Welcome to the World Alisa Jane!

Hello Family and Friends, and the wonderful new addition to the fam Alisa! :)

I can't believe that this year has just flown and that Alisa is now in the world... I remember hearing the news from Moo that she was pregnant clear back in the day and thinking... November/October will never come! And now we are here.... CRAZY! 

This week has just FLOWN!!! It is really scary how fast time is going.... I am just in shock! haha. This week felt like it was two minutes. I am also scared to say I only have 4 transfers left.... That is RIDICULOUS! Anyways... on to happier things... this week!

This week was really excellent! Monday we went and had some fro yo at Surf N' Spoon. They are only going to be open weekends from now until March or something. So we went as a last P-day celebration.

This week we ate dinner with a member and his wife was leaving town. It was an older gentleman, kind of like grandpa gray. He is just a hoot. But we asked him what he was going to do since his wife was leaving town and he was like "I'm gonna raise hell!". haha. Only cute grandpas can say that and be so stinking HILARIOUS! 

Tuesday we had INTERVIEWS with President Baker. We drove all the way to E. City and had a great time with him. Interviews are the weirdest thing... I feel like you prepare so much for them and then they are 12 minutes of just heaven, they go so stinking quick though. :)

It was so fun to have the chance to talk to President Baker for a little bit. We are blessed to see our mission president and wife pretty frequently on the mission but still... it is never enough!

My interview was really great though! It was hilarious... he said the opening prayer and in the middle of it the stake president's phone rings (we were in his office).. and after the prayer he says, "well that's annoying.". I about lost it.

I had the chance to just talk to him about the area and my companion and home life. It was really great. It is amazing to me how much you can cover in twelve minutes. It is great though! He always makes you feel so special. He thanked me for being a missionary he doesn't have to worry about. And then he also thanked me for being a Preach my gospel missionary! It was a really excellent interview. I enjoyed it. :)

After interviews our member took us out to lunch at a Chinese buffett. And it was so funny because she comes back to the table and is like 'some elders are here'. . sure enough it is our District Leader, Elder Muncy, and then his companion Elder Holland. haha. It was even more funny because we were supposed to have district meeting after interviews in E. City but the sisters originally had a service thing scheduled on that same date with a less active member. It ended up falling through. So our district had 'district meeting' in the Chinese restaurant. haha. Whoops. We really had it on Friday like normal it just happened we all ended up at the same place.

English class was pretty fun this week! We set up a fake grocery store and made them 'shop'. Before we went over each of the items and had them repeat the names. . so I am saying 'Grapes" and they would repeat.. but they all said "Graps"... haha. Oh goodness, I was laughing so hard. Normally I can handle myself pretty good in those situations but I was laughing too hard that Hermana Johnson had to take over. They all thought it was funny that I was laughing so hard. :) They are the best though.

We had the ward trunk or treat this week. It was a decent turn out. Not too many people but enough that it was still pretty good. We decorated our trunk pretty great. =) Kyle, a recent convert, showed up dressed as a missionary. It was funny. The members were all confused for a minute and were like 'when did we get elders?' and then they realized it was kyle. But we all thought it was pretty great. :)

We had a couple of pretty great lessons this week. We had two with Rosenburg and Carlos. We taught them the restoration. It was good and they both have lots of potential!

We also had a GREAT lesson with Eduardo... also really frustrating! But more so just exhausting. We ended up finishing the gospel of jesus Christ with him. We focused a lot on the Holy Ghost and just the importance of a testimony. we re-taught a little of the Restoration too! We set him with a baptismal date for the 22 of November! So we will see. He has lots of doubts about the book of Mormon but he is trying to read and pray! We are hoping to help him better understand it and gain a strong testimony. He is really doing good though! He came to church yesterday and also brought one of his roommates. So that was great. :) He really enjoyed church and was super excited to come. It was even English sacrament meeting.

The testimonies were excellent and it was great to see so much fellowship among the members. A few of the members directed their testimonies directly towards them and shared pieces of their own conversions. It is amazing to me to see that a language barrier doesn't stop the spirit. I think that is one of the most powerful lessons I have learned on my mission.

