No more pig slaughter, ghetto apartment!!

Dear Family and Friends!

Hello! Time is just flying! I hope everyone had a great week and is doing well! I am just dandy and I am getting better at this whole missionary thing! Let me tell you about this week!

So, WE MOVED!!!!!! Hooray!!! No more pig slaughter, ghetto apartment! Haha. We went to the mission home on Wednesday for something, and as soon as we walked in, one of the senior couples says, "Pack your bags! You're moving today!" We were like what??? I was kinda mad because we JUST unpacked 3 weeks ago and that took forever to get settled. So we went home and packed. But then we called them to say that we were ready to leave, and they said, "Oh didn't we tell you, you are moving in on Saturday?" So we were completely packed and ready to go, and then we had to wait till Saturday, so we just lived out of our suitcases. But hey, I am not complaining, because the apartment that we moved into is so nice!!! It is brand-spanking-new. It is so nice and really big, and my bed isn't rock hard anymore! There are definitely perks to being a Sister.;) The Senior Office couples just love us and they spoil us all the time, I am so grateful! So we love our new apartment. We haven't had the time yet to unpack so we are still living out of suitcases, but I am sure one of these days we will get to it. But the thing is that transfers are in two weeks. The odds of us getting transferred are not that high, but it would stink to unpack and then pack it all up in 2 weeks. Haha. So anyways, I am really happy about our new place. We are really blessed here in Idaho. 

This week was more slow than usual as well. We had lots and lots of meetings. It was fun to see other missionaries and stuff, but it feels like we hardly worked this week! So on Wednesday, we had what they call the New Missionary Meeting. It was for all of us newbies to come back together and talk about how it's going, challenges, and successes. It was so great to see my people! It felt good to actually know other missionaries! I saw my old companion Sister Kesler, and she is doing well in Burley. It was a great meeting and it was good to know that I am not alone in my challenges, struggles, and hard times. I loved seeing all my MTC buddies. It felt like old times, and the meeting was exactly what I needed to keep going.:) We also had a Zone meeting! I had to give a training, which was scary because I am the only new one and totally not as experienced as everyone else. But just like everything else in the mission, you just get over it and you do it because it only makes you stronger. Zone meeting was all about effective study and I learned so much! I have learned to love study time in the mornings. The scriptures are so awesome guys!!! I mean I knew that before I came on my mission, but I have never read so much from them or truly treasured them up. It is true what our leaders have said that "Scripture study is essential to spiritual protection." The scriptures can bring the Spirit instantly and they have helped me so much. I know that the Book of Mormon is the true word of God. There's no doubt, no doubt in my mind.:) It really hit me this week as well while we were teaching someone about prophets that our latter-day prophets are incredible and they are truly inspired! Think about something like The Proclamation to the Family and how it came out way before all this crazy messed up family stuff started happening. It is amazing! I love reading the Ensigns and old conference talks because those are literal words from our Heavenly Father through his servants. It makes me so excited for conference coming up in just a month!!! It also makes me so grateful to be one of the Lords chosen servants. When we teach, we aren't the ones converting, it is the Spirit and I feel so honored to be speaking in behalf of our Heavenly Father and Savior. How amazing is that?

We had a really cool experience this week! So we had Stake baptisms for the 8 year olds this week. We went because we meet with a few of the kids families often. So when the other wards were doing baptisms and we were waiting in the Chapel for our ward turn, the Bishop called Sister Ramsey and I up to the pulpit with the 3 little girls that were getting baptized from our ward. He had us stand behind them and he had everyone imagine the beautiful little girls as us one day. It was really sweet and really cool. Then he had us bear our testimonies to these sweet girls. I was an emotional wreck! I was overwhelmed with the Spirit. As I reflected on my own baptism day, it just reminded me of how truly lucky I am to have grown up with the Gospel in my life. I have come so far since that day. I made it to the temple where I made more Covenants with my Father in Heaven and it was a really amazing feeling. I just felt so peaceful and it was confirmed to me again that this is the true church and that I am supposed to be here. Because I have this amazing gift I know that it is the least I can do to share it with people! I really needed that confirmation. Because this is hard work and it helps when I think about the reasons that I am here and the reasons that the Lord needs me here. I am reminded of that everyday through the tender mercies that I see. I am so blessed to be here. I wouldn't have it any other way. 18 months almost seems like not enough time! I love being here and I love serving everyday. I have already seen the blessings that are coming from it. During a companionship study this week, Sister Ramsey and I were just talking about how awesome this Gospel is. We talked about how this is preparing us to be strong mothers in the last days. I need as much spiritual ammo as I can get for my kiddos when that time comes:) We talked about the blessings that come from the Temple and eternal families and how important it is to stay faithful and become converted. Again, Heavenly Father keeps confirming it to me and I am so grateful that he does! I felt the Spirit so strongly and I just know this is the right place for me. Even though it is easy to miss home and my family and all the comforts that come with it, I want to be here. This is an experience of a lifetime and I would not be learning or growing as much if I wasn't here. 

