Then Suddenly, SPANISH SPEAKING!!

Ahahahaha

 Chiste

 No se crea

 I'm still an English missionary. (And I'm still in South Phoenix, in the same wards. I''ve officially served half my mission in this zone!) 

 Pero, mi companera es una Nativa. Y las otras missionaras en la casa hablan Espanol. y Dominga es dia de el Espanol. Pues, yo necissito apprendo Espanol. Rapido. (yup, nailed it)

 So I'm the only person living in our apartment who doesn't speak Spanish. Hermana Prieto is completely fluent in English, she's from Utah, but she's a native-speaking Spanish missionary. This is the first time she's served in English work, and it's a bit of a culture shock for her. I didn't realize how different Spanish work and English work is. Anyway, I'm apparently going to learn Spanish this transfer, because everyone in the apartment speaks Spanish to each other. 

 I feel like one of those Mexican children who listens and understands Spanish, but only ever responds in English because they can't speak Spanish. :p

 So my new companion is sister Prieto. Prieto in Spanish means dark-skinned. So  many Spanish people we talk to call her "hermana prieto" and call me "hermana guera." Hahaha. logic.

 ANYWHO. 

 The transition has been LOCO. I really really really miss Sister Morris. But I looooove Sister Prieto, she's tooons of fun!! And it's going to be a transfer of miracles!! We both feel it. It's actually funny, we were in the MTC together. We were temporary companions our first night in Arizona.

 it's been a party

 Sooo, I don't think I talked about this guy....name of Ramon. His dad is an LDS Bishop. He hasn't really been that solid of an investigator. He loooved the Book of Mormon and knew it was true--he was halfway through Alma when we first met him, now he's in Helaman, so he's jsut cruising right on through--but he really wasn't super committed, he still had one foot in the one life and one foot in this new Christian life. Then we couldn't contact him for a full week, and we were like, "yeah, we should probably drop him. Someday he'll be ready, but this is not that day." 

 Turns out we coulodn't contact him because he was in the hospital. And when he got out, he was like, "I'M READY TO BE BAPTIZED!!!!!" Quit all his addictions cold turkey ("I lit up the cigarette and just realized how sick of it I was...I just got super angry and threw it all in the trash, and I haven't even been tempted since"), cleared up his weekend so that he could come to two sessions of Church (English and Spanish, see which one he likes best) and is just so stinking excited to be baptized in April!!

 Sometimes it's a slow process, when they come around. Other times it's like a switch just suddenly turned on. It's the coolest thing to watch. 

 Nessa Wants to be baptized again. She keeps switching back and forth. She reeeaaalllyyyyy didn't like that we postponed it, haha. But y'know, you're making a covenant with God...if you're not ready, then we're not going through with it. :p It's a funny problem to have, an investigator who would be baptized tomorrow if she could and we're the ones telling her she needs to slow down. Haha. 

 So the family who answered the door, the daughter of hte woman we were trying to delilver the Bible to?  So we knocked on the door last week, and she answered the door and said, "So my husband and I talked about it, and we decided we wanted to join your church. We're going to clear up our work schedules so that we're free on Sunday now." So, yeah, that happened. We literally haven't taught them anything except for the idea of eternal families, but I guess they really liked what they read in the pamphlets we gave them. :p The hard thing is finding them home, but they're a suuuuper prepared family. It's so fun!!!

 I'm also being reminded how awesome this area is. I'm exhausted, I feel like I'm being run ragged by all the work here. But with my new companion, she'd always exclaim, "Hermana!! Everyone I've met has been so amazing!!" After being with teh same companion for a long time in the same area working with a lot of the same people, it's nice to be reminded of all the amazing stuff happening in the city.

 Also, it's kinda like having a greenie, because this is her first time in Englilsh work, and she is just sooooooooo enthusiastic about EVERYTHING NEW AND EXCITING! hahaha. It's way fun. 

 Well, that's probably it for me....you guys are the best!! Thank you for your letters and your prayers!! I love you all!! <3 I love serving as a missionary and watching the Atonement of Christ change so many lives!! It's seriously the best thing in the world. <3

 I love you all!!

 -Sister Stratford

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