Hello! It was so good to hear from you and to get a couple of pictures! Jackies dress looks so good! I love it :) And thank you so much for the package that I got this week! It fits me to a tee! You know me well. It's funny, lately we have been buying fruit and yogurt and eating that in the morning,  now I have granola to go on top! And dried plums are the best thing in the world. Thank you so much for the seeds, I planted them today! Speaking of that, we had sort of a crazy day, hence the delay in writing. So we got up and studied early, and went shopping in the pouring rain. It rained all night so hard. We got a call from one of our friends in the ward who lives in a nursing home. She asked us if we could come over and help wrap her legs. We said of course, and drove over there. After that adventure, we came to the library to email, and the computers were all being used! So we decided to go on a run at the nature center that is close by. We rode our bikes a half mile or so into the country, and parked them at the trail head. We started to run, but then realized that we were in Minnesota in March, and the trail was still covered in snow, and water! (by this point it was sunny out, not a cloud in the sky). We went anyways, and had so much fun. We didn't see anyone else, except for 5 deer about 20 ft away from us. I got some dirt to plant my seeds and we had a good, super wet walk! I realized after our adventure that I really had been missing nature. It's so important to take advantage of any opportunity we can to be outside! It is really beautiful. It is a different kind of beauty here, but it is wonderful all the same :) After that we came home, and I planted the flower seeds and some tomato seeds I bought today, I can't wait!

Oh man, I miss everyone!! I can't wait until we can skype again...it's coming up soon! You know, this adventure of a mission is really flying by. Some days feel like forever, but it has already been over 5 months! Can you believe that? I only have just over a year! How crazy.
I did get my hair braided last Monday! It was so much fun...except it hurt my head a little bit ;) They started at the very back of my head and did a circle around my head so it was like I was wearing a head band, and they went around twice. It was a lot of fun, and I got pictures! We are visiting the sisters again tonight, so I may have a new hair-do ;) It is so much fun being here in Austin because of the diversity! This week we began teaching a wonderful mother and her daughter who are refugees from Burma, who live in Thailand for a while. It is such an adventure communicating, but the Lord helps so much. We couldn't do it otherwise! Sister Amis and I joke that if we each learned 3 different languages then maybe we could communicate with all of our investigators! Then last night we met this wonderful lady who just barely came here from Africa. She showed us some of her beading she has been doing. It was the most intricate stuff! I am always amazed at the talents different people have. It is a testament to me that we are all needed in God's kingdom. We each have different talents and abilities!

This week sister Amis got the flu and we had to stay inside for two whole days....I thought I might just  go insane! ;) It was a really long time, but we made the best of it. We had a lot of fun playing the questions game. It is interesting how we don't tend to really get to know those around us. I love asking people deep questions about themselves, and really getting to know them. Lets see...Oh yes. The Women's Broadcast!!! That was so good. It was so neat to know that you guys were watching it at home the same time we were watching it here! It was an excellent meeting. The Spirit was so strong, it's amazing to be united all over the world. I had an interesting experience though during the broadcast. We have a member  friend who is in her 50's. She is divorced and works so much, and helps out the missionaries like no one I've ever met. She is amazing. She doesn't really like social things though (sort of like me ;) ). She took us out to dinner the night of the broadcast, then told us that she had to work, but that she would make it to the broadcast. She asked us to save her a seat. We got there early for a desert thing they were having as a ward. It was just about to start, and we saw her in the hall. Then we sat down, and we didn't see her. It started and the first person talked. The whole time, I couldn't really focus, I kept wondering where our friend was. Finally I motioned for Sister Amis to come with me, and we went to find her. She was sitting in the chapel listening to the broadcast all alone. Just at this time we heard the part about how everyone needs a friend. We quickly decided to sit with her for the remainder of the broadcast. I didn't really get much out of the first half, but I learned something very important. As much as some of us may think that we don't need anyone else or any help, we all do. This lady didn't really need us to sit by her, but it was the right thing to do. There is strength in numbers in a sense. Anyways, I would encourage all of you to maybe go outside of your comfort zone a little bit this week and find someone to help uplift, to be a friend to!

I love you all so much, thanks for you love and support!!

Have a lovely week,

Love,

Sister Christina Trickler