I've Grown A Foot Or Two!

Mi Familia!!

Sister Walker is from Idaho and we were both born in Rexburg a couple months a part. Her parents also went to Ricks. She is so sweet and loves serving other and is really positive. Our first night together we stayed up until midnight just talking and laughing. We clicked so fast it’s like she is my older sister. :) She is the middle of five and has a cute sister Danyon might like hahah jk, but anyways she is awesome and I hope I get to stay with her longer then a transfer. :)

My 4"11 companion, Sister Walker

This last week was crazy. We had to bike the last four days of the month and don't tell mom, buuuttt I got burnt pretty bad this time. I forgot to put sunscreen on my back and so my back got scorched. I got a 2nd degree burn and it blistered bad, but luckily my comp had lavender oil and put that on my back as well as apple cider vinegar to take out the heat. So it’s healed, just still hurts. I couldn't sleep for a long time but now my neck is black. It’s pretty cool but don't worry I will remember next time about the sunscreen lol.

My back after getting scorched....... you can kinda see the blisters :(

My watch Tan Line

This week we have continued to teach Elizabeth. I don't know if I told you guys about her but she is from Nicaragua and lived with sister missionaries for a year and has had all the lessons and has tons of friends who are Mormon. She is basically Mormon but is afraid of committing to baptism so we have been re-teaching her the lessons and she told us the other day that she wants to be baptized. So this week we have her already for baptism! It’s amazing. I love her so much. She has such a strong testimony and light up every time she talks about it :)) That was a big blessing this week as we are still struggling for investigators

As I have been studying about hope I learned that having a positive attitude plays a big role in gaining hope. Research shows that people who are hopeful preserver when barriers arise, are successful in finding benefits from adversity. Hope is more than an attitude, it is an orientation of the spirit toward God. M Russell Ballard said regardless of how desperate things seem or how desperate they may yet become, you can always hope, always. A way to cultivate that hope is to trust in God. Trusting in God is to have assurance that Gods furious winds can and will always blow us towards the Promised Land. Rather than ask why we are faced with trials, we generally experience better outcomes when we concentrate our efforts to study God’s plan for our happiness. Align our lives with His will and repent as necessary and follow his footsteps.

In D&C 121:45 it says let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. One way we can garnish our thoughts is by counting our blessings and accentuating the positive. As we do this our confidence will wax strong in the presence of God. A quote I found that I like is "Hope is a precious principle by which to live. Hope grows out of faith and meaning and purpose to all that we do. It can even give us peaceful assurance we need to live happily in a world that is ripe with iniquity, calamity and in justices. The Savior, towards the end of his ministry, offered this reassuring hope to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I love hope more and more as I learn and study about it. I have learned in this time to be humble to trust in the lord and his own timetable and just to talk to everyone. God does have a plan for his children and for me. I have a strong testimony about just trusting in him and taking that leap of faith. I have seen the blessings of a strong unity in our companionship and I am happy. When you trust in Heavenly Father this huge burden is lifted from you!! It’s such a great feeling. :)

Sorry I didn't email on Monday, since it was Labor Day they made it a working Monday. Thanks so much for the stories about my great grandparents!! Their stories are so amazing!! I love that I have a grandpa named Alma Helamen! So awesome. Anyways I hope you guys have an amazing week!! I love and miss you all so much!!! Thanks for all your prayer and support!!!

I love you all!!!!