In The Great Wide Somewhere

I <3 the Costlows and also their view...

Folks.

It's a great day to be a Silverwolf, or even a Thunderbird, but an even better day to be a

Blue Angel

Here are some quick updates --because I spoke in church yesterday, I spent every ounce of spare time preparing for that so this post will be short and sweet :)

We had the priviledge of being invited to see the Blue Angels show this past week with President Taylor, the Elders, and the cutest couple missionaries in the area.

It was breath takingly amazing.

these speedy fast jets for the military fly THREE FEET APART

three feet people...

that's like, not much more than my body length apart from each other going faster than the speed of sound and doing spins, turns, and dives.

dang.

Update 2: The Hogans gave me marriage advice this week. This may seem kind of weird, but it was a spiritual highlight of the week because of the way I felt when they were talking.

You know how you can hear something, maybe even a dozen times, or just another time, but then there's just that one time that you hear something and it all just clicks and everything said just hits you like a wall? Yeah that's what happened.

Brother Hogan gave me a check list to remember (far... FAR down the road)

Does He:

go to the temple regularly

do his home teaching

honor his priesthood

daily prayer and scripture study

these are the qualities that are essential

Sister Hogan's advice:

"People will tell you when you're married you need to meet half way. Each of you go 50/50. They're wrong.

You BOTH need to SERVE each other 100% with no thoughts of getting/expecting anything in return."

I love that.

Update number 3:

Chandler is getting baptized in TWO WEEKS

PRAY FOR HIM and his family.

I have decided what the most rewarding best thing about being a missionary is

the testimony of a recent convert

Chandler is almost a baptized member, but he is already a recent convert.

"I have never been more happy in my life. I have had struggles, hard times, but now I feel happiness. I thank God for you two coming to share Jesus with me everyday."

And so on and so forth, the Spirit is so strong at these moments, it is by far the BEST THING EVER.

Update number 4: when we walk into Dominos, all the workers say

"YAAAAY IT'S THE MORMONS!!!!!"

they say things like "We don't have food for any mormons..."

Then they ring us up a free pizza and throw in delicious deserts that we didn't even order.

Update 5:

I love ya'll so big.

Thank you for being so kind, Nanny & Gramps, Grandma Pat, Sister Hadley, Sister Curtis, The Pride, Mom, Dad, you all make my life so happy when I get a letter from you, or your sweet packages and love.

Thank you Linds, Walli and Mass!

I will have some time today so be checking your mail boxes :)

Thank you especially for your prayers. <3

President and Sister Taylor gave me a shirt with my favorite scripture on it:) I <3 the Taylors!

Until next week,

Stay Cool even though it's probs not 117 degrees 100% humidity wherever you are, it's still way too hot.

Make it a great day!

Love me, a sister missiona(Ry)

Last blog I only wrote about the first part of Americas's Birthday.

The rest of my holiday went something like this

-Paul and Paulas

-missionary friends in the zone

-barbque

-football

-kickball

-teaching elders how to do a pirouette

-teaching elders how to do kick arounds

-singing country songs about America and

- fireworks at our dock <3

I LOVE THE FOURTH OF JULY

The next morning I had to take pictures of our run so I can share with ya'll.

We run through a sanctuary/chapel called Calvary, through the woods, to the dock, and back.

I decided as I ran with Sister Pyper that every day is like our morning run.

There are moments of suffering in our own Calvary, but they are beautiful and so is the sunrise at the end of the road behind the ocean. Running is hard the whole time, but it feels SO darn good.

We feel SO darn good at the end of the day (if we have done the day right) but it is also tiring, and hard, and beautiful.

A spiritual highlight of the week

We go drop in on someone that was referred to us by a ward member and she tells us about the past few months of her life. Her name is Carla.

Her son died, her mom died, her cousin (Sister Moore) whom she is extremely close to got diagnosed with cancer.

Right before she died, her mom was asking to see "missionaries"

Carlas mom had never met/heard much about missionaries, but on her death bed she wanted them to come talk to her.

The family kind of just brushed it aside.

As we started sharing a message about Jesus coming to his apostles aid by walking to them on the water, she began to get emotional.

