This week was much better! :)

Lawlz when I told my companion what I wrote about last week... She was like are you serious!? YUPP.

But guess what?! This week was amazing. I can't really put my finger on it. It was just so good (except yesterday maybe... lawlz... #11monthmarkinNC).

We saw a limo on our way to the library today. 

I'm in 1 Nephi Chapter 2.

I love people.

I really love people.

Ummm... I really don't know what to write.

Okay, my favorite lesson of the week was the S's house. We were with just the parents getting to know them and all that jazz. Then, the 19 year old daughter and two boys from the ward from a different family joined us as well. Well that kind of changed the dynamics of our planned lesson. As it should. So we got to know them all (it's so weird interacting with people here close to my age that aren't on missions... it just doesn't happen that much so I don't really know how to act... LAWLZ #lostmysocialtact). Our stake president has been encouraging the missionaries to teach doctrine from PMG, not just share spiritual thoughts with families. We had chosen to teach "our life on earth" from the plan of salvation lesson. We went around the room and answered the question," What is hard for you to live about the gospel?" The answers varied widely from having enough compassion, desire to attend church, willingness to serve others, ability to read the scriptures, and being the "weird" one at school. It was so refreshing to hear everyone's honest and pure answers. It was so good to know where everyone was coming from. We read the classic Alma 34 about how now is the time for man to prepare to meet God.

Then we went around the room and asked everyone their desires. The desires varied widely as well. It was really wonderful to see how the gospel could help everyone reach the desires they expressed such as happiness, a successful mission, a college degree, more understanding of the scriptures, and an eternal family. THE GOSPEL WILL CHANGE US! It really will. It was so encouraging and revitalizing to be in that lesson. It was POURING down rain and Bro. S walked us all the way out to our car (#longdriveway) with a huge umbrella. I just love people!

Another really good lesson we had this week was with our investigator R. She always singularly refers to the Bible as scripture. And nothing else. But it's so blatantly obviously that sometimes I just want to scream! haha just kidding, that wouldn't be dignified, but still. She had a really powerful (in my mind) experience with the Book of Mormon. She had never prayed before reading the Book of Mormon, only before reading the "scriptures" aka the Bible. Sighhhh. Haha Anyway, we took that and ran with it and challenged her to pray before she read the Book of Mormon. On our next visit, she didn't have as many verses that stuck out to her... but she had just one that more powerfully stuck out to her. It was amazing. What was the verse, you may ask! It was in the story of Lehi's vision of the tree of life. 1 Nephi 8:12. She truly felt the Spirit of the Lord as she read that verse, and was able to express how she felt upon reading it. We tried our best to link her experience with the truthfulness of the message. It is just amazing to see how the Spirit is working with her slowly but surely. :)

We came out of that lesson and we were with a member we didn't know too well yet. We knew she was amazing because she is the youth's seminary teacher and everyone talks about how much they strengthen their testimony in the gospel. She didn't say too much, but after the lesson she just sincerely thanked us for inviting her. She said she had been out with our missionaries, mostly knocking on less active members' homes, and she had not gotten the chance to go to a sit down lesson before. I LOVE WHEN THE MEMBERS FEEL THE SPIRIT OF MISSIONARY WORK! :) Also, her daughter is going to cut our hair next week and I'm sooooooo excited! :)

Also, the lady I was just sitting next to was applying for a job at Buffalo Wild Wings and I kinda accidentally peeked over and saw that her reason for wanting to work there noted that she felt like she "would fit right in." IDK why that was funny to me, but it was. hahaha.

ALSO, my trainer goes home on Wednesday. And I'm not getting transferred (which I'm happy about!!!). But that means that I won't get to say goodbye to her. Which is okay I guess. But she wrote me a letter this week and I was just so happy. She said something that really stuck out to me, "I'm the happiest I've ever been because I now know how to live the gospel."

You don't need a mission to learn how to live the gospel. Yes, it's a wonderful place to be immersed in the scriptures and to find joy and peace in serving others. But... it's not the only way to figure out how to live the gospel. I can promise anyone that if you live the gospel of Jesus Christ, you will be happier than you have ever been. Yes, it may be hard. Yes, you may have to sacrifice things that you love. Yes, you will be called upon to stretch and become better than you think you can be. But it will all be worth it.

I have learned so much from my lil lil trainer and from my lil lil trainee. Both so different, both so wonderful. Sister Z is staying another transfer too and we are pretty much going to let her take over in the area so she can be adjusted for whenever I do happen to leave.

Love you all. Keep doing your best! :)