Anyways, there is nothing really new with our investigators. Everyone is progressing slowly, but they are getting there. We are prepping Kellie for her baptism in two weeks! We can't wait! But other than that, we have just taught lots of lessons this week. We have some solid investigators, they just need time and that's okay! I love our investigators. I learn so much from each of them and it is a privilege to be working with them. I am still working on my teaching skills. I know that comes with time and experience, but I just want to be an awesome missionary! I feel like I can get there, I just need more experience and I need to learn how to rely on the Spirit more. I love that at this time in my life, my only job is just to talk to people everyday! It is so awesome! I love meeting new people and talking to people even if they aren't interested in what we have to say. I find it so interesting the different beliefs that people have. I love to hear peoples stories and hear about what inspires them. It just fascinates me. As long as you have a relationship with God, I don't care what religion you are! I am not here to convert everyone or sell anyone anything. I have definitely learned that. Just talking to people about their beliefs and sharing a scripture with them is awesome. I love being a missionary! It is seriously the best calling in the world! I am so happy that I decided to do this. I knew it would be hard, but the blessings far outweigh the challenges.:)

So that was my week! Sister Ramsey and I are still having so much fun as always. We better not get transferred in a few weeks! There is just too much good happening here and we are working hard and loving it! We decided to get haircuts this week! We both got straight-across bangs! Ahhh!! We were just getting so bored with our hair and it was so nice to get pampered for a minute. We love our twinner hairstyles. We also have a lot of the same clothes so we match a lot and people laugh at us, but we love it:) The members are still great and I definitely have already gained weight from the BOMB food that they feed us. Plus they always send leftovers. Also something cool is that the huge Chobani yogurt plant is located here in Twin. So all the members work there and we get free yogurt all the time. Yes! Healthy food! We try to say no to dessert but people are such great cooks and I can't refuse! Haha. Anyways, I hope y'all have a great week. Remember that your Heavenly Father loves you and he is there for you. That has never felt so true in my life. I appreciate all the support and prayers! You guys are the best. I love and miss you all so much. Sending my love. 

Love, Sister Bigelow

Drum Roll please....

Hello Family and Friends! 

I can't believe another week has already passed! Time just flies when you lose yourself in the Lords work:) How is everyone doing? I have loved letters and emails from everyone! I love to know what everyone is up to! Being a missionary is so weird because you literally don't know what is happening in the world, and it is a weird feeling, but I am slowly getting used to it. The weird thing is that I don't even miss my phone or TV, or anything that I thought I would miss! I thought having a mission phone, I would be tempted to call or text home, but I'm not! I just miss my family and my friends which are the most important things in life, of course after the Gospel:)

So this week was AWESOME! Way better than last week when we literally had no idea what we were doing. Also the first week was super hard because it was just overwhelming and I felt like I had no idea what to do and I wasn't getting the hang of things, but that is when I talk to my Heavenly Father and he makes it all better. I love Twin Falls! The people here are so great and the ward members take such great care of us. I feel like I have a second family here which is really comforting. This week we actually know people and we had a lot of return appointments so it gets better everyday! I'll tell you about some of our investigators. 

So last week, we met a less active lady named Jolene. She has recently started coming back to church and wants her 8 year old daughter to be baptized. She is amazing. I know that she is someone I was supposed to meet. When I first met her, I was overcome with this feeling of love and feeling like we met for a reason. We visit her every few days and I just love her. She doesn't have a lot, but she gives us so much. She feeds us all the time and sneaks us Mountain Dew. Hehe. Her daughter is so cute and we have been teaching her the discussions so that she can be ready to get baptized. She tells us all the time how grateful she is for Sisters. We heart attacked her on Valentines day as well. You can just see her desire to change and to come back and to get to the temple. I know she is someone I will keep in contact with forever. Meeting her and visiting her just confirms why I am here and it is truly amazing. 

