“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves" -James Barrie

Dear family,

We just got the transfer news a few minutes ago, and it looks like I will be saying goodbye to the amazing people in the Halls Lake YSA area and leaving for a new adventure tomorrow afternoon. Lots of mixed emotions. It has felt like it is time for me to experience the next thing that Heavenly Father has in store for me, but it is always very hard to say goodbye. I will miss people like Bry and Carla and Gabriel and Minami. And I can't even start on the ward members! I am so grateful to know that because of Jesus Christ there is no such thing as a permanent goodbye!

So here's a miracle story from this week! Washington people are crazy. A few nights ago Sister Goode and I woke up at 2 in the morning because the neighbors below us were shouting profanities and blasting music and banging on their ceiling (our floor). These neighbors have been pretty rowdy before, but never anything close to this bad, and it was obvious that they were really ridiculously drunk. The walls were shaking and it was actually pretty scary. We started to feel really dark and nervous. We weren't sure what to do, so finally we decided to call our Zone Leaders. We talked about a few different options, including calling the police, but finally we decided to start with just saying a prayer. Sister Goode and I knelt in our living room, and I'm sure the Elders did the same, and Elder Caruso said one of the most inspired prayers I've ever heard. He prayed that our neighbors would be stilled even thought they had "given their agency to a bottle," and he prayed that we would feel the angels that would stay the night with us. Instantly after Elder Caruso finished his prayer the screaming and noise that had been going on for forever stopped, and it was quiet after that for the rest of the night. We ended up getting like 4 hours of sleep that night, so the next day was definitely a long one, but it was a powerful experience to have that prayer answered so quickly!

I have learned lots from my study this last week, but I particularly loved reading in Alma 5: I LOVED verse 38. Rather than share my insights on this verse, this week I want to hear what this verse means to all of you! Remember that letters are a great way to show a missionary love!!!!

Love, Sister Slade

P.S. I don't remember if I told you about our investigator Jesse or not, but a few weeks ago I contacted this Irish guy in a wheelchair at the college. We had a very powerful first lesson with him, where he told us about all of the struggles he has been through in his life and how his faith in Christ has helped him. Unfortunately we weren't able to keep teaching him since we found out that he lived in Silverlake YSA's boundaries. We did a pass-off lesson, and I just found out that he is on date to be baptized!! So exciting! Hearing things like that gives me the hope that the investigators here that I won't be able to see continue to progress will be taken care of. In the Lord's timing I guess!