Visit from Maura!

Mom and Pop and Jackie!

Good day! My week has been so good out here in Alabama. It hasn’t been too hot, but it has been uber sweaty lately! It’s so humid out that you start sweating like 10 in the morning and you’re still wet when you go to bed. Its kinda gross, but showering at night calms it down a little bit.

Isaac and Malea have started taking piano lessons? How old are they? And it sounds like dinner last night was uh-mazing with good company and tri tip! Tell Sister Reynolds I’m so sorry for taking forever to write her back, but I am going to do it today! I promise!!!!! I love the Reynolds! They are such a great family. How is everything doing with them? Good goal to set for doing service this week. Service is so fun and such a good way to introduce people to the gospel. Let your light so shine, eh? (Now that I’m with a Canadian I gotta talk like one)

Maura went to church with you!!!!!!! Whaaaaat??!! Hahaha! That got me so excited its not even funny! I am smiling so much right now! :) I cannot wait to hear more about it! My mind is blown right now. Maura got to go to the salon, Disneyland, and hang out with y’all. That is so good! I bet she loved it!!! Shoot, I would have loved it ;) Tell Jackie she better write me all about it! I want all the details haha! What was it like for y’all to have one of the people I taught and baptized over at our house? Did it seem real or what? I’m glad Maura thinks I’m happy all the time because I am! I love being on my mission and doing some good! I still can’t believe she went to church, and was in my house, and went to Disneyland, and to the salon... Ay ay ay! 

And that is so good that Laura was able to quit smoking and prepare herself for baptism! Make sure it happens! Regina is doing well! She is so close to quitting!! I just wish it was easier for her. She'll be getting baptized soon though, so keep praying for her and Bro. Dean. He’s an investigator who is close to baptism as well. The missionaries in our ward get spoiled --- just saying ... Fortune Cookie and tri tip all the time. I better be fed good when I get home ;)

And what type of carpet are you putting in my room!? Are you trying to mess with everything I knew so when I get home I won’t recognize anything!? Haha But that’s exciting! Did you find any treasures cleaning out my closet? Anything I was looking for???? And what type of wood floor are you putting in? Why is it on the ocean? haha. Whatever I’ll just go with it. Good luck cleaning all of that up! You can do it! Go Mom!!!

Oh, and that missionary from Alabama, that is in the Woodruff Ward right now said its like 72 degrees everyday? That is so cold! I might be wearing a sweater when I get home because I’m used to 95 degree weather with a heat index of like 110. And I’m not looking forward to the winter here again. It’s so cold haha. But that’s like forever away, so I don’t have to worry about it.

What’s Apple tv?... It sounds cool whatever it is though. And I haven’t gotten a letter from Kelsey or Kassie yet. One day, I’m sure. But I just got a letter from Jackie that had a postal date of June 23rd on it. That took almost a month to get to me, so I don’t know what’s up. Mail people got no love for missionaries.

But it’s good to hear that Zac is teaching Mission Prep and going to firesides and stuff. I am very proud of the ward reaching out to Maura and it sounds like she is doing great! How was the Gospel Essentials class? That’s the only class I have been to on my mission. I love it :)

No one fell this week! Woohoo!!!! Last week was crazy with all the g-parents taking a dive or two!  And Gma B is still on the leash walking around the house? But at least it’s helping her to breathe and live comfortably. I bet those chicks made her happy a lil bit. They were cute for sure! They look like sandpipers! They have those here in Alabama too. All over the place.

You’re playing the organ in the temple??? Lucky duck you! That would be fun. I want to go to the temple so bad. I don’t know if I will even be able to go anymore on my mission. Only once a year around here. But I hope you enjoy it for me. And I don’t remember who the Daltons are. I recognize the name, but there are Daltons in the ward here ... so maybe that why I recognize it.

But anyways, this week was crazy for me! We had transfers and got to see all the new members of our zone, and we got 2 new Spanish missionaries who live in the apartment complex we live in. Elder Ethridge is getting trained by Elder Olson, and Hermana Palmer is getting trained by Hermana Belford. Sister Palmer was English-speaking until she arrived at the Birmingham airport, and president switched her to Spanish-speaking!! So she has a job ahead of her learning Spanish, but she is awesome and she'll be able to do it. Also, I am now the 2nd oldest person in the zone ... as in, there is only one missionary who has been out longer than I have ... what the hey is up with that!!!!!!! Youngest zone in the mission, but still it makes me feel old. I’m used to being the baby and not knowing anything, and now I’m starting to become one of the older people. Its crazy how fast time flies on your mission.

Also, on Saturday we had a Family History Fair, and I spent most of the day just talking to people and hearing about family history. We had about 60 non-members attend, and it was a good missionary moment for them to see that we aren’t crazy and for them to feel welcomed. So everything is going great here. We have another group coming to tour the church this Wednesday. But this time they are Baptists. So I’m excited for that :) I love hearing President Holzapfel speak. I want to become as smart as he is haha. I hope y’all have a good week and no one else falls down. Let’s stay healthy and happy yeah?? Ok good!

Love y’all! Peace,

Elder Oppamanda