Drake's Mission in Poland: Terra -- Getting Transferred!!!

2/3 of Sister Stump + Sister Ward and me

Cincinnati East Zone!!

The sisters! Boom baby!

Our District at the Olive Garden

Today is my last day in Eastgate. Sad day, but that's okay. It's sometimes best to leave things at its best moments so that the memories of them are wonderful. So that's what's happening here. Tonight we're going to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform in Columbus. Super missionary treat, I'm so excited!!! And then tomorrow we have our transfer meeting, and then I'll find out where I am going. Could be Columbus, could be Cincinnati. Who knows what mission I will be in! Who really cares, I'll be doing the same thing whichever. Except no, I do care. I like Cincinnati, I'm biased. I don't know what Columbus is like, and I'm just expecting that nowhere is greater than Eastgate. And that's probably the truth, but you still can never be sure. Unless you're sure. Then you're sure. Obviously. And that doesn't even make sense.

BAPTISMS!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!

PAIGE!!!!!!!!!!

Bye Bye Jody's family :[

Bye Rachael!!

So let me tell you something. At the end of my second transfer, Sister Ward and I were on the phone with President Nilsen. We wanted to stay together so badly for the next transfer and it was like 99% sure that we would be split up. While we were on the phone with President, we told him, "President! If you keep us together another transfer we promise you 10 baptisms!!!!" And he was just quiet. Then he said something along the lines of, "That would be nice." We felt very stupid afterwards. Well, we were kept together, and we kept our promise. This past Saturday , we had our 10th and 11th baptisms. We were so excited to call President Nilsen and tell him that we reached our goal, and so excited to tell him that we kept our promise!! We expected him to be super proud of us and super excited to hear it when we told him. But when we told him on the phone, he gently said, "Remember to thank your Heavenly Father for this tender mercy." And he probably said a few more words, but none were of excitement or being proud of us. We were confused. WE GOT 11 BAPTISMS! We exceeded our goal! But the way he responded was perfect. It humbled me. It humbled all of us. He really doesn't care about the numbers at all, he doesn't care about whether or not we are some great missionaries in some great area. He cares about what God cares about. And God cares about each person individually as His child. 11 baptisms or 1 baptism. Heavenly Father is happy with either. He has more joy with more of His children, but He will never be disappointed with just 1. This was a humbling short conversation with President. And it was perfect.

Our mini-missionaries with us at the big pond.

Just another story; it's super. Jon (who is 10 and was baptized in April) was praying the other night. During his prayer he thanked our Heavenly Father for his blessings. And then he said, "Is the Book of Mormon true?--Wait a minute, never mind. I already know that it's true." Cutest thing ever. I got to teach him and Drew and Bubby ( ages 10, 9, and 11) the other night and read from the Book of Mormon with them while the others were talking to Jody. Their insights were pure, and their answers were direct and perfect. I LOVE LITTLE KIDS. And I love their testimonies. AND I LOVE JACK PETERSON AND THE PARIS KIDS AND THE BARTON KIDS AND GRANT AND ALL OF THE CUTE KIDS IN SANTA CRUZ. I can't wait to see all of them again.

Okay, no more time. The next time I write I'll be in a different area. Super fun!

Hey everybody! CHOOSE THE RIGHT! Love you all.

Love, Terra