Saturday we also did our Social Media Split! So if you check out the hash tag Mormon you might see me on there.... who knows?!? :)

But it was really neat. We were with members throughout most of the day. We also had the chance to do a bunch of service. We cut down some branches, I used a machete. =) We also changed a wind shield wiper... yes... shocker... I do know how to do that. ;) We pinned a quilt.. Fed some chickens, which brought some great memories of times at Chrissys' house. We heart attacked a member who is less active and gave him a cake, he was so sweet and sent us the nicest text to thank us. (we are bad door bell ditchers... he wasn't even home and knew it was us. haha.). It was just really fun! We took some members to a few lessons also so that was great. The spirit is a great testifier of the truth. It is really fun to take English members to Spanish lessons. Interesting to say the least but really unique and fun! =)

Scary moment of the week because Halloween was this past week:

We both felt inspired to go to this one investigators house that has been avoiding us. So we are like okay done will do. Pull up are saying the prayer. Mind you my eyes are shut.... a tap on my window about scares me half to death. But it is a little boy and we are like... "what the?" It reminds me of those scary movies where the kids are the messengers and their eyes are glossed over! Sketch. He just told us she was busy. haha. But I about had a heart attack! =)

Halloween was fun! We had to be in early for safety and what not. So we chilled at the house with the other sisters. Played some games, ate pizza, took some pictures. :) We are so funny. Mostly we just talked. We all said we were going to go to bed early.. like 9... yeah definitely went to bed at the normal 10:30. =)

You only live the mission once.. you may be short on sleep but these friendships are created now. :)

I thought it would be fun if I shared a little of what I studied each week. Right now I am focusing on general conference and this week specifically I was focused on Linda K. Burton's talk from the women's session "Prepared in a manner that never had been known".

It was EXCELLENT! Read it! Super wonderful. Focused a lot on the temple and the importance of preparing now.

I loved when she compared life to the ten virgins. And how we need to prepare NOW. And how oil only comes drop by drop. We have to start getting our oil replenished NOW or else we won't be ready when the Savior comes. =)

"I don't think there is anyone, especially among those with tender hearts, who doesn't feel sad for the foolish young women. And some of us just want to say to the others, "Can't you just share so everyone can be happy?" But think about it. This is a story the Savior told, and He is the one who calls five of them "wise" and five of them "foolish"."

How powerful is that?!? The Savior is the one inviting us to prepare now. He is the one who gives us the spiritual power we need to be sustained. We need to prepare now, drop by drop. Taking it one step at a time. We also need to be prepared to enter the temple doors. I love the part that quotes Elder Nelson, "Because the temple is the house of the Lord, standards for admission are set by Him. One enters as His guest. To hold a temple recommend is a priceless privilege and a tangible sign of obedience to God and His prophets."

I would like to invite all of us to prepare now to enter the temple and for those of us who are at the age of the temple I invite you to be worthy and keep a temple recommend. We need to continually prepare drop by drop. Start with the simple things and change your life around!

I hope you all have an excellent week! I know that this week was full of miracles for me, I hope you look for the little miracles. =)

To make a side note... this week I will hit a YEAR in the mission!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD?!?!? Where does time go?

Don't forget to celebrate this week, November 6th. Crazy that it has been a year.  Mission time is WEIRD!!!

I love you all so much! Only a short 6 months and I will be in your presence again.

Love you,

Hermana Gray

Welcome to the world Alisa! Can't wait to meet you and Lexi! =)

and give all of my other nieces and nephews a squeeze!

Last weeks photos

before DP

After DP on a crappy day

thanks Taco Bell and Hermana Newman!

7 years of plenty....7 years of famine???

Well.....

I think we have reached the "7days of famine" is what I am going to be calling it. 

Last week we were just reaping in blessings, and getting and seeing so many miracles... and this week was just ROUGH!!! =)

but I can't really even complain... it was rough, but now it's over. One day at a time is the motto in my life. :)

Overall this week wasn't too bad, mostly just frustrating. But I'm over it. 

