Yay for Change!!

 This week was ohhh soooo good!!

Tuesday: the Murphy Sisters came over & we made more videos!! It was fun & we all knew we were getting more missionaries but no one had recieved a call yet so it was a day full of suspense!! We went to bed tuesday night & got woken up by a phone call telling us we are getting a new missionary & that we need to be at the airport at 3pm! Ohhhh i was SO excited!! I didnt go back to sleep for two hours because i was anticipating all the good things with this new missionary!! Yes wowza this change was definitely an answer to Sister Bartons prayers!!

Wednesday: we woke up & rearranged the apartment so our new missionary would feel welcomed!!! We then drove to the airport & i got to drive right through Atlanta!! It was so cool!! We picked up our new missionary Sister Olson & then headed back to Blairsville!! It was a long day in the car but SO worth it!! Sister Olson is so fun & so ready to be back in the mission field!! She served in South Korea before but now we get her! Yay!! Shes also half korean so thats cool!!

Thursday: we had district council in person for the first time in what feels like 57385 years!! It was SO good!! I gave a training on obedience!! I LOVE obedience! I think its easy to see obedience as rules or limitations or basically not being able to have "fun". But when we truly understand obedeince we learn that is soooo not true!! I have strived to be obedient & let me tell ya... ive never had more fun & loved life so much!! God asks us to be obedient so we can learn, grow, become responsible, & be safe!! Being a missionary I have been able to see the blessings that come when we are obedient with exactness. Obviously we arent going to be perfect but if we strive everyday to be better than we were yesterday thats what matters! God blesses all his children but there are so many more unique & individual blessings when we do what he asks of us. A quote that I LOVE in our missionary handbook says "God loves you. Choose to keep the commandments because you love God." This hits me so hard every time i read it. Being obedient is one of the best ways we can show our love for God & that we really do appreciate all that He & His son Jesus Christ have done & continue to do for us. I would do ANYTHING to show my gratitude. I want to invite y'all to find something you can be more obedient on & focus on achieving it everyday this week! Yay obedience is awesome!!

Friday: we went to a members home because the church wifi doesnt work & we cant do much without wifi so now we get to be with members! Hahaha it was good to see people & they even sent us home with sooooo much food!! Hahah so much for 7 months to sexy hahaha! We also had a zoom call with John Bytheway!! He talked about how we need to have our routine in life so when distractions & temptations come we already know our priorities & whats most important. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission so I can create habits to set the pace for the rest of my life!! He also talked about having your own mission statement & how patriarchal blessings can help us to know what MY purpose is. We know everyones purpose is to learn & grow & become more like our Heavenly Father what exactly is it that God wants ME to do? I have thought about this a lot & think patriarchal blessings are so important!! We are able to have such specific blessings from God & we can learn so much about our pure selves! I learned so much from John Bytheway & im so thankful for technology to still be able to have amazing experiences like these!

Saturday: we laughed sooo much!! Ive laughed the most this week than i have the past 2 transfers & i am sooo grateful for that! Sister Olson has brought so much life to our companionship & ohhhh im so blessed!! We found a book in our apartment that has a bunch of personalities & we all picked the one that was like us & learned sooo much about each other!! It was soo fun & i mean whats better than getting to know your comps when you're in quarantine??

Sunday: Mothers Day!! We went to a members home to have the sacrament & call our MOMS!! I am SO blessed to have the mom that I do. Aweee my mom is soooo cute, strong, selfless, understanding, dedicated, funny, motivated, loving, pure, & christ-like! She is the best example to me of everything I hope to be. If I could bring anyone on my mission it would be her!! Ive missed her sooo much & it will be the best reunion in 7 months! Shes the best & the most incredible human being!! Love you tons mom!! 💗

This week got better & better everyday!! God is so aware of us & what we need & when we need it!! Missions are the best!! Ive learned so much & cant wait to learn even more!! Yay for still having 7 months wooo!!