CONGRATS HANNAH! BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY! My mom forwarded me some pics!
Heather---the Chinese elders said that you said hello :) love you!
We got temporary companions on Wednesday until President Baker could finish all the interviews. Mine was an innocent little 19 year old lamb from Kentucky, Sister Harrison. She's super sweet, but to my surprise I got a different permanent companion on Thursday!
My new companion is Sister Oldham! She turned 19 two weeks after the announcement was made in October. She graduated in '12 and did one semester at BYU. Her Dad is in the Air Force so she has moved all over the world, but they currently live in Alaska. She was assigned Spanish speaking, so it is pretty weird that they put her in an English area with an English-speaking companion for her first area. She teaches me a new phrase everyday, haha. No me gusta el mundo is what I say when I accidentally hit the radio button instead of the church music ipod or when we drive past the naughty stores in Hollywood. She has to do an extra hour of studies for language study, but I don't mind because I make calls and update our area books and stuff during that hour. Quite convenient. She is very young and very much a chatterbox and she has so much energy and is here to work! Yay! We made our transfer goals and her 'greenie fire' is pushing me. YES. Lets be serious, I still feel like a greenie. Training has been very humbling and very good for me so far. It requires a lot of patience and love and excitement. So much fun. In the MTC she only introduced herself as Hermana Oldham because she is Spanish speaking, but in this area she has to introduce herself as Sister Oldham. She isn't used to it. Her first name is Cisalee and so it starts the same as Sister. Lets just say she has introduced herself as Cisalee a couple times. Bless her heart, it is hilarious.
Our area is booming and we're pumped. Kent came to church FINALLY and is praying about baptism! Dennis is seriously considering baptism rather than saying "don't push me" in his thick Uzbekistanian accent.) He also said in our Word of Wisdom lesson, "so I'll only have bread and water." He's hilarious. He always gets confused about when and where we are supposed to meet. We'll text and call him 2 hours before, an hour before, 10 minutes before and he'll still be confused. We are sending missionaries to his mom this week. so excited.) Sister Barney and I had a final lesson together that was one of our favorites! (I'll miss Sister Barney of course.:) ) It was with Megan and I am so so so happy that she is back on track. We received quite a few referrals this week. A couple new investigators. A couple dropped of course :(. A less active we have been working with is going to do baptisms in the temple this week. YES. I don't know, I'm just so grateful to be where I am. This transfer is going to be all about work. We reorganized everything and I'm excited.
Driving is a hot mess. But I'm getting used to the parallel parking. Sort of. Uhmmmm lets see. Last p-day we went to "The Alley' downtown. basically a mile of gaaaahetto stores. But super bueno. I got a sweet California baseball tee. I'll be sending a bunch of pictures home today.
Did I tell you all I'm getting over my picky-ness?
We talked a lot about happiness in our lessons this week. Pray. Read the scriptures. Come to church. Keep the commandments. = BEING HAPPY. It's a full-proof formula. Everything we do in this life is us trying to find happiness. Lasting true joy can only be found in the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I see this day after day. The evidence is all around us. This scripture comes from one of my favorite parts in the Book of Mormon, "I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." I promise that this is true.
LOVE YOU ALL! THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS. KEEP WRITING. MAKE IT A HAPPY WEEK! CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!
Love, Sister Atkinson
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