Fizz Boom Birthday

Before I came out, I thought about how I would be serving "most" of my mission at the age of 19. That's strange to me now because... I'm 20. Preemie me was foolish. I've had my birthday now, and I've still got plenty of mission left. I will hit my 11 months next week, but Sister Lloyd and I keep saying I have 9 and a half months left. More specifically I like to say that I have 9 months and 10 days. It never changes. It's great.

This week we went on a great exchange with the Milton Sisters. One Sister Trainer, Sister Strickland, has been sister trainer here for 4 transfers, and had never gone to Brewton on exchanges before. We made sure to set that straight and having her here was awesome! We went to go see a new investigator we found last week. Her name is Barbara. Even though she goes to another church, she asked us for something to study from and we gave her a Book of Mormon. When Sister Strickland and I went back to see her, it turned out that she was super interested in it. She was totally moved by the idea of another book that could bring her closer to Christ--she has a real sense that the Book of Mormon can do that in a new way for her. On Thursday we went to check on her again and she said she's been writing down questions and can't wait for our next appointment.

We also picked up an investigator that former Elders and the Jenkins have worked with before. He knows the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet and all of those things. He's read the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and other church books over the last few years. Basically he's just waiting for a sign that he needs to get baptized. We are hoping that as we focus on some of the commitments he hasn't tried in a while (especially church attendance) that he will understand the answers to his prayers. He would be such a great addition to our group.

On Saturday we started out the day by coming here--to the Brewton Public Library and volunteering with their science-themed summer reading program-- Fizz Boom Read. We got to take pictures of the Big Bad Wolf and a Little Piggie acting out their book and we got to blow up balloons and pass out treats. It was the perfect service project to celebrate me becoming a full-blown adult hahahaha.

Then we tried to see a few people, but most of the rest of Saturday and Sunday we were at Stake Conference. Hastening the Work themed, which always makes us missionaries happy. It made for a wonderful birthday weekend! And after the Saturday session some members took us out for Barbeque. :D

It's been a great week, and no matter what preemie me says, I have 9 and a half more months of it. ;)

-Sister Laura Cooper