*side note:  I am missing my favorite kitchen knife and had some of the kids searching the large garbage cans and recycling bins when I was writing to Christina.  The good news is that it made her laugh.  The bad news is that I still haven't found it.

 Hello!!! 

Haha that mental image definitely gave me a laugh...even zander is involved in the knife searching process?! Also, is it that knife that sliced me pretty good a couple of summers ago? I was thinking about that this week, how when I was washing dishes I wasn't as careful as I should have been, I sliced myself and blood went everywhere? Haha I remember running upstairs and crying for no real reason.....It didn't even hurt. Who knows, it must have been an off day! ;) Moral of that story, I wouldn't be devastated if I didn't wash that knife again in this mortal existence! 

I am glad that you got the pictures, I thought they were some good ones, just sayin ;). It really has been a good past 3 transfers. I've had a lot of smiles, and way too much fun! Of course there have been trials along the way, but so much beauty! I am so grateful for good companions who help me laugh when I need it, and are a good support. I have been very blessed on my mission with the companions I have had. Everything is so much easier when you have good support. Whether it be friends and family at home, or a companion out here in the field. Anywho.... I too am always very surprised when people tell me that they have read my blog. I have had a lot of members and people that I'm teaching read it! Haha so a shoutout to all of you out here in Minnesota, I hope you get a chance to go outside and enjoy the sunshine today! Or at least stand in a window near the sun....it is a beautiful day. :)

The Gospel really does bring light and happiness into our lives. I have seen it time and time again in my life, and in the lives of those who I have had the opportunity to teach. The Gospel makes us happy, that is why we share it. I just read Elder Bednar's talk from this last conference titled "Come and See". It talks about how when we as people in society find something that makes our lives better, or more happy, we are naturally inclined to share it. That's what happens with missionary work. :) I digress again, sorry! I just wanted to say to you mom: Even though I don't always express it, I do really value your opinions and advice especially when it comes to relationships. You obviously have a lot more experience than I do, and I need all the help I can get! So thank you very much. :) I am assuming the same goes for Jackie as well, just throwing that out there :) 

That is so exciting for Brennen, he is going to love it! I wish him the best of luck, I'll have to send him a letter :) If I send it to you, can you get it to him? I would greatly appreciate that :)

I am glad that you guys are taking time to go to SLC, that will be lots of fun for all involved I am sure! 

I know that having foster siblings has taught me some powerful lessons. It has taught me a lot about how important it is to be smart with boys, to get married, and to marry the right guy. It has made me realize how blessed I am to have grown up with a family who knows of the gospel, and lives it! Not to mention to have all the stability that we do have. And I think most importantly it has taught me a lot about love. Oh man, that sounds sort of cheesy....but you know what I mean. I love all 8 of my sibilings no matter how long they have been with our family, where they come from, or what challenges they have. I can honestly say that I love all of them! I don't always appreciate them....particularly when Matthew holds a snake to my face, but I do love them all. I think I have the opportunity to feel just a little tiny bit of what our heavenly father feels for us. He loves us all regardless of our situations, our background, or looks or our challenges. He loves us because we are His children, and always will be!! :)

I am glad that Christmas went well, they all sounded good Thursday when we talked to them! And I know you didn't cry, I was just teasing you  so I didn't cry! ;) Haha it has been a long 7 months though....I am pretty sure that is the longest time I will have to go without talking to any of you in this life! I am doing really well, there are always ups and downs, but the ups far outweigh the downs. It is truly a privilege to be here in Minnesota serving the Lord. And don't worry, we are being safe! Speaking of that, two cool stories. Well, maybe three....

Okay 1st. Last night, we had a really great day at church, and some wonderful lessons after church. We had a lovely dinner with a family in the ward, and a great lesson after that. After dinner, I started to get a headache. That is not too uncommon with me, but upon searching through my purse, I found out that I was missing my advil! Probably one of the two days in my mission that I didn't bring it with me. My head wasn't that bad so I figured I could make it through to the end of the night. After the appointment it got so bad! I seriously have never had a headache that bad in my life. My companion made an executive decision because I wasn't functioning very well that we needed to go home, and get me some medicine. We did so, and I crashed on the couch. Movement and light hurt, so I stayed there until 1 in the morning when the advil kicked in. Sounds like a depressing story, right? Well....as I was sitting, scratch that, laying on the couch, I had this thought that maybe I got a headache because we were suppose to stay in last night. I don't know what would have happened if we didn't, who knows, maybe nothing. All the same I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who knows and loves me, and the miracle of modern medicine :)

2.Yesterday at church, I mentioned that we had a great day. We have been sort of struggling to find new investigators lately. We have been doing everything that we feel like we need to, but things have just been a little slow. Well, after Sacrament meeting, we were taking a couple of our investigators to their classes, and we were stopped by a two sisters. One in her early 20's, and one age 17 or 18....I'm not really sure. We talked to them, and it turns out the older sister was baptised a few years ago in our ward then moved up to Duluth for school. Her younger sister is interested in learning about the church, and came to church! We were able to teach her yesterday afternoon, and she is really prepared. She said that everything that we are teaching her just fits into everything that she had thought, sort of like a puzzle that was starting to make sense! It was really neat :)

3. Last thought. This week I was listening to the face-to-face with Lindsey Stirling that the church put on. She tells a story about how she recieved inspiration for a song that she just wrote. Imagine a snow globe with a perfect ballerina inside twirling in circles around and around. AFter doing this for a good long while, she decides that she wants to really dance. To move and jump. As she starts to do so though, her perfect skin begins to crack. She stops terrified of what is going to happen, who she is going to become, or if she will shatter. After a moment she gathers her courage and continues to move and change. Her perfect skin shatters but then emerges an even more beautiful dancer who can move and really dance. I was thinking about this story, about how it relates to our lives. We often get stuck doing something, or even being someone, and it is often scary to change. We are scared to change, scared of what is going to happen, but so often the change leads to us being even better, it just takes a few moments of courage :) So that is the thought of the week!

Sorry, sort of a long letter, what can I say, the sun is out for the first time in a long time, life is good :) I hope and pray that you all have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Christina Trickler