She said, "You'll never believe this"

then she proceeded to tell us that the very night before she decided to go out to the beach at 1 in the morning. She sat out there and prayed. She felt an extreme peace looking out in the waves, and felt that Christ was delivering her from suffering. "I didn't see Him walking to me on the water to deliver me from my storms, but I know He was there, and I know that's what He was doing."

When her mom was sick and in a lot of pain, Carla gave her mom her medication. It wasn't working. She called Sister Moore (the member who referred Carla to us, Carlas cousin) and Sister Moore told her that the missionaries (us) had invited her to pray more specifically for the things we want/need to know or to happen. Sister Moore passed this invitation to Carla.

Carla then prayed that her mother would be delivered from pain. She said she had never prayed for anything specific like that in her life.

She said fairly soon after that, her mother was relieved of almost all pain.

A few days later Carla prayed that her mother would be delivered from her mortal prison. That she would pass away to a happier state of being. Be relived of her suffering.

"God I know that you are a merciful God. You said you are, so be merciful. I pray, show mercy on my mom. She suffers so much at this time."

That very night Carla's mother passed away.

I'm pretty sure none of us could see through the tears as she related this to us.

God works in such a way that we all learn from each other.

How could we have ever known visiting Sister Moore a month ago as she began her cancer treatment, that inviting her to have more specific prayers, would reach her cousin Carla who is not extremely religious but has a very strong faith in Christ, and would affect her whole life. How could we have ever known, as we shared a message about Christ (our lifeguard) walking on water to deliver us, and sharing that message exactly the next day after she had experienced the same thing but had not yet put words to the experience.

Answer: we couldn't have known. Isn't the Holy Ghost incredible. Boy, I'll say.

Carla (who we just met that day) hugged us each so tight over and over,and told us to come back and stop bye whenever we need a ma maw hug. Needless to say, we will be going back very soon. Even more needless to say, Carla has done more for us than we could ever do for her.

On a lighter note... the missionaries 'round these parts have the opportunity to serve at the Bishops Storehouse every other week (Nanny and Gramps I'm following in your footsteps:)

In the line passing out nanners and apples

Elder Jordan, Elder Stewart, and I had a "confessions of an imperfect missionary" session

"Okay. What's the most disobedient thing you have done on your mission."

Elder Jordan "No. I won't say it. I'm too ashamed."

Stewart "Come on man, I already know mine is worse."

Jordan "Okay.. one time it was raining. So so much. There was this puddle, I swear it was three feet deep. It was night time and my comp and I sat in it, and pretended to be swimming."

missionary problems

Later telling Paul about this, Paul said "Sounds like sometimes ya'll get a little bit desperate.."

hahahaha

Elder Stewart "Okay.. that's not that bad that's mother nature. One time, we went shooting with our ward. I felt so bad afterwards.."

lol..

they both looked at me

"I have to think of something"

Stewart "Wow. How do we become as consecrated as Sister Saunders."

"Okay I got it... I will admit... tomorrow we are getting facials from our investigator."

we all busted a gut.

and the next day, Brenda gave Sister Pyper and I facials while we taught her lesson three in chapter three of Preach My Gospel.

God is so good to us. So is Brenda ;)

and now for this weeks edition of: This Is How Well You Know Someone After Spending Every Waking Moment With Them

WE GOT TO GO TO MY FAVE PLACE EVER THIS WEEK (MCGUIRES )

with our favorites: the elders in our district.

I said

"What are the odds you drink this small bowl of blue cheese dressing Elder Stewart"

"One in 10"

Elder Owens (Stewy's companion) sneakily told me to say the number 7

"three-two-one: SEVEN/THREE"

....you sneaky Elder

Elder Owens knew that Stewart always says three so he told me to say seven knowing I would then have to lose and drink the blue cheese.

I couldn't decide if I was disgusted, or impressed.

fun fact: because I won an intense battle of rock paper scissors with the bishopric and the elders/my companion, I am speaking in church on Sunday. What kind of revelation is that?

smh.

fun fact part two: I lose my sanity about once a day. The highlight of these episodes was when I was singing to my name tag about stickers. We were both concerned for my mental health.

I know you're wondering, so I'll tell you: I have not yet reached my goal of being able to jump and touch a basketball net. But I will keep trying and keep you posted.