Safe in Waco

Hi family.

I'm glad President Sagers sent out an email, because we are indeed safe. The city of West, where the explosion was, is about 30 miles north of where I am. We didn't realize anything had happened until the next day. I had noticed that the flags had been at half mast for the past couple days, and so when we went to visit one of the recent converts in the ward, we asked what that was for. She told us briefly about the Boston bombing, and then about the West explosion. Apparently people around here heard the explosion, but Sister Mitchell and I didn't notice it. They said it just sounded like thunder. We have elders in an area closer to there. They were at their church building, which was about 10 miles away, and they said it blew the doors open at the building. There is apparently a lot of destruction! There was a middle school, an apartment complex, and a nursing home that were all built after the plant was and apparently too close. Those buildings were all destroyed or at least damaged along with a bunch of houses. The last I heard I think they had accounted for everyone, but I don't know how many deaths. It's been crazy! There is a lot of help being organized, and Texans really know how to take care of their neighbors. For now, we have not been asked to come help and President Sagers has asked that we only help with things like this when asked to do so--we have to do everything in an organized fashion--but we will obviously happily go help. Right now it just sounds like they're asking for food and water to be sent basically.

In other news, this week has been better. We had an exchange with another set of sister missionaries near us. Sister Powell came up to our area with me from Friday morning until Saturday morning. Exchanges are supposed to be for each missionary to get new ideas to take to their own area and work. I honestly don't think that Sister Powell got anything from me, but I certainly learned a lot from her! Sister Mitchell and I have been struggling to really teach lessons. That sounds weird, because what else to missionaries do? But, we've been spending a lot of time working through people in our area book because we don't have a lot of appointments. Sister Powell is PRO at just teaching everyone something about the gospel. Luckily, in Texas, pretty much everyone believes in God and the Bible so we can always relate to that. Sister Mitchell and I just have to apply what we learned and be able to teach everyone without Sister Powell. I don't know if that makes any sense to you non-missionaries... We're working hard, but it just hasn't seemed like it's been paying off for us. Now we feel like we know better what to do to see more progress with our investigators.

WHICH! We got two new ones this week. DeLonna and Nene (Nee-nee). We had a super good lesson with DeLonna on Saturday and she wants to be baptized! Unfortunately, her husband is not too supportive of religion so that will probably cause some problems down the road, but we're still excited for her! Nene was the niece of a lady named Nicki that we had set up an appointment with. Nicki forgot about our appointment and was leaving as we got there. Nene lives with her, so we talked with her and Nicki's younger kids plus some neighbor friends. It was a little weird to be teaching a YSA aged person with a bunch of kids when we weren't planning on that, but we taught Lesson 3, the Doctrine of Christ. I gave Nene a Book of Mormon and she was excited to read "another Bible." She wants us to come back, so hopefully we'll get to teach Nicki too.

It feels good to have actual teaching appointments and lessons because they have been so few and far between lately. We really are trying to work hard. Sometimes there's not enough time to get everything done, and sometimes we have more time than we know what to do with without teaching appointments. Hopefully that will stop happening this week.We have 4 investigators that we are hoping to set baptism dates with this week, but we just have to get them all to keep their appointments and keep them progressing. We can do it though! :)

On another note, dad asked about the new emailing rules. We are allowed some extra time, but there's no way to keep up with it all. I think I will always have someone I need to write or email back, no matter how fast I type. It's really nice to be able to email friends though, especially Melissa, for me. P days are just never long enough for me to respond to everyone. I'm trying though! And I do love hearing from everyone. :)

Well, I tried to update you on me. Any more questions for next week? Let me know. I love you all!! Keep praying and reading the Book of Mormon--they'll make your day better, I promise.

Love,

Sister Goaslind