Sister Lara Elizabeth Stewart: :)

Dear Peeps in Mesa (and other places too),

Sorry, I didn't get a letter out in the mail last week, it's on its way now.

Fun things in the work:

Black out during in depth less-active lesson: Last Saturday we were teaching an older woman who had been baptized with her husband but doesn't feel like she was told everything and that wasn't right. We were discussing that we believe that we can become like God and the difference between becoming "like god" and becoming "god" when the lights went out. With few windows in her house it was really dark, but luckily she had a Coleman lamp nearby. It was a good thing though because we were about to be late to our dinner appointment after, so since we couldn't read the scriptures, we stopped the lesson there. It was fun listening to the thunder, Louisiana has good lightning storms.

Used my talents to help Sister Madsen with RS activity: Sister Madsen is the weeknight activity coordinator and she needed a lot of help for the activity so we went over to her house on Thursday and helped her make pinwheels, taught her about BINGO random generator cards online, and made and decorated peanut butter rice-cripsies (she was most happy for that because she hates decorating cakes). It was so much fun, though we were there for longer than we really should have been, but I finally got to use my more technical-crafty side.

Then we had some investigators planning on going to that activity which meant that we could go to. There wasn't enough time to return to our area to tract so we went to nearby Brownlee park and did our studies that we had missed that morning. At the park we met so many people that we knew, including the Bishop and his family. It was really fun to see them and to enjoy the nice day as well.

Spirit of Elijah touched me and an investigator: A couple weeks ago we got to meet with a member and their co-worker for breakfast and discussed family history. She filled out a pedigree chart and we gave it to our Family History consultant to fill out. On Saturday, we met with both of them and our consultant showed tips and tricks on how to use Family Search and find old names and records. While sitting their we found a few names and the places that they lived. Seeing the joy on the investigator's face was wonderful and then as we explained baptism for the dead and the Church's viewpoint on the family really brightened her up even more. I only wish I could do my own family history work now, but it'll have to wait :)

Scary house, nice man: Tracting last Saturday, we were about to go up to a cute blue home that was a little decrepit and had rusty cars out front and, from the sounds of it, a large dog inside. Sister McGrath immediately turned around and we started walking away. But we stopped each other, and thought, "What if this is the one?" Quickly we turned back, and walked up to the front door. Nervous like crazy we knocked and indeed there was a large dog which was held back by a man named Kenny. He stuck the door, put the dog away, then opened it again and joined us outside. We talked to him a bit and he said he was interested, we shared with him the Book of Mormon and he said he'd read it. Just goes to show that a scary house does not mean scary people. :)

Found a nature park and Kim: Barred Owl!!! While out and about on Sunday, I discovered a hidden nature park outside of Blanchard. Curious we drove in and parked. We went in the visitor center to ask if they had a bathroom and were met by one of the part time workers there. Almost immediately we struck up a conversation about us as missionaries and our purpose in Louisiana. She was really open to our offer to teach her, but due to a shaky schedule, wouldn't set an appointment for us to come by. Afterwards we took a moment to visit their aviary which included 3 species of owl, including my favorite barred owl! Then Sister McGrath kissed their deer.

Fun Things with fellow missionaries:

Playing signs, Gangham Style: After some quick shopping last Tuesday (Transfer P-Day), we met the other missionaries at the church for games. They were playing "Signs" a game where everyone has a sign and you pass around being "it" by accepting your sign from someone else then signing another's sign and passing it on. The trick is keeping it all secret from the person in the middle who is trying to guess who is "it". At first I had a silly sign that involved lifting the hands and one foot. Unfortunately I couldn't recognize my own sign very well, so I switched to a dance move from my family song "Gangham Style." EVERYONE was signing for me now and we were all cracking up seeing how different individuals signed it. Still I never got put in the middle.

Brightening the day with art: Elder Capron is probably my biggest fan right now with my artwork, little cartoons and such that I due for the missionaries. He's always showing people the planner I made him ("Hobbit" themed) and asking me to show people the other cartoons I've done. It makes me happy to see people's smiles and to see them actually use the planner covers I design for them.

New missionaries to the zone: Though our district didn't change, we did get two new missionaries to the zone. Its fun to meet new missionaries, whether they have already been serving for a year or are fresh as a tomato picked from the vine.

Just fun:

Movie Night: We got a new movie to use for our teaching "Together Forever," so after a long Saturday, we took part of our dinner time to sit on the couch and watch it together. It's a really sweet film, though it was made in the 80's. Big hair, but the gospel was true even then.

Rony's Ribs: Rony is the husband of one of our returning members we visit regularly. We never talk to him very much because when we are over he allows his wife to have time with us. But on Saturday, we not only got to talk with him and his wife, but he fed us some of the ribs he had steamed then grilled. They were really good. Different flavor than Dad's but had a nice kick to them.

Talk of the day: "The First Great Commandment" by Elder Holland. Listened to this as I wrote. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-first-great-commandment?lang=eng#watch=video

I hope that is enough great things for you Mom. My goal this week is to write in my journal more, so more things will hopefully flow.

"Kent" is doing well. :) He hasn't been used too much though, I prefer my SAS shoes.

Indeed, I did eat gumbo. The McCabe is the only place I have had it. Brother McCabe makes it spicy with chicken and duck and sausage. It's good. They let us take some home. The last time I was at the McCabe's was before transfers so I told them that if I was leaving I would like to celebrate my birthday with them. Sister McCabe couldn't remember which day I had said was my birthday (she thought I said 20th) so she made me a cake. Its funny because I usually go help with dessert after our spiritual thought, but this time I didn't and then when I finally did, I turned around, she had the cake lit and they were all singing. I was so surprised! And so happy! It totally made this one of the best birthdays ever. But no, I still don't know how to make gumbo, though I could probably figure it out.

I think that is just about all. Love you, family. Take care and Happy Birthday:

Amy, Dallin, Stephanie, Karl, and Ammon!

Kristi, I know what would make a great Christmas gift :)

LOVE, LUCKY LARA

Sister Simpson and me with our chocolate mustaches from the RS activity, themed "I mustache you a question."

After a story Elder Simpson told me, I've been collecting pennies and change off the ground. I finally made a jar to keep them in last week. How much to you think I can get in one mission?