We started this week out with a pretty decent time. We have a tradition each monday we go to a place called 'surf n spoon'! So delicious. It is this little frozen yogurt place and it is the bomb diggity. =) And a professional surfer and his wife own it. . and they have the most adorable little family. So we are obsessed. One day we will convert them.... even if it takes our dedication of becoming regulars at the shop. :)

We decided to buy T-shirts though (it's that good!), and he told us he would post us on insta. So if you look at their insta... there are some cool sister missionaries on it. :) 

Although... we are a little sad because today is the last monday they are open. They are only open weekends for the winter because of the tourist season not being good. But they are closed on sundays! :)

Tuesday... that was the LONGEST day of my life. It officially became like 2:30 and we both were dying... it was just a turtle of a day. But we, well I decided I couldn't live that day without stopping at a gas station and getting a DP. (yes, still an addict!) so we decide to head in to the station. and the guy at the register when we are checking out. "did you go to the MTC?".... why yes, yes we did. ;) He had been a recruiter for the marines in provo so he learned a little of the church. We had a short conversation with him, in which he asked us if it was general conference or something.. haha. So we call the sisters and tell them they need to go to the gas station and convert this man. Then they were like.. 'what gas station?'... we tell them the kangaroo. and they both are like... wait. We just were there. haha. So funny! =) Maybe he will be converted one day. :) 

The day wasn't too bad after that. We did some repairs on our driveway. I went and bought sand bags to fill in this pot hole, the mission office told me to. So that is nice. Now we can just glide right on in to the driveway and not have to take a far left and bottom out. :)

But we went to dinner with the Bruce family that night! Oh goodness day was made. It was really neat to see them share their experiences with missionaries. They are both converts to the gospel and I really loved hearing them tell their conversion story. I also was so touched because they truly thanked us for being missionaries who want to be missionaries. They told us that they can visibly see our desires to serve! =) They both were telling us how excited they are that now we have four excited missionaries  in the area and they can tell we are going to do some great things here. Which is such a wonderful compliment! I just love this fam. They are so neat! :)

And it was hilarious because Sister Bruce asked us if we had been the ones to drop off this Halloween treat (we started a boo in the ward). . And of course we both are like ummm.... 'no'. Definitely caught us. So hilarious. My horrible door bell ditching skills are still in tact. No worries there. :) Reminds me of the time when we door bell ditched treats to the Vonks... and I tripped... . then we had to door bell ditch it again.... and then that lady followed us in her car and yelled at us.... haha. oh goodness... Why am I such a horrible door bell ditcher?? :)

They also came with us to a lesson after that we had with Eduardo and Fernando! It was a great lesson! We ended up just talking all about baptism and the importance of this covenant. I was just super bold. Eduardo has been saying how he has recognized something different about our church (he was a former investigator), and it has never left him. But he didn't accept baptism in the past because of things happening in his life. He said he wants to be baptized but needs a for sure answer. And I basically told him straight up that in the past when he had accepted a date then rejected it because of certain things happening that was satan working on him. We told him that if he wants an answer he has to be doing the 'Big 3' (church, prayers, scriptures). 

We must have been the right amount of bold with a lot of love because he was at church yesterday. He came to Spanish Sacrament meeting and I think he really enjoyed it. Carlos, one of our investigators, also came. The Spanish group or meeting here is really interesting. Because basically it is the missionaries and Torin, and maybe 3 other people that speak Spanish, including the investigators. But it went well and the spirit was strong. Hermana Johnson gave a great talk on the conference talk given in Spanish... the one about acting now. it was good.

English class is still one of my favorite things in the world. We talked about he body and health and what not. It was fun! We played name that body part and pinned body parts to a cut out body. It was fun. We also did head shoulders knees and toes with them. Maybe next week we will send a short video clip. It is so fun! :)

We also met a less active lady that we didn't know about. We caught her just in time. She was leaving for a doctors appointment but we set a return appointment for Wednesday. So whoot whoot!

