Happy one year mark!

Hola mi querida familia y amigos!! First off, Saturday night was transfer calls again! and here's the news............ I'm..............................STAYING IN SAN MATEO!!!! with Sister Hewett, too! I'm sooooooooo happy! Sister Hewett and I are still Sister Training Leaders, but they've assigned two more sister trainers on the other side of the bay, so that will cut the sisters we cover way down so we'll be conducting the exchanges with almost HALF the sisters we were in charge of before :) We'll just cover the peninsula, so that'll be so nice to be able to focus on our area a little bit more. I love being here in the San Francisco zone, there is SO MUCH work to be done! this week we'll be receiving 44 new missionaries in this mission, 7 of which are visa-waiters! There are a few missionaries that will be double-training (that is, training 2 new missionaries at the same time) and because of the high influx of sister in this mission, over half of the Elders in our mission are either District Leaders, Zone Leaders, or Assistants to the President. We're at about 46% Sisters and climbing! Speaking of which, we'll also be getting another set of sisters in our ward!!!! (maybe one of them will play piano so we can trade off on Sundays!) The work is really hastening and it's incredible to be right in the middle of it! The last Sunday of every month we have a meeting in Oakland at the VC called "Porque yo Creo" which means "why I believe" where recent converts share their testimonies and conversion stories. Our incredible senior couple serving in our ward brought us and our AWESOME  investigator Mike to it last night and it was so powerful! He's going to be baptized next month and we're so excited for him--on the way home he had all these great questions about fasting and praying and missionary work in foreign contries! It is just amazing the miracles we have been seeing! Just this week he told us that the day we talked to him he was in a really low point in his life and we helped pull him out of it--and we had no idea, we just talk to everyone we can!!! Byron came to church again! He is staying strong and reading the Book of Mormon! He gave up coffee and preparing for baptism! We have a new investigator that we found again, talking to everyone, and she let us come back, we've taught her twice and she is still confused about Joseph Smith... She doesn't really seem to understand the importance of any prophet, let alone one today... so last time we really focused on the role of prophets and the cycle of apostasy, and the need for a restoration. She started to open up more and ask more questions and we can see the potential in her shining through. This week I went on the last 2 exchanges for the transfer (yaaay!) first off, there's a brand new sister in the field named sister Mitchell (so if any of you send me anything, make sure it has my first name on it too ;) and I went with her to Walnut Creek! We had a ton of fun going to the BART station and talking with the people there, the conversation would be something like,

"Hi, I'm sister Mitchell,"

"Hi! ...I'm sister Mitchell too!"

"oh, Are you Sisters?"

"well... no, but yes..." :)

Never before have I testified so much that we are all brothers and sisters because we're children of our Heavenly Father! and that we're special and unique, even if we have the same name... hehe, but she is a GREAT missionary, so you and willing--fearless to share the gospel with everyone. Last, but not least, An incredible sister came here to San Mateo with me, Sister Dykes. She is so strong and lead by the Spirit! She's a convert of just a couple years. I honestly feel like I may be conducting the exchanges, but the sisters are the ones training me!!! She didn't speak a lick of Spanish before coming on here, and already--in less than 6 months her Spanish is fantastic! She is one determined missionary. All the sisters are so great, and always pushing me to be better! now with a new transfer, we get to start all over! I truly am SO excited that the Lord is letting me stay here in this area, with my incredible companion--I feel so blessed. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

I hope you all remember that Heavenly Father knows you and loves you! He is eager to lead and guide and bless you, he just asks that we remain worthy, and that we ask, seek, and knock!

Have a beautiful week!!

Hermana Mitchell

p.s. Mom--I got your email! :D I'm looking forward to your package! I don't really know what I need.... my sockies are holding out well... If anything I need FEWER snacks... haha, so I guess just surprise me! some stamps and stationary would be fun...my favorite shoes are finally kicking the dust... you can literally see through them... thank goodness for the sister's closet! I'm excited to see what CD you're sending--thanks for thinking of me--I love you SOOOO MUCH!!!! my contacts are holding out well, I don't know about my eyes... but I'll push through, only about 5 more months! Give my loves to Daddio <3 <3 <3