West Jordan

So now that I'm over the shock of transfer week, everything is pretty much back to normal. OH, EXCEPT FOR HOW I HAVE TO RIDE A BIKE EVERYWHERE. I look so dumb. Mostly because I can't actually ride a bike, also because my skirt gets blown around.

Other than that I'm super happy. There is a surprisingly large amount of horses in this area. So that's neat. Sister Arthur is really funny. She's always singing and sometimes dancing while we're walking around. She keeps the days from being long. We're getting to know a lot more members, they are really excited to have Sister missionaries again.

We spoke in two sacrament meetings yesterday, and helped teach a primary lesson, too. This is an awesome stake! Super missionary minded, and that is quite a blessing. We are starting to teach!! Which is so nice, because that's what we love to do! We are currently teaching a young boy, and also a man and his 8 year old daughter. They will be getting baptized early April!!!! We're also teaching a couple of families of members who are less active. I am so happy that we have awesome ward mission leaders and bishops. They are great about helping us find people to teach.

So, I'm not sure if I mentioned this last week, but there's a canal behind our house that the Spanish speaking Elders told us about. If we go through our neighbours' back yard we can get to the canal and then jump over it to get to the 3rd ward instead of taking this super long road to get there. You know, like Indiana Jones...except way less intense and we only jump over the part that's like a foot wide.

One of the branches we cover is an assisted living facility. I love being there. There is such a sweet spirit there. We're not allowed to procelyte, but we're allowed to visit with the residents. It's great.

I think I had something super cool to tell you but I don't remember. I'm the worst, sorry, I know!

Sorry that this is so short and sorry my spelling is attrocious. I don't have spell check.

I promise that next week I'll actually have pictures to send you. Really.

I'm going to go buy some mascara and rainboots and stuff

LOVE YOU

Sister Hinkle

I am so done with winter

So remember last week when I was all "blah blah blah nothing new has happened blah blah blah I love Kearns blah blah no pictures"?

Well guess what? This was an eventful week if I've ever lived one.

Monday night we got a call and found out that Tuesday there was a meeting for trainers. Guess who that call was for? SISTER HINKLE. THAT'S WHO. I went to the meeting Tuesday and found out I'd be training a brand spankin new, fresh from the MTC Sister. Assuming I would stay in Kearns, I was pretty alright with that. THEN, I get home from this meeting to find out thatwe got transfer calls while I was away and the Sister I just trained IS TAKING OVER MY AREA IN KEARNS, AND I WAS WHITE WASHING AN AREA IN WEST JORDAN. WHAT? UGH. I was SO. ANGRY. Then after crying for the rest of the day and taking lots of pictures of me with a bunch of people that I love, I got over it and picked up my brand new companion, Sister Arthur on Wednesday. She's from Australia, and everyone likes us a lot because we're the first Sisters to be in this area in like 4 years. The Elders that were here before us were even nice enough to leave us with two talks in different wards over the next couple weeks (joke). OH! I forgot to mention. I am over an entire stake. This is an incredible stake, though! Everyone wants to introduce us to their neighbors and we currently have 35 referrals to contact. My district leader was all "HOW did you two get that many referrals?" and I was all "we're Sisters" and that was a good enough answer for him. Hahaha!

I found out yesterday that I have reached the point on my mission where I've begun teaching lessons in my sleep. I literally thought people were making that up, but Sister Arthur told me she thought I had been talking to her during the night and when she listened closer I was actually teaching a lesson. Now I'm worried that I'm going to be one of those awkward return missionaries when I get home that don't know how to interact normally with people becasue I'm not used to real life and stuff. But whatever, I'm okay with being awkward I guess.

So since I'm over an entire stake (5 wards and 2 branches) am I constantly confused about who lives where and what time sacrament meetings and ward councils are. I am also being forced to bike everywhere, because let's be real here, it takes us FOREVERRRR to get anywhere. By the time we make it to one part of the stake it's time to turn around for an appointment in another ward. Just give us a couple of weeks and we'll be on top of it though. Some of the members are even nice enough to give us bikes! We'll probably get them today or tomorrow.

We woke up to snow on the ground this morning, and yesterday was wiiiindddyyyyy as anything.

In other news, our P day was moved to today because we're going to the temple today! Yahoo! I'm pretty excited.

This is a great area with a ton of potential. I am excited to be here and I love these people already. I am working as hard as I can.