The rest of our week was stressful. We have this rule that has been reinforced recently based on confusion. So we are adjusting. But as a mission we can no longer teach a person of the opposite sex without a third female present with us. So that made our week hard. We have currently 26 investigators (all still pretty new investigators). But of those 26, 20 of them are male. So we definitely need some help with getting people out with us.

Our main problem was that this weekend is apparently a teacher day or something so everyone has school off. So basically the whole ward was out of town. There was a point when we started at the top of our ward list and started calling straight down. haha. After twenty members.... (another 9 that we already knew were gone) we were just plain frustrated. But all is well. We rescheduled and this next week we will see miracles.

Although we were blessed and had two investigators at sacrament. There is a reason for this rule and I am not sure why yet... but we will have miracles from being obedient. :)

Friday we did some service and helped Sister Groppel move some boxes to her storage unit. It was really fun. And it helped that the 'payment' we received was duck doughnuts (which should make it to the west coast... they're that good). We had lots of fun doing service and I know mom enjoyed getting some pictures of us serving! :)

Hermana Johnson is just the greatest in the whole world. During companionship inventory she starts tearing up telling me how much she admires me and the missionary I have become. We had the chance to live together in the News and we got to become great friends there. And now we are just over the top friends =) It was so sweet of her though. She is so wonderful.

This week overall was super good and crappy all in one. I guess that is the life of the missionary. :) I am excited this week should be really great. We of course have Halloween, we have interviews with President Baker tomorrow, we have our social media split on Saturday (whoot whoot! So excited to have that day over... stressful but then I am also really excited to have it!). Then the next week will bring my year mark....

Where in the world does time go???

I was studying the talk that Quentin L. Cook gave in Priesthood session this last general conference. It was SO SO GOOD!!! Wow! He is BOLD! Loved it! Look it up if you haven't.... cause you are missing out!!!  But there is a line that I just LOVE in it he says,

"It is heartbreaking when we profess belief in these goals yet neglect the everyday conduct required to achieve them."

He was referring to a temple marriage, missions, temple endowments, etc. But I just admire this quote. It is so true. If we want to have our dreams and goals achieved we need to be doing those things NOW that can make those worthy goals and dreams come to pass. I know that as we align our lives more with God's will that we can achieve our goals and dreams. Heavenly Father wants us to succeed. We need to do those things NOW that can help us.

Start with the small things, reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, and going to church. It only takes a small action repeatedly to change your life around. :)

I love you all! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Be smart, make good choices!

Watch out for crazies on Halloween!

Love,

Hermana Gray

P.S. I can't wait to meet my new niece/nephew (.... I think niece.... final answer. ;) ) next week through photos and what not! I am excited! CONGRATS Marci and Jeff! :) And Jeff, FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!!! =)

Cel-e-brate good times come on!! =)

I have officially left my Youth!

I am now joining the ranks of an oldy... yes, I am 20!!

This week was SO full of miracles!

First off I want to thank all of you who wished me a happy birthday! I know that it was so great to hear from all of you and receive so many kind letters and packages of love! I hope you all enjoyed some DP in honor of my turning older. And ate some cake and Ice cream... because I am STUFFED of bad stuff this week!

I was lucky enough to wake up to a beautiful room decorated to the RIM! It was so great, Balloons EVERYWHERE hilarious writings on them. And my desk was covered in all my presents from people.. packages awaiting to be opened. It was excellent! I was opening presents for a good while! You SPOILED me! I was full of so much love! And all the new wardrobe ROCKS! I am one styling missionary! I have been dreading having to wear my 'old' stuff again. haha. ;)

I ate cake for breakfast. . and drank some dr. pepper. Then I was dressed in my fancy new gear. We did studies and just had basically a normal day. haha. Planned for the week, during planning there was a knock on the door so we go down and there is this old lady standing there with flowers!! THANK YOU SISTER WOOLSTON!!! That was so kind! It made my day! Then I just saw so many other little kind acts throughout the day! We cleaned an older couples car in the ward to make it a little different than just a normal day of proselyting. . gave some service! We also had the chance to vacuum our car, which was needed.

