Time Flies!

Letter dated February 18, 2009

This week has flown by so fast! Tomorrow marks the 3 months in the mission already- crazy! Being out here on a mission truly has changed me completely and continues to each day- I'm excited to still have quite awhile left and look forward to all of the good things and hard work that lays ahead. There's nowhere else I'd rather be right now than here on a mission in Virginia, serving the Lord and His children, especially the Hispanic people- they are so receptive and ready to accept the Gospel into their lives. I love it!

The ward here is wonderful! The ward we go to is Spanish speaking. They are so willing to do anything and everything to help out and forward the missionary work here. The members are so important! We also have the opportunity to work with a lot of less-active members. It's been so much fun to see how the ward here does all that they can to fellowship them, as well as those investigating the Church- they truly have a genuine love for everyone.

One way that we have found very effective in finding people to share the Gospel with is by teaching English classes. It's a goldmine! The people who come there amaze me with their desire and diligence to learn and are so humble. They help me out with my Spanish as well!

Every day I think more and more that my companion, Hermana Barney, and I are related! We're both pretty quirky and I love it! She is such an amazing example to me of how a missionary should be. The love that she has for the people and her desires to serve them is so unselfish. She is such a great trainer and I'm thankful for her patience with me. She has such a magnetic and friendly personality that everyone is attracted to, and is a wonderful example of being "real" with the people and not adapting to "robot" missionary mode. I love her to pieces!

I'm not quite sure what else to say... Life is good, the Gospel is true, and I love you!!! Especially during times like this, it's good to know that we have something to believe in and hold onto. I know that as we put our faith and trust in the Lord, and have hope, that all will be well and we have no need to fear. He will never abandon us, and He knows exactly what we're going through. We are all His children and if we strive to do what's right, He will always watch over and protect us.