February 16, 2015

Dear mom,

    The chiropractor went good! It was funny. He told me my neck and back are really flexible. Too flexible. It's cause I pop and twist them all the time! So he told me I'm not allowed to do that anymore.

I'm supposed to go back again next week. Apparently my back sucks. But the good news is we have an appointment to teach his receptionist this week! We just started talking to her and she said we could come by.

Pretty sick huh? This was such a good week! We taught so so much! We taught double the number of investigator lessons that we did last week, and last week was a good week for us too. We are seeing miracles. They are coming slow, but they're coming. We were doing service at the food pantry this week and Phil came up to us and started talking about church. There is a girl who just got home from her mission in Brazil that gave her homecoming talk this week, so we told him that was happening. He was so excited and started calling al, his kids telling them he's going to a mormon church this week and they should too! It was so amazing to see him get excited about coming. I know you're reading emails from people talking about all the baptisms they're having and those kinds of miracles. Trust me, we are working so hard to help those we are teaching be baptized. They are just so sucked in to the Portland way of life. People rarely believe in God in this city. The only thing they believe in is naked bike races and recycling. We are trying to get them to take off those hipster glasses and see the world more clearly. It makes me so sad because I see so many people chasing the temporal things in life. They chase new clothes, cool restaurants, concerts, nice houses, new cars. All things that are good, but won't last. They don't realize that us 20 year old girls are laboring with all our might, praying without ceasing, studying, and fasting for these people so that they can have the one thing in this life that will last forever. The one thing they can take with them to the next life. I was talking to my mission president about this this week in interviews. I feel like I've put more of my heart into this area than ever before and received almost nothing in return. He gave me some awesome advice! He read parts of a talk from the most recent CES fireside and I don't remember who gave the talk, but they said a quote that I loved! He said "Follow your bliss and follow your blisters." I love that! Chase what makes you happy, and anything of real value takes hard work. I instantly thought of this area. It's hard work. We labor constantly. We tract, street contact, search for less actives, teach members, put together activities, literally everything you can think of, we've tried. I've been spiritually bruised and blistered. But the fruits of that hard work are delicious! I have never been happier. I smile more than ever before and I feel more love for people than I thought possible. This is my bliss, but it's also my blisters. God wants us to work hard because hard work brings joy. It brings a feeling of accomplishment. I wish we grew as much physically as we do spiritually on our mission, cause I would be a lot taller than 5'3! I love my mission. I love my people. I love my Savior and I know He lives. I love my mom for sending me packages :) love you all so much! Have the best week ever!