June 13 2016

I dodged the biggest bullet of the week. I am not getting transferred. I’m staying in Claresholm with the same companion, Elder Smith. Transfer calls come out on Tuesday night by the Zone Leaders. We were keeping in contact with other missionaries in the zone to see where they got transferred too. The Pincher Creek elders texted us saying where they where going, but we still did not get a call, so I called the Zone Leaders asking what’s going on. They said that nothing has changed for us, so I’m staying in Claresholm for the reminder of the mission.

I have missed all of you! Not just this past week but throughout the whole mission! Love you all! Thank you for all you do and for your prayers, I have felt them and it has given me strength through out the days, and days to come. Thank you for the emails it is really something to look forward to every week.  

Every morning we have met with Grant, we have been doing some of our studies with him. I have really enjoyed it, and it has really helped Grant too. He has been smoke free for 7 days now, which is an amazing answer to prayers. 

We will continue to meet with him throughout this week. I also got a haircut, thought that you should know. I look pretty good. haha. 

I was able to do a baptismal interview for someone in the district. There were two baptisms yesterday that we went to for a 10 year old and an 8 year old. That was really nice to go to and to interview one of the kids, his name was Marcus. 

So we are moving apartments, and it will be kind of an upgrade for us, we have been living in the basement suite of a members home, which is a nice place. I love it. But we have to move out because their daughter sold their house and they need somewhere to stay. Fortunately there is a older sister in our ward who is serving a mission in Cardston so she is going to move down there for the time being, so we may be moving into her home for that time. We will have the whole house to ourselves! 

This Saturday I shook the hand of President Nelson! He came here to Canada along with some other Seventy, namely Elder Bassett and his wife and Elder Sowez and his wife, along with some body guards. I was not able to shake the hands of the body guards.  That was cool, I think that will be fun to do after I retire, work for Church Security. haha 

One of the things that I really liked that President Nelson said was: 

The secret to happiness is freedom. 

The secret to freedom is courage

I think that is right on. That is so true. 

Mom you might think this is funny. So I have bunch of pictures in my bag of the mission and back home, we were at a dinner appointment at an older couple's house and somehow we got  talking about when I crashed into the truck at age 5. I had that picture and showed them, and of course sister Hirchie wanted to see more pictures. So I showed them the picture that you sent of Callie’s baptism with Tresa and Grandma in it. I pointed out who all was who, and when I pointed to you and said that was mom, she did not believe me! She said “that’s not your mom, that’s a hot chick!” She did not believe how skinny you were after having 5 kids, and how young you looked.

Love you all.