Email 1/6/12

Well there goes my surprise! YEP I'm...in a trio!!

After transfer meeting President came up to me and told me he has missed having me here and he told me to go put all the people who I was teaching before back on date and that they needed me? .... It has been an amazing week! I am so happy to be back! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT HERE! I miss the country pretty bad and I'm kind of determined to live in the country one day now...but as far as missionary work goes here is the best! I forgot how stinking funny it is and how many crazies there are! Plus we are extremely busy and the area is on fire with so many lessons and people that are amazingly prepared. Once I left here I realized how good I had it this place is the "coveted area" because there is so much work and so many people to teach.

It's so fun being back! This ward is like my family and they all were so excited I was back it was so cute! This will make it a little over 9 months of my mission will have been in Tempe in this ward. Crazy!

Oh and yes I am in a trio...It's actually good it's nice because all the people we are teaching are 40 year old men living alone and with 3 of us we can go inside...but at the same time the trio is a pain in the butt because it's a ton of people to bring into a tiny little home especially if we bring a member...My new companion’s names are: Hermana T (who is my first greenie Hermana H's greenie..."my granddaughter") and Hermana S.

Ok so much happened...seriously Tempe is so entertaining, I’ve been laughing so hard. This is the best place to end the mission.

“P”: Okay so we were teaching “P” when I was here for like my last 4 months here and we were trying to get him to stop smoking. He was supposed to get baptized 2 weeks after I left...But he fell off date...started smoking again.... picked up THREE women...and told the hermanas he didn't want to be taught, he knew it was true but he wasn't ready... I was heart broken when I got here and heard about him so we went by his house and his little nieces came to the door freaking out that I was back! When “P” saw me he teared up:( He broke down and invited us in and told us what had been happening the last few months. He looked at me and said, "Why did you leave? I needed you." So I'm 100% sure I'm back in Tempe for “P”. I love this guy. He's awesome. Were teaching him again and he's back on track to get baptized on the 28th:)...If we can get him to stop smoking...also during his lunch break all these skanky woman are coming out of the woodworks that want to sleep with him ha-ha sooo we make him read the Book of Mormon during his lunch hour and call us to report what he's reading...glorified babysitting.

“G”: This might break Hermana B's heart...So “G” is a recent convert that got baptize the week before I got to Tempe the first time. He was a miracle and he has a great testimony and was really strong when I left Tempe...I don't know what the heck happened the last 3 months but he's fallen off completely and dug himself a pretty big hole. We had a lesson with him and he was contentious and tried to anti us with all this weird stuff. It was so not the sweet “G” from before. It was scary how unrecognizable he was! He was so confused. He has been drinking and sleeping with lots of woman and so he feels guilty and has started to anti himself...BUT he agreed to let us come by and read a chapter of the BOM everyday with him. Day 3 we had a breakthrough and “G” was back like he used to be and admitted he really had a testimony but he was struggling because the men he lives with are bad influences and he's just confused.

SO...here's the funny part...Last night we brought “G” with us to “P”:) Because they both needed to be yelled at for drinking smoking and sleeping around...Two birds one stone...Funniest lesson I think I have ever had. They made best friends and now they are going to help each other give up the bad stuff and be each other’s good influences because they are both lonely and they live in the same apartment complex.....and they have similar mustaches...so this friendship was meant to be:)

ALSO...We have this super golden family that we found this week! “M”, “L” and their 12-year-old son “F”. I have never laughed so hard during a first lesson before. “L” is seriously a comedian. I don't know how to describe how funny it was but she caught us off guard so many times. It was funnier in Spanish.... but little things like she got really upset and asked, "Why does Joseph Smith have a white name? Why don't you call him Jose Garcia, Rodriguez or something cool...Smith is boring." It's really hard to describe how funny she is with the Spanish but my eyes were watering half the lesson. They are amazing though. Also, “F” started crying and telling us about how he had been sleeping in his dad's bed at night because he keeps hearing dark voices and seeing spirits. So the Elders came with us the next day and blessed their house and gave “F” a blessing. The priesthood is perfect and the family felt the spirit so strong and they all were crying. So cool! AND they had already a little of the Book of Mormon!! Miracle. Also once we got there they were like "Should we start with a prayer?" and they got on their knees. And they said they were going to start praying as a family that way! They never have had a church or religion...So amazing. We are so excited about them.... but they didn't come to church...along with everyone else that didn't come. Ha-ha oh well.

OH I had to speak in church. Bishop called Sat night because they forgot to plan a program...love this ward ha-ha. My 4th time in this ward. Yep...That would be my 9th talk on my mission. Heavenly Father has a sense of humor and I'm paying over and over again for not giving a stinking farewell talk. Ha-ha Hermana S has been out for a year and has given one talk.... Not fair.

Ok well my letters should be entertaining and more exciting again this transfer. We have 3 people on date for baptism already and lots of funny things everyday:) I'm happy to be back!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!