Hey! Sounds like fun!

Yeah, that teaching dynamic is so funny, isn't it??

I realized pretty early-on in my mission that it's way better to ask questions and help people learn for themselves than to just lecture on what you think is cool. I know my church teachers would do that a lot, so I felt like I was figuring things out for myself, which made it that much more valuable to me. That's cool that you recognize that and are learning it.

One thing I would recommend is  preach my gospel (shocker, right? Haha) chapter 10: teaching skills. But more importantly, the asking questions and listening sections. I love it so much!!

Teaching according to peoples needs is like my favorite thing to do in the world. I love to take an inspired topic, study it, prepare, and come to the lesson with that preparation behind me, and see what the Holy Ghost brings to mind for me to teach during the time I have. I feel like my most successful lessons and talks have been because I've formatted it and prepared for it in that way. :) it can be a little scary, because I don't have it all written out. But when you study and prepare, the spirit totally brings to your mind, heart, and mouth what to say :)

Well, I know how much you love Tee! I asked the elders again yesterday about him- they had a really great lesson or two with him this week and he's on date for either the first or second week in August. Buuuut he missed church yesterday cause he slept in :P

Missions are really funny because you have no idea what's going on in the world around you.

For example, I didn't know there was a fourth transformers movie until it showed up on the box of Oreos a member gave us. What the heck haha. But I'm so glad to report that Oreos haven't changed a bit! ;)

We had a zone meeting on Friday. Meetings as a missionary are just the best. And I love pres Woodbury so much!!he is so awesome! He is a HUGE example to me of 1) humility and 2) following the spirit. And I haven't learned those things from a 'how to follow the spirit' lecture from him or something... I learned those things because I've just watched him. I've been learning by example. 

It's so cool- he will get up in meetings and stop in the middle of what he's saying, grab the pulpit, and look down in concentration. (This is where I start thinking, "wait for it... Wait for it.....) and then he will look up, and with a different feeling or attitude, start his next statement with, "The Lord wants me to tell you...." 

SO AWESOME. 

And he's just the most humble person ever. He is so gracious about admitting when he's wrong and apologizing and asking forgiveness and sincerely striving to be better. It's just the sweetest. Especially watching him with sister Woodbury. I love it!

So yeah, our meetings are the best.

Friday night, the elders and us put together a BBQ activity thing for our branch, and invited a ton of people. It went so well and there was such a great turn out! We had recent converts, less actives, investigators, new friends, and some active members show up. And we all had a blast together,and everyone has been asking us when the next one is ha :) it was so great! 

And Steven made his first s'more ever! What an honor :) he loved it, but felt like a dork eating it. He was like a little kid- so awesome. 

And i just finished washing the clothes I wore and they STILL smell like fire. But sister Bradley and I loved it because it's been a while since we've smelled like fire, and it brings back good memories of the good ol outdoors for both of us :)

We have two investigators on date! Haisu is preparing for August 2 (happy birthday to me!), and Simone is preparing for July 31 (happy birthday Andrew!). They are both so awesome! And Simone is just the greatest- we had some really cool lessons with her recently, and were so proud of the progress she's making. It's been really hard for her to make this transition, but she's fighting for it because she's been receiving answers that it's true. SO COOL. 

Kyle is an active member we work with who I just LOVE. He's so awesome. And so funny. He's a character. I wish I could adequately describe him to you... He's just great. And he loves jokes and Rock Paper Scissors. 

The great thing about the gospel is that you can re-learn the same things over and over and over again, and no matter how much you may know (or THINK you know), you will always learn something new. That happened yesterday- we had an awesome lesson in RS about baptism. 

And in sacrament, I was taking the sacrament, and I had this epiphany that I literally was clean again. Clean slate, bleach-white, clean. Again. Just like right after I was baptized! And that happens to me every single week, as I worthily partake of the sacrament. It just really hit me in that moment how merciful our god is- he gives us so many chances to literally stand pure and clean and white before him at the last day. So awesome. 

Well, that's pretty much been my week! I love it here and it's going great :) 

Love you all

Sister  Walton