Afterwards we went to dinner....

so I walk in and don't make any comment about what is on the counter, cause I am not sure if it is what I think it is. So Hermana Johnson and I go to put our bags down and I just say... "I think that is lemon pasta chicken" Hna. Johnson "cool." (she has no idea what that means... haha). So we are sitting down eating, and it is! Then Sister Maher was like.. "I am trying this new recipe I hope you like it." And Brother Kelly who was there was like "I think it is from Utah.. right?". Then sister maher asked if I recognized it and I just smiled and said, "it's my mom's lemon pasta chicken recipe!". They are the BEST! They made that for dinner and got mint choc chip ice cream for dessert and some skor bars. It was SO NICE!!! I was really composed, then we walked out to the car after dinner and I was bawling. haha. I was so TOUCHED and HAPPY that I was over come with tears. haha. So that was definitely a top to the birthday. Sweet Hermana Harrison set it all up before she got transferred and then Hermana Johnson was sure they also knew it was my birthday! So kind!

This week we had a TON of miracles though! Such a week full of finding. We had a total of FOURTEEN new investigators this week... which was un heard of! Our zone reached a total of 25 new investigators for the week... which was the highest it has ever reached! And we were over half of it. We are just seeing so many Hispanic people prepared to hear the gospel in this area. Now if we can get them all progressing here soon. . that would be excellent! ;)

We had English class on Wednesday, it was super fun! and hilarious. I loved helping them count to 100 (it had been their homework the week before). But after class Juan Carlos, says 'teacher, wait we have something for you.' and he goes and pulls out a cheesecake from the fridge! haha. He was like 'happy birthday!'. I just love English class.... they are the greatest! I almost started crying. haha. =) (shocker right?!?)

This week we had a really great lesson with Eduardo on Sunday. We taught about the book of Mormon and just read with them. He has been trying to progress and read, but doesn't understand so he gets frustrated and stops. He is super wonderful though! I see him getting baptized soon. He is waiting on his answer.

We had exchanges this week! Which was so fun! I guess Hermana Johnson taught him a lesson though on exchanges and he had a friend there and he was defending us. haha. So go him! ;) He always is inviting his friends too. He has helped us get many new investigators.

Exchanges are always so wonderful! I love them, oddly enough. Most people do not like them at all. But I always have a great time! Sister Griffin and I had a really wonderful time. We met a few really interesting people on walk and talk on Saturday. This group of guys was trying to get a lawn mower in the back of a truck... lets just say it was pretty hilarious. Lots of cursing. ;) They made me laugh though. Then of course we realize we are walking in like 'gang' areas.... so we decide we should probably choose a different seat.

We did meet Pedro and Abraham. They are super wonderful! Great guys. We had the chance to talk to them about prayer and we really focused on the love god has for them. I also think it is interesting because Heavenly Father is ALWAYS a part of our lives. We had went to contact an investigator for his return appointment but he wasn't there, but then we had the chance to teach another man who we had talked to a little bit before like the week before. It was just amazing to see how God puts people in the path ways we walk so we can continuously share the gospel.

Well.... this week FLEW! SO much fun! I really had an excellent birthday! I can't believe I am 20! AHHHHH!!!!

yesterday church was excellent, we both were SO EXHAUSTED though that it was a little rough to stay awake. haha. But we survived. Then we went to have dinner with the Seal Family and on the drive back... I am just driving minding my own business, going to Hermana Chinchilla's and Hermana Johnson gives out this Blood-curtling scream... yes, a bunny was about to go in front of our car. Then I was laughing so hard I almost had to pull over. Don't worry... the bunny lived. ;)

We are having so much fun! I can easily envision a small group or branch here soon! We are seeing many many miracles!

This morning we had the chance to go and see the sunrise on the beach yet again. I love all of God's creations.. Especially the ocean. It is so calming to sit and see the beautiful sunrise. I know Heavenly father put so much effort into making everything beautiful. I love it so much!

