Happy 1 Year! :)

So I reach one year this week. PSYCHO. I probably won't post something cute on Facebook, because I'll likely forget. So here's me recognizing it publicly. Hahah I'm doing the temple to temple 5k on my year mark.
SO stoked! :)

HELLO I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEND PICTURES LAST WEEK! I forgot...

Last Monday we went to Rancho Market. It's so MEXICAN. I love it.

We went to Natural Apothecary and I fell in love with it. So cool!

Also, Heavenly Father is SO cool. I was feeling like poooo, and then we got a call from the ZL's and THEY WERE ON EXCHANGES! So Elder Trusty was in the area, who is my BRO. So I promptly asked for a
blessing. Y-E-S. So I got a bossly blessing and felt better. Score.

We got dumped this week... but we fixed it! There's a returning member who decided it was just too hard, and her family was not doing ok with her returning to the church, so she said thanks for all we've done to
help her, but she's going to stop. Then we went and ran errands with her, all the while preaching to her. Then we ate lunch with her and convinced her she was wrong, and now she's progressing again :)

So my companion was once companions with my MTC companion. Hna Lopez taught her how to make pupusas. Sooooo my companion taught me how to make pupusas! The first time we did them with the family who got baptized. Then a few days later we made them for an investigator who hadn't made dinner. We invited the recent convert, and she was a PERFECT fellowshipper. It was awesome. They both opened right up and she bore all kinds of testimony. They even had a connection: the recent convert worked with the investigator's son (who is in prison). Anyway, they bonded. It was awesome. Later, I'm going to make arepas. Now I miss my favorite Morevia from SF, and Emma Abzueta. LES QUIERO!

Aubergine & Company: GO! It's an adorable restaurant across the street from our area and it's delicious. Mediterranean salad bar, with a juice bar, AND an acai berry bowl bar. Please, if you're ever in Orem,
go there.

HOLY FREAK, IS DAVID FREY COMING HOME IN TWO MONTHS?! Crazy.

Anyway, I love you all!!

Loooove,
Hermana Willis

Happy birthday/anniversary!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM AND LUKE!

Y'all are the best parents and Luke I've ever had :) :)

Dad, thank you for calling me a skinny Spanish/Russian/confused missionary. I appreciate that. It's just... With the way I was standing and turned and the angle and everything, my torso looks elongated... I appreciate the compliment though! :)
Speaking of Russian... We're going to the next World Cup in Russia, right?! Hahaha Sorry... Serving with Hispanics I always hear the most up to date information on the World Cup.

We went and did service two mornings in a row for a festival at as Scera Park. It was a colonial thing, and mom would have died. So cute!

Then I was so tired from working in the sun, I fell asleep in a lesson or two. THAT HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN. Can someone tell me how to not be so tired in lessons? Because falling asleep in lessons is really not an ok thing to do. And studies, and sacrament meeting, and principios, and relief society... I have a problem.

Once, a kid lied to us so my companion told him liars go to hell. His friend told us we can't say that word because we're teachers at heaven school. So now we substitute it with telestial kingdom. The other day I was talking about something and I said "Aaaalllll of the telestial kingdom broke loose!" Man, it was funny.

The parade was so much fun! The entire mission was there, and I got to see my very favorite missionaries. Such a beautiful reunion. Hahah

Saw Adam and Morganne, and gave them hugs :) Well, I saw them once but they were too far back in the crowd to see me. Then they ran to another side and I gave them hugs. THEN Adam ran up to me about a block down and took pictures. Hahaha So technically, I saw them three times.

Saw Jeff Williams and ALMOST gave him a hug. Hahaha And I realized I was so excited to see Jeff and meet Kara, I DIDNT FLIP OUT OVER THE KIDS! Ay, mi madre... Well, I had almost been lost by the mission, and I didn't want that to happen. Hahah Did he send you the picture? I want to see it!

