Bus Stop Inspiration, worn out boots, and puntos culminantes del pelo...

Hair Cut with highlights!
(Mission appropriate of course)

Amazing Family and Friends!!! How are you all doing? I am sure you are all as incredible as always! It was a really good week in Chicago, I think! Honestly, all of the weeks just start to blend together and by the time I get to P-Day again I can't remember all that happened the past week. But it really was a good week, the weather was amazing and we had many opportunities to share the Gospel, so it was great!

On Monday after emailing we went grocery shopping and Hermana Black and I were on our own for the rest of P-Day. We went and got some tacos for lunch and then we went to a hair salon so I could finally got my hair cut, it was in desperate need of some attention. I got it cut and some highlights put in. Nothing too crazy but I like it a lot and it is fun. That evening we knocked some doors and then went to our Noche de Hogar with a member family. A REALLY funny story happened there! We were eating after the lesson and the their daughters asked me if I had gotten highlights put in. I told them yes and they told me that I was pretty with them. Another church member that was sitting next to me who speaks English and Spanish, has a special relationship with those girls and loves to tease with them. Without even thinking he quipped back about me, "Yeah, pretty ugly!". It was so unexpected I didn't even realize what he said at first. Then it dawned on him and he was horrified he had said that! He started apologizing like crazy but I couldn't stop laughing! It was so funny and I honestly loved it because it meant he was comfortable enough to tease me and it reminded me of home and family! He felt really bad but I finally convinced him that it was just funny and I really enjoyed it!

Tuesday we had a pretty good and interesting lesson with one of our investigators. We read in the Book of Mormon with her and she is in the Isaiah chapters of 2nd Nephi now but she seems to be doing pretty good with them. She wants to invite a friend to listen to us and go to Church because that friend is struggling right now and she thinks we could help her, so that is super neat!  We were talking about life plans and needless to say she says some crazy, fun, and interesting things. It is always an adventure teaching her!  That night we had our Noche de Hogar with another couple of member families. They asked us to teach so we read and discussed Ether 12 with them.

These boots WEREN'T made for walking!
I feel like a real missionary now that I have
 completely worn through a pair of shoes!

On Wednesday we had a really good District Meeting. We learned about how vital the Doctrine of Christ (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is and how we can and should be implementing it in all that we teach. After District Meeting we were able to have a surprise stop by lesson with one of our investigators that we haven't been able to really contact for a while. It was pretty good, we taught the Restoration and set an appointment for next week so we hope that he will continue to have real desire and interest. We did some tracting and then went to a member's house for dinner. The food was amazing and we ended up have a member present lesson too because we shared a scripture and a lesson with her daughters, who aren't members, who were there for dinner too. We then tried to catch one of our investigators that we haven't been able to teach or contact much for a super long time. She wasn't home so we tried a few more people and then decided to take a bus to another part of our area to work. While we were waiting at the bus stop, I had the "thought" (really inspiration now that we look back!) to go and try to contact our investigator again. She was home and let us right in! We were able to teach her and her family the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a great lesson and she responded and participated more than I have really ever seen her do before. She was very apologetic that she has been so busy and that we have kept trying to meet with her and she kept canceling because her kids had stuff going on. She still really wants to learn, she had someone tell her she should stop taking the lessons but she said no because she wants to learn what we have to teach her!

Thursday was our Weekly Planning Day and that is what we spent most of the day doing.

A "selfie" as a companionship...
so maybe it is a "companionshipie"?

We had a few appointments but two of them fell through. The first one was a couple and they weren't home when we went there, we later found out they had canceled with us over Facebook. We did some more Weekly Planning and then went to our lesson with our investigator that we had left the bus stop to check for the second time the day before. We read in the Book of Mormon with her and her kids and they seemed to like and understand it well. We then had another appointment with some new investigators but they live in the basement of a house, the gate around the house was locked, and their phone wasn't working so there was no way for us to see them. Later that night we were able to get a new phone number for the them so that will help us get back in touch with them.

On Friday we had a great appointment with a less active member. We were able to talk with her for quite a while and she also fed us which is always nice :-) She was baptized several years ago but it was mostly because her husband was a member and she wanted him to be happy and have peace in their family. She now recognizes that she wants to have her own testimony and do this for herself so she wants us to help teach her everything again so that she can learn for herself. That afternoon we finished up weekly planning, did some tracting, and went looking for former investigators and potential investigators.

It is General Conference
time of year, so this is my
favorite General Conf Meme

Saturday was a pretty busy day. We had MCM and it was good. It is always nice to be able to talk about our investigators and less actives and receive suggestions and ideas for them. After MCM we got an opportunity to serve a little bit.  An amazing member in our ward who we work with a lot is taking an online Institute English class and needs a speaking partner for her assignments. She asked us if we would help her and we of course jumped on the opportunity! She has really good English but it was fun to read the Scriptures with her and help her understand some of the words and phrases and talk about it all in English. That afternoon we looked for some people and then went to a birthday party for one of the Elders' investigators whose father lives with some of our former/potential investigators (confusing right?).  A family from the ward invited us
 to the party because there were going to be a lot of investigators there, and food. :-) We had mole and had a chance to talk for a little while.  Then one of the members took us and her daughters to the Church for the General Women's Meeting. WOW! Wasn't that an amazing and powerful meeting? It really focused so much on how vital and important the covenant of baptism is. I can definitely say that I felt the Spirit strongly in the General Woman's meeting. It was so powerful and beautiful. Just knowing that so many woman were connected at one time for one purpose. I could really feel Heavenly Father's love for each of us.You could really feel the strength, love, and power of all of the women gathered all around the world and it was so amazing!

We had a pretty normal Sunday. We went to Church. During Gospel Principles we got a surprise text from some of our investigators who used to come to Church all the time but then just stopped and we haven't really been able to contact them since. They let us know they were on their way to Church! We were so excited when they got there with all of their kids. In Sacrament Meeting all of us missionaries sang with the choir because they had asked us to help them out with our "strong voices" so that was fun. We were able to talk with the wife of our investigator couple and they explained how they have just been so busy. But, she said she recognized the peace that she had felt when they were coming to Church and we were teaching them and how she needed that back in her life so hopefully we will be able to see them a lot more. That afternoon we had studies and then went looking for former and potential investigators. It was the most gorgeous day, almost 60, and we didn't need our jackets. Everyone was outside grilling, fixing their cars, and riding bicycles and they were just so happy. It was a great afternoon on the south side of Chicago!

Sorry, I am long winded, I know! But it was a great week. Spring finally seems to be coming poco a poco, the Work is going great, and we are sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how can it not be amazing?!?!  I also have loved my personal study so much lately and I am really enjoying doing a really in depth study of the Book of Mormon. It is so amazing what you can learn and apply to yourself from it. This week I really loved 1 Nephi 10:17-19. It talks about how Nephi was desirous to know for himself the things he had been taught by his father. Nephi gave us a pattern that we can all follow.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week and remember how much I and our Heavenly Father love you! I love and miss you all! Thank you so much for everything!!!

Eternal Love,

Hermana Alllyse Meanea