This has been a week of laughter and a week of adventure! Once again, I have fallen in even deeper love with missionary work and New York and these incredible people! A few highlights of my week:

Discovering a hammock and getting a moment of bliss laying inside its embrace 🙂

Contacting one of my formers, Wendy “darling” as I call her (she is always wearing a nightgown and slippers when we see her) and seeing her open back up to the gospel, as well as her sons Schylor and Zac! We have been able to teach her a couple times this week and she is starving for the truth! Her laugh brightens my day! She has one of the most genuine, beautiful laughs! She has been through a lot in life and really understands how to use the atonement to help lighten her heavy load!

Getting lost in Pompey, a land filled with cornfields and barns! It took a bit longer to get home, but we were able to savor a gorgeous sunset and sing along to The Lower Lights at the top of our lungs- windows down and all!

Feeling prompted to talk to a younger man (Tyler) we passed on our morning jog. I asked him if he knew God and he said he would like to. He asked if God could help him with his alcoholism that was getting out of hand. I testified of the healing affects of the Saviors atonement. As we talked, a car pulled up next to us. It was his mother, Pam. She was hysterical and crying. Tyler had been drunk and jumped out of her car. She had been driving around for an hour, scared for his life. We were able to comfort her and corner Tyler into getting in the car. What a blessing it is to have the Holy Ghost guide all our actions.

Seeing Cathyann’s progression. Cathyann is an amazing woman in her early 40s. She is married to a man named John who has been investigating the church for 7 years (attends church, would be baptized by now except for his smoking addiction) and has a genius 2 year old daughter, Anna. They are really struggling in their marriage, but she has noticed a huge change in their unity as they have been praying together. I told her about my sister Natasha and her husband James reading the Book of Mormon together each day. She said she wants to start doing that and she wants to be baptized on September 17th with her husband! I cannot wait to see them sealed in the temple one day! Cathyann is probably the highlight of my week. I adore her.

Steve came to church!!!! He is on date to be baptized September 10th! He love, love, loves church but in recent years has struggled with a bit of social anxiety and it’s hard for him to get out of the house. Seeing him at church literally made me tear up! I loved sitting next to him in the pews, sharing a Hymn book and singing together! LOVE STEVE!

Paul is seriously praying about October 15th to be baptized. He has become so much more hopeful!!! We pray with him over the phone each night ❤ fam prayers! Also, Jim his roommate who was baptized in his 30s and fell away pretty quick, has been attending church every week for the past month and is in Alma in the Book of Mormon and wants to start preparing to receive the priesthood again and work towards the temple!!! This is a miracle because the first time I met him he told us we were ridiculous and that he doesn’t buy in to the whole “Joseph Smith business” and he didn’t even know if he believed in God. He refused to pray and he told us that he wouldn’t be coming back to church anytime soon. LOOK AT HIM NOW! He’s going to start joining us in teaching soon 🙂 The Lord works mighty changes in peoples hearts, let me tell ya!

We did our studies at the beautiful Saint Mary’s Cathedral on a blanket in the grass. It has the most gorgeous stain glass windows and statues and a lovely cemetery. The Spirit can be felt strongly there.

We taught a group of 5 BEAUTIFUL kids- Alex 16, Pat 16, Connor 14, Cameron 12, and Ava 6 the full Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ lesson. We were sitting on this dirty carpet with junk all around us because they didn’t have enough money to afford chairs. It was super hot and they had no AC so we were all sweating, but the spirit was STRONG. They were all listening so intently and at the end, we all went around and took turns praying. It was a beautiful scene to witness and be a part of. We could all feel Gods love so strongly. I hope we will be able to continue teaching them- we just stopped by and the parents weren’t home. They were actually a referral from their neighbor. He said, “that family needs some serious help. Those kids are living through hell.” I sense that they are abused. It is very common here sadly. But it brings me peace to know that they know God loves them and they know how to pray and they have their very own Book of Mormon to turn to through hard times.

We went to a ward member’s house and I suggested we play the whipped cream game. The kids LOVED it! We got whipped cream all over our faces haha!!!!

Neil finally got a hearing aid for church so he can hear better and he is receiving the priesthood next week!!!! He has the coolest vintage record player that also plays CDs, so we brought him some MOTAB cd’s that he jams to now 🙂

A local blacksmith that I may or may not find extremely attractive made me a metal leaf 🙂 I thought of the refiners fire Mormon Message and it was amazing to watch him burn and pound and bend this ugly peace of metal and create a beautiful leaf for me! I thought of the hard things I am experiencing out here and it helped me remember that it’s in the Lords hands and he is making something beautiful! No opportunity for growth without opposition! Am I right?

We got caught in a HUGE rainstorm. The sky was just flickering with all this lightning and then all of the sudden it started POURING BUCKETS on us! We immediately got drenched! We ran in the hallway of our apartment complex and then the power went out. But we still had 15 minutes till 9, so we made some calls and had some nice phone lessons 🙂 when we went to our room, we grabbed the flashlight and accounted to the Lord about our day then planned for the next day. After, we changed into nice warm clothes and got our blankets and pillows and just pigged out on food and talked and laughed. It was good bonding time! Sister Park is so fun to chat with!!!

We went through an entire jar of Peter Pan Peanut Butter (and it was not a small jar).

Bill came to church!!! Big step for him because he is very set in his ways and particular when it comes to his schedule. He is this old man who we’ve been teaching. He is on date to be baptized on September 24th 🙂 He first met the missionaries when they knocked on his door and sang carols to him and his wife. They comforted him and his wife during her last few months. She passed away two years ago. A few months ago, we knocked on his door and he picked us flowers and told us how much he loved Mormon missionaries! Funny guy! Tells everyone how “very persistent” I am haha!

Going on Splits with a couple women in our ward because we had too many appointments for us to handle alone! God is blessing us! I got to go with Sister Knaebel! She was so fun to teach with! (Also we stopped by her house to grab a loaf of homemade bread to bring to someone and she gave me a piece along with a jar of homemade jam.. heavenly stuff).

The week was just incredible. Unforgettable. Beautiful. It was made of simple moments. Some were scary, some were funny, some were awkward, difficult, joyful, painful, hopeful, discouraging, awakening, tender, and peaceful. A huge mix of different emotions, thoughts, feelings and discoveries. But all of these moments fit together into this beautiful piece of artwork. We often do not see the big picture. We often wonder if all these little, seemingly insignificant things we do are really worth it. It is my testimony that NO effort is wasted. NO act, however small, is meaningless. Every little choice we make can contribute to this great masterpiece. As you were aware of pennies this week and picked them up, did you ever wonder, “What is the point? It is just a penny. It is worthless.” I have often wondered the same thing. It is my testimony that EVERY action, no matter how small IS of infinite worth! They make up great riches! A dollar is not a dollar without that last penny. Every penny counts. EVERY penny counts. EVERY. PENNY. COUNTS. (ps. I only found 2 pennies this week 😦 that’s ok)

This week, (follow the example of sister Park) and Leave everyone happier than you found them. Picking up pennies was symbolic of taking time to gather small blessings. We do this through simple acts of kindness, because in the end, we are truly blessing ourselves! Remember that every little choice you make matters. Don’t shrug off telling your mother you are grateful for her or asking the cashier how their day is going or taking your dog Skip on a walk or asking a friend if they are okay. These moments will turn you into a rich man! (or woman)

John 5:10-12

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

I love you all! I thank you for your love and I apologize for not responding to any letters. I will do so as soon as possible! May be a month or so, but know that they mean a GREAT deal to me! I often re-read them when I get discouraged, so thank you!