Week 4 in La Grande

It's already almost the end of a transfer again!  It's so crazy.  I feel like now I made it over my 9 month hump the time is just going to go faster and faster.

Amber waves of grain in La Grande

I don't have a ton of time this week.  So I may not be writing a novel.  But I will write as much as I can!  We are in Enterprise right now at Bishop Lowes house!  We get to spend p-day up here because it's Ranzie's baptism later tonight.  So we are going to go on the tram finally and visit people I absolutely love!  I am so excited!  I couldn't go to sleep last night, and I woke up 10 minutes before the alarm went off because I was so excited =)  Felt like going to disneyland.  When we were almost here I told Sister M that this is probably what going home feels like.  I was just super super excited.  haha =)  I love it here!!!  More than anything!

So it was a crazy week.  But this coming week is going to be even more crazy!  Kaydon had his interview for baptism on Monday, then on Tuesday we had a fun district meeting.  Getting there was exciting.... So we went to our church to copy some music that Sister Duncan wanted.  And on the way out I realized that I left the keys in the locked library.  So we were stuck in the church!  Our car was locked and the phone was in it.  Haha.  We had like 10 minutes till the meeting started.  Sister M freaked out a little bit.  We went over the phone and luckily there was a ward directory sitting there.  So we called a bunch of people to see if they had keys.  We finally got someone =)  It was so funny.  I thought it was exciting.  Sister M didn't think so.  haha!  We made it to district meeting about 30 minutes late.  And no one even called us to see if we were okay!  What?  common:P  haha.  Later I wasn't feeling very good, so we stayed inside for a while so I could sleep.

Wednesday we went to Elgin like usual.  Did some yard work in Summerville, then visited a bunch of people.  Helped a lady start to clean out her pantry.  Will help her again next week.  Had dinner with a nice young couple that I met my first week in Enterprise actually.  Had a picnic. Then visited more people.  Got to spend a little time at mutual too.  Getting to know the girls a little.

Thursday we didn't get out of the house for a while because it was weekly planning and we had a lot to do.  Then we taught Kaydon the 5th lesson.  For those who don't know, usually before baptism we teach the fist 4 lessons in preach my gospel.  Then after baptism the ward mission leader in the ward will coordinate who will teach the 5 lessons in preach my gospel again.  They changed that.  Now we teach all 5 lessons before and after baptism.  And we are in charge of deciding who teaches the new member lessons.  Kinda cool.  That was my first time teaching the 5th lesson.  Kinda fun.  We went to a relief society dinner after that.  Kinda fun to get to know the members more.  We learned about healthy eating and exercising.  I think it was a hint for me.  haha.

Friday we helped serve food at a senior center thing.  It was fun. Weird to serve people coffee and iced tea though.  Haha.  Later we did a ladies dishes for.... guess how long.... 3 hours!  Just the dishes.  Her apartment is getting inspected today or tomorrow and she needed help cleaning it.  All we did were the dishes.  If you could see my face right now you would know how gross it was.  But we love her so we helped her!  I just have to say, thank you mom!  For making us clean things!  For keeping our house so clean.  But also for letting it looked lived in so it was comfortable.  You have no idea how much I appreciate that now that I've seen the worst.

Saturday we went to two baptisms.  The first one was an 8 year old. And the second one was Kaydons.  They both went really well!  I played the piano at Kaydon's and gave a talk about the Holy Ghost.  Sister M gave a talk about baptism.  We gave him some gifts to go along with our talks.  For baptism we got him a white towel.  Because when we are baptized we are all nice and clean and pure, but because we make mistakes, and use the towel it gets a little soiled.  So every week we can wash it.  We can take the sacrament and because clean again as if we got baptized all over again.  We also got him some bandaids and talked about a splinter and how if we don't tell anyone it will get all festered and infected and hurt worse than if we just took it out at first.  If we repent right at first and not let our sin get infected it can heal much quicker.  I got him a little flash light.  Because the gift of the holy ghost is like a flashlight.  We can have it all the time as long as we choose to use it and are worthy to have it. 

Kaydon's baptism

 After the baptisms we had dinner at Sarah's.  She invited a member! So that was cool.  It sounds like she is making changes in her life that we didn't know.  We aren't even really doing anything.  She can just feel the spirit when we come.  She really doesn't like organized religion, so we don't talk much religion there.  Though we do try to sneak some in.  We were thinking that it wasn't doing anything but using up our time.  But it sounds like it is helping her a lot!  I love it when that happens =)  You influence people even when you don't think you are!

Sunday Kaydon and his family showed up a little late.  So it was pretty crazy.  We were really worried.  But they did show up!  And he received the Holy Ghost! =)  After a long day of church we got to go to a birthday party for dinner.  Had a yummy steak, had to run before the birthday cake though.  haha.  Then we taught Colton =)  He is just so awesome!  Still counting the days till his baptism.  That lesson went really well.  Then I got to play a duet with a teenage girl after the lesson.  That was fun!  Shoulda got it on video.  Oh well.  After that we visited some people we set appointments with, but neither of them were home or available. :P  lame.  

And now today!!  It's like a mini summer vacation!  Long over due.  Haha.  we are so excited!  I've said that multiple times now haven't I.  haha.  I am super duper excited =)  had butter flies in my stomach the whole drive up here.  =)  Anywho... that was my crazy week.... but just wait till you hear about next week.  We are already almost booked with appointments and such.  So it will be an adventrue =)  I love adventures.  They are so great.

So.... I hope you all have a fantabulous week!  I have gained a testimony of baptism while on my mission.  My covenants are much more meaningful to me now that I've seen that ordinance done so many times.  I now know that it is the one and only gate into Eternal life.  if we are baptized and keep those covenants we made our whole life we can live forever with our Heavenly Father, and our families.  I am so so so blessed to have that knowledge!  I hope I can share that with everyone else I come in contact with the rest of my life!

Love you all!

~Sister Radmall

A member's grand piano--my dream setup with windows and all!