I Like to Look for Rainbows

*clears throat dramatically*

Everyone...today is my FIVE MONTH mark on the mission! WOO HOO!! I
can't believe it!!

Quick story. Today in a little office store, I wanted some crayons.
But I didn't know how to say "crayon." Not marker, not pen, not
pencil, I told the lady. Colored, I said. Kids use to draw, I said.
Nope, companions and store lady had no idea what I was talking about.
Okay, different slant now. I'd try to describe that they were made of
wax! Bees make honey, right? I asked my companion. Right, she said.
How do you call that stuff they use to build their houses? HUH? she
said. GAHH! Finally, when in desperation I said that they were about
yea big, and that kids like to break them, everyone let out a big,
"Ohhhhhhhhh!!" She wants "giz de cera"!! they all said in unison. Upon
a bit of further study, I learned that this directly translates to
"chalk of wax."

OH man. But at least I got my crayons. :-)

This week, the first week of the transfer with the same two comps, was
really neat. One day early in the week, my comp talked randomly about
how life is like a rainbow--you need sun AND clouds, and there's gold
at the end, but you can enjoy the journey, etc. The next day, as we
arrived in Catu after transfer day, a huge rainbow stretched across
the sky! I pointed out that this was like the symbol God gave to
Noah--a fresh start to our transfer. After that, every single day we
saw a rainbow. Every day! One, in the house of an investigator while
talking about baptism! It was a beautiful, simple tender mercy of the
Lord, and something we felt was a little miracle in our week.

Pres. and Sister Hart, our mission president and wife, visited us in
our house a couple days ago! They were passing through. It was so neat
to get such special attention! They love us! :-) Pres. called us his
"Three Nephites".

This week we had a wonderful, powerful district meeting that was
focused on the doctrine of Christ. Again, during this meeting I felt
the power and truth of the Atonement of Christ, and the reality of the
fact that we need to share boldly with the world what we know.
Everything we are experiencing here on earth is made possible through
the Atonement. In a practice, a companionship of elders invited me to
be baptized. As he bore testimony of the Atonement, and of his
knowledge that baptism is truly of God, he choked up. I felt the
Spirit strong and warm in my heart.

Christ lives! The Gospel is real! Open your mouth and share!

I love you all so so so so so much, thank you for your letters and
support. I love hearing from you all. *nudge*

Have a great great week!!

Anne