Switch Up!

This week has been so crazy getting all packed and ready to move to my new area! So I said a lot of goodbyes and taught a few last lessons. Bishop L collects antique books and then signs them and gives them to missionaries who come say goodbye to him, so he gave me Jesus the Christ, and Articles of Faith (both my Elder Talmage). They are from the 1950's or so, so that was a cool little gift.

This week I also had my last zone activity in the Mesa zone. We played beach volleyball which was super fun, but it was also super HOT. It's really starting to warm up and I just feel disgusting all day because I get so dang sweaty. But whatever:)

SOOOOO I got transferred to the Gilbert zone. (However, I live in Chandler. It is super messed up. I used to be in the Mesa zone yet I lived in Gilbert, and now I am in the Gilbert zone and I live in Chandler. Before you know it,

I'll be in the Chandler zone and live in Mesa ;) haha. Anyway, my new companion is from Seattle, Washington. She is 21 and is super sweet. She graduated from BYU-I and is awesome.

This week has been interesting considering neither of us know anyone. Plus, there aren't very many people in the area book for us to go off of, but it's all good. Oh, and the Elders lost the church key so we can't go to the church for wi-fi. We were supposed to have two baptisms this weekend, but one of the kids fell off date and the other one didn't show up for his baptismal interview. We have tried to get in contact with him, but haven't been able too. Plus, he lives out of our area so it's not like we can just stop by. So we will see how that goes. It is weird to jump in on someone else's investigators without either one of us knowing them or what has been happening. So it's a learning experience for sure! We have had some cool tender mercies this week though.

For example, the very first day we were trying to figure out the area and just find dinner. Well we rolled right up to the house as the last breath of air wheezed out of my tire. Ok, that is an exaggeration, but by the end of dinner I wasn't going anywhere cause my tire was so flat. So he fixed it for me cause he is super into bikes. Tender mercy number one. Also, WE GOT A CAR!!!! wooo! So we originally didn't have a car....ya, we live 4-5 miles away from the nearest street of our area. Needless to say, it takes us like 45 minutes to bike to the top of our area and the church building. We are sweaty messes by then and it takes a lot of energy. So the zone leaders got us a car so we can at least drive to our area, park the car, bike all day, and then drive home. I currently cover one ward but the area covers as much as my last area when I had two. There are cows and a few dairy's here too, so it smells like home. That was kinda interesting! 

Our ward seems really awesome. The Bishop and mission leader are SUPER good and love missionary work. The whole ward is reading "The power of an Everyday Missionary" by Clayton Christensen. It is SOOO good. So they are all pumped and each family is also creating a family mission plan. So that is super awesome! So hopefully we start getting some referrals! But you guys definitely need to read that book and create a family mission plan too. It's so fun!

Anyway! The Easter Pageant is going on and we are lucky enough to work at it! We get to greet people and hopefully get some people interested in the gospel. We also get to stay and actually watch the production as long as we get an investigator to go with us. So we are working on that because I really, REALLY want to go. We get to work there again this week too, so that is fun!

Anyway I don't have too many other specific things to talk about since it's been kinda slow trying to get to know everyone and get things in order. But it's been a pretty good week! Hopefully we get things moving a little more in this area. This area has never had sister missionaries. So it's something new for them and they are all super excited! Sounds like we have a huge impression to give to this ward, plus they all loved the Elders that just left soo....no pressure or anything! ;) But I'm excited to be here, but it was definitely sad to leave my old area. I loved it.

Anyway read that book and create a mission plan! We also got permission to read the book so we can be in focus with our wards and it is even pumping me up to do missionary work! And I'm already a missionary! haha. I know this church is true and God loves each of us SO much! I am working on having charity for EVERYONE and always remembering that they are children of God and they deserve to hear the message we have NO MATTER WHAT. We have to give them the opportunity so that they can use their agency to choose or reject the message we have. But, hopefully they are smart and use their agency to choose it :) I love you all! Thanks for all you help and support. It means a lot! :)

My new area.  Feels like home!!!