive up to the mission home for that, since he isn't well enough to travel long distances. I am so thankful that I have the chance to learn from him. He has taught me so much in the short time that I have been here. I am doing well- the spanish is the same... but it will come when it needs to. I am doing my best to study it hard each day. Thank you for your prayers. I pray for you always.

I am out of time but sounds like everything is going well for you guys. I will write today. I am still sick. I don't know what is going on. . . if it doesn't get better I guess I will have to go to the doc. I am trying to avoid that.

Till next week.

Hermanita Sis.

I forgot to tell you! we got to go to the Young Ambassadors. They are on tour and the mission president let us go. We went with Sharon - she loved it! it was really cool to be there. There were lots of other missionaries there and they were out contacting people before the show started- it was sweet. They started with an opening prayer- cool. and then after the finale they sang I am a child of god accapella. It was so cool there was a special spirit there.

{Hna. Briggs, Shirley, Me}

{Asha}

{Young Ambassadors}

{Stone Crab Party!!}

Updates from Karli!

Hi everyone,

I've finally had the chance to combine the last few weeks of Karli's emails and letters. The week after talking to her on Mother's Day, she only sent a bit, and then the week after that, I happened to be online when she was at the library, so we "chatted" back and forth a little instead of her taking the time to write an email letter. So she wrote us a letter later on that day, and I've typed it up for you here. Then we heard from her yesterday by email too. She sent some pictures, but they're in a different format, so I gotta get Ty to help me figure those out! :)

Hope all is well with you guys. Remember Karli in your prayers if you can. She's been sick for about 3 weeks now... and bummed about that! xoxox Sandy

Hermana's hot chocolate...

May 9, 2011

Hello Family,

It was so great to talk to you yesterday. I just got your email mom... so that was perfect timing. We were a little late coming to the biblioteca. We ate breakfast with Hermana Gonzalez this morning. She makes THE best homemade hot chocolate. It is soooo good. She is the lady that we live with... well she has a little efficiency that we live in- but practically with her. She is so good to us. She feeds us all the time. She is so darling. I can't wait for you to meet her. I will take pics of the house and send them next week. She Loves gardening... she has 10 mango trees... and in about a month they will be coming out of our ears! I can't wait. Mom- we want to teach her how to compost... can you tell me what we need to buy her to get started... just like a garbage can or what? Let me know. That is so fun you got an I-phone... i am jealous. I am excited to play on it when i get home. I am sure Emma and Mya were excited. Dad that is sweet you got an I-pad- is it one through Verizon? I am so proud of you... being so tech savvy.

I am still not feeling 100%- but hopefully i can rest some more today. I have a lot of letters to write... We are also eating lunch again with Hermana Gonzalez. She really is just the cutest. She has had missionaries living with her for years- but only elders... so she LOVES having sisters. She is our little abuelita.

Sharon and Shirley are golden as ever. Really they are so great. Sharon got confirmed yesterday- it was so beautiful. They both have such strong testimonies of the gospel already. It is amazing.

Also- can you get Matt's address, and send it to me as soon as you can. I will write him today and just send it with your letter. I think about him daily and pray for him- as well as all the other family. Let me know more about grandpa's surgery. Tell him and Grandma hi.

Well I love you all so much. Thanks for your continued support.

Love,

Hermana Tyson

(bits of our email chat)

May 16, 2011 -

We had a really good week. We had a trainers meeting with President Hale and about half the mission- all the new missionaries from this transfer and last. It was soooo good. I learned so much. It is amazing what is happening here. Look up "Vision of the South" by President Kimball. it is really cool! it is an article about what he said about the South... that we will baptize more than any other English speaking mission in the world.

They unveiled a new curriculum for new missionaries at this meeting. It is being tested in our mission....For the first 12 weeks once you are in the field you have 2 hours of companion study- as opposed to one- and it is a bit more structured. You have a syllabus, and at the end of the 12 weeks- the goal is to have the new missionary ready to be a trainer! So we're testing it out.

Things are going well here. We met with the Family history Senior Missionaries and taught Sharon how to do her family history. She is going BUCK WILD. Really. She is so excited. She is going to the temple June 4th for baptisms. Watching her do it made me want to sit down and to mine! I am excited to go home and start working on it. It is so important.

I am so thankful for President Hale. And Sister Hale. I learn so much from them. They are amazing leaders. At the training he talked about an article "Crucible of Leadership Development" from someone at M.I.T. Look it up and send it to Jared and Ty- it talked about the church's missionary program - that is is the #1 best leadership training or something... it was really cool! Check it out .

(letter)

May 16, 2011

Mum & Dad...

It was fun to chat for a bit today via email. Great to hear from you - always. I got your letter mom - thanks for sending those quotes - LOVED them!