So on Saturday I went back to Eagle Mountain. SO MUCH NOSTALGIA! We had dinner with the Johnsons, then went to the baptism of the man I technically never got to teach. I got to see all of the members, and although I was a newbie missionary and it was a year ago, they all still remembered me :) I sang a so with Hna Córdova (Where love is, there god is also<---in Spanish). We got to see one of the families I love. Do you remember when I was preparing Thasgiving dinner with a family and the man called dad, and we also found out the son served with Adam? Them. I love them. We surprised them. It was awesome :)
My temporary companion was Hna Córdova, and while we were with is family, we realized both of our companions had our areas phones. We were off the charts... So crazy. Hahaha

The baptism was a man I'd only met once was one of the most spiritual baptisms I've ever been at. I can't count the amount of times we went and knocked on his door. Now he's baptized! So cool.

Anyway, I've felt pretty sick this week. Not too well... And this heat is killing me. 6 more weeks of this! Woot woot! Oh, p.s. That's transfer call information! I'm staying here, going on 6 months, and I Hna Wright is staying with me.

So I love you all, and hope you had a lovely Independence Day, and anniversary, and birthdays! Enjoy this most eventful month! :D

Hermana Willis

Happy Fourth of July!!!

HAPPY AMERICA DAY THIS WEEK! We will be walking in the parade on the 4th, but we can't stop and greet people, so when I see you Adam and Morganne, I'll just wave like a psycho :) Then that night we're watching Frozen. YESSS!! Man, I'm so stoked. 😃 Hahaha

A BABY?!? Holy mother of pearl, I'm going to die. Looks like I'm not leaving FL until after a baby is born! I VOTE ANOTHER BOY! Let's name him Hercules!! Jess, thank you for the BEST homecoming gift ever. Due date please? I'm going to buy him a BYU onesie :)

Also... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER! Somebody put a birthday video of him on Facebook, prease :) I MISS THAT CHEEKY LITTLE RASCAL!! Sooooooo much.

My mission is so international. There's English and Spanish missionaries obviously. Then there's a Portuguese companionship, two Asian companionships (not necessarily Asian missionaries they're just assigned to that work for awhile), and a Poly companionship (again, it's not the missionaries themselves who are Poly, it's the assignment). This is also one of the most versatile missions in the world. We've got people from all over the world! It makes me so full of happy feelings, knowing there are so many languages in my mission.

Whenever there's someone around me who speaks a language I don't speak, I have to learn the basics. I now know a few basic phrases in Swedish. Hahaha When I was serving around the German elders, I was polishing up my German. When Elder Sellers was here (he went to Brazil) I was practicing Portuguese words and the accent. Even when I was with Hna Abellan, I was learning some Catalan words. SO FUN! #learnallthelanguages

Luke, keep an eye out for an Elder Parker Bingham. He's coming to you, and you're going to train him! We had dinner with his family about 2 weeks ago.

Not quite a year in and I'm trashing some of my clothes... :( Looks like a trip to Old Navy for some tshirts! -_- (Code for "I hate spending money.") hahaha

Time flies by when you're a missionary whether your having fun or not. But chances are, you are having fun. This was the fastest week of my whole life. The mission is literally a blasted roller coaster. Fast and crazy. I go through just about every emotional extreme at least twice a day. If I have a mood disorder after the mission, I'm sorry. 😔 Hahaha

I want to be a mom: birthday party edition. We were helping our ex-WML's wife prepare for her daughter's birthday party. We've been helping her for a long time... But it's so worth it! I just think parties are so fun. Preparing food, creating decorations, etc. I love it. I miss doing that. I love preparing for parties and decorating for events. I would love to have a baby shower sometime soon. Ahem. Jess, will you wait for me to come home to do the baby shower? I get home the first week of February. Or can we do another baby shower when I get back? I just don't want to miss out!! Hahahaha

So we got one referral, but we ended up teaching the whole family, and we now have 4 new investigators. One of them is ready for baptism and is half way done with the BoM (they've all had missionaries before), one has serious arthritis and anemia and sometimes can't move, one doesn't want to be ready for baptism yet, and one was just confirmed catholic the day we met her. The first lesson with them was the most powerful lesson I've ever been in though. It was insane how powerful the spirit was. They shared some amazing experiences with us, and everything in their lives is directing them towards baptism and on, they just have to recognize that. Holy smokes.

