Trio Number 4+Pictures

Hello family!

Your Bear Lake trip sounds just like the best kind of Goaslind trips--lazy! I'm jealous. Did you get LaBeau's shakes? Aubree is back working there for the summer. If you go back up, you'll have to say hi. Haley sent me a couple pictures, and in just 6 months since I've seen you guys the boys are HUGE! Drew, you look like a grown up and not a little kid any more. Jack, are you as tall as Haley yet? You're really close if not. Spence, I'm sorry you couldn't get your hand wet; that probably meant you had to do some sitting out this weekend, huh? Bummer.

Sister Tuck, Sister Bate, and I are doing well here in Hewitt. Our ward is very supportive of missionary work, especially the Bishop and Ward Mission Leader. We had lessons/discussion on missionary work in the third hour of church yesterday which the quorum and Relief Society presidents directed. We're hoping for continued and increased involvement from the members over the coming weeks. The three of us are getting along pretty well so far. I've been in three trios before already so I know how they work, but we're working on getting this one to work, especially on how to include Sister Tuck. Double training two missionaries on different training schedules is different and definitely difficult, but we're doing our best to work together and I'm doing my best to train them. Sister Tuck is adorable! I love her. She's 19, from Tremonton, Utah, and she's already a hard worker. She's about 5' 3", so Sister Bate and I kind of tower over her. Especially the other day when I was in my tall shoes with my hair on top of my head.

Joey is still open to taking the lessons, he's praying and coming to church, but he's still not sure about being baptized. We've worked a lot with his family and he seems to be much more comfortable with us now than when we first met. Hopefully we'll be able to get him to open up to us a little bit about his concerns so that we can help address them. We're going to their house for dinner and a lesson tomorrow, and to celebrate Carson's birthday. (He was one of the boys that got baptized a couple weeks ago.) Thank you for your prayers on his behalf, and mine! We're still working hard. :)

One of my favorite spiritual experiences from the week happened with a member that we were eating dinner with. We were sharing the thought at the end which included me reciting the First Vision. I had asked that the sister pay special attention to the spirit that she felt as I did that; I've noticed that the First Vision is ALWAYS what brings the strongest spirit to a lesson. We paused and asked her how she felt after and she said, there is a special spirit along with hearing that experience, but that it was partially because of what she could see in my eyes. There was no further explanation of that, but it was so good to hear! I was feeling a little frustrated and inadequate that day--first full day as a double trainer--and hearing that I had helped someone feel and see the spirit in me was the perfect pick me up! It didn't matter that it was a member verses an investigator because my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ. Others doesn't just include investigators and non-members. It was a good moment for me to feel like I'm doing my job as a missionary.

I'm grateful for the experience of double training, and splitting the area with elders, but it has been a lot of work. I know that this transfer will make me a much stronger missionary, if I will let it!

I love you all, and am grateful for all of your support! Boys, I hope you're getting excited and prepared for your missions. Drew, you can go out on exchanges/splits with Elders. They'd love it! :) Remember to keep praying and reading the Book of Mormon. We talked about the importance of the "primary answers" in church yesterday and I know those things have helped me. Y'all should read 1 Peter 3:15. That scripture has been like the theme of the past two weeks for Sister Bate and I--it keeps coming up everywhere! Think about the reason for your hope. It's an awesome thing to  think about!

Love,
Sister Mal

 Our district last transfer. Sister Bate and I, Elder Sheeran and Elder Briggs in the back, Elder Christiensen is the karate kid, and his companion in Elder Bingham. We now have Sister Tuck and two more Elders to add to that group.

 The members of our zone that were at transfers. Elder Bobak, on the end, really loved us, or at least Elder Wilcox next to him.

 Elder Toolson! They all look so much alike, and they're all so nice. Make sure Grandma Gwen sees this. :)

 Our companionship got to be a quad-panionship for an hour or so yesterday. There was sister that was in our zone for a couple days while she was waiting for her visa to Peru. She wasn't expecting it to come this fast--she just got her on Wednesday. But she was down here in the Waco area and had to get up to Fort Worth to the airport today, so she had to ride a bus up. She had a stop about ten minutes away from us, so she joined us for a little bit. This was us, with the Zone Leaders, Elder Treuter and Elder Fulcher, at the bus station.