This past Saturday they had a Stake RS activity. It was all about missionary work - it was really dool. The theme was "A Might Change of Heart". They asked us tohelp. They had 3 different rooms with missionaries in each - teaching the first 3 lessons - short... and they rotated through each one. Then everyone went in the chapel. We taught the message of the Restoration. It was a really neat experience. We brought B of M's in several languages - Spanish, Creole, French, Arabic,etc. and set them all up on the table. It turned out really cool - we had them stacked up and displayed all different. Then we put a really cool picture of the Sacred Grove - & at the bottom of it, it says, "What happened here changed the world. Let it change your life." And we had them reflect on how Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon has changed their life. We shared JSH 1:25 - and talked about how Joseph Smith never denied what happened to him. It was a really neat experience. Once everyone cycled through, they had a really pretty musical number, then they had a Q & A panel with recent converts. They shared their conversion story & answered questions. It was awesome! They had everyone write down their conversion story and they are putting a book together of all of them. It was great! They had the gym decorated really nice for lunch too! It was a fun day!

So I'll tell you more about Wanda in my next email. We knocked on her door - & it was just perfect timing! We see her this Wednesday, so I'll tell you more on Monday - she has such great potential! On Wednesday, we are also going to see the BYU Young Ambassadors with Sharon! I am SO excited! :)

So the training with President Hale was SO GREAT! I left feeling so much more converted. We didn't talk a ton about the BofM, but my conviction for it just exploded! I can't believe they're leaving so soon. :( But I know that the next ones will be able to hopefully fill his shoes-- we have heard nothing but great things about them. President Hale talked/is really big on creating a "culture". Both a personal & a mission culture. This culture is a way of life - an atmosphere-an attitude. He said the culture and character are one in the same. They express who you are. Everything you do is an OUTWARD expression of who you ARE. This mission has made a total 180 degree turn in terms of success. He has created a culture - expectations - & a mission lifestyle. We are known because of this, especially for our obedience. This is a result of the culture. He expressed how we must create this culture now - and then take it with us when we leave. He does a lot better job at explaining the idea, but the more I learn, the more I understand. He's so amazing - he will probably be in the 12 before I get home! :) He also talked about "tremendous success" - something else he is big on. He said: "Tremendous success is much more the result of a culture than a numerical level of performance. It can however be measured on a graph. It is a steady upward trend - a progression of personal righteousness, unity, continued improvement, and a genuine love for all-- which inspires on to gather the elect in a balanced effort in ever increasing numbers."

Success in missionary work comes from/is:

1 Personal/Mission culture

2. Measurable

3. Steady upward trend

4. Personal Righteousness

5. Companion Unity

6. Continuous Improvement

7. Genuine Love

8. Balanced Effort

Sister Briggs and I often say - "We are so blessed - TOO blessed." But we know we are having alot of success partly because we have alot of love and unity - that is where success starts! I just really am SO lucky to be here. I am learning so much! :)

Sharon and Shirley are great - planning to go to the Orlando Temple in June to do baptisms - I am looking forward to that, they will love it - I wish I could be there!

Thanks again for all you do, I miss you both so much! I'm looking forward to seeing you again!

xoxox

Sissy

 
Hola!
Transfers are this week- and so that is why I didn't write yesterday.
Sister Briggs and I are staying together. I am excited to stay in the
area and watch those we have found progress in the gospel.

As far as Mother's Day goes- we have 40 minutes... and we are going to
call not skype. I will be calling the house around 1:00 your time so hopefully that
will be ok.
I got the package yesterday! Once again you went above AND
beyond. Thank you thank you thank you. I am excited for all the
healthy snacks! OK- and the clothes... they are DARLING. Whenever
people comment on my clothes I say, "Thanks my mom picked it out...
she did most of my shopping for me- doesn't she have cute style?? :)"
You do! The earrings the girls made at the cabin were darling too!
The Royal Wedding sounded amazing... we have heard a little about it here.
It would have made me homesick for London if I would have watched it am sure. Let's go back there when
I get back. It would be fun to take you and dad around to all the
places.
I am sure the Carl Bloch exhibit was amazing. I am so jealous I
missed it- perhaps we will have to go to Denmark too? and see them.
That would be amazing. I am sure it was a spiritual experience.
Looking at the religous art in London was one of my favorite things.
That is so neat that BYU was able to borrow them. Wow.

Well, Sharon had her baptism! She is amazing. Really. It was a very
spiritual day and so great to see her so happy. She was just weeping
when she came out of the water. We had dinner with her and Shirley and
had a great disscussion with both of them. She is one of the most
humble people I have ever met. She has such a love for the Savior and
for this gospel. She is just eating it all up. I can't wait for you to
meet her. Yesterday we went to her house to visit, and she was so
excited to talk to us about what she read in the Gospel Principles
manual. She read like 4 chapters and is literally feasting on the
gospel. She loves the Book of Mormon and the Ensign. She read about
the Plan of Salvation and loved learning more. She was connecting all
the dots herself- that is what we want - for them to be able to
understand in a way that they can make the connections. She LOVED the
idea of the veil... she said it makes so much sense. She said, "All of this is so
familiar to me." Wow- then she said... "Shirley called me earlier and
said 'Sharon you gotta read the chapter about families- it will blow
your mind' and I read it and loved it!" Shirley is amazing. She was
like "oh I learned this and this and that in the Book of Mormon
today". I feel like they are teaching me way more than I am teaching
them. Shirley will be baptized in a few weeks- she is just waiting for
her kids to get home from college. I love them both. I love everyone
we are teaching... like a real love and desire to share this great
gospel with them. This work is truly amazing. We have a new
investigator- Alfonzo. He is also extremely PREPARED. He has had
previous contact with the church too- someone gave him a BofM and he
used to read it every night- but he never received the lessons. He is
a genuine guy- and father of 8 kids and is such a great father. I am
looking forward to see what progress we have with him.
This transfer I am going to really work on my spanish. Even though we are not teaching
anyone in spanish, that is no reason why I can't speak it more. I won't
have as many chances to practice, but Sister Briggs and I can speak
more for each other. I am thankful for her and she teaches me so much.

