Week 7

Subject: 12 Days.

Hello All!

We get our travel plans tomorrow. Supposedly I get to call home from the airport. We'll see what they say. I'll let you know next week mom. We are all hoping to go through Paris. That's what they normally get to do.

Things are still really good. I asked Mitch to pick up the backpack for me, Aunt Lisa. Turns out we are going to be staying overnight for two nights at the mission home and they mentioned an overnight bag. I sure don't have anything like that and I don't want to carry that blue plastic bag they give you on the first day through the airport. If you don't have it anymore, I will borrow a bag from Sis Sumner. Thanks!

So, Melissa wins the prize for first letter from someone in my immediate family writing me. And she wrote me an email! Dear me! So, thank you Melissa, I was really excited to get your email. I've been reading your blog, and things sound great (except for you all being sick all the time...ok, mostly the butterflies and other adventures sound great).

So, we had Bruce C. Hafen come and speak to us yesterday. It made me think of Grandpa Maxwell since Elder Hafen was the one who was made Dean of Ricks when they went to Brazil, right? I had the overwhelming feeling that Grandpa would be proud of me and is. I don't know how much interaction people who have gone before have with the spirits who are waiting, but I've always felt a special connection to Grandpa, so I felt really touched by that. Elder Hafen shared some amazing remarks about having a 3 legged testimony built on reason, spiritual feelings, and the test of experience. He related gaining a testimony to falling in love.  :)   Overall, it was fantastic and I wish I could write more about it, but the point was, give your testimony time. I love how all of the speakers who come are reflecting back to when they were 19 and just as unsure about things as the elders are now and we can see the fruit of their life long dedication to the Lord. It takes a life time for us to sometimes see the fruits.

I shared that yesterday in the district meeting we have after devotional where we discuss everything. I shared how cool it was that they look back on being our age, but in my mind I thought, "No. Your age." Decided not to say it. It's funny how my age will come up and surprise me every now and then. The sisters are all exactly Brian's age which I often forget. Sometimes they call me mom. Oh well. That's just part of my personality I guess.

So, I've been thinking. I want to collect conversion stories on my mission, so if you feel like reflecting on that, please, send me your personal conversion story. A lot of what we do is to guide that process, and I'd love to understand it better through all of your experiences, so don't forget that dearelder.com is free until I leave!

Ok, love you all, you are amazing!

Amy