Week 55: Some Highlights...

What a busy busy week. It was one of those weeks when P-day to P-day feels a lot longer than a week. Part of that may be that it was actually longer than a week. But hey, who's counting?

I don't even know where to start. I almost want to go backwards in time, it's been so exciting the last few days. But I'll restrain myself. 

Tuesday: We saw some of the most amazing people in Paris before I headed out. 

The photos here are mostly from transfer meeting on Wednesday, some past and current companions :) Sister Edgel, Sister Richardson, Sister Reed (who finished her mission! She was going on a mission tour and stopped in at transfers), and Sister Auble.

Transfer meeting was great Wednesday. Then got to go to my area, Columbia. It's very pretty, lots of trees changing colors. I got to unpack and get to know the area a little. 

The members here are great! Very welcoming. They take care of us :)

The highlights of the week were definitely stake conference and mission conference. Yep, lots of conferences in a row! Stake conference, we got to hear from two members of the Seventy, Elder Deschler and Elder Sitati, because the O'Fallon IL Stake was getting a new stake president. 

Saturday was all about hastening the work, especially through the use of social media. Everyone was challenged to share the "Because of Him" video on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Sunday was the announcement of the new stake president. It was amazing to see all the stake sustain the new president. He was way young, and people kept commenting on how despite his youth, they know that this was the Lord's choice.

Then! Monday! All 240+ missionaries in the Missouri St Louis mission gathered together for an amazing, spiritual mission conference. We heard from President and Sister Morgan, Elder and Sister Sitati, and from the other members of our mission presidency. The messages were awesome. Elder Sitati counseled us on the Atonement, on following the Spirit, and being a great missionary. Sister Sitati kind of emphasized how relationships here on the mission help us to learn how to have good relationships in the future. I liked her counsel on after you have a disagreement, bear your testimonies to each other.

The surprise of the conference? President Morgan got a copy of "Meet the Mormons" and let us watch it! Us missionaries were so excited, we all cheered. The movie was so good! The stories were all uplifting and you could definitely feel the Spirit. It's cliche, but seriously. I laughed, I cried, I felt the Spirit... Haha. I think I wasn't expecting it to be so funny, but it was! I would recommend it for sure.

Anyway, I am running out of things to say. It was so much fun to see all the missionaries. The socializing was intense :)

I've started the Book of Mormon again, and this time I am focusing on studying the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love marking the effects the Atonement can have on us (the strength, peace, and forgiveness that flows into our lives).

Lots of love to everyone,

Sister Barret