Heavenly Father created us to progress and become better, and that is why life is full of challenges. There is no growth in the comfort zone!

I'm alive everyone!! Despite the fanatical, yellow-journalism type coverage of Storm Jonas, it really wasn't too bad here in Cross Lanes.  There was a WHOLE lot of snow, 18 inches-ish, but we weren't snowed in for long. We did stay inside last Friday night and Saturday morning, (which either God or Sister Burt ensured, because I had a gnarly case of food poisoning Friday night. It was lovely...) The roads are still mediocre-apparently it's just expected you have 4 wheel drive here in West Virginia, so they don't bother plowing much. But luckily, we have quite a few investigators who live within hoofin' it distance, so we've kept pretty busy. And we invested in a snow shovel right before it hit, so that kept us even busier. We should redo that whole push up challenge, because I am WAY buffer now. The Lord definitely blessed us throughout the storm. Our power stayed on, the pipes didn't freeze, and we got some good quality time in the scriptures! And we actually reconnected with some of our friends who aren't usually home.

So drumroll please for the transfer news........I'm going to VA!!!! And my baby Sister Burt is training a new missionary here! It'll be a big change, but I'm excited to take off for the South tomorrow. I feel like I just got comfortable here! But Heavenly Father created us to progress and become better, and that is why life is full of challenges. There is no growth in the comfort zone!! And so, I'm excited to go stretch and grow in my new area!

Last week there was an awesome worldwide missionary broadcast, and it was one of those events that leaves you feeling like you can go out and baptize the world! My favorite part of it was Henry B. Eyrings discussion on relying on the Spirit. Once you've been a missionary for a while, you "know the drill" in a lot of ways. You know what basic doctrine the convert will need to know, you have an arsenal of teaching methods to share it, and you have some experience on what works and what doesn't. Or at least you think you do. What we (I) sometimes forget is that Heavenly Father is really the person who knows what is best, and He will help us to know what to do/say/teach if we will just listen to the Spirit! Since then, I've been really trying to rely on the Spirit, and I've seen and felt the difference it makes. Trust God, He really does know best. And He wants the best for each and every one of His children.

I love you all,

Sister Ward