A baptism, 1st Transfer...losing Sister Dobbs, and getting two new companions

I love you all so much and I miss you! I'm done transfer 1!! WHAT CRAZY! Ikr. And guess what, my beloved companion Sister Dobbs is transfering away from me and becoming an STL :(. So now I'll be getting not 1, but 2 new companions on wednesday. Whaaaaat!? Trio round 2?!! Yep. One sister is from Brazil and the other is from Canada (vancouver to be specific). 

Kaori got baptized yesterday which was so so special. I love her so much. She is who I wish I was before the mission. She is literally the best. She is the most loving. Idk I just love her, and I love all the young women here. Also after the baptism we had a ward potluck party thing. It turned into a bit of a bday party too because there were 6 february bdays to celebrate. We passed the cake around and sang to everyone individually. Tender. 

The night before Kaori's baptism we were able to have a lesson with her where we just read and talked about the Book of Mormon together. It was really special and the clearest I've been able to feel the Spirit in a lesson. Pray, read the Book Mormon, then pray again. Be honest with where you're at and where you want to be as you do this, and you'll totally be able to feel the Spirit. It's beautiful. As you do this the Christ's character and Atonement will become so much simpler in your heart, because you'll be able to feel it's power. I promise you that. Think of reading the scriptures and praying as a way to learn to become more like Christ, as you better understand Him. He really is the perfect example. What He did for us in performing the Atonement was perfect.

I'm realizing teaching simply is so important because that's how the Spirit teaches, simply. If I want to teach with the Spirit so that everyone present can feel the Spirit, then i need to try to teach like the Spirit. Back in Dec 2016 when i was trying to decide if I should go on a mission I remember feeling so stressed amd anxious and my brain just felt so cluttered. But then if I thought about it when I was feeling the Spirit it just felt so clear. It just felt like a good idea, like it was what I was supposed to do. Literally I just felt so at peace, and like the decision was already made. So then I just legit made the decision. That was probably the single biggest act of faith I've made so far, but I'm glad I did, even if things are a little hard at times. 

I'm realizing more and more how much I just want to be a good missionary and person, and what that actually means, but hopefully as I head into this new transfer I'll be able to better "forget myself and go to work". That's the goal.

Mark 8:35 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it."

I've also been gaining such a strong appreciation for the priesthood this past year. There is nothing more amazing than the priesthood to me. Our potential is to become like God. Our purpose is experience the same perfection that He has, and that also means that He has perfect happiness as well. That happiness is so essential. But anyways, what better way to practice and try to become like Him than to get to be the means by which His will is carried out here on Earth. Through callings, and priesthood blessings, and the Bishop baptizing Kaori this past sunday (on his birthday), Ive just been able to see what a blessing it is for everyone involved every time the priesthood is used. Who we are, and are meant to become, is always magnified through the priesthood, and the Holy Ghost.