SUNDROPS, LOLLIPOPS AND RAINBOWS EVERYWHERE.......

(names have been changed)

A sister in the mission just forwarded her email home and the title made me laugh so I copied it.

Yeah so my heart is broken. Yesterday was an adventure for sure. S May and I are definitely the best friends of the mission but there is another set that is also best friends named S East and S Hanks. S Hanks and I have been out about the same time and S East and S May both went home today so S Hanks and I got to be companions after we dropped them off at the mission home last night. It was so funny becuase we were all four in the same boat. S May and I were standing outside talking and President comes out and says "I was wondering if you two were going to be separable!" After we gave our last hugs goodbye the door closed and both S Hanks and I freaked out haha. It was so good we had each other and knew exactly what the other was going through. So we get home at night and start planning and get a phone call from some sisters in S Hank's zone but it was actually S East and S May calling us haha. So we switched off talking to our companions until the phone ran out of battery.

Then this morning we get a phone call at 6:33, lights still off, we're both still saying our prayers, from one of the APs and guess who it was? Yep, S East and S May, on their way to the airport. We were laughing so hard. We talked to them, all 4 of us, for their whole ride to the airport. Are we all pathetic or what? Later S Hanshaw was like "That was the best 30 minutes of excersise time I've ever had." So right now S May is at home with her family. Crazy right??

My new companion is S Jackson! She is super nice :) She came out the transfer before me and was called as one of the brand new Sister Training Leaders. S May said "If you get one of the new STLs you should tell them, yeah, as STLs we go home at 8 instead of 9. We also get Sundays AND Mondays off." Hahaha I was laughing so hard.

This week we had Zone Meeting and I gave the training on repentance which I LOVED! I definitely needed it. I'm way too hard on myself, like most people and I loved being able to testify that God wants to forgive us. I was having kind of a hard day so I didn't feel fully prepared to train (actually I hadn't prepared at all). But I got up there and just said "I just want to tell all of you how much God loves you and please do more talking than me because there is someone in this room who needs to hear your testimony." And by someone I genuinely meant it because I meant me, but of course I'm way too prideful to admit I'm having a bad day.

I learned more this week about the Atonement than I have in a while. I learned that my Heavenly Father loves me so so so much and that my Savior knows where I am and how I feel. You know what is cool? I have learned to really appreciate the sacrament. As  missionary, we have to be clean and obedient to feel the spirit so we can teach with power and authority. By the time Sunday comes again, I NEED that sacrament so I can restart. I have no doubt that it works because it is a sacred ordinance of the Savior's gospel. That is what I love about being a missionary, that I am changing, truly changing! I want nothing more than to become like my Savior and I will go through whatever it takes to get there.

I miss S May a lot but I need to forget about myself. I know that S Jackson will be easy to love, what a blessing that we have to interact and love so many of God's precious children! If I can just lose myself in the work maybe my heart will stop being so broken. I would appreciate your prayers, change is never easy but it is always good! Also, can I get some more support from mi familia? I hear from 3 family members semi-consistently. Plus a couple other people the email me fairly regularly but I really love you guys and would appreciate talking to you more :)

Love you always!!!

Sister Knowlton

"How good do we look on a scale of 9-10"

(names have been changed)

Dearest Family,

I didn't hear from as many of you this week. You all still alive out there? ;) I've learned so much this week. I always share little experiences and such but ask me some questions so I can know what you want to hear about :)

Man sending your best friend home is emotional! Poor S May, she doesn't want to leave at all, I feel like both of our hearts were heavy this week and probably will only be heavier in this last week. We still are working as hard as we can to make every second count.

Update on investigators: Valerie was supposed to be baptized on the 8th but we taught her Word of Wisdom. We didn't see her at all this week but we are really trying to get back in contact with her. It breaks my heart because she knows that this is true and loves the Savior but Satan just threw all this junk at her right before her baptism. Keep her in your prayers if you can :)

Mary and Sonny were supposed to be baptized this coming Saturday but there were some setbacks. They are still so on board, converted, and fellowshipped, we just need to postpone it one or two more weeks. I can't remember if I told you this about them: They have a really hard time getting pregnant and finally last year they did and they had a miscarriage so teaching them the Plan of Salvation was the best feeling ever. They are so excited to now know that they can see their child and live with them forever. When we taught the law of Chastity Mary said, "I've always wondered if the reason we haven't been able to get pregnant is because we weren't quite doing it the way God wanted." I really thought about that and came to the conclusion that God wasn't punishing them, but now that they will be married and keeping God's commandments, think of the amazing miracles that will happen for them :)

Awesome things are happening in the Roanoke (not the name) ward, after about 3 months here it is starting to be a little bit more like M. Ward as far as member involvement. We have a member with us almost every single hour that we are out working. S May and I really wanted to get 40 lessons but we calculated that we only have 35 hours a week of actual working time because of all the meetings we have every week. technically we could do it if we did half hour lessons but that would be silly. Numbers are important but quality over quantity.

Every week I learn more and more about God's love. He loves us so incredibly much. If there is ever a moment when I am sad or stressed I know without a doubt that the answer is prayer. I can always turn to my Heavenly Father so I instantly fold my arms and bow my head at any moment of the day. I wish I could express how much I love being a missionary. I love getting up every morning at 6:30. I love kneeling down to pray and study everyday at 8. I love going out into the world to share the gospel and my testimony at 10 am. I love feeling the spirit which always tells us what to say. I love making mistakes and laughing at them. I just love laughing period! I love eating at 5pm, who doesn't love eating. I love my companion, doesn't matter what we are doing, we are happy and feeling the spirit. I love coming home at 9, planning until 9:30, talking nonstop until 10:20 then jumping in my PJs and kneeling down to pray again at 10:30. I love snuggling up in my blankets after a hard days work. Most importantly I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He lives and is my Redeemer. I have total faith that through Him I can be saved. Everyone listen up! No matter what you've done, Heavenly Father loves you and His grace is sufficient, He wants you back so have faith and repent :)

Please please please, share the gospel with boldness this week. And, again, I would love more questions so my emails can be more directed :)

<3Sister Knowlton