Crazy Week

Hi family! I am feeling better. Let me tell you about this week!


So. Monday was Zone P-Day and it was SO fun! We played kickball (yes. outside. in 110 degree weather. and 200% humidity. but it was so fun.) Here is a picture of it. I love our Zone. Elder Serdar (one of my Zone Leaders) goes home at the end of this transfer to SANDY, UTAH so I am trying to figure out if I need to send anything to you guys with him. We'll see. He is a great Zone Leader. Monday was so fun, and I loved playing kick ball. We have an Elder from "The Kingdom.... of Tonga" (that's how he always says it. So great.) in our zone and I LOVE him. He's so funny. He did the Haka for us afterward, but I don't know if it will attach. My pictures are not attaching lately.

The rest of this week we were still struggling. I am a stress basket, and have totally lost my appetite and don't eat very much, which is stupid because I need food to live.. but what can you do? I am also not sleeping all the way through the night? Any ideas of how to help me out? Either way, even if I have this for the rest of my mission, I will continue to go forward. Because that's the only intelligent thing to do. (If you can find a talk called "The Fourth Missionary" by Lawrence E. Corbridge, READ IT. That is where this idea comes from). But I would really like to not feel like I'm going to die for the next 16 months.

Thursday we had Zone... Conference? I think. Yeah it was conference, because there were 2 Zones and President and Sister Crawford were there and the assistants. It was awesome. We talked about Strength through Obedience. Oh. My. Gosh. Obedience is so genius. Elder Holland told us in his talk "Obedience is the first law of EVERYTHING." (I will tell you more about that soon). The rules of a mission are in place so that we can function. As missionaries no matter what level of experience we are at, if we follow obediently the schedule, we will survive. We will make it. We will fulfill our purpose and be effective.

Thursday night we had exchanges and I GOT TO GO TO HUMBLE WITH SISTER COCHRAN! It was the greatest ever. She helped me so much. Seriously. She has come so far and changed so much and become so much since I first met her. Not that she was bad by ANY means before, but she really has just embraced the changes that you HAVE TO make as a missionary. I love her. I am so proud of her. And we work so hard together and have SO much fun together. We set a baptismal date in the 22 hours we were together. Not to say "Oh we are so great! Look at us!" but rather to say "We function really well as a team". I love her. I was so happy.

To end our exchange we went to Elder Holalnd. It was incredible. Oh. My. GOSH. I will have to write a letter and explain it better. It was remarkable. He is an Apostle of the Lord. So cool. He comes in, the guy conducting (Elder Neilson or something. He played in the NFL. Sweet.) stands up and says "Elder Holland would like to shake each one of your hands." So we all went in a line and shook his hand. I shook ELDER HOLLAND's HAND!!! It was an incredible talk about obedience, about his love for us, and about working hard. It was a lot like his talk "missionary work and the atonement" but tailored to fit us. I still can't believe he came.

But we went to this chapel in the Texas Houston Mission, and the other 2 missions were there!!! Do you know what that MEANS? I saw my MTC people!! I almost cried. I am such a missionary, I thought "Dude. This is what the celestial kingdom is like... times 7000." We just will see all the people that we loved so much here on earth. And it is going to be an incredible feeling, because seeing them was an incredible feeling. Also, do you remember Melody Haslam? Or Dani Woodland? Yeah they were both there. Nuts. I had such an uplifting time. I saw Elder Curtis and FREAKED out haha. And we talked to Sister Hurren. And Elder Boehmer. And Elder Leishman, the redhead, we talked to him for a few minutes. I love them. They all look SO GOOD! Missions are agreeing with them. I pray they're doing well. Elder Holland is so great. Another thing he said was "You are NO RIGHT to defile the tradition of missionary work! It has always been hard. There has never been an easy mission." and he said " Welcome to the work." and he said "You are the most prayed for group of people on the earth, aside from President Monson." and all kinds of things. I will have to get my journal sometime and write them out. God hears our prayers. He answers them. Elder Holland came to my mission. That was a specific prayer, and not a small thing to pray for either.

Saturday was JAMES BAPTISM!! Oh, my GOSH. I love James. I am so excited for him. Brother Gold baptized him and it was so cool. James is going to make it. He is going to stay strong. I don't want to take away from how excited I was for him - Because it was a lot. I am so happy for him and his happiness - but Saturday I had a thought. And it was like John Candy... no it's not John Candy. On Cool Runnings? Whoever that guy is is was like "Jillian, a baptism is a wonderful thing. But if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it." I don't know if I was waiting to be validated by a baptism (to be like "You're fulfilling your purpose, you're baptizing, you're a good missionary") But I still feel the same way about me as a missionary. About my shortcomings. My happiness for James was separate. I am SO happy for him, but it did not make me feel like I was finally a missionary. James was just so ready anyway, you know? He just soaked it all up and went forward. He texted us one day (after like the 3rd lesson) and was like "Hey, can we drink soda pop?" and I was over the moon about it! "Can WE"???? Love it. He is awesome. Yesterday he was confirmed in church and he is so going to make it!! I am so happy for him. We have a great ward, I realize. I just have to relax. They have taken James in. So many people were at the baptism.

Saturday night we had a little surprise birthday party for Sister Lundgren! And it was so fun. The only thing I have from that party (it was with 3 sets of Elders that live in Kingwood) is a video. So you won't see it I don't think. Then last night we had a party at the Cruz family's house. Sister Lundgren is so beloved here in Kingwood.

Transfers are coming up. I keep having a heart attack whenever I think about it. So I try not to think about it.

When I was in Humble with Sister Cochran, I realized that I just think entirely too much about myself. I need to stop doing that. But it is kind of hard to never think about myself. I sound so selfish, but I just find it a little difficult. I'm working on it.

I love you so much.

JAMES. You are literally the best older brother on the planet. Seriously. Your only fault is that you have not sent me p90x. But i'm like... never eating anymore haha. so i'm not gaining any weight currently. That should change though. I hope. Still send me some workouts okay? Thanks! I am so proud of you James!!!!! Your letter is gold. I loved it. I will write you back. You have such a way of saying things clearly and yet relatably. I don't know if that's a word. But thank you. I have read it several times. I think it helps to know that you have just barely done what I'm doing. It makes me feel less alone.

Jonny. Another week. And no letter. Come on, man. :] Just do it! You will do better in school if you write me. I think that's somewhere in the Doctrine and Covenants. haha.

Mom, thanks for your letter!! I love hearing about your life! I can't wait to come home and do fun things with you!! How is work? I hope it's feeling more normal since school in in session. The heat, you asked, and humidity, is AWESOME for my skin. haha. At least it is good for something... but I think i'd rather have bad skin and less heat. And a crock pot would be so cool, but you're right I just need to buy one here. Shipping wouldn't be cheap. or easy. i love you.

Dad, I can't wait for your letter! I can't wait to hear what is going on in your life. How is the stake? How are the missionares? You are such a great leader dad! You really are. Being on the "other side" in Ward Council and PEC and etc, makes me realize how awesome you are.

I love you all so much. You are so great to me. I love hearing from you. Thank you always for praying for me. I love you let me know if I can do anything for you.

And to my AMIGOS Y AMIGAS!!! I love hearing from you. Keep it coming. :]