Chase Him Down!

Family!

This week was really great. Did two divisions- I don´t know why I always choose the members with little to no experience. I either like the challenge or I´m afraid of members judging my lack of teaching skills.. probably the latter. But it was great! Had a pretty embarrassing/ funny experience that I will not explain in ´´public´´ with the first, and made a lot of really awesome contacts with the second. The second division was with Paula, a recent convert of the Elders of about a week. She is hilarious- REALLY wants to get married. Her non-member sister ended up teaching with us too. It was kind of funny making street contacts with them the last hour of the night because it was the non-member sister saying, ´´Sister Barkdull, are you going to talk with that guy? You need to stop EVERYBODY. Why did you let him pass?! Chase him down!´´ I literally contacted everyone in eyesight that day and even ran some people down because of her. The spirit was strong with that one.

We also had a baptism!! Woohoo! The famine has passed! Gabriella is amazing! She lives with her 86 year old grandma (who is a woot) because her dad died from stomach cancer 4 months ago and she had bad experiences living with her mom and her mom´s boyfriend. From day one, she went to church, read the scriptures, prayed and got an answer, went to all the church activities, loves seminary, and has tons of friends in the ward already. We really tried to integrate her well because it´s hard for teenagers to be the only members in their family. However, recently, her Grandma´s really been softening up. This little old lady loves to joke around and pretend she´s still 16, but there´s a gaping hole in her heart from when two of her children died. Sometimes, she justs starts crying out of the blue. My heart aches for her pain, but I´m so excited for her to finally hear about the plan of salvation and know that she can see and be with her children again. Unfortunately, I will not be the one teaching because...

I´m being transferred! Not too happy about that.. I really love my companion and I´m realizing now just how much I love the people here in Satelite. Despite all the hardships and rejection I´ve faced here, I love every single person, even down to the half dead dog that wanders around on our street every day. After 6 months of serving here, I feel like I´m leaving my family all over again. However, the members are having a festa tonight for the departing Americans, so at least I´ll be able to say goodbye to everyone.

I feel good though- more confident in teaching, in my faith and trust in Christ, definitley in the language, and with my ability to really do this work. Wish me luck (and by that, I mean pray for me).

All my love,

Sister Barkdull