Hurrah for Israel!

(Sorry about the delay! - Amanda)

Howdy everyone!

I'm constantly amazed how quickly time is flying by and can hardly believe it has been another week of my mission. I'm so happy and grateful for the priviledge of being part of the Lord's work. Thanks so much to all my friends and family for your love, prayers, and support!

This week has been busy as usual with finding and teaching those that God has prepared to receive our message. We have also enjoyed serving in the community and finding so many wonderful opportunities to invite other to come unto Christ. One of our investigators committed this week to be baptized! As we discussed setting a specific date for baptism, she out of the blue suggested October 7th because that is her 70th birthday. We committed her to pray about that date and are hoping to move it forward quite a bit... like to March.... according to the Lord's will of course.

My companions are amazing and I love them more each day as we work hard together. Sister Miller's birthday was yesterday the 23rd and we had some fun celebrating it throughout this past week. Last Preparation Day we went to go get pedicures together, and Sister Stott and I paid for hers. She'd never had one before and we all enjoyed it immensely! :) The member family who fed us last night had birthday cake for us... as did the restaraunt a member took us to the night before... not to mention the cheesecake ice cream another family brought us when they brought us dinner on Monday... and the birthday cheesecake served at our dinner appointment Saturday... and the cupcakes given to us a couple days before that... We're incredibly spoiled and trying our best not to gain 500 pounds. I have a feeling we would be just as spoiled without a birthday to celebrate.

It's a good thing we are working hard to utilize our 30 minutes of exercise time each morning. We walk/jog around our apartment complex some mornings, and other mornings use the missionary health guide suggestions for apartment exercise. This morning I ended up doing a lot of ballroom dance moves for cardio in our living room. I felt ridiculous every time Sister Miller looked up to watch me, but it was pretty fun :) (We can only walk/jog when we are all up to it, -because we have to stay together- and Sister Stott was not well this morning.)

I'm super grateful for the power of the restored Priesthood. Sunday night while teaching that awesome lesson where we committed Mary to baptism, I had a migraine settle over me. It turned in to one of the most severe I've had in years with incredibly intense pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. I rested in our bedroom during our dinner break and was prompted by the Holy Ghost to ask for a Priesthood blessing. Sister Stott called Elder Porter and Elder Clark (missionaries for the Lake Charles North area that live in our apt. complex and serve in our ward) for me and we met them at the church. They gave me a beautiful blessing that promised my pain would fade quickly and I would be able to work effectively by the morning. I instantly felt the pain begin to gradually fade, and I truly have never experienced a migraine disappear so quickly. By the time we got home I was able to eat (and keep it down!) and plan with my companions for our Monday schedule. I still felt pretty gross so when I started to work on organizing our area book with them, the Spirit quickly prompted me to "not push it and go to bed"... So I did. I slept great and woke up fine Monday morning. Faith combined with the power of the Priesthood definitely moves the mountains in our lives according to Heavenly Father's will.

I love you all and look forward to hearing from you! Make good choices! For readers of my emails/blog who are returned missionaries- feel free to send me stories from your mission. I love hearing them!