Pictures!

LOVE YOU!!!! Thank you for writing when you were sooo sleepy. And I am soooooo sorry, you are going to not be happy with me, but we don't have time to email really at all today.  I am sending a letter THIS VERY WEEK though.  Because I love you so much.  Thanks for your email!

And can you please give Adam the biggest hug for me and tell him HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I love you Bud!  You are such an amazing and smart and funny boy (don't get a big head though haha).

I'm doing really well!  We had an amazing week with lots of miracles that I promise I will share next week.  We are just going to miss a train to meet our district. I know, you can shoot me when I get home ha. 

Here are some pictures she sent last week:  The Branch

And More: 

Skaerp dig (sounds like huwerp day--weird hey?)

Hallo all! 

Sister Formica has always loved to take pictures of nature.  This picture touched my heart (mom).  

So much has happened this week!  I've been out of Northam all week--dropped Sister Tukuafu off on Tuesday and stayed with the sister training leaders until Thursday when I picked up Sister Ahlstrom.  She is from Sweden and she is so funny.  She has an American accent a lot of the time, but some words she says with a really cute accent. She wants to be a speech pathologist too! Crazy hey? Also she loves to exercise and eat healthy. 

I'm really excited because she is so hard working and excited about the work. It's going to be a good couple of transfers.  Also I might not have to drive all of the time (It's funny--when I can't drive I want to and when I can, I don't want to...never satisfied ha.)

Funny story, apparently she found my blog before she came out and was wondering if she would meet me. And apparently the people who showed her my blog said that I talked about the food I was eating a lot hahaha...is it that obvious?  Nah, but I would feel bad for how these emails are, but I don't because no one actually has to read them. 

We had a cool experience where we went to see a potential investigator to invite them to general conference (which was AMAZING) and their boarder was there instead and he was watching...Exodus. Never seen it, but it's clearly about a prophet. And he has Mormon friends in the Philippines.  We talked to him about it and prophets and invited him to conference. He didn't come, but there's always next year ;) Nah, but he was really cool and we are definitely going back to meet with him and the family who lives there!

Um I almost ran over like a 2 foot long lizard, that was a bit creepy.  It's getting really hot, except it wouldn't even seem that hot at home. I think I'm just being a wimp because my companion isn't used to it at all ha.

Oh really quickly, Dad I wanted my ponderizing scripture to be D&C 100:2-8 and 15-17 (well actually the whole section) but I figured that 9 verses might be a bit too much ha.  So vs 3-5, 7-8.  It's all good, I'm just too indecisive to pick one verse.  Or maybe I'll do one verse each week haha just kidding.  Here's a link to her scripture for the week:  https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/100?lang=eng

Anyway, I gotta go, but I am so grateful for all of you and for your love and support.  I love being a missionary. I loved hearing from President Monson and other apostles and leaders this weekend--it was spiritually uplifting (though physically tiring ha) and many questions I had and questions of those that we are teaching were answered.  I am so grateful for a living prophet. I know that he truly is called of God. The church is true. I'm so grateful for my Saviour.  Love you all!

Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Formica

Oh Ps Sister Jardine cut all of my hair off(ok maybe not all). Idk if it'll work to send a picture this week. Maybe next week :) 

This picture came this week.  Sister Jardine giving Sister Formica a haircut -- not sure if it's a happy smile or a shocked smile ...   Next week hopefully we'll get a picture with Sister Ahlstrom.  :)

Trueshi

I haven't been taking a ton of pictures, but we were weeding in someone's yard and they have 5 pet kangaroos...we were trying to get them to stand up with the camera ha.  

Trushi is our district leaders favourite word ha.  Couldn't think of any aussie words for the week...

Lots has happened this last week, pretty much normal missionary stuff.  This last week we were able to find and teach a lot  more people!  I don't have a ton to share, but it's been so good :)  

We were out running in the morning, and we met this woman from Zimbabwe who invited us to pop by her house sometime.  We did last night and learned that her niece has a lot of questions and confusion about all the different religions and wonders if she's in the right place.  We had to go to an apt, but we are going back tonight to see them :) Such a beautiful family.

We saw the other family where the husband is from North Carolina, and they were just talking about all of these American food places and American things and it made me miss In and Out and Café Rio!  They have a stash of candy and root beer and what not.  He always says, "We don't smoke, we don't drink, but we eat well."   They are just ready for the gospel!  Just ready and eager to serve.  Earnest (the husband) came to church on Sunday, and really enjoyed the talks and felt a lot of peace there.  Rebekah has a bad back and wasn't feeling well, but hopefully she can come next week with the kids! 

I feel like especially in Northam we meet so many people who have turned to alcohol and drugs and all that junk to deal with pain or loss.  It's so sad to see what they have chosen and how it just makes everything worse.  But there are a few people we've met recently who really want to change.  The Savior Wants to Forgive, 5 minute video

One of them, a young man who has been on drugs and everything for ages came to church on Sunday.  He had to walk there and it took him about 40 minutes.  I know in some places that is nothing, but I haven't ever had an investigator who walked 40 minutes to get to church.  We didn't know he was coming, ... oops, but we got him a ride home.  He really enjoyed it and he said it opened up his mind to a lot of things.  He doesn't know exactly what he believes in right now.

Among the Aboriginal families we've met a lot of grandmas who have partners and kids who aren't religious and want their grandkids to know about Jesus Christ.  A lot of the grandmas have asked us to come teach their grandkids.  And one lady was telling us that most of the Aboriginal people in Northam came from one set of grandparents (I don't know if I explained that well ha but hopefully you know what I mean). So we are getting to know them just from seeing them around town.  The problem is that we see the same people at like 3 different houses and on the street a couple times, and then you have to remember their names and who they are directly related to (there's also a family feud going on).  It's really fun though.  They are a really spiritual people and have a lot of faith.

Oh and I lost my scriptures!!  So sad :( I think I left them when we stopped at the ATM, and someone came up to us and said they saw them and took them into the bank, and there are 4 banks on the main street, and they all said they don't have them.  But I still think they'll come back.  It's too small a town for them not to. And people know us and see us biking around everywhere and it has my name on them.

It's been really good biking everywhere ha--I'm getting a bit of a tan!  Just the opposite of Rach in England ;)

Sister Tukuafu leaves on Tuesday.  I am really not ok with it, I wish she was staying for at least one more.  It's been the best serving with her, she is so calm and funny and hardworking.  I've loved it and I'm not done learning from her. 

As usual I said I didn't have much to write, but then wrote a bit...Just nothing too crazy or exciting I guess.  Oh well. I love you all and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve a mission!  Have a wonderful week!!  Talk to you soon :)

Love,

Sister Formica