Most of our investigators are slowly coming around. We hope with this new group of lots of investigators that we can weed out who is truly prepared for the gospel and help them to reach the point of progressing into what Heavenly Father wants them to become! :)

I am so grateful for all of you! You truly made this birthday one to remember... it is weird to think it is already October. Time truly does fly! My mom told me today that I only have 200 days left.... WOW! Where does time go??

I love you all so much! I can't wait to see you in 200 days. ;)

Hope you all have an excellent day and week, go forth with faith!

Remember who you are and where you came from. Don't forget that someone in North Carolina is thinking about you and praying for you! =)

Have a blessed day!

Hermana Gray

p.s. welcome to the South. ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!!!!!!

& MAX!!!

The hole! haha

ps sorry i look sickly in these morning photos.  but i figured clothes would be a part of the packages.

gangster town

Birthday Week!!!!

Hola Familia y amigos!

Well this week has been pretty wonderful if I do say so!

We started the week off in a trio which was kind of different. I liked it and didn't all at the same time. . a lot different!

Our dear Sister Garvin ended her mission on Tuesday. So due to that much of my last preparation day was spent in the car. I was driving her up to the mission home. About a two and a half, three hour drive. We had lots of fun. Talked all about life and what not, then it was hilarious to get closer to the mission home and you just hear her get quieter and quieter... well everyone did. We said our farewells and then Dear sister Carlson was with us for a few days! Our drive back was silent in the car for a good ten minutes... super awkward. It is just weird to remember that missionary life doesn't last forever... one day I will get on a plane and fly home to Utah. haha. Just a weird thought process was happening!

But on to the week. The first couple of days was just ultimately crazy! We were in a trio with Sister Carlson and it was LOTS of fun, but ultimately it was just a mess. Trying to get everything done, packing Hermana Harrison, doing deep clean (to a gigantic home!). . . it was FUN but CRAZY!

Sister Carlson is just a hoot, So I had a blast! Super glad that she stayed in the area. I am loving both the sisters we live with, sister Carlson and sister Bassett. They are great.

We had the chance to visit Luis this week. It was great! We had a really wonderful lesson with him on Keeping the Sabbath day holy. I enjoyed it. Luckily Torin came with us though because if not I would have basically taught the lesson by myself. Sister Carlson obviously doesn't speak Spanish and Hermana Harrison was abnormally quiet for some reason. So it was me and Torin teaching. It was good though. I think he realized that we may not worship on Saturday (he is a 7th day evangelist). But that we do believe in keeping the Sabbath day holy, etc. I think he felt the spirit strong. He keeps texting us after our 'scripture of the day'. Hopefully we will see some progression with him soon!

Wednesday is the day we are in Manteo all day and I just LOVE it! Such a super cute small town. We are visiting it when we come back. . side note. But it is the greatest. It is also English class day so I am sure that makes my day also! I was laughing since somehow it came up that my birthday was 'next' week (THURSDAY!!! whoot whoot!). and all of them are like... 'we need to have cake, and celebrate.' so maybe there'll be cake there, or pizza. haha. =)

Thursday was mostly consisting of driving to Elizabeth City to get HERMANA JOHNSON! Who is just the greatest person in the whole wide world. I LOVE HER TO DEATH!!! We have Way too much fun together. I think we both are just on FIRE right now. I lived with her in Newport News for about six months. So that was fun. We spent lots of snow days together. And then lots of our companions have been companions so we know each other very well. I will most likely end up 'killing her' off come January. She leaves for home in January... crazy to think. I used to measure my mission time off of all the people I lived with in the news so I am trying not to think of how quick time is flying.

I love her though. We are really goal oriented right now. We are really pumped about this area and are ready to turn it around. There is so much potential in this area but because of some circumstances it wasn't being put to it's full potential. But now WE are going to change it around and makes this successful!!!  and we are going to have loads of fun while we are at it! =)

Thursday was spent planning and mostly just planning. haha. And studies. Because of the drive time around here for meetings it is hard to get things done on those days.

