What can I say, Miracles continue to EXPLODE out here! I don't have a lot of time left, so I'll probably just end up posting pictures, haha.

 But we continue finding people who are so prepared to hear the Gospel and it's awesome. What I've kept kinda close to my chest, because I didn't want to freak my Mom out, is that every city has "that" part of town, and God sends missionaries there. A member who's an officer talked to my companion one time and pointed out all the streets and neighborhoods that we should avoid, and she was like, "hey, look, it's the boundaries of our area...."

 But that's what's so great about this area. That's part of what's so miraculous, and why the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so visible in their lives. The people we teach or just talk to have been attempted murder victims, shot, stabbed, on drugs, a few of them are drunk when we talked to them (and how fun it'd be to wakt up with a hangover and a Book of Mormon, LOL), and they haven't even really thought about God for so long, if at all. They've been in a darkness for so long, that when you give them a little bit of light, they just THIRST. These people are actually so, so nice to us. Hardly anyone will turn away a hopeful message about Christ, because they see the good and they want it so badly. And they're so prepared and humble and eager to learn, and it's absolutely amazing. 

 And God's watching over us. He made our bodies, He knows how hard it'd be to preach with a switchblade in my chest, so He's very heavily involved in where we go and who we talk to. There have been a handful of times where my companion and I say, "Hey, someone's home in this trailer, let's go talk to them!" And we've felt God tell us very clearly, "no, there's danger there, don't go." So we don't. He's watching out for us, and He's not only guided us away from danger, but towards those who are ready to listen.

 This is God's work, and it is an absolute joy to be a part of it. I thought I was happy enough to understand when I read "their joy was full" in the scriptures, but I didn't really understand it until I came out on a mission. These people are awesome and incredible, and missions are amazing. There may be some problems getting me to come home in the end. C:

 I love you all!! Thanks for your prayers and letters and support!

 -Sister Stratford