"Nothing can bring peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of a principle" -Emerson

Oh man, it's been a good week. Well a good weekend I should say.. No it's been a good week. We got in with a lot of our less actives which is fantastic. Overall, there were two major highlights of the week. 

#1. JASON CHERRILL

        We had a weekly planning session when I first came into the area. The Area Book had not been gone through in a long time.. going through a lot of the records, we came across one that the Elders had taught 4 years ago. I've never seen such a golden record that had been forgotten. As I read, I found out why. He had gotten himself in some trouble and then had to wait a year to be baptized. He still was meeting with the missionaries for a few months after that.. and then it stops.. just stops. No dropped information, no anything. There wasn't even an address on the front of the record (Something I've found a lot of when I've been assigned to a new area. Write in the address!) There was a phone number for one of his fellow-shippers so we called several times over the weeks and left a voice mail. No return call. We have been super sad about it because he just seems amazing! 

    Fast forward to yesterday morning at 8AM after Stake Correlation. I was talking to some Elders while the other sisters in the stake/ other district came up to us and started talking to my companion about someone. I heard them mention they had someone moving from their ward to ours. She was active and her husband was in jail but had been taught by the missionaries before. I cut in and asked if they were talking about the Cherril's.  They were! It was just an amazing turn of events. Miracle. Jason is still in jail and don't know the details on that but we're meeting with his wife this week. Gonna be good!

#2. MADDY

      I told you about Maddy when I first got to this area. She's been waiting just short of 2 years to be baptized and it finally happened! We had all the sisters who had taught her in the past year come back (6 plus their companions) so a lot of missionary support was there. It was amazing. Lots of support from the ward, as well. We almost had to move to the chapel to fit every one. Several of our investigators came to watch which was fantastic! 

Okay, I lied. there were more than 2 highlights:)

#3 THE CARY'S

     So this is an interesting family. Basically, they are a less active couple that used to be active yeeeaaaars ago. (I'm pretty sure she thinks she's still active) The wife is always gone taking care of her aunt and parents and he's always home just "bach-ing it" alone. They are the best! We usually catch him at home to visit and see how they are doing. Sister Bottomley and I are trying something new with a lot of the LAs we're working with so we went over just on Tuesday night for a visit. I'm pretty good at being bold with things so after a while we got into a discussion about his feeling about the The Book of Mormon. He knew that is was a true and good book, loves it, feels the spirit when he reads it but doesn't get into it that much. We talked a while more and shared our message. We shared the conversion story of Alma the Younger. When we were finished he made a comment about how he's read the story before but it made sense just then which led into another conversation about the book. We extended the commitment that we have been with other families which is to for us to come by with a scheduled appointment to read. He loved the idea!

    We went back that Friday and read. It was amazing. He was assigned to read more before we come back this next week. We'll see what happens:) Him and his wife both came to church this past week to hear a speak so that was a bonus! they're making small but significant progress!

#4. 14th WARD IN GENERAL

        We're just seeing a lot of progression among the members here, active and less-active. Members are starting to want to come out with us a couple nights of the week and we have a few future sister missionaries that will change the world one day! Several of the Less-Active families that we are working with came to church yesterday for the first time, too! There were 2 other families the adversary is working hard on so they missed church. It will be okay. They have the basic desire to try now so we'll just keep working with them. 

1. I "made" my companion cut her hair!  (I suggested it once and she did it but whatever makes her feel better about the loss)

2. So I got suck in this one hole (don't ask how) and the only way out is by a rope. The kids wouldn't let me use the ladder... Not so easy in a skirt!

3. Jaedyn and her amazing Obama Toilet Paper:)

4 + Maddy's Baptism!

(i love my job)