Raising the bar

Thank you so much for all the letters you send to me!  As you can see by this first picture you send me alot! 

No just kidding!  I'm not mad or anything, I just though I'd give you a hard time since last week I only got one letter from Grammie.  And Sister Chen only got a package from her home ward.  Which means she got about 100000 letters.  But it was funny.  Every night we'd come home to an empty mail box.

We had zone meeting on Monday and President Doll raised the bar.  We have a Standard of Excellence.

This includes:

• One baptism a month (the average was one every other month per companionship)
• 20 lessons total - 5 with member present - we got those two in the bag!
• 3 at church--a little harder, but for the past three weeks we've had at least three.  I was afraid for this week, because in the past we had Gabby, but now she's a member.  Yes she was baptized! So we can't count her anymore.
• 4 news!  What?  You gotta be kidding me!  Two is hard enough!
• And 70 Quality Gospel Conversations.

That last one kills.  That means 10 a day.  A QGC is when you talk back and forth with someone like a conversation.  And you share a principle or your testimony and leave them with something.  That is so hard to do.

On Sunday night our appointment fell through so we were going to go see someone else, when we drove down this street and this idea came to mind that I should tract that street.  Sister Chen had the same feeling.  So, we got out, and I didn't have a scarf or my boots on.  Just my little summer shoes.  But I knew someone on this street needed to heard the gospel!  So off we went with determination!  We were at it for 45 minutes and only got two or three QGC.  And by the end of it my feet and hands hurt so bad.  And plus there were people when we started to talk to them said, "Um. I'm cold so I'm gonna go in, bye!" Oh your cold!  I CAN'T FEEL MY FEET! OR HANDS!  Really peoples!

But we did get two return appointments.  And then yesterday we were determined to get 10 QGC so we were out in the snow for 2 hours and 20 minutes.  Not one person let us in, but total we got 7.  And we met someone who was ready to hear what we had to say, but alas she wouldn't listen to us.  But one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met.  I loved talking with her.  She told us a story of when her hair had caught on fire, and she turned to grab a towel and she saw a heavenly being throw her a wet towel, and she looked up to say thank you, and it was gone.  And I believed every word she said.  It just showed me that you don't have to be a Mormon to have God's protection, to have His love, to have His angels protecting you.  It was a really cool conversation.

So, Gabby's baptism.  It was more for her dad.  He said that when he was baptizing her it felt like he was getting baptized again.  It was so cool.  He's so humble and wants to change and be better.  He wants to be ordained an Elder and be the dad that God wants him to be.  Gabby is really cute though.  She was excited to be baptized.  She reminds me of me.  She's excited but doesn't really show it.  She doesn't make a big deal out if it.  Her middle name is Amanda . . . which probably explains it ;)

Our next baptism is on the 22nd.  It's Jose.  He's so ready!  He excepts everything we teach him...even Word of Wisdom and tithing.  He's so awesome!  He wears me out though.  Hes a 62 year old Spanish guy who talks ALOT!!!!!

Today we're buying a new rug.  Cuz the toilet overflowed, and if you get down close to the rug it smells like pee. And the only reason I know that is because, no I don't go down and smell it every night, but sometimes when I want to pray alone, I go into the bathroom, so I can have a private prayer.  I like talking out loud sometimes.  So yeah, we're going to the dollar store and getting a new rug.

Also I've been getting sinus headaches.  I'm taking sudafed which helps, but every morning my heard hurts around my eyes.  Any suggestions?  The best solution would be going to get a cat scan and getting treated.  But I don't have time, and I don't want to figure it all out.  I'd rather just take something.  Yes, I did tell Sister Doll. She suggested sudafed.

The last three pictures are of the baptism.  They are Sister Chen's.  I don't have them, so SAVE THEM!!!!!  AND DON'T DESTROY THEM!!!!!!!

Love you all,

Sister Ostler