Okay drum roll please..... I invited someone to be baptized and they accepted!!!!!! Literally the best feeling in the world and I can't even describe it. This was a referral from someone in the ward. Her name is Kellie. She just moved here from Sacramento and just got her kids back after being in jail. So we contacted her and she was super interested so we set up a lesson. We taught her the first discussion and she loved it. We weren't planning on inviting her to be baptized, but I felt inspired so I did and she said yes!!!! We are planning on having her baptism the first or second week of March and I can't wait! She cried and we cried and it was one of the neatest experiences I have ever had. That is why I am here, and I couldn't be happier. 

We are also teaching a few part member families. In the Loder family, Amanda who is the fiance is taking the discussions. She is really excited and loves learning. In my last email I talked about Nancy who has a lot of anxiety about coming to church. We gave her a church tour, but she still didn't come to church, so hopefully next week. But this week at church we had 4 investigators at Sacrament meeting! In my last email I also told you about Rene Bravo who lives with his girlfriend and daughter. We are working on a marriage date for them  so he can get baptized, but he finally quite smoking which is awesome! We visit so many less actives and I will keep you all updated as things happen. There is a lot of work to do here and I am so grateful for that. I know that it was inspired to put Sisters in this area because there are so many single Sisters who need us and I can see the Lords hand in all of this. 

So anyways, it was a great week! Like I said, I love the people so so much. We get fed most every night, but Holy cow, people feed us so much. I already feel my skirts getting tighter haha. It is terrible! I feel sick almost every night just from how much members feed us. I almost feel like I should just fast lunch and dinner everyday haha. But it is a blessing for sure:) This area is still getting so much rain and snow, so I am definitely grateful for the car. Mission life is so funny if you think about it. It is uncomfortable a lot and awkward at times. But it is so fun. Sister Ramsey and I have a lot of fun together, and as a missionary, you have to just laugh things off! 

 

This week I have been feeling discouraged a lot. Not because of the work or the people, but just because I was feeling like I was not a good teacher and I felt like I couldn't get the hang of teaching by the Spirit and being able to say whatever was needed. Sister Ramsey is so good at teaching and I was comparing myself a lot to her. She noticed that I was having a hard time, so we talked about it for a long time. She told me about how she felt the same way at first. She told me that when I do teach and bear my testimony that it is powerful and that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. She made me feel so much better and so much more confident. We read in Preach My Gospel about how really listening to people will automatically bring the Spirit, and it is so true! We also read Section 100 out of Doctrine and Covenants which gives us so many promises as missionaries and it brought so much comfort. If you have not read that Section, read it!!! We replaced the names with our own names and added in our own personal details as we read. It made it so real and it was so powerful. We both ended up crying and it was amazing. 

Everyday gets better.I am becoming more confident in my teaching, and I figured out that if I love people and just listen to them, that the Spirit will be there and that I will know exactly what to say. Heavenly Father is there always. I love that promise that he gives us that he will never leave us. My faith has grown so much and I know that He will not leave me. I think back to life before my mission a lot. I had a testimony and I believed all these things, but I think I was mostly going through the motions. Being here and being involved with the Gospel everyday changed your life and it changes your nature. I am already a totally different person than when I left. It is so incredible. I know that this is the true Gospel with all my heart. I have felt it everyday since I have been here. I can't express to you in words my gratitude for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am here for him. He is the center of this Gospel and of this work and I love being able to bear my testimony about him everyday. I don't even know what else to say other than that I am so happy. Happier than I ever have been before and I know that is because my world revolves around other people now. I feel like I finally know what true happiness is, and that is living the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving his children. I love being a missionary, I know I say it all the time, but it is true. When I turn outward and think of others, pray for others, serve others is when I am the happiest. I challenge you all to be more Christlike and look for those opportunities to serve because it will change your life. Also, you testimony is powerful and sharing it will make yours grow I promise you that:)

I miss you all more than you know! I hope you know you all are always in my thoughts and prayers. I am so grateful the Lord has placed me here at this time in my life. I know this is where I am supposed to be without a doubt. I am happy and busy and I am loving every minute of it no matter how tired I am when that alarm goes off:) Please keep writing me and emailing me because it means so much! Look for missionary opportunities and be an example. Pray always, and have faith that Heavenly Father will answer you. Have a great week everyone. I love you all! Sending hugs and kisses your way. I love you. 

Love, Sister Bigelow

Many are cold but few are frozen

Hello Family and Friends!

