So, drum roll please....

Greetings every one, once again and for the last time from Owen Sound! Yes Mom, we are very close to transfers- I leave tonight to stay in Brampton, and tomorrow morning I head off to my new area: Bowmanville!  So good thing you haven't mailed my box yet, I have no idea what the address is lol sorry, you can just send it to the mission home if you want or I can tell you my address next week.

 The red star above Toronto shows the location of Bowmanville

So last night was super unexpected- we were pretty sure transfers were happening, but I was stunned that it was me, I was positive I was here at least one more transfer. The call was hilarious though, it came from President Scott which means that it's a leadership call and Sister Arnold knew it was for her- her shoulders squared and she sat up straight and she snatched the phone and was super professional, I was cracking up! But then he told her she was training a new sister in Owen Sound and I realized it was actually me going...I stopped laughing quite as hard then.

But that call went along perfectly with my thoughts this week about the spirit- one of the speakers from conference (I don't remember which) talked about how the Spirit has always throughout history communicated in the same way: feelings of peace and warmth. I've really been thinking about that in my life and realized how true that was- when I prayed about the Book of Mormon and received my answer it was such a warm feeling and when I asked if I was supposed to serve a mission it was like being hit by a wall of fire, it was so strong and warm. But more often I feel the Spirit just by peace, which was hard for me sometimes, especially in high school. I remember praying about where to go to college and being terrified because I didn't know how to know what answer Heavenly Father was trying to tell me- I knew if you ask yes or know you can have that warm feeling, but my question was so open ended since I had no idea that I really didn't know how to get an answer. But when I got my acceptance from Utah State, from that point on I just wanted to go there. It felt right, which was super weird because it was in Utah, and I was excited- basically, I had peace about it. And it took a while looking back on that before I realized what an answer to prayers that was since I nearly had a panic attack every time I thought about college before that.

Anyways, there is a point to this tangent- after the call I was telling Sister Arnold how surprised I was about going and how unprepared I was for that. And she said "Yeah, but it felt so right when he was talking, didn't it?" And I realized that was so true- I haven't had any strong, unusual feelings confirming to me that Bowmanville is where I'm supposed to be, but when president Scott was telling me I was totally at peace and I know that was the Spirit's confirmation.  Besides, I should have expected it more, everyone says as soon as you really love your area you have to leave, and I have been in LOVE with Owen Sound the last 6 weeks.

General Conference was awesome huh?? One of our investigators told us that after the first session we were just on fire and he was jealous because the way he felt in conference ended after he left the chapel and he could tell it didn't for us- I guess you're right Mom, I'm on SUCH a spiritual high right now. Sisters Conference was so good, Sister Arnold and I realized a few tiny things we needed to change, particularly about how we plan, and so we started implementing that immediately and the difference is crazy- even though we're doing very little different, we've been seeing the Lord just blessing us like crazy for our obedience, it's been such a help. And then general conference has just recharged me for the next 6 months. What a defense of the family huh? Every single speaker somehow tied back to the gospel being about families, I loved it. And I loved the themes you saw Mom, I totally agree!

Gosh, I don't even know what else to say about my week, it's been so surreal with everything... But it was really good! Owen Sound is being left with such awesome potential and in such good hands.

I do have a question and a request for you- do y'all still have a family mission plan? Can you email it to me, either an old one or the current one? And if you don't have one for 2012, update it! I know I was terrible about following the family mission plans we made but seriously that was so cool that we had one, that was pretty amazing. I've been thinking about trying to use those as a way to do member work. Studying the ward mission plan as a family and then praying and making one up specifically about how your family will help the ward meet it's goals for that year is such an awesome way to invite the Lord's help in your efforts to do missionary work, because you're showing real intent. So if you can send one so I have an example and remember the kinds of things we did with it, I'd appreciate it!

Well, glad everything is good at home. Erin, congrats on your new choice of going to school in Virginia, good pick lol. Seriously though, a weekend trip to Virginia sounds way cool, hope y'all had fun. And I'm glad everyone got home eventually! Have fun with your new assignment Mom, that's sweet that you don't have to worry about Sundays anymore. And since it's Easter weekend, I probably won't email till Tuesday again. Love you all, talk to you next week!

Pictures from Sister's conference:

 At sisters conference with Sister Arnold and our mission president's wife, Sister Scott- she's the cutest woman in the world!

 This picture is super funny- it's a super cheesy family stair picture! So this is with my mama (Sister Tuisku), her 3 babies (Sister Loar, Sister Anyushya, and me), and her grandbabies (Sister Turvaville and another Sister who I won't attempt to guess how to spell her name, I'm sure I'd be so off it's nicer not to lol). Sister Tuisku goes home this week, so this is her mission family!

 With Sister Arnold.....This picture cracks me up every time- in the back is Hermana Entes, who I came from the mtc with, she's hilarious. We had no idea she was there.

 

With Sister Tuisku.....What we thought was the last time we'd see each other- except I'm spending tonight at her apartment, so psych!

Well, glad everything is good at home. Erin, congrats on your new choice of going to school in Virginia, good pick lol. Seriously though, a weekend trip to Virginia sounds way cool, hope y'all had fun. And I'm glad everyone got home eventually! Have fun with your new assignment Mom, that's sweet that you don't have to worry about Sundays anymore. And since it's Easter weekend, I probably won't email till Tuesday again. Love you all, talk to you next week!