It's Already Been Fourteen Months?!? 4/17/2017

Y'all this is crazy!! I was writing in my journal yesterday and realized it had already been a year since last Easter. I remember where I was, what we ate (roast, potatoes, pasta salad, salad, rolls, and homemade brownies and chocolate chip cookies with the whole Boone Clan) and what our conversations were. It's crazy! Doesn't seem like it has already been a year since then! And that it has been almost fourteen months since I arrived here in humid Mississippi! I remember sitting on the back porch of the mission home, talking with Sister Maynes, and listening to the birds and the bugs while eating frutie o's. Now I'm here. Time flies. 

This week has been pretty regular in terms of missionary work. We have been waking up bright and early at 6:30, dragging ourselves out of bed, onto the floor to pray, and then into the bathroom to brush our teeth and wake up enough to exercise. Then into the shower. To the kitchen, after getting ready, to eat breakfast and take vitamins. Planning is followed by personal studying. Then the real fun starts as we head out for the day. Activities range from service at a thrift store, tracting in the heat and humidity, visting less actives and trying to help them once again "sing the song of redeeming love" so they can "feel so now" or trying to track down our illusive investigators and bring them into the fold. Never a dull moment, and never a day the same as the one before. Oh how I love being a missionary. Even when it may not be so successful. It is all worth it at the end of the day when I can look back and see the people whose life I have touched in some small way. The smile as I waved at someone. The tears of someone hearing about Christ in a different way for the first time and feeling the Spirit. 

We had Zone Conference this week and were uplifted and inspired as usual. The Assistants were there to share a cool presentation about our work. Elder Gilbert made a video that is fashioned after Paul Harvey's video "So God made a farmer" called "So God made a missionary."

It was powerful. 

God needed someone who was willing to walk for miles to find that one soul in need, so God made a missionary.

He needed someone willing to put in 40 hard hours before Wednesday afternoon, and then finishing that, go out and put in 70 more. So God made a missionary. 

I will have to get the video and send it to y'all so you can watch it. So amazing! Made me even more proud and humbled to be wearing this badge upon my chest.

Switching gears a little. I have bee questioned multiple times this week about my legs and the condition they are in. I just laugh a little and say "bugs. That's what I get for walking around all the time. LOTS of bug bites." Y'all. I may need some medical help with all these scars. You truly can't appreciate the full magnitude of them in the picture I took, but you get the gist of it. ahaha. sigh. Bugs. 

I have been accumulating some names from Mississippi for my future children. Here are some of the ones from this week:

-Brederine (bretheren with a "D")

-Sisterine (sisteren) 

-Andjewn (antoine)

-Lasagna (not even kidding)

-Angelekqua

Prepare yourselves children. Your names will NOT be found on those souvenir key chains. They will be one of a kind! 

I saw fireflies this week. Just thought I would let you know. They are pretty cool. Brought back memories of sitting on the lawn in Nauvoo when Grandma and Grandpa went to the Temple and watching the fireflies. Beautiful creatures!

BTW. Transfers are next week. Probably be leaving here. 6 months already under my belt. President probably hardly lets people stay that long in an area so another transfer will be really pushing it. but I will be fine, kind of, with either. I will keep you posted!

LOVE Y'ALLL!!!!!!!!!