May 12

Howdy!
Life as a missionary in Baytown is still amazing! Sister Mapa is the best companion ever and we're working hard to be exactly obedient missionaries and work as effectively as possible! There is power in obedience and we are discovering it :) On Sunday that included only talking to our families for 30 minutes.... that was hard, but worth it. I love my family so much! We also got fed a huge Sunday dinner at the home of the member family that let us call from their home. They're so sweet and awesome.

We've had some awesome times tracting and teaching lots of lessons this past week. I'll write about a couple of them from yesterday:

Yesterday we finally got back in to meet w/ two teenage sisters that Sister Mapa and Sister Parsons had taught only once before. Misses D&A were happy to talk to us again and we watched the Restoration DVD w/ them. The spirit was so strong! After the movie we bore our testimonies and asked what their thoughts were. D said, "I really like that he actually took time to go by himself and pray to God for an answer- and that he really was answered!" A said, "I liked that even when his pastor told him not to tell anybody about his vision, he still told everyone because it was TRUE." They committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and it was just amazing.

We went to go visit an elderly woman in the hospital. Sister Mapa and I sang "O My Father" to the tune of "Come Thou Fount" to her. Once again the spirit was very strong and brought her peace while helping her to understand the doctrine of the song. Some of the most powerful lessons I've taught as a missionary have involved us singing hymns. Nothing seems to invite the Spirit so powerfully!

I have no exciting food or animal updates from Baytown, but I am so very happy to be here and have the privilege of being a missionary! I love you all so much! Be good!