Oh my goodness, where do I even begin to tell you everything! The good thing is that we get two hours each week to email instead of one like I thought! I love being in the mission field. These past few days have been kinda crazy because I am still adjusting and I am just trying to soak everything up and learn everything! But anyways, I guess I better get started telling you everything!

So we left the MTC on Tuesday morning super early. It was harder than I thought. I became so close to my District and my Zone. But I knew that as much as I would miss them, there were far better things ahead! The bus ride was FOREVER long because it was snowing and so freezing, but I enjoyed talking to all the other missionaries and sleeping (hehe). So we arrived at the Mission Home about 1 and we met everyone including the Senior couples and the APs. Everyone is so awesome! President and Sister Curtis are wonderful. The APs we have are awesome as well. Elder Barhens is a carbon copy of Jeff Lang and actually he knows him which is the weirdest part! Haha. And Elder Cook is 6^11!!! He is a giant. Elder Saalman is from Germany and he has the coolest accent and is so funny. They are all so helpful and always checking up on us which is so nice. So we had lunch all together as new missionaries and we had meetings and talked all about the mission. Then we did some more role plays. I am telling you I can't escape them. Then that night, we headed over to President and Sister Curtis house for a nice homemade dinner! There were only 9 of us new missionaries so it was nice to get to know everyone. After dinner we had a testimony meeting with everyone and it was amazing! The Sisters stayed at the Presidents house that night and they had the most amazing beds!!

So that was day one. Day 2 we had our transfer meeting! It was so crazy and overwhelming because there were so many people and I didn't know anyone! So that is where we got assigned our Trainers and our areas! My Trainer/Companion is AWESOME! Her name is Sister Ramsey is she is super cute and fun. We are definitely way more alike than my last companion. She is from Tampa Florida. Everyone that we have met calls us Sister California and Sister Florida and everyone makes comments about "Oh you must be having fun in cold Idaho." It's getting kinda old haha. But she is awesome. We laugh all the time and we get along great, and have similar past experiences and a lot in common. Anyways, so my first area is Twin Falls! I definitely was not expecting that. But I love it so far! I just have to tell you about our first day in the field because it is hilarious.

So Sister Curtis drove us and all of our luggage to our apartment. We got totally lost getting there and it took like an hour to find it. So we drive up to our new apartment and Sister Ramsey and I just looked at each other and were both thinking, Holy Cow this is so ghetto. Haha. It is this little tiny complex that is super old and really gross. And it smells like death outside our apartment all the time. So we asked Sister Curtis what that smell was and she said oh there is a pig/slaughter farm right up the road. So gross!!!! So we walk into our apartment and it smells like smoke.It isn't bad inside though. It is really big and pretty nice for being so old. All of our neighbors are nice, but they all smoke, so we definitely plan to teach all of them the Gospel:) We just got dropped off, we had no bikes, no food, no area book, no phone numbers. We were basically stranded. So we are opening up this new area. Because the mission is still so young, this is a brand new area, they call it whitewashing. So we had no clue what to do. We didn't even have a map and we both didn't know where anything was. So we decided to walk like 4 miles to the nearest gas station to try and find a map. It was so cold!!!! My face was frozen and I couldn't feel it for the rest of the day. So we get to the gas station and they don't have any maps! But we run into this totally drunk guy who is making no sense and I was totally freaking out. This is my first day as a missionary and nothing is going right! But we just had to laugh it off. So we had no idea what to do. So then our Ward Mission Leader called us which was an answer to our prayers! He has set up a correlation meeting that night because he knew we knew nothing. He is awesome and so involved! So we went to that and learned all about the area and all the investigators/Less actives.

That first night was kinda rough. We still hadn't unpacked, we had no food or anything and my bed was sooooo hard I could not sleep. But I learned you just gotta laugh about things:) Because missions are weird and really funny and uncomfortable, but I am learning! So the next day we needed to get groceries and stuff, so a sweet Sister and new convert from the ward drove us. Then we had to figure out the bike situation and nobody seemed to be very helpful. They were like oh, all our bikes are in the shop, and so I said that I could buy my own and they kinda brushed it off. I was like, what the heck?? Our area is huge and we have no way to get around! So we went back to our apartment, and finally got a ward directory and started making some calls. A few hours later there was a knock on the door and it was the APs and the transportation coordinator, and we thought they were bringing bikes, but guess what?? They brought us a car!!!! We were so happy because it is so cold and our area is huge! I am so grateful for that car:)

So finally we could do stuff! That first day we just made visits to members and less actives which was fun! Friday we had District meeting and I love them! We went out to lunch after and the pizza place fed all the missionaries for free which is awesome! Then there was a huge blizzard. As we were driving home from the restaurant, there were tons of cars just sliding off the road, so we pulled over and helped push a ton of peoples cars back onto the road. We made it home safe, but the mission President called us and told us not to go out and work, to stay inside because it was too dangerous. So we stayed in our warm apartment and unpacked, organized, and studied.