ADAM, you little nugget! I can't believe you signed up to feed the elders! I was so jealous. And the best part is, that was the night we didn't have a dinner. Hahah If the elders had told me, I probably would have made them ask if y'all could feed us too. I probably would have been reprimanded later though, so never mind. Hahaha They said you still haven't gotten silly yet. STOP HOLDING BACK, YOU BUCKET HEAD! Sing them fruit cocktail! Hahaha

Anyway, last night my companion and I left the phone downstairs when we were doing numbers, so the DL and ZL's were calling like crazy. Right when we got down stairs the other elders (as seen in the picture with Adam) we're calling. I answered and they told me they were about to come and check on us because nobody could get in contact with us. OOPS!! Hahah I felt so bad. We fixed it all though. Not leaving this phone anywhere! Haha

Anywho, I hope you all have a lovely Fourth of July week! God bless America! 😀🇺🇸

I love youuuu!!

Hermana Willis

"Teach him to deny himself. Teach him to say no." Robert E Lee

Just a fun little quote for you. I liked it. You're welcome :)

Dear dad, for Father's Day (well on Monday night) I ate a super spicy tamale for you. And guess what! I ate it all with no problem, while these Mexican men all around me were CRYING. Enserio. So we're definitely related, you and I. Hahaha

OH, let me tell you the worst moment of this week (exaggeration). We were having a rough afternoon and we rode our bikes by an investigators house. While we were riding by, we saw the J-Dubs leaving their house. But it's ok, we were about to drop him anyway.

Remember how Utah is 60x more bipolar than Florida? Cold hard RAIN, and degrees in the 40's IN JUNE. Go home, Utah. You're drunk. Also, please live the word of wisdom from now on.

Being a mom: food poisoning edition. Wednesday afternoon, we got a text from the elders telling us they wouldn't be able to come to our meeting with the stake president because they both got food poisoning (the elders who Adam knows who live just a few houses down). I went to my next door neighbor who is also a witch doctor and then my companion and I brought over a grocery bag full of stuff. I felt like a momma of a couple teenage boys. It as awesome. "Take the charcoal capsules. Try eating a LITTLE bit of applesauce or a banana. Sip on that Gatorade I gave you. SLOWLY. Rub the essential oil on your stomach in a clockwise motion. Do you want some peppermint tea? Have you been eating? Are you hydrated? KEEP DRINKING WATER. I don't care if you've been throwing it up for 15 hours. Is there a water bottle right next to you? Are you drinking it? Stop talking, take a sip." Hahahahaha I turned into the crazy protective mother over these boys. Poor kids. Somebody's gotta do it though! And I'm more than glad to. I love being a momma! :) Hahaha

STORY TIME: Once upon a time my mission president called during dinner and I flipped out when I saw it after we left. He left a message about how there was a letter, something about Sister Willis working with Henry. I still was confused, and was anxiously waiting his call back. We were in a meeting with our stake president when he called back. I wasn't about to miss it, so I excused myself and answered). President McCune told me he'd received a letter from someone in a stake in Orem. It was from the brother who introduced Henry to us. He was in almost every lesson, and really loves Henry. So he wrote a letter about how highly he thought about Hna Abellan and myself. He said "we are confident in the qualification, testimonies, and training of these two young sisters" and a bunch of stuff like "thanks for keeping such amazing missionaries like these sisters." I had been having the worst day in the world, and that was a cherry on a newly encountered ice cream sundae after walking with a rain cloud over your head for a day. I was crying like a little baby. Thanks Hno Luke for the letter, and thank you President for sharing it with me!

I was feeling really unwell Saturday afternoon, so I watched some of my favorite I'm a Mormon videos of international people. Some of my favorites are the Parisian linguist mother of 7 (my #1 favorite), the Italian bee-keeper and architect who never stops smiling, the Persian Britt who teaches her children Farsi, the blind French-Swiss chocolate hunter (this one is one of my very favorites. He's so funny!), the Russian musician, the trilingual (English, Spanish, French) family, the Austrian concert manager, the Frenchman/opera singer, and the American mother who supports 27 orphanages in Bulgaria. Go take a look :) (Oh, and there's this one too! http://www.mormon.org/cecile)

When I was watching the one about the opera singer, I closed my eyes and pretended I was watching an opera. I'd never felt so relaxed in the mission. I never realized how much I loved opera. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! Go and take a listen for me! :)

