4th of July

Ok, well, this is going to be pretty short because I just accidently deleted the letter I just wrote to you. But I wanted to tell Kristi, Happy Birthday, and good luck with getting your driver's license. And thanks for rubbing it in that you are better at playing the piano than me :) Just kidding, but you know, you could write me your own letter....

My 4th of July was good. We hung out with the old folks at the nursing home and ate watermelon while we were all decked out in our red and blue skirts and patriotic Uncle Sam hats. I'll send a picture next week. And we had a barbeque that night with some members and we played one of our favorite games! The animal game where we run around and hit each other with newspapers, except they played with states. And then they had a bunch of fireworks and I can understand why they are illegal in a lot of places....It's always the stupid people that ruin it for everyone else. I mean, we had fun playing with fireworks growing up, but mom and dad always made us be really responsible and safe with them, and I thought it was stupid that they were illegal. But after watching these people throw firecrackers at their children and catch their lawn on fire a couple times, and shoot bottle rockets in the trees and at neighbors... I don't know, maybe it's just me coming from a desert, but I was appalled at their irresponsibility with fire... But we didn't get to watch the big city firework display because, as missionaries we had to be in long before they started. Daylight savings time....I think it's completely ridiculous. It doesn't need to still be light at 9:30 at night!

But the best part of 4th of July was meeting with our investigator from Congo. She told us that she got an answer about what we had been teaching her about the church and the gospel. She said she was praying, and not really about the church at that moment, but the thought came to her that everything we have been teaching her is good. And if it was good, why not try it and live that way. She told us in her broken English that she realized that most of her doubts really just came from her not wanting to change and that she was now "convinced" and she started talking about "when" she was baptized, not "if". So of course, that's what every missionary wants to hear.

It's been a good week, and we had zone conference yesterday, our first with Pres. Thornock. He told us how we were getting cell phones, and that he was going to be a little more strict on some things. And he wants us to start tracting more - and more effectively. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but it'll be good for me (and the mission) I guess :) But I better go. I love you all and I'm glad you're all keeping happy and busy!

~Melissa