Punny Names & Matchmakers

Hey family!

The last two weeks have been weeks of growth and I am learning more and more that my mission is about me. It's about serving others, of course, but it's also about me. The atonement is for my investigators, but it is also for me. The Lord cares for each person that we talk to individually, but He also cares for me.

We were blessed this week with a new investigator named Carla who was passed off to us by some of the other sisters. Carla is 29. She spent 7 years in Afghanistan, and as a result has dealt from severe PTSD the last few years. She thinks that the missionaries coming to help her was a sign from God. She has loved coming to General Conference and church. Every time she comes and feels the spirit she sits there and just cries. She needs this gospel so badly, and we are so excited to teach her!

Our investigators are really struggling, so please keep them in your prayers! It seems that we have been blessed to find so many people since coming to Halls Lake that have felt the spirit and begun to receive witnesses for themselves that this gospel is true, but the adversary works so so hard, and an investigator never gets all the way to baptism without all kinds of of adversity. Almost all of our investigators are dealing with drug addictions, guilt, anti from family, fear of commitment, and just about everything else you can think of. In particular, please pray for Gabriel, Bry, and Anthony.

This week in my study I have become fascinated with looking up scriptures in the Topical Guide that include the word "rejoice" or other similar words and phrases. It is amazing to be able to put things in the perspective of our Heavenly Father and really be able to feel the love that He has for us, even when the natural man in us is having a hard time remembering that love. We truly do have every reason to rejoice!!!!

love ya!

Sister Slade

P.S. Definitely the funniest moment of the week:

1. Elder Caruso and Elder Rencher think it's funny to pun our names. (Sister Knoblaugh accidentally printed my name as Sister "Shade" when I gave one of the talks for Melissa's baptism, so I'm Sister Shade. Or Sister Sledge. :) ) Some of the best have been "I Nephi, being born of Goodely parents..." and "Wow this situation is pretty Shady. It's not very Goode." The following conversation was particularly amusing:

Elder Rencher: Hey, you can't use Michael as your fellowshipper, we already called him, he's ours!

Sister Slade: Sorry, that wasn't very Goode of us, was it?

Elder Rencher: Yeah that's pretty Shady.

Sister Goode: Be careful, we might Rench your investigators out from under you

Elder Caruso: Well we'll just Caruso them right back in...

Also, apparently one of our investigators started dating one of the Elder's investigators this week. Then a few days later the Assistant Ward Mission Leader (Or is it the Assistant TO the Ward Mission Leader? You're welcome, Paul.) wrote a poem and asked one of our other investigators if she would go with him to the regional dance. Basically our calling is to be matchmakers. Gotta love Halls Lake!