Saturday after watching the I'm a Mormon videos, I was sitting getting our supplies list ready for our DL, and got a phone call from Hna Córdova. So she got a call from the Eagle Mountain sisters. She said that someone I'd spent 4 1/2 months trying to teach IS GETTING BAPTIZED! He asked the sisters in EM to invite all of the missionaries that ever tried to contact him. Even my ZL who was trained there ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO is invited. He said thank you to all the missionaries who never gave up on him. BOOYAH! That's me!! :)

So we have 3 investigators with a baptism date (July 5th). During sacrament meeting when they announced the closing hymn, Maria the mother leaned over to my companion and said "Anoche estabamos leyendo sobre la barra de hierro." WHAT! She's amazing. She went from just listening to us because she enjoyed the company to reading the Book of Mormon and praying with her two sons every night. I love this family so much. They're amazing.

So July 5th is going to be a day filled with baptisms! We're hoping another investigator will accept to be baptized that same day. I could potentially see 5 baptisms that day. SO MUCH LOVE!

So now that I've ended the email on a spiritual note, let me ruin that. So on July 4th, Sister McCune always approves a movie for us to watch (we can't be out because some elders will surely play with fireworks, which we cannot do). DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOVIE IS? Let me tell you... WE ARE WATCHING FROZEN. Holy cow, I'm so stoked. Anyway, I just wanted to leave you on that note. ;)

I LOVE YOU ALL! Please be good, and don't lose Jacob's puppy ever again! :)

SOUL EXPANDING!

Tuesday morning companionship study was interrupted by spiders. Then we spent the rest of comp study exterminated the whole house because companion hates spiders A LOT. So fun. :) hahaha

I have a scary story to tell you. Here it goes... I was with Hna Córdova when she hit 9 months, then I hit 9 months. I was with Hna Abellán when she hit 11, and here I am, cumpliendo 11 meses. Now I'm with Hna Wright, and she's got 4 months left. In two more transfers, I'll be there where she is now, with trunky papers in hand... WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?! Holy smokes. That's the end of my scary story. The end.

Luke, you lucky dog. I want a bombilla. I've got the mate, lo que no tengo es una bombilla! Ay, como lo quiero... I've been steeping it like a loose leaf tea, pero it's not the same! QUIERO SER ARGENTINA!
Hahah Oh well... I'll never be as Argentine as my brother who's actually IN Argentina.

Mom you'd be so proud of me! When my companion got the flu, I remembered oscillococcinum and gave it to my her! YAAAYY! My next door neighbor also has some homeopathic things, and she was willing to go
pick up the oscillo for me. She also bought me extra produce because I'm borrowing her juicer. Everybody, please give a round of applause for Kathy, the best next door neighbor. *applauds*

Anyway, I filled a humidifier with water and added a little lavender and my companion slept a rock. I was taking care of her like my mommy always took care of me. The best way. With natural remedies! Say hello
to the next witch doctor :) After that experience I'm just so excited to have kids of my own. I'm ready to be a mom. I'm ready for sick kids. Bring on the poopy diapers. Bring on the crying. Bring on the puking. BRING ON THE BABIES.

Fun fact: I have an obsession with the concepts of "home" and "belonging" and I think it's because of that that I am so extremely moved by the soundtrack of Spirit. It is easily the best movie score and soundtrack I've ever heard. It still makes me cry.

Thursday morning, I finished reading a chapter in the Book of Mormon, and as I sat it down I thought in my head "Stop. There's something inthe back of your scriptures that you need to read." Listen to the pronouns. "YOUR scriptures." "YOU need to read." So these thoughts obviously weren't me talking to me, I would have said "I" instead of "you." So without hesitation, I reached back down and looked in the back of my scriptures. In there was a picture I drew in seminary of a "silly ruler of the feast," a list of ideas for a good talk, and "I Am Willis." I knew it wasn't the seminary picture, and the tips for good talks wasn't that interesting, so I read I Am Willis.

Let me just say that I love my dad, I love my name, and I love my family.

