February 22nd Updates!

What a week! Monday I called President and received the verdict. As much as I didn't want going home to be the answer, that was the answer I felt fasting, and the answer my parents, and Stake President felt. The neat part about the call was a phrase President Cleveland used, saying "I guess this is the Lord's will!" which was definitely an answer. I was at the mall with a bunch of sisters when I called President and after I stopped crying long enough to tell them, Sister McMillan asked if she could take me on a walk. She said a lot of sweet things, including that she cared, another assurance of my Priesthood blessing the week before. 

Tuesday we got to teach Henry who we had met on the UIndy campus! It was so exciting to teach a full restoration lesson and the spirit was amazing! We met him at the library and were whispering back and forth at a table in the back but it was one powerful experience! We invited him to baptism and to church, both of which he wasn't too sure about, but we told him we were leaving and we would let the IUPUI sisters know and they'd be able to keep teaching him. One funny part of the lesson was when we were showing him what we call apostasy cups and when we spilled them a few people looked at us! Danny, who we also met on campus, walked by and was excited to see us while we were talking to Henry! He only had a second because he was going to study but he wanted to share some sushi with us! 

Wednesday we splurged on miles to see Todd and Donna Castner one last time. We brought the restoration movie hoping to stop in and share a quick message. They were excited to see us and chatted with us for quite a while, giving us lots of life advice, especially after we told them we were both going home! We invited them to baptism on April 4th but Todd wasn't too sure, and Donna didn't think she'd be ready that early. She said she really wants to belong to a church and be baptized, just maybe in the fall.

For our last District Meeting with the weird situations, we watched Prince of Egypt and made grilled cheese with Sister Banks. It was a lot of fun, and made me think a lot about the blessing being in this district has been! We've become friends even though we are all super different, and they've helped me a lot by making me laugh and joining us for lunch or ice cream runs! Sister Banks also made us laugh with her match making. 

When Sister Steadman found out I was going home she called during lunch one day to tell me how proud she was of all I had done. I love her so much! She was so helpful arranging doctors visits with me and so sweet to check up on me so much! Later that week when we were in the mission home after Sister Gil's exit interview I had the sweetest chat with her about God's will and plan for us that helped me to be excited for whatever the Lord has in store for me! Things don't always work out the way we planned, but God's plan is always better than ours.

Saturday it was snowing like crazy and our cars were grounded! We decided to bite the bullet and go tracking a few streets away from our house. What an adventure! We tried helping people shovel their driveways but a few of them ignored or declined, and one of them only spoke Korean! We tried to give him a pass along card with a picture of Jesus but he didn't want one. Later that day our cars were ungrounded and we were running to the post office for some boxes when we got rear-ended. What a day!

Don't worry I did not break this chair! It was just super convenient..

Breakfast at the Lane's in Cross Roads!

This Train is Bound for Glory with Brother Lane!

THE TEMPLE!!

Our last dinner with the Restivos! They are so sweet.

Favorite Quotes!

"Sister Banks can I not like Elder Givens?" Sister Gil
"NOPE!" Sister Banks
"Can Elder Givens like someone else?" Sister Gil
"NO!" Sister Banks

"You better take a good long look at her and a picture because she's about to go home!" Sister Banks to Elder Lorsch

"Elder Cathcart you left meat on the bones!" Sister Gil
"I can't see it!" Elder Cathcart not wearing his glasses

"I like your necklace!" Lauren Futrell
"Thanks! They call me one chain" Sister Gil
"That's funny, they call me two chains" Elder Lorsch
"They call me three chins!" Lauren

"You look pretty delicate, maybe you just need to go on a raw diet! Get that inflammation out!" Donna (I)

"'and strengthen the feeble knees' hey that's sister Evans!" Elder Given

"oh you don't look that old!" Sister Gil
"Thanks! I might become a Mormon just because of that!" Leah's mom
"Oh don't do that! You've got to pray about it!" me
"I don't pray. I'm an atheist." Leah's mom

"Ok hold on...there's bread...in your hood" Sister Gil
"Oh ya, kids" Brother Gurman