February 17, 2014

Dear Everyone,

     Happy Monday! Don't you just love P-days? Or is it just me? This week has been great. It was Sister Laycock and I's fist solid week working together and it went so good. I'm going to start off by answering a few questions my mom asked. Training is going pretty good I think :) I was honestly really scared. I didn't lack the faith; however, I knew that my training call was inspired because our Mission President, President Keyes is inspired. I knew that this was part of the plan. Missions aren't suppose to be easy. You are put into situations where you can learn and grow just like in normal life! I knew that I just needed to rely on the Lord to do what I know He knew I could do. And now, here I am. I'm gaining more confidence every week and I'm so grateful to be able to serve my fellow missionaries! My mom also wanted to know if I am the one driving and if I've killed anyone in the snow yet.. Yes Mom, I passed off all my lessons/memorizations so I'm the one driving and I haven't wrecked yet so I'm doing well! We did go on a really snowy sketchy backroad on accident because the GPS told us to go the wrong way! My heart was beating so fast!! Sister Laycock was laughing at me because she grew up in Lehi, Utah so she knows how to drive in the snow and I'm over here like I'm going to die!!!! But don't worry, I got out of it haha. Sister Laycock is a spanish speaking sister, she's 19, graduated in 2013; however, I'm only about 3 months older than her... it feels wierd to be the old one! But I like it :) There isn't a whole lot of spanish speaking people here in Clinton, but we know she's here for a reason. 

      This week has been awesome.On Valentine's Day BROTHER ERIC SCHWEITZER got baptized!!!!! It was so much fun. Sister Laycock, Elder Simonsen, Elder Nielson, Judy Scott (Anne Scott's step mom who is one of my favorites) and I sang 'In the Garden' for his baptism. It was so sweet to see how happy he was. The Elders said that it one was one of the best baptisms they had been to. It was probably the best Valentine's day I have ever had. Sounds pathetic right? Well it's not!! My mom and my Sister Jessica sent me packages filled with skittles (which I carry in my wool coat when we go tracting) caramel popcorn, chocolates, and a UNLV t-shirt. It was perfect. One day when we went tracting this past week, we were knocking on some homes and right when we knocked on this one door we heard a lady yell "Ah crap, it's the girls from the paper!!!!" Apparently us two blonde girls are scary to some people haha. 

      We had a Relief Society Activity this week and Sister Laycock and I went because there were going to be some less active ladies that were going to attend. During one of the lessons on 'Love', Sister Cooper was giving an analogy on the X-Men character who has special powers with metal and she asked if anyone could remember his name. I proceeded to quietly say between my hands, "Magneto!". The crowd looked at me in astonishment and they started to laugh haha. My face was probably a tomato at that point. I guess my love for movies isn't a secret here anymore. Oh well!

      Our investigators have been doing great. We weren't able to meet with Kye this week (we are teaching her Tuesday), but she went to the Singles ward activity and went to the Singles Ward on Sunday, and she's coming over to the Stock's with us today for P-day! So she is getting fellowshipped right in. She's doing awesome. Megan Mcguire is on baptismal date for March 15th!! We had a great lesson with her this week when we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You couldn't deny the spirit that was in that living room. We invited her to be baptized and she said she would work towards that date. She knows that it's true. She just has a hard time going to church with all the people. She's really shy. So we're going to work on that with her this week. 

     We finally met with Jessica Scott this week :) She also came to church yesterday with her husband and little 3 year old Alexis. She is progressing again and we are so excited to help her with the things that she is trying to overcome. It's going to be a process, but she is coming along and we love her. We had dinner and a lesson with 13 year old Ann Scott and her sisters this week. We taught the commandment of obedience this week. As I shared my testimony of the importance of sticking to the straight and narrow path and keeping the commandments with love and gratitude in our hearts, my testimony became stronger. I know that as we share our testimony more often that we can not only gain a stronger testimony, but that we can be truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful to be out here serving the Lord and undergoing my own conversion. Have a great week everyone! I love you muy mucho!

Love, 

Sister Penman