Email 2/10/14

Dearest Family,

Oh how I love you so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week has been absolutely Crazy!! I ended up getting everything that everyone else has had plus more. It has been miserable but I am pushing through it. I finally buckled down and used my Nibulizer yesterday and It helped a lot. I know I probably should have used it sooner but I was stubborn. But on the other had we had a miracle last week!!!!!!!!!! So do you remember when I was in Rhyl and we had a party for sister Clawson's Birthday and she invited a magician. Well after that we could never really get in contact with him. Well I found him a few weeks ago (actually he found me). Sister Steinagel were walking through the shopping center and this man stopped us and asked if He knew me. I remembered him from Rhyl. We talked for a bit and then went on our way. Until Last week. When I saw him at his stand in the shopping center. And before I knew it my mouth had opened and said: Hi Ryan. He said Hi and we started talking. And he asked for a Book of Mormon. And we set up a time to meet with him today!!!!! It was absolutely amazing!!!!!!

On Thursday we sang at the funeral. I was not sure if I was even going to sing let alone make it through the whole song. Because I could not stop coughing. But the Lord strengthened me again and helped me sing. I hope that they were able to feel the spirit and to know that she is happy and in a better place. The funeral service was really good but different. It not being done by our church. But as I was sitting in that church watching the family comfort each other. I couldn't help but think about our family and how much we strengthen each other. I couldn't help but think about how much they don't know and how much they needed the comfort of our savior. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to share a bit of that with them. I am so grateful to know that I will be able to see my loved ones again and to know that they are never too far away.

We did service for some of our investigators on Saturday. It was so much fun we painted their walls. And by the end we were helping them plan some of their wedding. Telling them that we had hook ups in the ward and that they would be more then happy to help. It is so much fun!!!!!!!!! I love being a missionary and helping all of these wonderful people come to know who they are and the potential that they have inside of them!!!!!!!

Yesterday was a really rough day!!!!!! We went to our investigators house to bring Her and her 4 kids to church. Well all weekend we had called members to see if they could give them a ride and finally decided that we were going to have to just walk with them. Then a member said that they were able to take them. Which meant that we would have to walk. Which was fine, but we would be late and we were supposed to be there early because it was ward conference and we were supposed to sing the prelude music with the choir. So then the Choir was mad at us and I just felt the feeling that I have felt many times before. Like I just cannot do anything right. And I just broke down. I didn't want to go to church or anything I just wanted to go to my bed and sleep. Plus I was having a really hard time breathing. The member that took the family came back and got us so I had to put on my strong face. Church ended up going fine. But when we got home I just died. So we ended up having to stay in because I just could not breath or do anything. But I am doing so much better today!!!!!!!! And this is going to be a wonderful week I can just feel it.

I am so happy for her!!!!!!!! That is wonderful news!!!!!!!!!

Ya I am trying really hard not to think of coming home. I understand that I will still grow after my mission, but I also realize that I still need to change a bit more before I get home. And I am hoping that I am able to do it. I love the changes that I have already been able to make and am so grateful for this journey in my life. But I am afraid that when I get home it will feel like a dream. Tell Potato that I understand and that it is alright. I hope that he has fun and I will give him a huge hug when He gets home.

I am so grateful for you each of you in my life!!!!! I hope you know how much I love each of you!!!!!!!

Love

Sister Ballantyne