From the ice bucket challenge to baptism

We didn't get emails from Sister Trommlitz on Monday this week, so we were anxious to see if they would come today, and they did!  I'm so glad she got to get outside a little and do something in nature.  That is really what she loves, being outdoors, appreciating and enjoying our Heavenly Father's creations. (Don't know how she ended up MY daughter!! She's definitely her father's daughter though!) For us, time is going by both slowly and quickly. We miss her, and we all, especially her siblings feel the loss of not being able to talk to her and see her regularly. I love what she said at the end of this email about faith.  It is such a good thing for all of us to remember.  Also, we know that there are people in the area of the country in which she is serving who need her to be there to teach and love them and to introduce or help strengthen the gospel message in their lives. I love that our Heavenly Father knows all, and that He gives each of us individually the experiences we need to continue to have the mortal experience we need.  Here are some excerpts from her week: 

Hermana Horrocks and I went to mutual on Wednesday where they did the ice bucket challenge afterwards. We went to just watch and take pictures of everyone, but we then got nominated!! And we couldn't just say no to a challenge! So in our skirts we sat down and allowed ice water to be dumped on our heads. ha! 

On Labor day, a family from the other 3 sisters area came down and took us to the Joseph Standing Monument and Cloudland State Park to go hiking. It was so needed... just to get out in nature and enjoy a good hike.

THE COUPLE WHO JUST GOT MARRIED ARE GETTING BAPTIZED TODAY!!!!! :) :) :) :) When they were trying on baptismal clothing the other day, I got so excited for them as I saw them in white. They are going to be incredible members of the Lord's team. They have solid testimonies and their faith is strong. They both have the temple as their goal and that's how it has been for most of the time they have been investigating. It will be a great day to see them achieve that goal.

The college student we are working with is progressing wonderfully.  He has now finished The Articles of Faith by James E. Talmage and the Doctrine and Covenants! He has been going to early morning seminary and enjoys that. We continue to pray that he will recognize an answer to his prayers. He has incredible potential as a member of this church. 

I went on my first exchange this week! I was with Sister De Hoyos in Harrison Bay and it was awesome! She is a great missionary and I learned a lot from her. We ended up doing service most of the day for a family that needed help fixing their house. They had just moved in and the place was A MESS. And not just a mess with clutter everywhere.... this house was destroyed. We helped them repaint and scrub the place down. 

I don't know where the time has gone! It is such a blessing and opportunity to be a missionary at this time. I love serving the Lord. I have been thinking a lot about faith these past couple days - how everything relates back to faith. It truly is the first building block and the anchor of our testimony. Faith in Jesus Christ is key and the more I develop that, the stronger other aspects of my testimony become. It all starts with faith.