This week was a fun week. We went to Paradigm High School which is a charter school in our area. Its definitely a school for the gifted and talented in everything, but sports and socialism. Those kids are so smart! So we went to all of their seminary classes and took 10 min. to talk about missionary work. Why it is important and how we can bear testimony. I just have to say that the youth are amazing! Their testimonies and some of the experiences they've had doing missionary work just blew me away. That was really fun. Then we went and spoke to the achievement day girls about charity and service and they know what it is and are doing it.

We did have a baptism this week! Yeehee! It was for a 13 year boy who has such a strong testimony. His entire deacons quorum was at the baptism. How it started is that the boys started bearing their testimonies when they were 11 in scouts and then he became interested and wanted to take the lessons and now he's baptized. He has active grandparents who have been very instrumental in his conversion. The spirit was very strong there has his grandfather gently put him underwater and as so many of the ward members came to support him. 

Other miracles this week is that we have been seeing an Aunty from Hawaii, she is so awesome and hasn't been able to go to church because of work, but her testimony is so strong! We went out to eat with her on Thursday and we had to leave early because we had an appointment. When we got out of the appointment we got a text from her. She told us that someone had paid for our lunch because he served his mission in Hawaii and he heard us talking! How awesome! Then we were singing in her ward that Sunday so we invited her to come, and she got that day off! It was so good to see her smiling back us while we were singing. 

Another Miracle is that I got a shipment of poi from my dad! That just made my week! We then gave a container to Aunty. She was so happy. The stake had some happy Hawaiians this week :)

Like I've told you before our mission is doing a month long study on the atonement. I can't tell you everything that I've learned because I've learned so much just in this 1st week. There is a talk by Elder Holland and it talks about missionary work and the atonement. Many missionaries ask "why is this so hard? Why aren't people running to the baptismal font?" His answer is, "Because Salvation wasn't easy." It wasn't easy for the Savior to perform the atonement. " We are the Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, He is our Great Eternal Head. Why would we believe, why would we think, that it would be easy for us, when it was never easy for Him? In turn, how could we possibly bear any moving, lasting testimony of the Atonement if we have never known or felt anything of such an experience?...That means you must be prepared to walk something of the path He walked, to feel something of the pain He felt, to at least occasionally sometime during you mission shed one of the tears of sorrow the He shed." Reading this and living he life of a missionary has strengthened my testimony of the Savior and His Atonement. What I have learned in this week is that the Atonement is not for one specific people, but it is conditional upon our obedience and the divine laws and commandments that are set before us to live by. Elder Christofferson said, "It is not simply the promise of obedience in our contracts with Deity that brings grace, but the performance of our promises: "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." (Romans 2:13) We must do and stay on that straight and narrow which we have entered in. And it is this love for us that makes it possible. So as I sat in 3 Sacrament meetings yesterday, I sat and pondered on that love. And how we need to love everyone because that love has been shown to us. We get annoyed with each other, I get annoyed at people all the time! And I'm a missionary! We need to love those who are different, love those who are struggling and develop charity, real charity as it states in 

Moroni 7  44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

I love you all so very much!

Love,

Sister Swain