Sister Torie Inman: Sister Inman Letter - May 30, 2016 (Elder Holland too!!!!)

New Transfer, and I love my New Companion!

Herro Famiry!

We had a great week! So great that we were exhausted by the end of the day and I have been terrible at writing in my journal. I mainly only have bullet points on sticky notes for the past couple of weeks haha.

At least we know that if we are that exhausted, that we must be doing something right. We've been getting awesome workouts lately and have been getting up a little earlier, and have been trying to get to bed earlier, too! I am happier, but still just as tired!

Monday was awesome! Probably the best P-day I've had in this area. We got to go to sports for a couple of hours and it was so much fun! I got a big workout though, I was sweating like crazy which was gross, but who cares when you are having fun? :) We mainly played King of the Court and I missed just about every shot except ONE! And it was from far away. So that made me happy. The Elders were very encouraging. And coaching me because i don't know how to basketball haha.

Tuesday morning we had breakfast as a district at 7am, "Pancake Tuesday" which was pretty good! We tried a bunch of people throughout the day but nobody was home or had time for us. Sad day. We had lessons with Race and Peggy!

I have really grown to love Peggy. She has softened a lot since the Spirit has been working on her. She has committed to continue to read the Book of Mormon because she finds it interesting and she likes it so far! She even read the Vision of the Tree of Life and found it "very interesting! I will keep reading, I promise!" and she did! She read like 2 more chapters than we asked her to.

We also got asked to do service at 6am on Wednesday -_-

Wednesday morning we did service at the Pima Cemetery with the other Pima missionaries and other volunteers I didn't know. We went through the whole cemetery and put flags on all of the Veterans' graves! That's awesome :) And we replaced the ones that already had them on there, but that were broken or torn. We had district meeting, then had to go to the tire shop because we had a hole in our tire. Woo!

Thursday was rough. But it ended up okay. I was kind of depressed and is a sad mood all day, Satan has been making me feel bad about myself and my efforts as a missionary all week, and I am tired of it, so we are doing something about it now! :) We started weekly planning, and it turned out to be a companionship inventory. We just put everything out on the table, what we were feeling, the things we have been struggling with, and how the other one can help us. We decided that we would just be open and honest with each other, and said that this companionship will not only "work", but we will end our time together, having become best friends, and working together and supporting each other, and we will make this companionship "GOOD"! And a huge burden was lifted off of our shoulders. Now we are already getting along so great and we come to understand and get to know each other a little better every single day! I love Sister Chandler, she is awesome. She is 20yrs old, only like a month older than me, is from Rupert, Idaho, and has been out for about a year now! She is a diligent missionary who strives to be exactly obedient, and has a lot of love to give to people she serves! We laugh a lot, we joke, we have fun, but we both love the work and want to support each other in it!

Friday morning we did a super awesome workout (Thanks, Jillian Michaels!) and we felt super pumped for the day! We did service , and then for lunch, we had a BBQ with the other missionaries for Elder Vaughn's 23rd Birthday!

We had another lesson with Race and Peggy, too!

Saturday we got another awesome Jillian Michaels workout (It seems silly, but I'm so pumped. We're going to get ripped by the end of this transfer, I just know it) haha :) I feel better about myself more than I did before, because I actually try!

Service again, this time at the Pima Museum. I love history. Do we have ancestors from the Gila Valley? Weekly Planning, still.

Sunday was a great day! We didn't have any ward councils (Seriously, it's the best), and we went to Pima 3rd's Sacrament meeting. Then we went to PIMA 4TH's Sacrament meeting, because we were asked to give talks in their ward, along with the Pima Elders. Seriously? We aren't even in that ward. But I have to say it was actually pretty cool to have just missionaries give talks! We talked about how serving a mission has strengthened our relationship with God and Jesus Christ, and the Elders were just given the topic of "Relationships" which I thought was funny haha. It turned out pretty good! Whenever you get the chance, go read the lyrics to A Child's Prayer. We are the first verse, and we start with uncertainty, but end with a knowledge that He really is there. In the second verse, our concerns are answered, and He shows His love for us when we pray with sincerity. I loved it!

I also had people come up to me after sacrament and talk about someone they know in Surprise. I had a man named Brother Blair that apparently you know pretty well? He is the owner of Kainoa's. He said when you all (the Inman's) were younger and lived in Tolleson, you would play and hang out together, and he knew like our whole family almost! That's so cool! Do you know him? He also said that I guess Rick came down a little while ago to see if he wanted to open a franchise or not? WE ARE OVER THERE IN THATCHER ALL THE TIME, And Rick was not that far from me! Crazy!

Anyway, the church is true! God is good, the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The Atonement is real.

I have noticed that as I have become more and more obedient to even just the morning schedule and night schedule, we have seen so many more miracles and have gotten so many more referrals and more success with people! Rudy came to church AGAIN, and I am so grateful for the members who took the initiative this time! Ray is still coming to church and approached us about having us over again! He is still strong! He will be getting the Aaronic Priesthood soon, possibly even by his son!!! I love when the Gospel brings families together, and to be able to witness it happen from the beginning!!! I love this Church. I am grateful for the prophet. He is so amazing, and I will strive to heed his counsel ever more diligently than I have been. Familiarize yourself with the words of the prophets! Because not too long ago, they received those very words from Christ Himself. Think about it.

I love you, dear family! I pray for you all the time. I keep you in my thoughts as I strive to serve harder throughout each day. Today Sister Chandler asked me what I loved about or have learned from each of my family members, Mom, Dad, Lacey and Eric, Jake and Chauncey, and Jesse. And it just reminded me how lucky I am to have a family that is so incredible. I have been so blessed. And I continue to learn more from each of you and grow to love you more each day! (And I love you, too, Grandma and Grandpa! Thank you for your letters and words of wisdom and love! I have the best grandparents in the world).

Have a fantastic week! I love you, and God loves you even more!

Sister Inman