Sister Sharon Andersen's Mission Blog: Letter # 71

Dear family!

There has been a lot of change again this week! :) They are very good changes! We got another set of missionaries in the Seminole Ward. Yay! So we have 3 sets now... kinda. Crazy! Sister Wakefield and I got even more excited when we found out they were sisters!! The only sad part of getting new missionaries is that you have to give up a part of your area. What is more sad is giving up the people you have been working with. :( I love to see the work hasten! I have to remind myself that we were so happy and thankful to be moved into our new place before they came. Four Sisters and 1 bathroom doesn't add up!! hahaha. So with 4 sisters in one apartment, it's feels just like a sleepover all the time. It is pretty much the best. It's hard though to get anything done. (mainly at night) Only because we just sit around and talk and gossip :) It has been so much fun. I haven't written anyone back :( Sorry! At the beginning of my mission I hated living with so many sisters. Just because there wasn't enough room and I let it stress me out, but

now it is just like a party!

So another change is that they have 6 full-time Facebook Missionaries! It is crazy to see how much the mission is changing! All they do is go on Facebook trying to find people to teach and baptize. We are able to message them to ask questions about what talks or videos would be good for our investigators. It is kinda cool! :)

So I don't know if it is "official hurricane"season but we have already had our first lock down. It was only for a couple hours, but it was still so much fun! I don't pray for it... but I really want to survive a 'big one' while I am here. I am trying not to regret my words (so that why I won't pray for it) and because obviously I don't want anyone to get hurt at all. I just want to be humbled and more willing to listen, or at least allow us to do a lot of service in the community. Maybe is could soften a couple hearts :) We have a newer-ish sister living with us. :) So this was her first lock down. She was freaking out a little. hahaha. We had like 8 warnings in an hour period, and then we got a call saying we couldn't leave the apartment until late that night. Luckily it cleared up and we were only stuck at home for a couple of hours.

So Lydia is as cute as ever. She is making a lot of progress, just very slowly! She came to church again this week. :) We have met with her a couple of times. It is always an interesting experience. haha. In the best

way, that is one thing I have learned on my mission: Accepting people where they are at. I have learned to just go with it, we will read with her and take it slow explaining thing as we go. I always ask her to pray, I love hearing my investigators pray.(her especially). They don't get caught up saying the "right things" or the same things every time so you can always tell it is from the heart. She never worries about what she is

saying. So when she was praying this last time, she was praying for you guys! She is so sweet :) She asked for my family and asked to bless you and thanked you for sending her precious angels to Florida :) Oh yeah, she calls us angels all the time! haha! Her dog was barking at us when we walked in and she said "I will not let you bark at my precious Latter Day Saint angles like that!" hahaha So somehow this week she found out that I would be leaving in April. (cough cough Sister Wakefield) ha. She became really sad about it, I had to reassure her that once I am home I can stay in contact with her by phone and Facebook. Man I love technology! So in her prayer she also Included for my travel home and for my future husband... (haha) that will be able to find a precious Latter Day Saint husband, and have adorable Latter Day Saint children. She is getting a little ahead of her self... She is kinda crazy, but that makes it fun!

So... exciting news! James is getting baptized on the the 11th of April! I am so excited! He went out of town this week so we have not had much contact with him. :( He has been reading and is still loving it all. He did bring up his main concern of being able to stop smoking. We are a little worried about too. He quit cold turkey and lasted about 22 hours. So our plan is to get someone to give him a blessing and do a lesson on The W.O.W. hopefully later this week. Pray for us and him! He needs it!

General Conference is coming up soon! I can't wait it is pretty much like the Super Bowl for missionaries! :) I am trying to start thinking of what question to take with me to conference. :)

I love you guys so much and miss you even more! :) I cant believe it is already March!!! Time is going by way to fast. I try not to think about it...

So this year on Saint Patrick's day I'll also be celebrating my 17 month mark too!

LOVE YOU GUYS!! Miss you!!

P.S. We are teaching these returning members who grew up in Preston Idaho. :) Could you ask Grandma and Grandpa if they know the Peacock? or Bosen? or Hansen family? They own a bed and breakfast names "A Touch of Yesterday" or the " The Rocky Mountains Red Brick Inn"?

P.S.S Mom- I'll order you a tag no problem. :) That sounds adorable! :) I can't wait!! I just don't know how I feel about cutting up my clothes though! haha!

P.S.S.S Mommy & Daddy-Could you please figure out something with my bike... Other missionaries have tried to send their's home. I would love to have it but I am pretty sure it very expensive. I didn't know if you wanted to try to sell it? Or donate it to anther missionary? IDK? Just wanted to give a heads up and let me know. :)