The Promised Land!!! May 17, 2010

So I'm in the promise land!!! Oh my gosh! I pulled up and I was like "You have got to be kidding me! This is not where we live!" We open up to a gated apt. complex called Coventry park. Look it up. It's amazing! There is a pool, an indoor basketball court, gym, game room with a pool table, big screen TV and foosball, there is a dining area with two big screens and kitchen for parties plus it has a built in movie theater! Like a real movie theatre with the seats and everything plus popcorn always made and you can bring in any movie that you want so we could watch the Testaments in there if we wanted. Our apt. is on the third floor with a cute kitchen, washer and dryer, and all new appliances plus a big bathroom with a walk in closet. Can I say I'm in heaven? Oh and we have a balcony with a screen on the outside of the ledge so bugs don't come in so then we can have the door open all we want. It is so nice! I really feel like we are in heaven. The person in charge of this place really takes care of us and he is sooooo funny! His name is Ben and he has a wife and two little girls. He is so funny. He takes care of whatever we need. So amazing!

My new companion's name is Sister Mitchell and everyone loves her! I love her too. You know that fiery red head that elder Bruton told me to watch out for when I got on my mission, the one that dated his brother? Well that's my new companion and she is so cute! I love her to death. She is all her own and a major power house! We have clicked right away and we have so much fun. We are still figuring out how each other teaches but we are both at that point where we want to be better than we are and become more than we are. She is 21 and she is from a small town in Utah and her family owns a farm and she is beautiful! She has bright blue eyes with her red hair that is so long that it hit's her bum and it is so cute, it just fits her.

My ward here is amazing! They are all supportive of the work and our ward mission leader although a little funny, is very much into baptizing the whole world, as he should be. My bishop here reminds me of the bishop in Whitehouse and seems pretty cool even though I only spoke with him for a little bit. The ward is much bigger than my other wards and there is a lot of older people verses younger but that is only because a singles ward is close by and there is a Spanish branch that attends in the same building with us but at 9 so we have church at 1. It's really different having church so late because I'm use to having it at 9 but it gives time for us to check on our investigators and see who is really coming to church and find other people to bring. It will be fun trying to adjust. I think I might like it better this way because it takes away most of the stress.

Honestly I don't know why I am here. Most missionaries get sent here at the end of their missions because it's close to the mission presidents home and the AP's are in our ward too so I will be serving with them all the time. I will be teaching in front of them and learning with them and from them at least twice a week instead of once a transfer. It will be a huge learning experience but I am worried I won't have as much to contribute here with all the best! I know this is meant to be a huge learning experience for me because I have so many people to learn from. I want to be so much more than I am, so much more, I want to burn with fire, with the light of Christ so that people are compelled to change. I want to teach like the AP's. I just want more and I will get more I just need to figure out how to get there. Scripture study is the key but not just scripture study but a true change in my heart, empowered to change me and power to change others. You know what I mean? Just so much more. 

I'm so excited to become what the Lord wants me to be. So the new sister Pedersen is on her way. It will take time and maybe my whole mission but it needs to happen so that I can do God's work. This is His work not mine and I need to mold into whatever God needs me to be. Sorry this is not that exciting of a letter this week but the letter next week will be so much more. I promise. I love you all so very much and I'm so thankful for your support.

Love you all,

Your sister Missionary!