September 15

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I'm doing much better this week!  I'm sorry that last week's letter was such a dud.  We had just gotten the text that morning and I was still trying to process it along with realizing the fact that my companion was getting transferred.  Basically, it was just a bad day and I'm sorry that you all had to deal with that.  But after a day or so it got better.  I'm actually doing really well, I just ended up having to email on a particularly bad day.  No need to worry I promise!

And then on Wednesday he texted us and said that he changed his mind and actually wants to get baptized. We got everything taken care of and his baptism is scheduled for this Saturday.  Hopefully it all works out! I'm so excited for him and his excitement about the gospel.  I'm really noticing that I don't really even care about whether or not it counts as someone that I "taught and baptized" because in all reality, it isn't the missionaries at all.  He is just ready to commit to our Heavenly Father.  I'm so proud of him and his diligence in overcoming the temptations and trials that he has and still committing to being baptized and coming even closer to our Savior in that way.  What a big yet exciting step for him!

I'm sorry that everyone's getting sick!  That's SO not fun!  I've been pretty fortunate to not really get sick lately which has been really nice.  Some missionaries have gotten super sick here because of all the stress and such so I'm feeling very fortunate that my companions and I haven't gotten sick yet.

I'm OK with you giving out my email.  Although I can't promise anyone that I'll respond to them regularly due to the fact that there just isn't a lot of time that we get to email and I kind of want to spend most of that time emailing you guys.  :-)

I remember Big Papa and Bedstemor writing me and telling me about how they're planning on visiting you guys!  I'm so excited for you!  That's going to be so much fun.  And you'll be able to practice some of your piano skills with your mom which I always enjoyed about them coming to visit.  I think that it's things like that that I miss most about home (No worries, I'm not homesick, I love being here!).  I loved hearing you play duets with your mom and just hearing the piano playing in the background while everyone else is just going crazy and making lots of noise.  I loved all the chaos!

I hope that Kenna takes that trip to London!  Ooh I'm super jealous that she gets that opportunity though! Yes mom, I'm still TOTALLY planning on going to Europe with you as soon as I can when I get home! That is kind of a priority to me before I get married and can't afford it anymore.

That member in my ward who texted you was probably the Ward Mission Leader's wife Sister Swasey. She's basically the greatest woman on the planet.  I love her so much!  She's done a ton for us and I was excited when she asked if she could text you.

I figured out how to bike with no hands!  We've been biking a ton this last week and I love being able to get the exercise!  Don't particularly like the heat or biking in a skirt, but that's OK.  We've been trying to contact a lot more people on the streets because it's kind of hard to tract in gated communities.  It's been fun to do it though!

I got a new companion.  Her name is Sister ........  She's been out 3 months and she's a little sweetheart. I'm almost intimidated though because President Berry specifically wanted me to be her companion because she's struggling with some things and he asked me if I would be OK with helping her out with her struggles.  I think he's crazy for trusting me with that responsibility but I can't argue with the man who's called of God to lead this mission.  It's been really good so far and I just hope that we can continue to get along and learn how to teach together.  It's a new experience for me to be with someone who isn't just learning everything.  We're learning to adapt to each other's teaching styles and make them work together.  It's actually kind of fun!

Well, I'd better be off but thanks for all of your love and Spirit and prayers.  They really do help out a lot here and I greatly appreciate all of it.  No worries, I really am doing great.  I am happy and I love being a missionary.  I can't believe that I'm already creeping up to 8 months.  I'm almost on the down slope! CRAZY!!!  Love and miss you all!

With love,

Sister Ward

PS: The picture is an epic one of the shirts that my last companion Hermana Allred made for us!  The symbol is what we use for the word baptize so it's basically her made up logo for baptizing all of Orlando.  Isn't that awesome?!