Thank you all for the love, letters, prayers, and support. I am so
happy to be here. talk to you in a few days!! xoxo

sissy.

Happy Easter Monday!

The Miami Zoo

Comps

Sharon

Happy Easter Monday!

 

It was great to hear from you. Thanks for the emails. We had a nice Easter Sunday yesterday- ate 3 dinners. UGH i was stuffed, but i am learning to eat really slow so i don't get seconds. :) and so i don't get fat. Mom that is so cool you are going to the Carl Bloch exhibit. I have seen a lot of the pictures they are amazing. They had some copies at the MTC, and then i read an article in the BYU mag or somewhere about it. Enjoy that. You will love it... i am jealous. Dad that is nice about your Sunday School Class President calling... i love how you tease them about their parents in the spirit world. Thank you so much for your dearelder letter. It is the only mail i got this week, and it was just what i needed. Thank you for making time to write with your busy busy schedule. I am happy that you have a lot of work. Mom i am sure you are a big help too. Thank you both for working so hard. 

It sounds like you had a nice Easter. I can only imagine the girls and their easter egg hunt. I'm sure they loved that. Tell grandpa and grandma that i said hello. I will pray for Grandpa. Let me know what you find out with his tests. My knees are doing fine. Still hurt but definitely see an improvement. Did you order the things for my knee braces? I still haven't seen anything. 

The Zoo was fun...it was really cool, but I really hurt from all the walking...

This week we are going to the big Latin market! I am going to search for my Ducal black beans! :) President Hale is back. Elder Gay- an area 70- is a pilot and picked him up in Utah and flew him back here in his private jet. No big deal... He texted us and said that while they were en route to FL he said to Elder Gay, "Did you feel that? We just entered into the airspace of the greatest mission in the world. It feels great to be back!" He is just such a great man. They are a great family. Hopefully we will all get together as a mission in the next week or so.

 

Sharon is getting baptized on Sunday. It is amazing! She is so prepared. We met her last Sunday, and have seen her every day since. She is just eating up the gospel. She loves the Book of Mormon and understands it so well. We showed her mormon.org and she LOVES the "I'm a Mormon" videos. We watched the Easter Mormon Message on lds.org yesterday. That was a really good one. She is like our mom here. She takes great care of us, and we have just grown to love her, even though it has only been a week. She came to church yesterday and loved it. She is just so great. I feel so blessed to have met her. She ends up teaching us so much when we are with her. Her smile and her testimony and her love for God is contagious. She has such humble and powerful prayers. I can't wait for you all to meet her one day. She actually came in contact with the church about 10 years ago, because her friend Shirley and her family were meeting with the missionaries. After we met her last Sunday, Sharon called Shirley and told her that we were going to teach her. Shirley said she wanted to join too- when she was meeting with the missionaries, she was struggling with anxiety and mental problems. The elders she met with taught her how to pray, and she began reading the Book of Mormon. Prayer and reading helped her anxiety go away- and all the way back then she knew that the gospel was good and true. For one reason or another she didn't get baptized. We met her earlier this week, and have been teaching them together. She wants to get baptized this Sunday too. She said that she knows that now is her time. How INCREDIBLE. They both are INCREDIBLE. I know that the Lord had a plan for both of them from the beginning and last Sunday was the day for them to come back in contact with the church. We are so excited for both of them. They are so great. They have been through thick and thin together and are best friends. They found the church together ten years ago, and i think it will be so special for them to be baptized on the same day. Pray for them, and that all will go well. I am sure it will.

 

Spanish is still not going anywhere. But we are going to focus a lot more on speaking it to each other. Sis. Briggs told me that with her other companions she spoke a lot more Spanish with them... but that is because they never really talked... We have become great friends, and i am glad that she can talk to me and that we have a good relationship. It makes the work even better. This work really is great. I know it is where i am supposed to me. It is still weird that i am here and really doing this... but i am! It is just another chapter in my book of life. It will be one of the best chapters, I am sure. I love you all. Thanks for your support.

 

 

 

 Hermanita Kokita

 

 

 

 

ps -our investigator is starting dialysis again this week- and is getting back on the transplant list for the second time. If you can get to the temple this week, put her name on the prayer roll... 

carol jones

 

and sharon robinson too- so she can stay off cig's and coffee.