Composing My Life : Vineland - It is like Vineyard, but not, but is!

Hey everyone! Can you believe it is June? It feels like yesterday that May began. Time, man.

Lisa and Randy's baptism Monday night went so well. Lisa was all smiles. Randy teared up thanking everyone at the end. We had asked them while planning for the baptism if they wanted refreshments at the end and they said no. But, instead, most of us went to Handel's ice cream-- SO good! I am glad I got to go there before leaving. You know how it is hard to decide what flavor you want sometimes? Well they had an option for a 4 scoop sampler and it was a better price than a cone or cup. Thus, most of us got that. The baptism took place at the Stake Center in Broomall because our building is being renovated. That night we spent the night with the Broomall Sisters so you didn't have to go back and forth, back and forth.

Tuesday was transfers! I am with Sister Beames in Vineland, New Jersey!! I have now made it into serving in every state in the mission that Sisters cover. Sweet! It has more country than my area in Pennsylvania and so it reminds me a lot more of Delaware. It feels like forever since I was serving there!

Sister Beames is the second to youngest of 7. She is from Idaho. She is my first companion that is older than me. She had gone home for health reasons and then came back. If she hadn't gone home, then she would be home already! There must be a reason we are together then. :) She is athletic and so she runs circles around me- almost literally. We have ran twice this week and my legs were so hurting! Strange since I though T25 was getting me into better shape. Guess running is doing a better job. Starting yesterday, I have begun a mini diet, I guess you could call it. My goal is to only have sweets one day a week. We, Sister Davis and I, were going to say only on the weekends but then Sister Rothey said we would end up gorging on sweets and it wouldn't do anything. Smart. Now I get to pick and choose when I personally think would be best and most worth it in having something sugary and sweet. Yesterday was a temptation, day uno. Man, this is going to be harder than I thought but I am determined!

We are so busy here! We are teaching more people than I have ever taught at once and they let us see them more often than any investigators I have ever had the pleasure of teaching! Crazy good! We had a total of 19 lessons this week (8 member presents, 8 other lessons, and 3 Recent Convert/ Less Active lessons). My most may have been 10. Even with this all, Sister Beames said we slacked this week! Wow! I can't wait to see what awaits us next week. We will have 2 exchanges this week (yay) and so it will be a whole new and different week than I have ever had before.

I had my first ever leadership training this week with all the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders. It was amazing. I love getting to see and hear and learn from missionaries, especially President and Sister Anderson and the Assistants. We even played a Jeopardy game for knowing scriptures, the pamphlets we teach from, and our white handbook... our group didn't do so hot- but it was fun! I loved getting to see Sister Shaia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a sweeeeeet Disney postcard from Nhi this week! It was sent to Broomall and so I got it at the meeting- I was so excited and showed people! I don't think Sister Beames appreciates my Disney craze... this will be an interesting transfer.

The Sisters here had a baptism last week and she was confirmed yesterday. There was another baptism yesterday, Willaim Harris, and I felt so bad that Sister Earl (Sister Beames' last companion) couldn't be there. I felt out of place not being "his missionary" and him missing and wanting Sister Earl there. Oh well. It went so well. He had a huge smile on and he cried bearing his testimony. His girlfriend, who is a nonmember, came. That was neat! We were hoping family would come because William said they were more excited than he was but he seemed to play it down to them and not fully giving them vital details for the baptism. He has made so many changes, especially with the Word of Wisdom. He would've been baptized last week but he had a slip in smoking. He is a champ and we are all so proud of him!!

I am still getting used to the area and the people. It has been an easier adjustment than last transfer. Now on to remembering names...

To end, I would like to share a few things that I learned in my studies this morning. I read 2 articles. The first from President Uchtdorf "Are you Sleeping through the Restoration?" LOVE it. If you haven'r read it, please do so. Are we taking for granted this great time in which we live and can ever so be a part of? There is a quote on Sister Beames' wall that says that 'the first vision changed history; let is change your life.' The other article is "Inviting Other sot 'Come unto Christ'" by Elder Gene R. Cook. He talked about ways to immediately invite the Spirit and was all, "what's the secret?" Well, it is no secret at all: Prayer, Scriptures, Testify, Music, Expressing love and gratitude to the Lord and men, Sharing spiritual experiences, and Priesthood ordinances. I also loved the title- it is straight from Preach My Gospel and PMG wasn't even written yet!

Tiana, I love you and am thinking about you. I hope all goes well this week and I look forward to seeing Baby Beckett.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

I love you and miss you tons :) Always smile and Remember who you are!

Sister Hanson

Brother and Sister Rothey