The South: Land of Baptists, Upside down flags, and PERSECUTION! 4/11/16

You don't want to know how long it took me to try and come up with a creative title for this email. And ^ was all I could come up with. Sigh. Whatever. Here we go...

First off, I want to tell my sweet loving mother that I love her and that she is amazing! In anticipation for Mother's day, I have been thinking a lot about everything she does for me. And it's A LOT! I truly don't know what I would do without her! 

With that happy thought in mind Mother, I also want to tell you that I dyed my hair. Don't kill me okay? Sister Fa'ulao and I dyed our hair last Monday because a) we were looking for something to change things up and b) it sounded fun

Here is how it looks. I love it by the way, so don't rain on my parade please 

​Alright now that that is out of the way, Mom please contain your frustration at me dying my beautiful hair and thus going against what you have told me every time I have asked to dye it  and focus on what else I have to say. 

Short email this week so savor each word:

This week has been a usual week in regards to work. We have done a lot of tracting and service. Walked until our feet are about to fall off, then walked some more. Gotten nice tans from being in the sun all day. (i have a nice watch tanline and a equally attractive shoe tanline because I have been wearing my Keens everyday this week) The reason for the "PERSECUTION" part of the subject line is due to the amazing number of people that are against what we have to share. Many people have swerved to get as close to us as possible without actually hitting us. Ridiculous people. We even had one guy cuss at us, and then spit on us. Silly Southerners. 

My left pointer finger is swollen and hard from who knows what. I don't know what I did to it, but the bruise thing that has been there is swollen and there is a hard bump on my knuckle that grows and spreads each day. I don't know what telling you will do since there isn't much you can do from across the country, but hey, now ya know.

Also, remember that nasty cough i had for three months before the mish... it's back.  Will you send me an inhaler so I can get rid of it. I can't bike, laugh, or talk a lot without coughing. It's no bueno. 

My first transfer is complete! Those 7 weeks went fast! Though they were hard, they went by fast and I learned so much! I now look forward to driving, I don't have anxiety attacks when I have to do door approaches, and most importantly, I LOVE MY MISSION!!

We are teaching a new investigator named Kadence. She is an 11 year old girl who is very eager to learn about the church. When we met with her for the first time last Monday, she was VERY open and accepting and her Pentecostal mom was the reason the lesson went as well as it did. Her comments really brought the Spirit and helped Kadence understand. Kadence now has a baptism date set for May 7th. Now we just have to work hard to get her ready for that commitment and the sacred covenant she will be making. 

Dinner with the Alhaltehs was amazing! They took us out to Bonsai, a restaurant like Tepenyaki. We had a grand time talking and eating! Elder Alhalteh has a real winner of a family! His mother is truly amazing! 

I am reading the Book of Mormon for the first time again like Elder Gong talked about. It is a totally different experience than ever before! I don't know whether it is that I am on a mission and therefore have a new spiritual sensitivity, but The Book of Mormon is so amazing! I am learning so much and have a new appreciation for what that sacred book contains. The stories are more applicable and interesting than they have seemed before. I invite all of you to read The Book of Mormon and try to  really care and appreciate everything that is in those 531 pages. It is truly amazing! 

Keep up the good work everyone! Love ya!