April 1st

Wow Kim you're engaged!! I freaked out when I got your email, and I'm still reeling over the fact that I would have to miss another marriage in the family and that I will be the last person in the family to get married! (Pretty appropriate I guess since I am the youngest, but still!) As much as I would hate to go, I really don't want to miss your wedding!! And even though you didn't give a date of when, I figured it'll be in about two months or so, so I called President Weaver about it and decided I'll be flying to Utah to stay with family the week of June 15th for the wedding. Once you let me know when your wedding date is we can schedule the exact date for the flight there and back, but I'll probably be home - or I guess, in Utah - for a week and a half!! Ah!

Oh, and by the way, happy April Fools. :) I was so excited to email on my birthday until I realized I can't trust any announcement I get today. But they've all been really good so far, so nice job! (So no, Kim is not really engaged, and no, I'm really not flying to Utah.)

Other than that, for not having the car this week we didn't have very many near-death experiences as I'd expected, but then again Sister McQuivey was sick most of the week, so we didn't get out much. (Just to make sure you know our car is not in the shop, we actually just rotate it between us and the other Cambodian companionship every week. It's rough since we cover three zones, but so far we've made it work, though we'll be clarifying any rules with President during personal interviews on Thursday.)

Saturday's Women's General Meeting was amazing!! Obviously it was different from the traditional general meeting they have since ages 8+ were invited, but even then, to participate in singing and to watch the videos they showed us, it was just what I needed and I loved every second of it!

Sunday the mission had a fireside (where the missionaries in that area sing and those assigned bear testimony) in Port Angeles which is a 2 hour drive from the area here, but Sis. Weaver asked that I sing in my regular group (we sing "Lead Kindly Light" which has become a special song for me now) and accompany another piece on the piano, so I was among the 16 other missionaries driven to Port Angeles to join the zones up there for the fireside. It felt SO weird being without Sister McQuivey, but because there was limited space I had to find a temporary companion that evening that was also in our group. (That day I realized that by the end of this transfer I will have been with Sister Walker and Sister McQuivey for an equal 6 months each, my only two companions so far.) It went really well and was another Spiritual booster for the week!

Otherwise the work has been going kind of slow this week, as Sis. McQuivey was sick, though we were so close to getting one of our investigators to church. She decided she wasn't ready and asked that we stop asking her and she will tell us when she's ready. But good news is Say made it back from Boston Sunday and came to church! Unfortunately we couldn't meet him there because President doesn't want us traveling all the way down there anymore when the ward and fellowship can continue teaching him. As thoroughly bummed as we were, at least I know he's in a really good ward and I couldn't trust any other ward to go through with their work more than that one. It's a hard area for finding, but they have really strong members and wards there.

Scripture for the week;

"Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear." D&C 136:32

This verse has come to mean so much more to me as I've experienced how delicately the Spirit works in our lives; from helping us learn and discern truths, bear witness of the holiness of temples and God's eternal plan for His children, and recognize His hand in the little everyday things of life. I'm learning to recognize the different between simply reading from the scriptures, and feasting upon them, and how the Spirit is the key to our spiritual growth as we doing so.

Love you, and have a great week!

Sister Dunster