On Saturday someone my companion had taught in her first area was going to the temple to receive their endowment. Sooo we did a session in SPANISH. I was in heaven (ahem... literally). It was so much fun! And the temple worker who helped me in Spanish was an Argentine woman who knows the Krasnoselsky's. Hey, familia mía, conocen una Hermana Riboldi? Es de Rosario, creo. La conocí en un centro de la historia
familiar y la pregunté si conocía a la familia Krasnoselsky y me contestó "Por supuesto que sí!" You're all so popular. ;)

Last night our dinner appointment couldn't have us over and had to drop the food off at our house, and she was running a little late. Our dinner hour was wasting away, and then my very favorite next door neighbor asked us if we want to come eat with them. We did! And the husband of the family is from Georgia. I could hear my tiny little hint of a southern accent coming out. I was so filled with joy! When he got baptized (he's a convert of a long time) he was baptized in the FJM! :) But where he's from is in the GA Macon mission now. So neat :) Here's a picture of his hat that he showed me... Enjoy :) And as we were leaving he yelled our the door (while wearing his hat) "You can keep your confederate money. The south will rise again!" I almost
died.

So yesterday we were sitting in our in our stake coordination meeting and Elder Lundahl was sitting next to me. The attention had gone to the stake missionary couple, so I asked him to see his iPad. He handed me his iPad and I whipped open his LDS Tools (because we all have the same password, so that's not a problem. Hahah) then I had a little panic attack because his LDS Tools was in Swedish. But let's be real, I was born to be a linguist, so I was able to navigated through it until I found what I wanted. Once there, I searched for ADAM WILLIS! And guess who is in the stake these elders also cover... My big brudder! So I screen captured his information and airdropped it to myself. Then I told Elder Lundahl take Adam out with them all the time. He was like "Yeah, we will" blah blah. I figured they'd forget about it.

THEN about 3 hours later my comp and I were outside our house because our ZL's were picking something up, and because the elders live on the same street as we do they saw us when they were leaving their house.
Elder Lundahl says "Hey, I need to show you something" and hands me his iPad. IT WAS A PICTURE OF THEM AND ADAM! I almost flipped lid. Elder Romriell said Adam was really quiet. I looked at him like he was insane and said "Are you telling me jokes right now?" Adam, don't hide your true nature from these elders. Hahaha they said you're going out with them this week! I'm so glad :) Just don't take them home because I'm sure they'll show you where I live. Hahaha I also may have told the Spanish elders in that stake as well (my DL who is from Bunell FL!) that Morganne speaks Spanish, and they should get her to come out
with them. DON'T KILL ME MORGANNE, I LOVE YOU :)

P.s. With that screen capture, I was able to figure out what his calling was. At first it looked like he was the prince of the Evangelists, but then I realized he's actually the gospel principles teacher! xD I CAN READ SWEDISH!! Seriously though, I believe I was born to learn languages. I just love it.

STOP. Scripture time.

This morning I started reading Alma 5. Anybody who's ever read the Book of Mormon should understand that I've been dying to get to this chapter. It's one of my very favorites :) So I read verse 9 and my inner poet just leapt for joy.

And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved. (Alma 5:9)

The part that says their souls did expand just blew my mind. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. Without Christ, we're confined and limited. But through Christ, and especially through the Atonement, even our very souls can
expand. Through Him we can reach and accomplish such amazing things that as fallen sinners we could never imagine. But with Him, not even death and beat us! And through Christ, WE ARE SAVED. This verse just
hit me right between the eyes this morning. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That was from memory. I may have quoted it wrong... But it's real! True story. SOUL EXPANDING. Just
think about it.

I love you all A LOT. I hope you know it! I try not to brag, but whenever people ask me about my family I kind of let myself go on... Hahaha Y'all are really the best in the world.

LOVE!

Hermana Willis

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

Lord Bulwer Lytton: ‘What man wants is not talent, it is purpose; not power to achieve, but the will to labor.’
I just like that quote. I hope you enjoyed it like I did. Hahah

Happy Father's Day before Father's Day!! Dear dad, YOU'RE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD. I could say the best dad I've ever had, pero you're the only dad I've ever had, so that would do you justice... So you're the best in the WORLD. I'd write you another letter, but nothing can match the birthday letter I sent you. That one made ME cry! But anyway, I love you and wish I could give you your glass of orange juice on Father's Day morning, but it's ok. I'll drink some juice on your behalf on Sunday :)

Oh! I forgot to tell you dad, I played Dust in the Wind on the guitar at our branch president's house when we had a goodbye asado last week for Hna Abellan. I felt so accomplished... I can't believe I remembered it! And sheesh, my fingers are WEAK.

