Hace calor!

It has been a very inspiring week for me. We went to the TEMPLE! It had been 5 months since I did a session in the temple and I needed it so much! When I was in the temple I felt so much peace and kept praying that one day all the people that I've taught, less-actives, non-members, and recent converts can all be able to feel the peace of the temple and to stay true to those covenants. It was really wonderful experience for me. That night we got to stay with Hermana Farley and her companion, Hermana Escobar. It was so wonderful to be able to see how Hermana Farley has grown on her mission and to be able to catch up with her. We really haven't spent that much time with each other since the MTC. The next day we had a Sisters Training in Tempe. All the sisters came and we had some trainings from President and Sister Howes and from the Assistants. Every single time I go to Tempe I feel like I get to be inspired so much by the assistants. They are always such good missionaries, some of the best in the mission and are trying so hard to improve themselves. It was so inspiring to me to be able to learn from them and from President Howes. He gave a powerful training about being disciples of Christ and remembering who we are. I think the mission life can be really hard on our self-esteem at times as sisters, but President Howes helped us to remember that even if we're not perfect at everything, we have the Atonement to help us improve and we must remember how important we are to God. We also cleaned this super messy house for an investigator of some of the sisters in Tempe. Her house was really bad, but we were able to help her a lot. We were an army of about 30 people and we got a ton done. It was a special experience to do something for this woman that she would never have been able to do herself. There has been a lot of talk of transfers this last week, even though we still have a week and a half until they come. Since our zone has stayed the same for so long, I think that everyone is expecting big changes in the zone. Hermana Staples has only one transfer left and she doesn't want us to get split up. I am really torn about what I want to happen. I absolutely love it here in Yuma and have fallen in love with the members, but with only 2 transfers left, I would like to serve in another area, so that I have more than 2 areas my whole mission. Sometimes I can feel what's coming on, but I'm really not sure what will happen this time. I'm trying not to think or worry about it and to just be okay with anything, but it still comes up a lot in conversation. We had some great lessons too. We talked about the importance of marriage and family with Brent and Tawnie. We were bold with them and committed them to pray about getting married within the next few weeks. They thanked us for pushing them because they know that they need to get married and that they need to keep the commandments. It was an awesome lesson and I think we really gained their trust a lot. Tami is also doing super well. I don't know if I told you, but she's a crazy marathon runner and has run a marathon in every state and more. This weekend she had planned to run a marathon and we talked to her about keeping the sabbath day holy and she committed very strongly to it. She knows that it is super important and wants to keep the commandments. She's amazing and kind of committed us to run a marathon with her one day (on a Saturday of course). We just love her to death! We had a great lesson with a less active man named Jose. He has been inactive for years, but a long time ago went through the temple with his wife and kids. As we talked to him about his conversion he realized what he's been missing out on for so long and committed to start on this path back to church. He offered a very powerful prayer at the end of the lesson. It was a special experience. We also started teaching a new family, Joe and Elysa. They are amazing. They are prepared for the gospel. They have friends that are members and have had a lot of interaction with the church and have been interested in it for a little bit. We found them because Elysa approached us outside her apartment one day. When we taught them the Restoration and about the first vision, Elysa was very inspired. They are super awesome, but are going to be out of town a bunch during the summer, so we pray that we can still teach and influence them. I have also been able to spend more time with the hispanic members in the branch lately and I love it. They are close to becoming a ward and they are super motivated and excited about it. They are such a special people and I wish we had more Spanish work so that we could spend even more time with them. We keep praying for more Spanish investigators. Well, that's about all I can think of to say today. I hope all is well with all of you. Also, I still have a good 3 months on my mission, so don't let the letters stop just yet. :) Happy Summer! I am actually loving the heat here this year. I'm not sure how, but the Lord is helping the heat seem bearable to me. It's wonderful! love you, Hermana Anneli Hansen