Almost Heaven, North Carolina!

Hello wonderful family and friends!

This has been the best week of our mission yet!! I love trials, because they make all the little blessings so big and wonderful! This week, we experienced the biggest snowfall North Carolina has seen in a decade! All businesses and schools were closed for 3 days! It was so crazy!! We went out driving, and were looking around thinking, "what is the big fuss all about?" It was pretty icy in some areas though. Wednesday was definitely the most snow, and it happened to get super bad while we were in district meeting 1 hour from home... Luckily, we drove with Elder and Sister Mauerman that day, so he handled the crazy snow driving. The snow also correlated perfectly with Sister Arave's worst sick days!

We had to go to a couple more doctors this week, and finally got a solid prognosis of Sister Arave's pain!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited to finally understand all the pain she has been in. Huge relief that we now have a game plan to help her get back in good health. It has involved 2 half days this week when we had to come home early for her to rest, one of which was Wednesday, when we couldn't have gone out anyway. So we finished studying and planning, and then watched "The Testaments" on our little dvd player while eating pistachios, kettle corn and drinking gatorade. It was so fun, I can't even tell you. That movie gets funnier and more powerful every time.  I got the chance to read A TON of Jesus the Christ and the Book of Mormon, and received some amazing answers to my prayers. My old love for reading has been coming back in full force, and my love for the scriptures is exploding! Right now, I've taken on a challenge from our investigator, Chelsea, to read the Book of Mormon in 30 days (she randomly opted to do this last month, so now it's our turn.) Being immersed in the Book of Mormon this week has consecrated our experiences good and bad, and filled my heart and mind with hope and peace and comfort from the Holy Spirit. This week was definitely an Alma 26:27-28 experience. I wouldn't trade it for all the pearls in China.

I love this mission!  There are people I have met in the past two weeks that I so know I was supposed to meet, and the relationships that are growing with ward members and less active members just continue to be wonderful. The Copes are one of my favorite families. She joined the church about 5 years ago when they were both enlisted studying to be army interrogators. They actually ended up deploying together which made for some intense stories. Sis. Cope is a great member missionary. Love working with her!

We continue to find and teach people who are prepared not only to hear the gospel, but to hear it from us. As we lead from our strengths, we feel the Spirit working through us, and grow together. It is so great! I love you family. I hope you know I pray for you always. 

"Now this is my joy and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen." -Ammon the missionary (my hero)

Enjoy the kodak moments.
Sister B

Us in the waiting room at the doctor's office-- funnily, we made up a role play about contacting in a doctors office two weeks ago, before Sister Arave got sick! hahaha

waiting in the car for everyone to show up at district meeting.

The SNOW!

On the couch with Tessa Cope. 2 year-old Tessa just scooted onto the couch between us during the lesson, and Sis. Cope took a picture (: cutest thing ever.