Hypochondriac: Appendicitis edition. I woke up or morning and went running with out WML's daughter and her uncle. Anyway, we ran really hard, and I had a sharp pain where my appendix is later that morning. I had a cramp from running, pero this one stayed ALL DAY. I rested a little bit, took an ibuprofen, and it didn't help. So in my mind, MY APPENDIX WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. Obviously. It ended up just being a torn muscle. Hahahahaha Being educated and informed is the worst when you're a hypochondriac.

OH HEY, I JUST STARTED ALMA! :) That's just some exciting news for you...

On Friday, we were walking down University Pkwy, and someone in this big green 15 seater cheese wagon opened their door and yelled at us "You will never have the priesthood!" I almost died laughing. My companion and I look at the car drive away and we both said "...Ok! Ta bien!" Hahahaha

Then that night we were with the branch president and one of his counselors, and we told them that story. We get out of the lesson at 9 and were racing home on the bikes. The branch presidency got to their house and they were changing cars or something, and as we ride by their house, the first counselor yells out of his car "NUNCA van a tener el sacerdocio!!" I almost fell off my bike I was laughing to hard...

Oh, and I'm racing a less active in reading the Book of Mormon. She's going to win! :/

Once upon a time our ZL's called us and texted us like crazy. Then when we got out of our lesson at almost 9, we read that they texted us about that time telling us to go to some elders' house ASAP and bring the iPads. We were worried. WHAT DID WE DO?! So we got there, and they just had to update our iPads... Anyway, now we have myldsmail on our iPads! And this email is brought to you by a Utah Provo Mission iPad. Shooooot. It's so cool. No more cords and nonsense when trying to send pictures. No mas *boom* and there is it. Luxury. Please, everybody else in other missions, or who have served without iPads (which is
most people who have served missions), prease don't resent me... I'm just in the best mission in the world...

Anyway, we had some amazing lessons this week, and most of the people I've been working with are FINALLY progressing towards baptism! My new companion is a BOSS. I'm super excited. And people love us a lot, too. One of our investigators called us her angels last night. Yessss!

I feel like I'm forgetting something, pero is don't remember. Well, I LOVE YOU ALL!

Now for some pictures... 😏

Loves and hearts!

Hermana Willis

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALEB!!!!!!

I can't believe I forgot to wish that 14 year old boy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I'm the worst sister in the world. Forgive me. I LOVE YOU, SNUGGLE BUMS!

Anyway... so if you didn't know how much I loved my companion Hermana Morla, let this be a warning to you... Half of this email will be dedicated to her, now ANA MORLA, my favorite person in the world who went home this last week. Maaaaaaa :(

So let me tell you a story... My favorite Elder Trusty asked me to help out on getting Ana Morla a goodbye gift, and I couldn't have been happier with his idea. Are you ready for this? A du rag... Cocoa butter (which she hates), and hair grease... All wrapped in a KFC bag. She almost died of laughter when she got it. Shoooot I love her. Hahaha She got me a gift too! Why didn't I think of gift giving?! She got me an accordion binder for papers. She had one and I always told her how genius I thought it was... Then she bought me one! She gave it to me with. Sticky note that said "Tina Fey." *dead* I was a mess when she left. Booooooo.

I did get to go to the final testimony meeting though. So I got to see her share her testimony for the last time as a missionary, y tu sabe que I was crying like a baby. Then a bunch of sisters and I sang a special musical number "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me." Talk about a tear jerker! Even Pres. McCune said he was holding back tears. After telling me how amazing he thought the song was, he said "I'm just glad I wasn't speaking after that... My "allergies" would have kicked in." Hahaha

Pero bueno... I got to have a mini reunion with Ana and my favorite sisters, and I got to meet Ana's friend Cade. He'd been a "fellowshipper" for some online lessons, but now I know him in real life! Hah It was so so so good though to see her before she left. I reemphasized the fact that I NEED her to come out on splits with me. I miss serving with her. I miss living with her and being able to talk to her all the time. Pero I'll have constant communication with her after the mission, so I won't stress.

