Get off my property!

So my first night here in Steilacoom we were out knocking doors and this guy answers in basketball shorts, slippers, and a bathrobe hanging open so you can see all 2 chest hairs, looks at us for about 2.5 seconds and goes "Get off my property." But not really seriously, almsot like he's about to laugh. My comp, Sis. Baylon just goes "Ok." and we left. It was funnier in person. I promise. For reals. Things are going really great here. I really like the ward and my new comp. We just laugh all the time and it's great. Right now we're plotting to start a beach cruiser biker gang and ride the streets of Lakewood and chuck copies of the Book of Mormon at people. I think it's a pretty solid idea.

I do miss Silverdale though....it's hard when you're so used to an are and the people there and all of a sudden you have to adjust to a completely new setting. Monday and Tuesday I just said goodbye to everyone and it was really hard. But, driving home from our last appointment, I had the coolset feeling come over me and I knew that my work in Silverdale was done, that everyone would be taken care of, and that I needed to move on to other things. I was really grateful for that becuase I had been so worried, but I know everything is ok there.

I'm really lucky though, I came to a really good area with a really hard working companion. We have some pretty high goals for ourselves this transfer and we don't see any reason why they can't happen. We just need to have some greenie faith and go out and work. There are a lot of people here to teach. Probably the coolest one I've met is Pohai. Her whole family is full of converts and recently reactivated members. She's 11, never been baptized, and she is deaf. The first time I met her, I knew that she needed the gospel and needs to be baptized. It was one of those instant "I know you." things. She shook my hand my first time over there and my comp said that was huge cause the first time she met her, she ran away. Anyways, this girl is way awesome, we want to get her baptized so their whole family can eventually go to the temple. They are so awesome. We were there last night sharing scriptures and everyone goes around and shares something good they did and their testimony. The Spirit in their home was so strong and you could feel the love they had for each other. I definitely want my home to be like that when I have a family of my own.

I have a goal this transfer of finishing the whole Book of Mormon....all 531 pages....in 6 weeks. Which means I'm reading about 14 pages a day. So far so good! It's pretty interesting that when you read the Book of Mormon at different speeds and with different purposes, you see different things. Different ideas stand out more and you pick up on things you didn't notice before. It's way cool.

Also, today is my 5 month mark! Woooo!! That's pretty crazy awesome, and kind of a big deal, just a heads up. I am so grateful to be serving a mission. I have learned things and met people that I never would have anywhere else. Last week at transfer meeting one of the elders who was leaving said that your mission is not a sacrifice. Your mission is the greatest blessing you could ever have, and I completely agree. I have had to give up things to be here, but now that I am here, the things I gave up for a time are not hard because in the end, we serve a grateful God and He blesses us for the things we do for Him. It's incredible.

I love you all so much, and I hope you have a great week. I'll be writing letters real soon. Byeeee!!

Love,

Sara