I felt like jumping up and down!

Wow,
I was doing fine, then I read your e-mail, and I started crying again!  It's been a lot better.  Yes, it started last Wednesday, I think.  But yeah, I've been doing better.  Debra finally can be baptized, because she came to church on Sunday!  I'm not sure she thinks she's ready though.  She wasn't home when we went to visit her yesterday, but hopefully we can meet with her soon.  But yeah, the minute I saw her sitting in the chapel, oh my gosh, I was sooooooo happy!  I felt like jumping up and down!

Then on Monday we had a zone conference on how to help people realize how important the Book of Mormon is.  We had the chance to use what we were taught that night.  We stopped by Jessica, an investigators who we haven't seen in awhile.  She was miraculously home, and so we came in, and were planning on staying only 10 minutes.  But she asked why the Book of Mormon was so important, and she didn't understand why she had to read it.  She was basically saying she didn't want to meet with us again.  So we had the chance to teach her that the Book of Mormon can help her through anything, and that if she wants to know for herself, then she'll read and pray about it.  It's like a chocolate cake.  How do you know how good the cake is unless you actually eat it.  How do you know anything about the Book of Mormon unless you read and pray about it?  You don't.  So that was really cool.  We have an appointment with her tonight, that hopefully won't fall through.

Sister Chen is teaching me alot about having hope while tracting.  She says that every time she sees a door she sees hope.  There's someone behind that door that wants and needs to hear the gospel.  And if they're not, there's one at the next door.

I think we're having more success with our LAs.  One, Johny, he has a baby boy out of wed-lock, and at first didn't want us to come by.  But Sister Chen convinced him to let us come by and teach him.  We have to have a member with us since he's a man, and his girlfriend isn't usually home.  So first we called Sister Hammer.  She's amazing!  6 kids under the age of 8, and so patient.  I don't think anyone has seen her get mad.  And she's the pioneer type of lady, bakes her own bread and everything.  But her kids aren't home schooled, and they're a really nice family.  They're just awesome.  She came for the first lesson where we got him fired up on the Book,of Mormon, or I guess the spirit did.  He said He liked the families he saw in church...and I already told you this awhile ago.

So this week we took Brother Ellis who lives close by Johny.  I don't know why Sister Chen called him and asked him, but she did.  It was the spirit.  Because he was the man that Johny needed to see.  Johny had dated Brother Ellis's step-daughter awhile back, and that's why he joined the church.  But I guess something bad happened between Johny and her, which made Brother and Sister Ellis non-too-pleased.  And that night I watched as Brother Ellis forgave Johny of whatever happened, and how Johny was eventually able to accept it, and how he bore a simple, powerful testimony on the joy the Book of Mormon can bring.  We asked Johny if he would come to church on Sunday, and he said yes.  "Do you need a ride?"  we asked.  He said the most humblest sincere yes I have ever heard, because he knew that if he said it, then Brother Ellis would say, "Okay I'll be here to pick you up at 12:30 on Sunday," which is what he said.  Yeah, it was amazing.  But then Johny didn't come to church because he thought Rebecak was going to come home, and he wanted to take her and their son to church so they could see the joy the church brings families.  Last night we had a good lesson with him on the Plan of Salvation, and the Atonement, which is central to the Plan of Salvation
. 
And physically?  Well I"m doing okay.  I'm tired a lot, and I'm so sick of driving!  We're going on exchanges next week, which means I won't have to drive!  YAY!!!  I'm so excited!  Mon-Wed!  And Sister Ika, the sister I"m going with, is a professional missionary.  I can't wait to learn all I can from her!  I did get the roller.  It's weird.  But I loved the instructions.  They were awesome!  Oh man, I wish I had more time to type.  But if I want to send pics, then I'll have to end.  Oh, and it's easy to use a GPS.  Well our's isn't too complicated.  So yeah, it's nice to have one.  I like it when I don't have to use it though.  That voice gets annoying at times! 
Okay, well I'm gonna go!  Have an awesome day!
Sister Ostler

Hey, so these are some pictures of Elder Centin's funeral.  He went home last week, so he died.  I didn't get any on my camera, so these are from Sis. Chen's.  Yeah, we killed him.  He was our DL, and he was so awesome!  I hope you enjoy them!

And I can't think of anything else to say.  My brain is fried, and I think after I deep clean part of the kitchen I'm going to take a nap, cuz sister Chen said you can do that on pdays.

Oh, and about my shoes.  yeah, my brown ones look really bad.  You might have to send me another pair on my 9 mo. mark, or something.  Which is essentially my b-day. 
And I don't think I'll be too homesick this Thanksgiving, because we don't have any real traditions for Thanksgiving, but I'm gonna miss Christmas eve, and new years eve. 
Love you all!
Love Sister Ostler

Picture doesn't do the beautiful fall colors in Chicago justice.

Sister Ostler & Sister Chen in front of the Chicago Temple



Brownies anyone?