Doubled in = Double the Stress

This week has been a very challenging and stressful week to be honest.  We were doubled in (or the first sisters put into) the Highland Hills Ward in Tacoma.  Normally when you're doubled in you have an area book with formers, and all that good stuff, but since we were just added to 2 other sets of missionaries in the ward (yes there are 6 missionaries in one ward) we didn't have anything.  What made it hard to is that we're with the AP's and Office Elders, and the AP's are kind of acting like little girls.  I think it has to do with the ward being so excited we're here that they feel left out....I don't know, they're just being very unhelpful.  The other day our bishop told us to go see Nicole, a RC of the AP's, the ward didn't have her records so we asked the AP's for her address....and they refused to give it to us!?!?  They thought we were gonna try and steal her away from them, and they were just being....ahh...I don't know, I'm trying to be better at not judging people so....I guess I love the AP's, they're great?.....Ahh it's just been a hard week, ANYWAY

Luckily my companion is awesome!  Her name is Sister Crosby, she came my group back in January so we're both young just off of being trained missionaries....which honestly our whole mission pretty much is right now...We're pretty young, as of this last transfer we have about 50 sisters in the mission, and about 70% of them, maybe more are in their first 3 transfers.....yeah CRAZY right?  Anyway, Sister Crosby and I are just working with the ward and trying to do all we can right now to build ward relations, b/c for this being the highest baptizing ward and there only being about 60-100 out of 400ish members that are active, something isn't happening right.  We've decided we're gonna build up the ward, still do our 5-7 tracting to find new, but focus mostly on the Less Active members so we can build up trust with the ward, and in turn they will refer their friends to us and we will be able to strengthen the ward and baptize as opposed to just baptizing.  It's gonna take time, and our numbers won't really show all the hard work we're doing, but we know it's what we need to do, Sister's have a special power and kindness that Elders, sorry to say, just don't have....wow that sounded snooty.....sorry Elders, I love you and you do great stuff, you're way better at finding and tracting I think :)  ANYWAY....

Our bishop is AWESOME!!! He's only 28 so super young, but he knows what he wants, and more importantly what the Lord wants.  The RS pres. is awesome too....she made us this cool lampshade for our apt. that is all the hymns about light that she printed out, and then she dipped them in soy sauce and water to give them an antique look and then she modpodged them to the shade.....IT LOOKS AMAZING!!!!  The apartment all together is just awesome, I'll have to send pictures.  This couple in our ward put a bunch of vinyl letters up on the wall that are missionary related like, "Pray Often, Work Hard, Trust God" "In Unity is Strength" and others I can't think of, I'll def. have to get pictures to you.   

My new comp, Sister Crosby is 21 and is from Mesa, AZ.  She is from a blended family of 6, she's the oldest of her mom and dads kids, and the second oldest of her step.  Her brother is in the MTC and is going to the Phillippines, which is way cool!! She was gonna be an interior designer, she got her associates in Arts, which is way cool!  She is super sweet and kind, and I think once we stop stressing so much we'll have a ton of fun!!! I'm excited!!  There's lots of other things too, oh the biggest issue this transfer is waking up on time, we're both not morning people and waking up is like death, but we're determined to do it every day, we've had to move our alarms to the other side of the room so we actually have to get up.....oh mornings, you gotta love em!  haha

Well, I don't know what else to say really except HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! I'm glad that it was great, you deserve the best, and I can't believe you're 25 now!!! haha can I have a quarter?!? hahaha well have a great week y'all!!  I will hopefully have more to say next week!  I love you all sooo much!!!! 

Love,

Sister Thomas