AHOY!!

I feel Like I have been here for a MONTH. It was a long week! haha

Mother, I got your card at the most perfect timing!! Oh buddy was it a rough day, but then I opened it up and it was so so perfect! Oh my goodness, thank you.

Ok, this mission makes me appreciate our family so much. When I pray for our family or thank Heavenly Father for you guys, I feel like my heart is going to burst. Really though.

So I met Elder Oaks this weekend. He's pretty cool. All the missionaries were shaking his hand and I think I caught him off guard cause I asked how he was doing and he kind blinked and looked at me and then read my nametag and said "Well it's very nice to meet you." HIs eyes are endless. He spoke to the missionaries and then on Sunday we had a stake conference. He is so funny! Seriously, way down to earth and when he says that he is a servant of the Lord, you know it without a doubt.

I am in Snoqualmie aka middle of the mountains. Its cold cold cold and a tiny town. But there are some famous Snoqualmie Falls that are fascinating and gorgeous. It is so pretty here... when it's not raining. Which is never.

I have grown so close to the Lord in this last week. I feel like myself but a completely new person at the same time. When I meet people now, I see them how God would see them and love them and I have loved these people like they are family. I want to do everything and anything I can for them to help their lives. God loves everyone so much! It's so hard to grasp it.

Sister Wiley... hahahahah! She is hilarious. Oh gosh. Ask Alia about Wiley's blonde moments. We went tracting on this one street and this guy opens the door and says "i'm a mormon already" so we got super excited and were like oh cool! what ward? and he had no idea what a ward was... He lied. Snitch. Then two houses later another guy opens the door and told us to come in, we were so excited!! then he says he's a mormon and we didn't believe him... but he really was actually. Weird night.

Bears live here. Sister Wiley is terrified of them. We were out walking and I wanted to scare here so while she was telling me a story, I screamed and ran away and she about died. I have never seen her move so fast. She thought a bear was behind us hahahaha I was laughing so hard.

I'm meeting so many people and their lives are so hard! I am so grateful for our lives and how blessed we have been. I'm grateful for our home and that dad has a job and that we have the gospel and that we are all friends! I love our relationships. I love this gospel and how it changes and helps people's lives. I know it is true. And this is helping me more than I will ever help anyone here. its Hard. But good. So good. and if i can finish this and do the Lord's will, i Can do anything. ok well, i'm sure I have more to say... oh i do!

I saw sister feller and the conference with Elder Oaks. It was like seeing aubrey or sara again. I LOVE HER. It was such a good reunion and it had only been like 4 days! All of my district... i was so happy to see my boys/elders. they are like family and I wanted to hug them all. OK 

 I gotta go now. I love you!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

(Sister Wiley and Sister Mahaffey on Thanksgiving, 2011!)