From the Four Quarters of the Earth

Things have been going really well lately. I have such a testimony of putting our faith and trust in God and continuing onward with hope. I have noticed this cycle that I get into,  where I will rely on myself, my teach abilities, my obedience and then we see a few miracles and then things get rough again. So I will completely turn it over to God and just give it up to him and we will see a few miracles and then things get rough again. This week. I feel like I began to understand what it means to work as if everything depended on me and pray as if everything depended on God. It changed the work. We didn't have an influx of lessons taught or a baptism, but for the first time this transfer, our investigators have begun to progress! it's amazing. 

Coupled with that mind set was determining who's glory we are really seeking and what are our true motivations. I felt the focus change: from teaching so many lessons and striving for baptisms, so the ward would know we were working hard-to sincerely loving God and his children and trying to talk with everyone out of a genuine desire to help them have a relationship with their  Heavenly Father. The shift was amazing. The work was less stressful this week, and teaching was more enjoyable. I feel so humbled and I know that all of the success that we saw this week was because of the Lord. NOT US. Oh, and the thing that sparked this shift was a letter from Sister Manwill (aubrey:) She is an amazing example to me! good friends are so important. 

We had three of our investigators come to see baptisms this week. The spirit was so strong at each of them and the ward members were so welcoming and warm. I SO appreciate it when members step outside of their comfort zone just to make others feel welcomed. It means the world. ( oh we are teaching a Burmese woman, thai kid, sudanese man, kenyan guy- the 4 quarters of the earth are here in OUR mission!)

I really love having foreign companions. Sister Fed hears idioms and tries to use them- I laugh so hard every time. This week she said that we could take a less-active with us teaching and she said " it will be great! We can kill two rabbits with one stone!" hahaha. Then later, we met a woman name Velvet. Well, sister f can't say "V" so everytime she talks about her, she says "welwet" haha. I'm so immature, but it's the little things that make each day fun!

We met a kid this week who's eyes were so empty. I have never seen eyes like his before. He told us about his life story and how he has been on his own since he was 10. Oh my goodness. We wanted to help him know that he has a loving heavenly father so badly!

I LOVE federal way. I love this ward and their desire to help people. i love their love for missionaries and the gospel. I love our Heavenly Father and I know he wants whats best for each of us. This is HIS work. 

Have a good one yal. I Love YOU.

Love, ME.