Hey Family!

Well, this week had it's ups and it's downs.  I went to my first mission leadership training.  It was pretty cool.  We had training on how to do a Chapel Tour.  And to teach the Restoration while doing the chapel tour.  It was pretty cool.  But with training comes a lot of expectations and responsibilities.  And something else this week that I did was exchanges.  Really weird to have to do that.  I've never gone to another area for an over nighter.  So let me explain a bit.  As a Sister Training Leader I go and do exchanges with other sister companionships.  And then report back to their district and zone leaders and then to President Eberhardt.  So I went with another sister in another area.  And her companion went with Sister Quiles.  It was really good.  Fun to be in a different area and to see how I could best help this sister and her area in any way that I could.  I have another one this week too.  So we'll see how it goes!  The other thing that happened, Melissa got baptized!!!!!  It was an amazing baptism!  And I got to see Sister Kiser!!!!  It was so much fun.  We went on splits for the night.  Our comps went with each other.  The Spirit was so strong at her baptism.  I love going to baptisms!!!  They are the best!  She was so happy and so excited.  All of the sisters that taught her got to bear their testimonies.  I went first.  I could feel the Spirit so strong.  It was so amazing.  I feel so blessed to be a missionary.  I feel so blessed that I was able to be apart of Melissa learning about the gospel and then making that covenant with the Lord and following that example that Jesus Christ has set for all of us.  It is so amazing.  I love being a missionary.  I love being able to bear my testimony of the things that I know are true.  I know my Savior lives!  That He loves me!  I know that I have a Heavenly Father that knows me perfectly.  He knows who I can become.  He knows my divine potential.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  It is another testament of Jesus Christ.  And that Joseph Smith was called by God to be a prophet and that the gospel and church of Jesus Christ is restored upon the earth today.  That Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today.  And he leads and guides this church through revelation from God.  I know that the priesthood power is upon the Earth today.  And that it is only through those ordinances performed by the proper priesthood authority of God that we can receive those ordinances for our salvation.  What a blessing that it is to be here on the earth today when the fullness of the gospel is on the earth!  I love this gospel!  Thank you everyone for allowing me to have this opportunity to come closer to Christ by serving my brothers and sisters!  I love it!  A mission is totally worth the sacrifice if it means coming closer to your Savior!  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Marlow