"Hermana...are you wearing a hoodie?"

As we drove out of South Park on Saturday night, I looked out at the fields of Twin Falls and the sunset and had an "Our Search for Happiness" moment and remembered exactly why I'm here and how much I love being a missionary. It's been a rough patch of ground here in Twin, but I can't even describe what I felt in that moment - just that God was real, as real as my hands on the steering wheel, and that he loves what I'm doing right now. Better than free slurpees from 7/11. 

We had a lunch with the Ramirez family in the Branch (who have no interest in coming back to Church) and they made us shrimp and we strengthened our relationship with them. I had the hottest salsa I have ever tasted in my LIFE and almost had to leave the house. 

Fernando came to the last session of General Conference and afterwards, we went to the Branch President's house and had a lesson with him there. We talked about the things that he had learned in conference and the things he had felt. He said he was impressed that there are leaders of the Church from all over the world - there was that one guy from Germany who talked a lot with his hands, and he realized that there are missionaries like us in all parts of the world. I expressed that I was grateful for this too - howzit that we got 2 new apostles from the Lord that 'aint full white, prayerzzzzz answered! Just kidding, we love 'um all. 

We finished reading the Book of Mormon as a mission just in time for Conference and I think the thing that I learned the most this time around was to relax and enjoy the gospel. I have so many questions and so many doubts and so does everyone we teach - but we focus on the basics, we focus on the Savior and His love and example, and everything works out in the end. Our questions area answered, our doubts are relieved. We feel happy, even through hell, and that's what the gospel is - it allows us to be happy. 

I walked into District Meeting this week, not having the hottest day, and our Zone Leader asked, "Hermana Elkington......are you wearing a hoodie?" good laughs, we know judging others isn't the best but when you add a laugh to it, don't take stuff 2 seriously, loosen up and we'll all be happy together. When we're friends, everything is better. I'm grateful for the countless friends I've made on the mission and the love they've shown me - Hermana Sundstrom sent me a package of cliff bars and other good things that I love and she really does know me! *cries*

Love you all fam. Hope this week is stellar and good and full of laughs and food and family and friends.

Loads of love,

Hermana Hanatea Elkington