I'm Going To Be A Mom!

This week has flown by! We have had so many adventures and good times. I love this ward and everything about it! I love Hermana Norton and I'm sad to have to say goodbye to her this week. We had some really great lessons and some awesome opportunities to share the gospel and our testimonies.

This wednesday our zone had the opportunity of running a youth activity for one of the stakes in our area. We reinacted the MTC and tried to teach the youth what it was like to be a missionary. It was so much fun and I was really edified myself. Hermana Norton and I were given the topic of learning a language, so we got to teach the kids about learning a new language. We loved telling the kids about how awesome a mission was and getting them pumped up to be missionaries. I loved it! There were a lot of investigators there and I hope they were able to feel the Spirit and I hope the members were able to be more excited about going on missions, especially the girls. :)

This week as we were street contacting, we met a guy named Benny. He told us his friend just got baptized and he had a lot of questions for us and asked if we would find a place to sit with him. He was so ready to hear the gospel! He asked us really simple questions about our beliefs and once he figured out that they made sense to him, he started getting really interested. We told him about a prophet and about how we had general conference this weekend where a prophet was going to speak. That was really awesome for him. We were able to bare our testimonies to him a bunch of times about how much the gospel truly has blessed us and how much we know that it is true. He told us he's very interested in learning more and wants to meet with missionaries soon. It's amazing to see how God has prepared him with his friend and how much he is ready to make a change in his life. We're so excited for him!

Hassan is just one of my favorite people! We got to teach him last night. We read Alma 36 with him about repentance and forgiveness. The Spirit touched him a lot and he he got uncomfortable for a second, but he knows that there are a few things in his life he needs to change. He's been praying and reads the little scripture messages that we send him everyday. I wish you could all meet him and understand. He is incredible-so easily touched by the Spirit and such a good kid. I wish he could also see it himself and believe more in himself. I know the Lord has incredible, incredible things planned for him.

So this weekend was so, so, so incredible! We have been waiting for conference for weeks and weeks and it finally came! And it was exactly what we needed in so many ways! I still haven't had time to collect my thoughts too much about all that was said, but I was able to recieve a lot of personal revelation for me and how I can be a better missionary. I loved Elder Scott's, Elder Alonso's, Pres. Uchtdorf's, Elder Cook's, Elder Curtis's, Elder Hales's (I'm worried about him), Elder Oaks, Elder Richardson, etc. I could keep going on and on about all of them, so let's just say that they were all my favorite talks. I was so incredibly surpised to hear that the Provo Tabernacle will be made into a temple. I can't wait to see it when I get home! I love conference as a missionary! We also were able to have both Luis and Patricio make it to 2 of the 5 sessions. They really enjoyed it and gained a lot from it. It really helped Patricio to have more of a desire and strength to quit smoking. We were truly blessed as a church this last weekend in what was said in conference. I would love to hear how conference touched all of you.

One other treat that we had was we were able ot see the Priesthood session of conference. Luis was there during that session, so we were able to accompany him. We got a lot of weird looks and comments, but we were so happy to be there. Amazingly, a lot of things that were said were so perfect for me. I felt like I really needed to hear Elder Waddell's and Elder Eyering's talks. Something that really touched me was to see so many worthy priesthood holders in their white shirts and ties all there. Our stake's huge chapel and cultural hall couldn't even fit all of them. I don't think you men of the priesthood understand just how amazing you are. You literally hold the priesthood of God, the power and permission to do God's work here on earth. And you are such good men. Not just any man can hold God's power. Being a missionary has made me so much more grateful for the priesthood and for worthy men that hold it and honor it. Thank you all.

Well, those of you who have gone on missions before and understand mission lingo probably understood the title to this post, but for those of you who are really confused right now, let me explain. In the mission we a "family" when it comes to training. The person that trains you is you "father"/"mother" (depending on if your a sister or an elder) and you are their "son"/"daughter". So, in that case, I'm Hermana Norton's "daughter" and she's my "mom". Last night we got a call from our mission president, President Howes, asking if Hermana Norton and I would both train seperately. So according to our little lingo, I'm going to be a MOM! It was a little shocking to say the least! We had a totally different guess as to what was going to happen and I never thought I would train now because there are at 3 other sisters that are older than me in the mission. So for the next few minutes after the call, Hermana Norton and I were in complete shock! But after the shock wore off, I felt complete peace. Something that really hit me from Conference was the talk from Elder Carl B. Cook. He talked about forgetting our worries and trusting in God and in our abilities. It was completely everything I needed to hear! Especially because he talked about how we are capable of our responsibilities. Throughout all of conference I felt a renewed desire to serve the Lord to the end and a new strength to love every minute of it. So, I have faith that who ever I train and where ever I go (we still don't know those things or if I'm the one going) it will all be exactly what needs to happen. God's hand is in all things, as President Monson told us yesterday. Later today I'll find out if I'm leaving this area and on wednesday we'll find out who our companion is and where we are going.

I'm going to need a lot of support in the next little bit. Please pray for me if you can and write me and tell me about your lives. I love you all and I appreciate so much your support!