That is Vonderful!

Dear Family,

This week has been quite fantastic, thanks to that care package! I'm glad to hear from ya'll, too!

We had the awesome privilege of being visited by one of our worldwide church leaders, a member of the quorum of the seventy, this week! His name was Elder Kopischke, and he was awesome!! I really loved his wife the most though. She has this awesome German accent, and a joy for life that was contagious. And that joy did not come because she had a perfect life. She had her tests and trials, just like we all do, but she chooses to see the beauty and wonder of life every day, and not dwell on the hard things. It made me resolve to be happier! Because I have so much to be grateful for, and I can be as happy as I let myself be!

We've continued teaching Ora, (It turns out her name is Ora, not Nora...I still haven't mastered the Appalachian accent yet, apparently) and she is making such great progress! It is so fun to teach people who have been prepared by the Spirit, and are willing to act on the true doctrine they are learning. It's such a contrast, how much happier they are. One of my favorite excuses received happened this week, too, though! This older gentleman told us he could not come to church because he does not know how to turn the ringer on his phone down. He was a little stumped about what to say next when we offered to turn it down for him :)

We have also begun teaching Takeema, and she is super fun! She is our bishop's recently adopted daughter, and it is definitely a different dynamic teaching children. It is fun though, and she has such sincere, honest questions, I absolutely adore her!

Sister Burt is turning out to be such an awesome little missionary. I was definitely not as adept at the whole thing two weeks in as she is! I feel bad for all the red-head jokes I've ever given out to anyone, though, because everyone is always making some sort of red-head comment to her. Probably 8 out of 10 people, with no exaggeration. So that's why I've sworn off red-head jokes for the rest of my life.

Love you all!

Sister Ward