Mom, I am going to finish emailing in a little bit. I am out of time at the library, but I get another hour at the Family History Center in a little bit, so I am not done telling you everything, I still have so much more to say so stay tuned for the second part of my email in about an hour or 2. I love you!

After we got snowed in, we had dinner at a members house and made a few visits. So basically I am just adjusting to this new life filled with studying, teaching, and visiting. Church yesterday was awesome! The ward is so involved in missionary work and is so willing to help us out in any way that they can. Everyone seemed happy to have Sisters that's for sure! It was fast and testimony meeting yesterday so Bishop made us bear our testimonies, but it was a good experience and I better get used to it! 

We are teaching so many people right now and I am loving it! We are teaching a part member family, the Hunters. The wife really wants to get baptized but she won't go to church because she has social anxiety so we are trying to get her to take that step. Her name is Nancy and she is awesome. We are teaching a guy named Renee and he has such a strong testimony. He wants to get baptized, but has to marry his baby mama that he lives with first so we are trying to make that happen. We are teaching a few kids actually who's parents are inactive but want their kids to be baptized. There are a lot of part member families as well. There are soooo many less actives in the ward, it is crazy! So we make a lot of visits to those people. We have so much work to do here! I don't know much and not a lot has happened so far with the people we are teaching, but I am sure as I am here longer I will be able to share more details. I really enjoy meeting the people here and making visits to less actives. Everyone seems to think that us Sisters are better than the Elders:) 

Being a missionary is nothing like I ever expected. But I love it so much! I am still adjusting so at times it is really hard. I am tired like all the time and our days are long, but they are filled with good things. I love having study time in the mornings. I am reading the Book of Mormon over again so that I can gain a stronger testimony. This is the first time I am really reading it and paying attention and learning so much it is amazing! My goal is to be done by June so hold me to that! Sister Ramsey and I have so much fun together. We do Yoga in the mornings and she is teaching me! We can't go running because we live right next to a busy Highway and it isn't safe. Plus it is too cold in the mornings. Funny Story: So last night for some reason, the alarm clock we have out in the kitchen went off at midnight. So I got up to turn it off and I come back into the room and Sister Ramsey is praying out loud like it is the morning already. I was like, "Hey Sister Ramsey, it's only midnight." and she was so confused and she just kept praying and I was dying laughing. I tease her a lot about that:) Anyways, we belt out Jenny Phillips in the car and we have lots of fun and joke around a lot. Sister Ramsey is a great teacher and is so good with people I am learning a lot from her. But I love that we make this fun. :)

Our apartment is starting to feel like home finally! We bought a lot of candles to cover up the stink and we decorated with pictures and Christmas lights! They have one washer and dryer for the whole apartment complex and they are really gross so we do laundry at the Bishops house. I am telling you the members are great here. I love love love the people here in Idaho. What Idaho lacks in warm weather, they make up for in warm people:) There are so many people that we teach and visit that live in these tiny little houses that are falling apart. It has really made me appreciate so much all the nice things that we have and the nice big house we live in. People here are so open to learning about the Gospel. Pretty much all the non members and the less actives smoke, so we come home every night smelling like it. But that's okay! The people here are different, but I am learning to love it. 

I can't tell you how amazing it is to be here. I am already seeing the reasons why the Lord sent me here. It has been hard. At times, I feel inadequate and like I can't do this. Sometimes, I am so tired I don't even think I can go on, but I have learned to rely on my Heavenly Father and I see His hand in my life every second of every day. Because my testimony has grown so much, I love sharing the Gospel. What other time in my life will I have to only focus on the Gospel 24 hours a day? That would be never. I love to serve and listen to people. I am so happy that I made the decision to come here. I think about what my life would be like if I didn't. I have changed so much for the better. The Atonement is real, and it gets me through each day. Being a representative of Jesus Christ is amazing, and I love that I get the opportunity to bear testimony of Him each day. I love it here and can't wait to do more of God's work. I love you all so much! Keep the mail coming, because I love hearing from all of you and about your lives. If I left anything out that you want to know, just ask. It has been a crazy week but I couldn't be more excited to keep learning and growing and teaching. Your Father in Heaven loves you so much and he wants you to be happy! Have a great week. XOXO

Love, Sister Bigelow

P.S. Mission Motto: Many are cold, but few are frozen. Hehe

Jokes from Sister Ramsey: "Are you the sword of Laban? Because you are exceedingly fine!" 

