SEATTLE--- Here I Come!!

Holler All!

So I leave today! Craziness. I feel sad that I have to leave the good friends I have made here! Seriously, it made my heart hurt when they called the missionaries going to Tonga to stand up. I'm never going to see these friends again! They have made being here fun :)

I'm so excited to go to Seattle! It's going to be the best adventure I have had yet. I was thinking back over the past year and a half and I have done some fun things, not gonna lie, but this one will top them all. I already am having so much fun, meeting so many people. Now I get to live in SEATTLE!! I'm so stoked. The people aren't going to know what hit 'em. I

Last night we had three devotionals in a row! I thought I was going to die...but the last one made it all worth it. It was by Elder Holland. That man is p-a-s-s-i-o-n-a-t-e about missionary work. I couldn't deny being here is the best choice I have ever made.

It's hard. For reals. Everyday I give myself a little pep talk, but I am growing so close to the Lord and learning to trust and have hope. I have had some AWESOME experiences this week. Remember LaWana? We taught her on Wednesday this week...whoa humbling. When we went there, she just went off on us saying things like, "Ya'll don't know nothin' about me. You come in here trying to teach me something and you don't even care about me." Me and Sister Feller just stared at her. Then she broke down and told us how her momma was a crack addict and she overdosed and died when she was 14. She was on the streets selling drugs for 5 years. Then her sister committed suicide. Then she got breast cancer. Then she was in a house when there was a drive-by shooting and she almost got shot, and that's when she realized God is REAL. She said, "People change. People like me NEED you. The Lord needs you to find them."

We were so, so, so, so humbled. I never knew I could love a stranger like that, but I had so much love for her. I pray for her every night because her breast cancer is serious and it has spread to her stomach now.

"People won't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

I wish I could just transfer the spirit and knowledge that I feel I'm gaining here. I could go on and on with my testimony and hope that you understand what I'm saying, but I know I couldn't do it justice. I know that when people have shared their testimonies with me, I felt the spirit, but now what has changed for me is that I really understand what our purpose is, what the Restoration really meant, and that the Book of Mormon is so true. Not only is it a good read, but it testifies of Christ and it all makes sense.

Okay, here comes the funny story:

So we had this big conference for the departing missionaries and we all separated into rooms to practice things we learned. There was a teacher in each room who guided us. Well, we were instructed to role-play, so Sister Feller plays the investigator and I was the missionary. It went smoothly. The teacher is walking around just helping individual companionships. So then it's my turn to play the investigator. So I closed my eyes and was acting like I was getting in the mode (kind of making fun of this one elder who does that) and I was really concentrated and acting like I was trying to get in touch with my actor self...but Sister Feller wasn't laughing and I was thinking, "this is awkward." Then I opened my eyes and the teacher is sitting RIGHT next to me just starring at me... hahahahaha.

Anyways..Love you all. Send my letters to the mission address 'cause I'll be there TODAY!! Woot Woot!!

Love, Sister ME

p.s.
Elder Holland said this: "Astonish someone today...even if it's yourself!" So do that today! :)