Kait in Colorado: August 25

THE TIME HAS COME. I LEAVE FOR MY NEW AREA TUESDAY.

I personally think that I will be staying out west, probably even still in grand junction! But only time will tell! Wish me luck!

I had the best last week possible here in this area. With the change, I have realized just how grateful I am for the time that I have had here. I love these people SO MUCH. I start crying randomly when I start to think about it too much so it hasn't really hit me that I am leaving because I try not to think about it.

MIRACLE #1 ERIN GOT MARRIED ON MONDAY NIGHT!

Monday night all of our appointments fell through. I wasn't feeling like a very great missionary. And then at 8:15 Erin called asking us if we could come over at 8:30 because she and Kyle were getting hitched! Wahoooo! When we arrived, all of her family was there and she and Kyle were ready. The marriage was very casual. Erin wore a Broncos shirt and her baby was nakey shakey but none of that matters. What matters is that they are now living the commandments! After they signed the marriage license, Erin exclaimed to Kyle, "We are no longer living in sin!" Kyle's mom wasn't too happy about it so she tried to make it a bigger deal by bringing champagne and a cake. Sister Rod and I became incredibly nervous when they started to pour the glasses. If she drank it, she couldn't get baptized. We whisper yelled back and forth, "You talk to her!" "No you talk to her!" I mustered up the courage and when she ran downstairs to grab a camera, so did I. As I expressed our concern, she simply said, "I wasn't planning on drinking it." I LOVE HER. She is the most prepared person I have ever met. Back upstairs, she took the champagne, poured it out, and put water in it so they could take pictures of them drinking it together. Her family said, "Why are you doing that?" Her reply made my year, "I'm living the word of wisdom. Now and for forever!" After the marriage we ran to exchange with the 7th sisters so that Sister Moser and I could then exchange with the 6th sisters.

EXCHANGES

I was with Sister Lara for the day! She's from Seattle. She has had an incredibly difficult life. Instead of letting it tear her down, she has let it build her. She is so strong and loves to take care of people. She wants to help everyone but is stressed right now that she can't help her family more. We talked a lot about trusting God and I, of course, shared my favorite scripture: Mosiah 24:14. We had an awesome day together. We helped a woman move, taught a less-active who is progressing so much, and tracted in the pouring rain! We had dinner with a new move-in in their ward who served a mission and now she is married to a non-member. We had a good conversation with him about faith. I know he will get baptized some day!

ERIN GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!

We woke up to pouring rain. Sister Moser and I had a leadership meeting to go to so we headed out, leaving our companions behind. After we switched back, Sister Rodriguez and I started to freak out! We were just so excited and wanted to make sure everything was perfect. And it was! In the sense that the spirit was there so powerfully and we had good ward support. President and Sister Murdock also came with their daughter Myken, who leaves in 19 days for her mission in Germany. Erin was so excited. She kept rubbing her hands together like she was getting ready to run a race or something. Her brother was able to baptize her. He is the only other member in her family. I wish you could have been there, to feel the total and complete joy I felt as I watched Erin make covenants with her Father in Heaven. I even sang... say what? I sang Saviour, Redeemer of my Soul. I had Sister Gardner accompany with her violin and Sister Wells on the piano. As I was singing, I felt the spirit more powerfully and in a different way than I ever have before. It was carrying me. The reason why I was able to do it in part was because of Sister Pfeifer. She was in charge of 18 lives. On Friday night before the baptism (and after our Ward Fish Fry), she gave me a personal singing lesson! She is a professional opera singer! She told me that I could do opera if I wanted so that was pretty neat. After I sang it for her, she told me my diction was fabulous, my breathing great, all the technical things were fine...but I wasn't feeling it. I need to sing as if I was talking to the Saviour. As I changed my mindset and relied on the power I knew my voice already had, a different spirit came into the room. All I needed was someone to give me permission to really feel what I was singing and that is what she did! I am so grateful for her. After Erin was baptized and we waited for her to change, Sister Wagner bore the perfect testimony. I just love her. Erin was confirmed by Elder Merrill. In her blessing she was promised that she would be able to be sealed to her family one day. Oh what that meant to me and I can only imagine what it means to her. We took so many pictures and were so ridiculously happy! Such a blessed day! And Carley, her eight year old who got baptized a month ago, said the best closing prayer. She said, "I'm thankful that my mom got baptized today and I hope she's happy too and I hope she has a good day today."

ELDER DALLIN H. OAKS CAME TO TOWN

Apparently Saturday was the best day of my mission, because at 5 o'clock we were privileged to hear from an apostle of the Lord. It was very structured and organized. We all got to shake his hand. I was very nervous before but once we walked into the chapel, that all went away. He is such a real and down to earth person. He also tells really good jokes and is so kind. Being in his presence, made me want to be more obedient, it made me want to love more fully. I felt his love. I'd imagine that that is how we will feel when we are in the presence of our Saviour. Elder Martino and Bishop Causse also talked to us. They spoke about being an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Elder Oaks took a moment in his talk and paused. Then he said, "We take our spiritual impressions very seriously. I am not going to dwell on this but as I shook your hands, I felt very impressed that many of you need to speak with your mission president." That is all he said and moved on. YIKES. Of course, my heart started racing and I immediately thought, "What did I do?" Then I started praying and I felt peace. Yay for being irrational. I felt so happy. It was so cool to be able to grin real big at Elder Oaks, have him grin back, and know that I have a clear conscience. I am so thankful for repentance. Through Christ we really can be cleansed from sin. I left my notebook with my notes at home so I will send you them next week FROM MY NEW AREA! Woot!

THIS MORNING

We are now a tripanionship with Sister Keavali (from FIJI!). Sister Moser departed early this morning to Denver so she can be at transfer meeting tomorrow when she bears her testimony and then heads home. I am so thankful that I got to serve around my trainer her last transfer. Sister Moser is one of the most consecrated, giving people I have ever met. All that she wants is to do the will of the Lord. We got to wake up at 4:45 this morning to bid her adieu and pick up Sister Keavali. After that I couldn't fall back asleep so I started packing. All I really did was organize though and my suitcases still haven't been touched! haha

SISTER RODRIGUEZ

I am so thankful, so VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY thankful for Sister Rodriguez. She has taught me so much about righteous desires and real genuine love and faith. Plus we are like best friends so that is always a nice bonus. I am so excited for her to have new adventures. She will continue to do great things and bless so many lives.

PATTY

Miracles always happen when I leave an area. We have been concerned that Patty has not been progressing as much. She has finished the Book of Mormon. Something we've been trying to get her to do is pray but we've never been really bold about it. Yesterday as we stopped by their house to say by, I knew we needed to have a lesson about prayer. I loved feeling the Spirit guide us as we asked inspired questions and shared personal experiences. And though it may have been a touch painful while we waited for her to say it, SHE SAID THE CLOSING PRAYER! It was the perfect ending to my journey with her. I know that she will get baptized.Hopefully I stay in GJ so I can come to it.

Thanks for all your support love!

Love,

Sista T