It was a crazy week this week! Tuesday we had Zone conference. Which I always love. We really focuses on asking inspired questions when we teach and dealing with stress. Because there are a lot of sisters and elders that are just having so much stress and their dealing with depression. So that is part of my job as an STL I help depressed sisters get excited about the work. And reminding them why they are out here. Then I had a great exchange with some sisters! THEY are so awesome! And they are so on fire! I learn way more from these Sisters than they could ever learn from me! Then on Friday there was valentines day and a member brought us chocolate covered strawberries and flowers and apple cider. It was so cute. And a member had a cake for my birthday. Then on Saturday was my birthday and I woke up to giant paper cupcakes on my house and in my yard. A young woman wrote on our car the lyrics to the Taylor Swift song 22. Then at night we went to a members home who strongly believes that she is Polynesian and I taught them how to make chili pepper chicken. Then we went to another home and this member made a cake with the Hawaiian islands on it and the next day was her sons birthday so he helped me blow out the candles. Then we went to another members home and they made a red velvet cake. so good! So I had a good birthday! I missed home though, but I felt a lot of love here.

Still no new investigators... but something is going to happen and I know that the Lord is preparing us for something really good. We just need to practice long suffering and patience and continued obedience. Sometimes when things aren't happening we think oh well and we just do what we want and we're not being exactly obedient.

Here are some fun things I learned this week...

~Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law

             Law of Moses is the Letter of the Law Christ made the law perfect and added to the letter of the law. In Alma 50:19-22 if we obey we prosper, if we don't obey we can't still prosper but we will be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

             Selective obedience=grey areas. Grey areas is where the adversary is. If we are really living the spirit of the law there is no reason to break the letter of the law.

Next thing. Doctrine and Covenants 88. Is some of the most beautiful scripture in the doctrine and covenants. Especially verses 47-64. Heavenly Father knows us and as we keep His commandments and try our hardest to do His will we will recognize that we know Him too.

Any way! I love you all!

-Sister Swain