chill!

stellar week fam, Hermana Bashford gave her first talk in Sacrament Meeting and is starting to get to know the members in our Branch here in Twin (Hermano Zea came up to us yesterday wearing a purple shirt and was like "aye don't I look like a Jehova's witness? With my little bag? have you guys heard of the Jehova's witness God? I'd love to talk to you all about it") and then President calls us last night when we get home and tells her that her visa is here and she'll be leaving to Quito, Ecuador on the 23rd of April. We are 50% stoked and 50% bummed (actually maybe a little more bummed) and are trying to figure out how we can pull some strings so that she can either stay in Boise or how the Lord could somehow call me to Ecuador too, but it'll be g. She's been the best. 

Dad sent me an email this week and said that he had some sparkling water with a splash of watermelon. Hermana Bashord got excited because whenever her Dad is at a restaurant he'll ask for something with a splash of something else. So pretty much our dads our homies already.

This week I got to go on exchanges with Sister Fidow, who is from Samoa, still learning English, and she came to the Spanish area. The little things she did reminded me so much of home and in the morning, we went on a walk to watch the sunrise in our slippers. She kept dancing to the music in the car and then dabbing and I was like "so do they dab in Samoa?" and she was like "what is dab?" hahahahaa

We visited a Part-Member Family in the branch last night, and played some games and then had a really simple conversation about God, about who He is and what He does for us. We asked the kids how they knew God exists - Zurry said that she knows it because her parents love her. David said that He helps him all the time, in school and at home. We laughed together and drank fruit punch (do you love fruit punch cuz you is from hawaii or what) and these are the times when I feel the spirit the most. When we sit on someone's couch and laugh and talk about what's good in life and how we can be better. It reminds me of my own family and how we can be strengthened by those around us - God always places people in our path. We are strengthened every time we go there. 

One of my favorite people in the Branch gave the Relief Society lesson this week, she is from Argentina, and met her husband while he was serving there. lemme tell you I hate relief society (usually) and mostly it's just uncomfy for me and irrits but this time, I felt more at home then I ever have before in Twin Falls. During the lesson I tried to open my heart a 'lil and be willing to learn, and the Lord helped me learn. I felt the spirit so strongly during her lesson and afterward Sacrament Meeting, her husband came up to me and said, "You're one of the coolest people I know. You're always smiling and laughing" and I was so touched. I've never been this happy in my entire life, and it's during the hardest thing I've ever done - but I know that I'm happiest when I'm me. God loves all of it, everything you are, every part of you.

Pray for me plz because my comp is leaving in a week and idk what I'm gonna do but I know I'll be ok. "We'll be just fine." Loves aunties & unkos. stay fly 

loads of love,

Hermana Hanatea Elkington