natalie ann: week 32: shia labeouf, feelin 22, rodeos & dave's baptism

Monday, June 6th, 2016

HI. Okay this week has been so good, so busy and so crazy. I don't know where to begin. Probably one of the most memorable weeks on my mission. Also THANK YOU everyone for the birthday wishes :) my birthday was amazing! Eagar has been getting warmer and our house is so warm, but not as bad as the valley.

Monday we saw Chelsea! She is doing really well but our Ward mission leader wants us to keep seeing her. We then saw the Youngs. We read the Book of Mormon with them. They are doing really well. They are so kind, they just don't know the gospel very well so I am excited to teach them more.

Tuesday we saw the Tisdells. We then saw Haley and taught her a lesson. She is so funny, she doesn't like expressing her feelings. She told us she wants to serve a mission. She is cute.

Wednesday we had district meeting and then we went out to lunch with Brother Ayres. And GUESS WHAT. SHIA LABEOUF CAME TO EAGAR!!! We missed him by two hours!! Okay so here is the story he is hitchhiking around the states and is doing some documentary about traveling I think. Idk go look it up cause I can't. But someone from here is obsessed with him and heard he was going to Provo so she went to go get him and take him to Eagar lol! How random!! Literally Sister Ballew and I DIED when we found out he was here, our apartment talks about him an unusual amount. We were freaking out and were soooo mad that no one told us he was here!! He stayed the night at the Davis house, he is in the stake presidency. I still can't believe we missed him, I'm still a bit salty about it. Some Mormon girls here drove him to Florida. Anyways back to missionary work - we went to Nutrioso and did some service for a former investigator. She comes to church but she just isn't ready to be baptized. They live in the middle of no where with no electricity. They made us elk soup, I still don't know how I feel about. Haha we had two dinners that night, people LOVE feeding us. I'm getting so fat.

Thursday we saw Cyndie!! She found a kitten. She is so funny. We then saw Jessica, she is going through the temple on Wednesday!! We went to DQ (duh) and the cotton candy blizzard is SO good. Just saying. We did family history and I found some names!! Yessss. We get to do 2 hours of family history a week in our mission, I haven't done that much just cause we never have time! Which is a good thing I guess. We then went to a hand off lesson with the other sisters with a girl named Haylie. She is going to be a senior and she is so cool. She is on date to be baptized July 9! She is dating a guy who is leaving on his mission in August. I'm excited to start working with her! We then drove down to the valley with everyone who was invited to MLC. It was a special MLC so some others besides stls and zone leaders were invited. Sister Ballew didn't go so I wasn't with her on my bday :( the Sweeney's daughter was in town and she is so cool I love her. We talked to her that night. I love staying at the mission home.

Friday { MY BIRTHDAY } is was a very good day. We played ultimate frisbee for exercise in the morning. Haha that was fun. Sister Sweeney made a yummy breakfast. MLC was so good. So many of my BAEs were there!! It was a great reunion! It was cool to see everyone on my birthday! Sister Wynn and Constance were the cooks from larkspur ward!! So it was so good to see them. It was president's last MLC so it was different than normal. We all did a kneeling prayer at the end, it was sweet. Everyone sang happy birthday to me and it was the most embarrassing moment of my life. I sank my head in Sister Kamalu's lap. It was just a fun and spiritual and good day. ALSO. the valley is soooo hot I wanted to die, blessed to be in the mountains. We drove back to the mountains and we almost ran out of gas to Eagar but no worries we made it. I got back and my companion decorated the house for my birthday and bought an ice cream cake for me!! We were trying to take cute pics (I looked so bad after a long car ride) and then we accidentally dropped the cake LOL. It turned into smashing cake into each others faces. Love my companion. It's my last week with her :( I'm training next transfer! It was a different birthday for sure but it was so simple and great.

Saturday was John Wayne days. It was really fun. There was a lame parade with horses in the morning. We then went to the rodeo where we had a booth. Our whole district ran it and it was so fun. We were giving away a picture of Christ if people filled out a survey. The kids loved us and we ended up having a marshmallow gun war. It was so fun. We had lots and lots of food. People love missionaries here and they kept buying us food. We watched a little bit of the rodeo and it was so insane. We then taught Dave his last lesson before baptism!! He got baptized that night at 6!!! Yes Dave is BAPTIZED! It was a great baptism and lots of their family had come. Dave has been waiting to be baptized for a while and it was very happy. Everyone was so happy. We then had root beer floats after. I'm so happy for him and Lisann! I feel like I am a part of their family, can't wait to see them get sealed in a year!

Sunday was a normal day! We taught sharing time in primary and it was so funny. I love kids. We didn't get to see anyone cause we finally got to do weekly planning. It was a busy weekend.

We went on a hike to flat top as a district this morning. It was way nice to be outside and get a workout. Right now Sister Ballew is getting her hair did so I am just waiting for hours here lol. So much worldly music...haha.

I read the book of John this week. It just reminded me of the love our Savior has for us. The shortest verse (I think) is John 11:35 "Jesus wept." It so short but so powerful. Christ weeps when we are sad and is joyous when we are happy and following Him. And a quote I LOVE which I'm sure you all know is "God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are and with His help, where you are willing to go." This is so true. I love how Elder Holland said WITH HIS HELP. We can't get where He wants us to go with his help. I liken this to my investigators and less-actives. They need our help to feel the Savior's love and to use the Atonement in their life.

I love this gospel and the change is it has made in my life.

Have a blessed week