SEVEN MONTHS!!!

Ola,
My week has been a little strange, but good and I am very glad the holidays are over...haha, that sounds really weird, but like New Years Day we were not aloud to go out unless we had an appointment and stuff. That must makes everything a little slow around here! If you are not aware, yesterday was my seven month marks. 7 MONTHS! Who knew I could make it this long? Yesterday I bore my testimony in fast and testimony meeting and said, "well, today I have been out and away from my family for 7 months, and hey, I haven't died yet." Haha, but really this is the longest I have been away from home and I am doing fine! I guess I really can grow up and stuff and I will be okay. Crazy, huh? I have had some real challenges this week, but I made it! This has been a huge week about learning humility. I guess if Jesus Christ can do it then I can right? I have spent a whole lot of times on my knees this week striving to be better and it is cool how much that helps. Heavenly Father really does care about the little things and is just waiting for us to come to him with them.

We did have a cool experience this week: While stopping at the grocery store for a little potty stop. Haha! We were leaving and met a man sitting outside. We just started talking to him and talked about the restoration. We weren't really sure about him but, He said he wanted to know more and wanted to be baptized!....in a river. So we are excited about teaching him. We still aren't really sure about him but he loves Jesus and so do I! He actually called us yesterday which we were really happy about because we are really smart and forgot to get his number...but we will for sure have a male with us at the lesson, so it will be okay! We were really stoked about that little miracle!

This week we also ate dinner at a really sweet families house. They are really fun! Sister E said she wanted to go with us to go see her neighbors, so we did. Before we left we asked a little bit about her neighbor and she told us she was a baptist and very open, well we get there and really come to find out this lady is an atheist. So, you can guess how that went....haha, she kept contradicting herself, but that was okay. We taught a mini lesson and of course she had the questions, "where did God come from?" "How do you really know he is there?" and then we talked about prayer, but she was like no, no I have already tried that. It was way weird and afterwards Sister E felt bad, but hey, whatever:) Haha, it was kind of an interesting experience.

This week we volunteered at the Old folks home and rehab center and played bingo with them. Let me tell you, go play bingo with old people! It is soooo funnnn! This lady that was sitting across from me and couldn't hear very well. After someone had gotten a bingo I said, "you were really close!" She then yelled BINGO! And proceeded to name every number on her card...hahaha, I laughed so hard. I then helped with this Older black gentleman and come to find out, he couldn't read and that is why he kept putting them all over the place. I love being there! It is so fun to be with them!

Yesterday we taught Young Womens just like you mom! We taught about how we can know Heavenly Father and it was way fun! It is so cool how you can teach them and feel this love for them. They loved how just over a year ago I was in Young Womens. It was so fun to teach them. I kind of wanted to shake them  and be like " YOU ARE LOVED!  BELIEVE IT!" Teenage girls just don't understand that and it makes me so sad. We shared with them the worth article that mom sent me from Roseburgs Girls Camp and it was a hit! It has been really slow but I am hoping with the Holidays over things will pick up:)

Things are going good and I have grown up faster than I ever thought I could. I have learned a lot about myself and how much I need my Heavenly Father everyday! He is waiting for us patiently and watching out for us. I love the fact that he would never force us to come to him but hopes that we will want to. He loves us! HE LOVES US! More than we can even understand. He is so good to us...I am so grateful to know that and to know him.:)

I just want to thank everyone that reads my blog! It blows my mind that so many of you read it. I am even more surprised since I think it might be a bit boring. I hope you all enjoy it! I really appreciate all your love and support. If you have time drop me an email or letter. I would love to hear from you:)

Missionary life is still good and still hard, but still worth it. Just keep swimming:) I love you all! :)

-Sister  Siepert :)