I love you, be happy!

Sister Hinkle

Happy Birthday to my Mom

Sooooooo usually when things worth writing about happen during the week I put them in this list that I bring with me when I come to write emails, but this week either nothing cool happened or I was just lazy and forgot to make a list...it's a little of both, actually.

Transfers are this week. That's not really exciting, I doubt I'll leave Kearns any time soon. Which is a super good thing because I don't want to get transferred out.

And daylight savings time. Who invented that anyway? I may or may not have been a little sassy during ward councils yesterday. Councils. That's right. Plural....My recent convert, Kennadee, made my day better though. She's 9 and we were sitting in sacrament meeting and about 10 minutes till it's over she leans over and in her loud whisper says "DO YOU EVER THINK SACRAMENT MEETING IS BORING SOMETIMES?" I almost lost it. After holding in a giant laugh for a little while, I told her it gets more interesting as you get older. Hahaha, I'm sure everyone in a 5 foot radius heard her.

We are having trouble finding people this week. BUT! That's okay. I know if we keep working our hardest, the Lord will help us find those who are ready to receive the gospel. We do have two people that we are teaching and they are SO much fun! We love them so much, and the Parkwood ward is making them feel so loved and is giving them such a warm welcome. There is nothing more that I could ask for than a great ward who's willing to fellowship people.

Happy birthday to Mom tomorrow!!!! It's tomorrow, right?..Just kidding, I know it is...Right? I was talking about how cute you were this morning and how much I love you. Just so ya know.

I have a goal to start playing piano again. FOR REAL THIS TIME. Sister Ricks is a sick nasty piano player and I feel lame, so now I want my skills back. So I'm actually going to practice. REALLY.

OH! One thing that happened this week, you might remember a picture last week of me and this little boy named Jareth. He's one of the funniest kids I know, and this week we were having a lesson at his house, and during a really serious, spiritual moment he bursts out "WHAT? I DID NOT KNOW I DREW A DONUT WITH EXTRA SPRINKLES?!" and shows us this picture of a donut with sprinkles.

I love my life.

Maybe not the parts where people ignore us or tell us to get lost or just turn around and walk away while we're talking to them, but the rest of it I absolutely love!

Anyways, sorry for a boring week, everyone! Like, really. I don't even have any cool pictures or anything. WORST EMAIL EVER.

Love you!

Sister Hinkle

I'm running out of email titles... Sorry

We are seeing tons of miracles and being a missionary is becoming more rewarding every month. I love these people sooo much and when I get transferred out of Kearns I am going to be SO. SAD. There is nothing that makes me happier than someone yelling "HI SISTER HINKLE" or "HEY MISSIONARIES" as they drive by. NOTHING.

picture of my bff Jareth and me on scooters

picture of us with Marisa and her cool hair

We are teaching this totally awesome couple right now and it's crazy to see how prepared they are to receive the gospel. We are also teaching a foreign exchange student from China right now. It's pretty fun.

Uuuum. I'm trying to grow my hair long again. It's teaching me to be patient...and also teaching me to stop cutting my hair short all the time.

We had dinner with a family last week and they texted us the night before asking what we wanted. I asked for macaroni and cheese, that family thinks I'm crazy now.

OH. Speaking of crazy, and meals. Once we had nachos, but they were like Doritos with cheese and sour cream and ketchup on top and then we had a bunch of oreos and ice cream blended together for dessert. That was probably one of my favorite meals in the history of my life. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of them.

I got Mom and Katie's Valentine packages last Monday!!! Also a super cute card from the Williams family. Getting mail is literally the best.

I've been listening to Popcorn Bopping nonstop for a week now.

I'm sorry about all the snowy weather back home. That's gross. It's mostly just windy here. Like stupid windy. Especially if you're walking around in a skirt all day.

I have yet to get a bike. And now it's at the point where I can't avoid riding a bike because of snow and ice. If anyone has any good bike excuses, shoot them my way please.

UUUUUUM. Nothing else is really exciting. Oh, my birthday is in a couple of months. If anyone feels like sending the Lord of the Rings soundtracks my way, feel free.

Just kidding.

Half kidding.

Do what you want.

Sorry I'm super BORING this week. I'm alive and healthy and the Lord is blessing me with people to teach. I couldn't ask for anything more.

LOVE YOU

Sista H