New companion: American style. She Sister Wright, from Washington state. My very first American!! :) She's a super hard worker and GUESS WHAT!! She's organized (nazi status) so she agrees with me on how to organize things, and clean things, aaaand it's good. It's a good, healthy OCD. It's weird being with an American after 10 months of native speakers, but she's right up there next to native speakers where her spanish is concerned. On. point. And she's really up front, so I'm finally seeing things I really need to improve on. This is going to be a rough transfer, full of progress. Bring it on!

Fun fact: I often feel like Scott Pilgrim when I eat bread and oil (my weakness, more so than sugary foods). Literally every time I eat bread I hear Ramona Flowers telling me "Bread makes you fat."

Something someone said yesterday really just smacked me right in the butt. "When you stop reading the Book of Mormon, everything falls apart." If you're not currently reading it, vamoooos. Read it. Your life will be better. Dale.

Saturday we went to a baptism in Saratoga Springs, and guess who was there... HERMANA MALDONADO! I see her everywhere! Sheesh I love her :)

So yesterday in our lessons were amazing. We found a new investigator who's AMAZING. She just absorbs it all, and asks questions and everything. She's even read the Book of Mormon before! And now she's going to read it more, since she knows what it is and what's going on! :) Anyway, we only had 3 lessons yesterday, pero in each lesson, the thought came to me "You're a representative of Jesus Christ... You've got power. USE IT!" So I boldly testified "como representante de Jesucristo, y en el nombre de Él." And now it's a goal of mine to do that every day. I'm only going to have this power and authority once, and I don't want a day to go by without using it and taking advantage of it. It always makes words more powerful when you include Christ and authority and stuff... But yes. I really love that. Using what I've been given while I've got it :)

OH HEY, there's this sister in our branch who I love so much, and she was diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctors said she's only got about a year left. Please pray for her family, and her, and her less active husband. Her name is Maria.

A couple weeks ago we had a Spanish missionaries conference with elder Don Clark (he's either a 70 or works in the missionary dept.) Anyway, he's the most straight forward (and at times just straight offensive) speaker I've ever heard, and I loved every second of it. It was amazing. I got kicked in the shins a couple times by his words, and it felt great. SHOW ME HOW TO IMPROVE! It was amazing. I got SEVEN pages of notes. Something he kept repeating that punched me in the teeth is "You don't have enough faith!" He yelled that to a cultural hall filled with missionaries. TALK ABOUT BOLD! We don't have faith enough to baptize thousands, to double sacrament meeting attendance, to change lives, etc. these things haven't been happening because we didn't have the faith to do it. We really can preform miracles like in the Book of Mormon when Alma preached and baptized hundreds, ONLY if we have faith. He said we're not doing that because we don't have the faith. Now some people can really take offense to that, but because I was raised with 6 men, I took it with a grain of salt (or however the saying goes). So instead of saying "Aww... He doesn't think I have faith. I guess I don't..." I said "How can I have more faith? How can I strengthen my faith to the point of performing miracles and even beyond?" YESSS. I'm a big kid.

Also my brilliant mission president said this little gem:

"Conversion has a short shelf life."

IT SO DOES! You have to keep praying and asking for a new confirmation of the things you know in order to have a strong testimony of those things. Man, that was great.

Anyway, I don't know why I haven't really done this before... Sharing things I've learned? People probably think I'm terribly distracted by reading my emails. HAH! I just keep notes of things that have happened and write a summary of those things on Monday. Now I'm including the more spiritual thingsies in my notes :) BRILLIANT! Hahah

Anyhow, I love you all a whole whole lot. Stay fresh!

Hermana Willis

Me and Ana our NEW WML's daughter. She's my little BFF :)

WML's other daughter, my OTHER little BFF. I love this little thing!

Me and Hna Abellan. You know how I do :)

This is me saying "Hasta luego" to my very best friend in the world! And that's Cade Benson, her friend. Just hopped in the picture to say hello :) Hahaha

This is the gift Ana gave to me. I LOVE HER.

Transporting our bikes with some fellowshippers... They almost fell out TWICE :)