HOCKEY *brick'd* I mean, FAMILY! <3

I actually heard about the Hawks beating the Kings - I was introducing myself to a member family and talking about how I was from Chicago, and they started asking me about baseball and football and whatever. But, per usual, I told them I was a hockey fan instead. "Oh, those are the Blackhawks, right? They beat the Kings last night, but that's the only thing I've seen." Sister Loveland (my new companion) was cracking up at how excited and elated I was XD you can imagine. Haha.

@Cookies: Samoas :3 also a tossup between trefoils and thanks-a-lot. take your pick! thank you! das so nice :3

As far as my address, the funny thing is they're hoping to move us out of there soon, too (member family has a son on a mission right now, comes home in less than a month). So meh. In any case, here it is! 8372 Montna Dr. Paradise CA 95969 I did get Dad's letter this last week, so it worked out :) And again, thank you always for writing me. It means a lot to be able to hear from you throughout the week too :3

As far as a bassoon, ironically (or coincidentally?) the first family I met when I was in Paradise learned I played bassoon on scholarship to BYU XD so this lady is convinced she's going to be able to find a bassoon, but we'll see how that goes. (and she announced it to the Relief Society yesterday - aah, that was slightly embarrassing XDXD) best of luck to her, it's kinda tiny up here. ¯\[°_O]/¯

Okie, I will write them! And I'm glad you're keeping in touch with S. Pulsipher. She's so cute :)

Not much to report on this front. There's lots of work to be done, but a lot of it has to do with less-active visits, since this is kind of a retirement community and people by situation are unable to come to church. So there's a lot of that. There's a 99 year old in this ward though! She turns 100 in September, and that would be all kinds of fun to stick around and see, huh?

This week I had a really cool experience when I was studying John chapter 11. In it, there's two different experiences between the sisters Mary and Martha, who both come to Jesus and say the same thing to him, but have completely different responses. The first was Martha, who comes to Jesus perhaps knowing that he could make things better, but not expressing the kind of faith to allow him to actually change the situation. Jesus tells her about the Resurrection, and Martha expresses that she knows that Jesus is the Savior. Then comes Mary, who to my interpretation tried to do all she could to console herself and then went to Jesus to have him make up the rest. It was her faith in that that I believe that he was able to show forth the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, or as referred to by Pres. Monson, the miracle of thanks. There's a lot more to it than that, but in simple terms, that's what it came down to.

Anyway, thanks always for your prayers and support and love! I can definitely feel them working in my life, and I can tell that this mission is really changing me. There's been so many great experiences that have shaped me in different ways and helped me see the ways that Heavenly Father works in my life, other people's life, and just how everything works together. it's been awesome! Doesn't mean it isn't hard, but it's sure worth it.

You're awesome~! I LOVE LOVE LOVE you!!!

Sister Nelson