Blessings and Miracles

Hello All,

This has been a really good week despite some challenging set-backs that tried to get in the way. We had multiple events over the course of the week that really showed me just how much Heavenly Father is aware of us and how He is the one who is guiding this work. We had a really cool lesson Tuesday morning. We'd been pretty stressed about this lesson, it was with a Sister who was struggling and needed a lot of help. She wanted us to bring someone who had some very specific things in common with her to the lesson on Tuesday. We'd hunted and hunted and not found anyone who matched up. It really highlighted to me how new both of us are in this area, even after 5 weeks I feel like I'm still just barely starting to get a handle on things here. Then, Monday night as we were about to give up we thought of one last sister to call and ask. We had decided we were just going to try getting anyone at this point, and we weren't going to worry about all the things that were supposed to match up. Well, the sister said yes. We breathed a huge sigh of relief and started to prep for how we would explain to the sister that we hadn't found exactly who we were looking for. Well, in the car ride as we were talking to this sister it turned out she had had very, very similar life experiences to the lady we were going to visit. The lesson went so well, and as they were talking Hna Wells and I just sat in stunned silence as we watched everything unfold. It really showed me that God does know what is going on, and that He really wants to help us, we just have to do our part and then He will do the rest.

Wednesday we had a sisters' conference. It was soooooooo much fun. I've got to figure out how to get a hold of some pictures from it. Prior to leaving on my mission I brought two memory cards... my first memory card is full and I can't find my second one, so I've just been asking people to take ones for me. It's not like we take that many pictures, just at big events and such. I got to play flute for the sisters conference which was fun. I played an arrangement of "Did you think to pray?" that Dad and I often played and it was fun to get to use the flute and play a song that I really enjoy. There were some great talks and lessons and I really enjoyed being around the other Sisters. It's tricky sometimes being a Sister Missionary, because we are very much out numbered and often are the only sisters in our districts and zones (ie area that we serve in). So, being at the sisters' conference was really, really nice. President Taylor came and was in and out for the meeting and shared some really good thoughts. I've really enjoyed having 2 mission presidents and getting to learn from them both. They are both quite different, but equally inspired and both great leaders for the mission.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were rough days. I managed to pick up a nasty cold somewhere and it really wiped me out. I've decided a year + of running straight has really taken a toll. I remember picking up little colds here and there when I first got to Arizona, and not really struggling but this time around I think I was just too exhausted to efficiently fight it off. I'm feeling much better now, but it took a lot of sleep and just being down. I feel much better now, and I've decided I'm done with being sick for the rest of my mission. We'll see how that one works.

We were really blessed to find a whole family this week. I'm super excited. We have a lesson with them tonight. It's pretty tricky to find a whole intact family around here. Some of the situations with various issues here in Arizona have split up a lot of families, and a lot of other families have fallen apart on their own. So, finding a full family was pretty exciting. We're really excited to get to work with them and get to know them better.

Sunday I also was really excited to get to go back for the baptism of Ariana Carrillo. I had worked with her dad, Oscar Carrillo, for the better portion of my time in Agua Fria. It was so cool to go back and to see her get baptized, she is such a cute little girl, and I was so happy to get to see her. It was also fun to get to see some of the other people I worked with during my time in Agua Fria. I really have some fond memories of being there and working with them. It was also interesting to go back because effective last week the mission is no longer really giving permission for missionaries to return for baptisms in old areas. I had to really beg for that one, and it was interesting to know that my visit on Sunday was the last time I would be in Agua Fria as a missionary. Weird.

I think that's all for now. I love you all. Have a great week.

Don't forget, transfers are next week, so I won't be writing until Tuesday.

Love ya!

Hermana Okeson

PS (a note from the mom) Okay, I find it really annoying the way this shows on Nicole's blog. I don't know why it is coming up as a white back. Any one out there in the cyber world know how to stop this? I want the green back ground back!