Friday we had district meeting. It was really hilarious. We are the only Spanish in our district. But we asked elder muncy a question.... I don't remember what then he says 'el no' I was laughing so hard. It was hilarious. Even the English sisters got a kick out of that one. He also brought some pumpkin pie! So that was delicious. He told me that he'd bring a pumpkin cheesecake next week for my birthday to celebrate. whoot whoot! Birthday week will persist!

Saturday we were down in Manteo for the day! So great!

We do this thing each Saturday where for a straight three hours you walk and talk to EVERYONE! We decided to go to this street where I know Hispanics live. So we were walking and of course the first person we meet is Hispanic! whoot whoot!

We ended up talking to about 25 people.. we had seven lessons! It was really wonderful! there is SO much potential here! we are really trying to get this area on the ball. There were a few decent potentials from that so we will see this next week how many of them are at their return appointments.

I was a little when we first learned of 'walk and talk'. it is just a mission wide thing for a few months. But it was hard to think. Especially because most of the people that we would be talking to would probably be English. But Heavenly Father blessed us and we talked to Hispanics ga-lor!

We met this man named Roberto... full of cowboy. HILAIROUS! We went to the piggly wiggly after walk and talk because we were parched.... and I was dying of thirst. (we were a little dramatic by this point... haha). But then piggly wiggly didn't have our drink of choice so we walked to the gas station next door. But on the way out from piggly wiggly I said 'hola' and Roberto basically ran up to us and was like you speak spansih?!? So we had a good forty minute conversation with him about life and the gospel. He wasn't all that interested. He made me laugh though. He was like 'you girls are beautiful, now I got my apple, she is gorgeous and my wife is incredible, but you girls need to marry a good apple." and then he just made a bunch of other comments that I thought were HILARIOUS! We were just laughing up a storm.

Another funny thing on the walk and talk was we were walking back to our car towards the end and we see a Hispanic through a bush. So Hermana juanhijo goes 'do you speak spanish' so they say yes. . I of course see about 8 beer bottles and am like hmmm... so we walk around and start talking to the three of them. They were real funny. We told them a little about missionaries. Then he was like okay. Pulls out two chairs and lets us sit around the table with them. Then says 'you got five minutes. But first let me tell you that you are two very beautiful ladies'. haha. Oh goodness they are funny. We had some good times on the walk and talk.

We also had a really wonderful lesson with Israel. We talked about the book of Mormon then challenged him to look for the word Christ on the pages. (he can't read). the spirit was strong though. He didn't come to church which was disappointing. But hopefully he will make the effort next week.

We had a really great lesson with Eduardo. He had some more questions about the plan of salvation so we ended up re-teaching him that. it was great though. He seemed to really have a desire to know if it was the plan of God. It was a good lesson.

Life is just wonderful! I think I am just loving the joy that I am feeling. I feel so stress free right now on my mission. . I think the laughter has definitely helped.

I wish I could explain this story in person so hopefully it makes sense. But there is a little hole thing in our closet that is like storage but it's up high. So we wanted to climb in it. But it was too high for a chair so Hermana Johnson decided that I was going to boost her from on top of the chair. And so she is standing on the chair and I boost her then she know she won't make it so she just gives up and falls against the wall. but there was this peg thing. Anyways moral of the story we laughed for a good twenty minutes and she has this huge bruise from the peg. But today she made it in the hole. I am going to climb in it to get my picture so I'll send it to you. :)

I love you all so much! Thanks for all the birthday wishes. . I know that this week will be great. I am excited to see what presents you got me! =)

Know that I love and miss you! Have a great day on Thursday, don't miss me too much! Eat some cake and Ice cream (preferably just some ice cream) and sing happy birthday to me. ;) You could video it and send it to me too. haha. or drink a DP... the choice is yours!

I love you! Have a wonderful BIRTHDAY WEEK!!!! Party hard... but not too much. ;)

Love,

Hermana Gray

"whoever invented DP and AC.... they are my peeps." Hermana Gray and Sister Carlson. (welcome to our hilarious home).

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