The waterfall always seems to be at the top of the hike and the best food takes the longest to cook sometimes....

Hey fam.

So here's my week!
It was kind of a weird week, we had to spend three nights locked in
the apartment because of Halloween stuff. PA is weird, every township/
community chooses a different night for trick or treating, no one does
anything on the night of Halloween. Hanover got totally shut down on
Thursday because they have a huge parade every year. It's serious
business. Our investigator Faye's chemo appointment even got cancelled
for this thing... They don't mess around haha. Every business in town
gets shut down for it. But we had to be in. So we just did anything we
could to entertain ourselves haha. We watched whatever DVDs we had in
the apartment.... But for whatever reason everything would only play
on sign language mode soooo. I decorated our apartment for Christmas
though. Woo!

The ward trunk or treat was fun. Sister Smith and I went as Elsa and
Anna (duh.) and I must say we killed it. It was so cute, all the
little girls started screaming "Elsaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" when we showed up.
S'cute. We were so excited Eddie came with two of his daughters.

Funny how we met Eddie. We had a lunch appointment with a member in
the ward, and he no showed. So we got talking to the guy up front-
Eddie. Turns out he has been to church before, but he lost contact
with missionaries. He is very eager to learn again. He got to meet the
whole ward at trunk or treat, so that was awesome. Apparently he was
telling members how excited he is, how he's looking for the truth, and
is intrigued about the idea of the Godhead- three separate beings. I
guess we were meant to be there for him that day! He sure does work in
mysterious ways.

We had exchanges with the Fairview sisters this week. Funny story- on
our drive to their area our gps took us out of the mission.... To
Maryland on accident. We passed a sign that said Maryland and just
looked at eachother and were like... Whoops.... So I sent President a
text and just said "Don't worry Pres we'll be back in PA in a few."
Hahaha. I got to stay in Hanover with sister Myers. I love sister
Myers, we had a good time. We spent the day with brother Kerns and his
wife June. She is the woman I told you about last week. Ahhh, she just
breaks my heart. She doesn't speak to us, just smiles and nods
sometimes. So I just talk to her like normal and try to make her
smile.. It absolutely kills me. She is so unhappy. Brother Kerns is my
favorite. He does everything for her.. I don't know how he does it. He
is so sweet to her. He takes us out to dinner every Tuesday night. I
told him I wanted to spend my birthday with them.(:

That night we got to spend the night with President and Sister Johnson
at the Reid's house. Also someone I told you about last week. I guess
he and sister Johnson went to high school together. Small world. I got
to hear the Reid's whole story.. They are both from England. The two
of them were planning on selling their home here and going on a
mission together just before he became paralyzed. They both know that
they are still serving, just not the way they had thought they would.
He serves as an inspiration and example to everyone around him. That
night I shared a few of my favorite verses with Brother Reid. Alma
50:21-23. It's talking about the Nephites at a period of time
described as full of "quarrelings and their contentions, yea, their
murderings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their whoredoms,
and their abominations, wars and destructions." It goes on to say that
those who were faithful in keeping their covenants were "delivered at
all times." It sounds like a horrible time to be alive right? Well the
very next verse says:
"But behold there never was a happier time among the people." Those
who were keeping their covenants had never been happier despite
everything going on. In Brother Reid's case I related it to how he
could be happy despite his circumstances of he stays fast.

Our weekly FHE's have been going great. Last Monday we did one with a
cute family in the ward. Tonight we have one at the bishops house with
Hannah and Olivia- 14 and 8. We're excited for this one. We are also
going to be working with their dad to get him worthy to baptize them.
Wednesday we have one with an entire family we just picked up at some
members home, and Thursday we have one with Hannah, Olivia, and our
other investigator Kayla.
This ward is so great about missionary work! So willing to help us. We
don't have to teach a single lesson without them there. This area is
so different than butler. Butler we were teaching about 30 lessons a
week... Which is unheard of in this mission. Because I was training
sister Welch I worked her hard and we were going going going nonstop.
And we did find many many people. But it wasn't until this area that I
learned the value of working closely with the ward. My last ward was
very supportive of missionaries, but this ward is supportive of
missionaries and missionary work. Know what I mean? We don't teach a
single lesson without a member present, and it makes ALL the
difference. And there are so many willing to help. It's so awesome! I
totally regret ever teaching a lesson without the,m, or ever thinking
we could teach it better! It's a lesson you will hear a million and
one times but you won't understand until you experience the
difference. Members are everything!

Wednesday night was interesting, the effects of hurricane Patricia
reached us here. The roads were literally rivers hahah. We were out
with an awesome lady that takes us out every Wednesday to "find lost
sisters in the ward." We were in her tiny little car, I thought we
were going to float away hahah.

You know what I've noticed on my mission? The best things always come
after the hardest. Sometimes God saves the success
until after he has given us the opportunity to fail first and give up.
The waterfall always seems to be at the top of the hike and the best
food takes the longest to cook sometimes. I have a feeling that's a
pretty dang similar situation to the mission.

Anyways, kind of an uneventful but busy busy week. For whatever reason
this is the most tired I've been on the mish. I've been sooo
exhausted.
If anyone has any advice for how to not have a midlife crisis on my
20th bday... Help a sista out.
Also, the church is true.

Love yinz!
💜Hermana Sears