Defend your beliefs

I can't believe that time is ticking down to the day that I'll step off that plane and see your lovely faces again. Also it stresses me out because people out here talk about how I need to get married and then my palms get sweaty and I want to cry because the idea of going on a date just seems so bizarre to me. But what matters most is that we are hitting the streets out here. Sister Johansen and I are working so hard. Between exchanges, meetings, training other missionaries and working hard in our area we have been so busy and by the time 10:25 comes at night and I can hit the sack I'm wiped and I sleep like a rock until 6:25 when we get up and run for a half hour. Busy busy busy. And also one of the most exciting transfers of my mission because there is ALWAYS something to be done. Sister Jo is a rockin missionary and such a good example to me.

Also the weather here has been AWESOME!! And my little feet have turned to a nice shade of dark brown.. (: which is nice because I have white little toes. TWO TONED WHAT WHAT?!? But really the nice weather has been awesome. I hope it keeps up because this next week we're going on three exchanges. (And next monday is not p-day so I won't be able to write to ya'll until next wednesday after I go to the temple!!!!)

Mom: I had a thought-- my first meal home must have brownies. I've had brownies only about 5 times on my mission.

So a fun story from this week... We we're biking home from a zone training meeting in a really far away place and it was hot and BEAUTIFUL outside. My companion and I were completely stress free because we were done with the trainings we had to present. At a stoplight we saw a woman crossing the road with her adorable dog (that looks exactly like Amos, just shorter and longer) chasing after her. Poor dog was SO hot and super tired and the woman was standing on the other side of the road beckoning him to run faster because the light was about to turn green. Well here's the crazy part-- Taiwanese drivers start driving before the light turns green. I watched as this dogs path brought him right in front of a car that had already started driving forward and I saw this woman's face as she watched her fatigued little pup almost get crushed and then with out even thinking I just drove up and cut this SUV off so that he'd stop and not hit the dog. I'm not completely sure what I was thinking throwing me and my wimpy little orange bike in front of a moving vehicle to save a dog... but I felt good afterward. Hahah.

*No animals were hurt in the making of this film.

Last couple things: We're praying hard for a few people who are really close to baptism. Right now we're working closely with a girl who is almost graduated from high school in hopes that she can get baptized this month. The other is a mom and her son (the daughter in this family will wait until after she takes this big test to be baptized). They set a baptismal date for my last Saturday here. We are praying hard for them. They really felt the spirit at conference so I think they can make it. We love this family!!!!

Lastly. I loved conference this weekend!!! What were your favorite parts? I really liked a lot of things here's some lessons that stuck out to me most.

"What would Jesus do?" will not always bring a popular result.

Amidst suffering- show an increased amount of love and self-control.

We warn of the things that are not seen- not of the things that are seen.

Times are changing, but truth is not and we will not.

In the gospel of Jesus Christ there is no place for ridicule, bullying, or bigotry.

Every day or every hour you can choose to make or keep a covenant with God.

"Oh it'll all work out."

Courage, not compromise brings the smile of God's approval.

Heavenly Father smiles on you every time you help a daughter of god press forward on that covenant path and every time you do good. He expects you to treat everyone you meet as a child of God.

Anyway those things were only from Saturday. All of conference was good. I think what I loved was the woman's broadcast and realizing that I am part of something much bigger than myself. The church is true and we have the privilege to be part of it!!!

Oh I forgot to mention. My wrist was hurting SO BAD yesterday and I had shooting pains going up my arm. So so so so so painful. It's fine now, but the hilarious part is that apparently in my sleep last night I told my companion that my arm hurt and she was like so what are you going to do? and I said "I'm probably gonna die." I guess I'm just as ridiculous and over exaggerated in my sleep as I am in real life!!