Role Plays Anyone???

Dear Family and Friends!

Wow! I can't believe another week has gone by. Time has just flown and it is awesome but sad at the same time! How is everyone doing? Thank you all so much for all the letters and the Dear Elders and the packages. They really mean so much to me and they make my day:) I have soooo much to tell you so I guess I better get started!


So this week my companion and I got to teach an actual nonmember. Her name is Sarah Mae and she is the sweetest person ever. She moved here from Tennessee and has the coolest accent.She hashad such a hard life I can't even imagine. She has never been treated right by men and she has lost a son.  When we first started teaching her, she was not open at all and didn't really care what we had to say. But as we continued to teach her out of love and my the spirit by catering to her needs, her heart was softened. She didn't commit to baptism, but she has started praying everyday and she read a little bit of the Book of Mormon. OMG it was such an amazing feeling to know that I helped her and started preparing her for that next step. I love her so much and am so sad that I don't get to keep teaching her. 

This week we had so many classes! But I love class time! And one of my teachers is actually a missionary from The District. It is Elder Cristensen, the blonde one from Florida that went to San Diego on his mission. Everytime I see him I feel like I am talking to a famous person. Haha. It is so crazy but he is such a great teacher. My other teacher Sister Hutchings is so amazing as well. She is a powerful teacher and I have learned so much from her. Role-play has become my life. But I love it! It helps so much, it is just so crazy how much we do it. This week the new missionaries came in and we weren't the newbies anymore! It felt kinda nice. Dad was right when he said that we become pros and think we are so cool after just a week:)

Good news, even though I miss you all so much, I am not so homesick anymore! I love being a missionary and I have learned to focus on others and pray for strength when I get sad. It is greater than I could have ever imagined. I go out to the field TOMORROW! Seriously I feel like I just got here. We are taking a bus to Twin Falls and leaving at 7:15 tomorrow morning. We will then spend the day with the mission presidency and with all the new missionaries. We will meet our trainers and get assigned to our areas and we will stay in the mission home tomorrow night. I am so excited! It will be sad to leave the MTC because I have made so many friends and memories here, but I know greater adventures await. :)


This morning we went to the temple, and when we got there, the workers said that they needed us to do sealings, so we did! What an amazing experience. We could only act as sons and daughters but it was still so great! I just kept imagining the people in the Spirit world just hugging their families and being so excited. It reminded me of my own family and how we are so blessed to know that we can be together forever. It reminded me of the work that I will be doing on my mission. I get to tell people about this amazing knowledge and that makes me so happy!!!

I am going to be honest in saying that before I came here, I honestly didn't know what I was getting myself into. I knew that I would be teaching the gospel, but I didn't really have an idea of what it was going to be like. I look back on my life before I came and I realize how easy my life was as how blessed I am! I realize how selfish I was and I regret missing opportunities to serve and to grow. That is why I love it so much. I am so happy here. I have finally realized my purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and it is so fulfilling and rewarding. I have gained a testimony of my Savior and am reminded constantly of His sacrifice for me. I have realized how amazing the Book of Mormon is and how much I love it. I love everything about being a missionary:)

I still feel like I have so much to say, but time is running low. Devotionals and church here are the best! It is amazing how much I have changed and how much my testimony has grown since I have been here. I can't wait to get out there and teach people and help people come to know their Savior and of His Gospel. I have been truly converted here. I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve Him and his children. Thank you all again so much for all the support and for the mail. Keep it coming! But don't forget to change my address to the Idaho one now. Ahhhh I am so excited! I can't even express how much I love being here. I love having the name of Jesus Christ below my name next to my heart. It reminds me of why I am here especially when times get hard. I love you all and I can't express my gratitude for all I have been blessed with. I can't say it enough, but I love being a missionary. Like it says in my mission cal, "Greater joy and happiness than you have ever experienced await you as you emabark in the Lords service of His children." I love love love serving and being a missionary. Have I said that enough times?:) I miss you and love you all so much. Have a great week, I will update you as soon as possible:)

Love Sister Bigelow