i love my life

Hiiiii Family!!!! (:

    It is a beautiful day here in Kirtland.  Sun shining.  Slightly breezy.  Perfect temperature.  Life is good.  Hope all is well for you all, too!!

        Well, I will start with the big news.  Transfers.

         I am leaving the Kirtland Ward.  ):  The Euclid Ward that I will be transferred to still meets in the same building..but it will be strange to be in a new ward after nearly a year in Kirtland.  AND...guess who my companion will be...SISTER MCALISTER!!!!! Can you believe it?  We will be living in the same house, same bedroom that I started in last November with her as my trainer.  Now, ten months later, she and I will be reunited as the Training Sisters at the Visitors' Center.  Although I am ecstatic to be with Sister McAlister again...I will miss Sister Hansen.  You win some, you lose some...right?  The past three months with Sister Hansen have been so special.  She has taught me a lot about who I want to become by how she lives.  The happiness she feels radiates from her.  It is contagious.  

Change is good.  And I have had the best mission ever thus far.

   Sister Hansen and I have still been recovering this week so we had to "take it easy"..as instructed by our mission president's wife, Sister Sorensen.  It is so hard because all we want to do is just work!  There is no replacement for the joy we feel as we serve our Heavenly Father as His missionaries.  

     A couple of times this week I went out with Sister Downard, a newish missionary, so our sick companions could stay in.  This seeminly shy girl from Idaho is a powerhouse.  Serving at the Visitors' Center has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to learn from so many Sisters and senior couples.  Heavenly Father knew the environment I needed.  And this is it.

    Tours have slowed down DRSTICALLY the past month and a half or so.  Every one is back to school...and sports..and extra-curriculars.  It is weird.  Fall is coming.

     Anyways, life is good.  Now we get to spend the remainder of our Preparation Day packing and cleaning.  Yay! (:

                LOVE YOU,

                          Sister Spring

A photo of your beautiful daughters at their finest. (:

Soup and Ginger Ale in a Fanta bottle...perfect meal for the sicklings.

i.am.happy.

(From 9/9/11)

Hello, hello, hello my sweet family. (:

     I hope you all had a great week...and long weekend!  Thank you (Mom and Dad) for the picture of the gang.  Allow me to be honest, it was kind of weird to see my married, little cousin who will soon be a father!!!  I guess we grew up or something.  Anyways, you all look good!!

     Last Tuesday, Sister Hansen and I (and the rest of our mission) went to a conference with Elder Nash, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy Apostles.  We had been sick.  And were still under the weather, to put it lightly.  However, we were committed to NOT missing this opportunity.  Keep in mind, we spent the whole week in our home minus one hour at Sacrament Meeting and I went on exchanges with another Sister for a few hours on Saturday.  So we went and it was incredible.  Elder Nash has spent the past four years in South America fulfilling his designated responsibilites as an Apostle.  This man radiates Christ's love.  So does his wife, Sister Nash, who also addressed us on Tuesday.  I was reminded of the reason I came on a mission.  I want to bring people the hope that I have found as I have come to know my Savior through the restored gospel.  This word, "hope", I do not use as a loose term.  Rather, it is concrete and sure.  Through Christ's Atonement, there is always hope for happiness right now and for the eternity that is ahead.  There is always hope to change.  This hope of mine is founded in Jesus Christ and in a relationship with our Heavenly Father.  Sometimes I need to be reminded of these important things...possibly too often.

       So we have established that being ill took us down for far too long.  I am going to move past that.  I promise.  Let's talk about being back!!!  Saturday was our first day at sites.  and it felt so good!  We had the 10-3 shift. Our first, and only, tour for the day was around 1230.  There was a group from Columbus, but three of the visitors were originally from Ghana.  They were in AWE that they were actually in Kirtland.  Upon our first moments together, they vocalized their excitement to be in such a sacred place; a place that has been special to them for years, but now it has become real.  Perhaps I have become a bit complacent about Kirtland.  Well...I guess I had...but I had a nice reminder.  Again...I need all the reminding I can get.  We were standing on the a bridge over the Stoney Brook (the first mini-stop on tour) and I was overwhelmed with excitement. gratitude. humility. love.  I wanted a second to talk to Sister Hansen and just tell her how good I was feeling!  Gosh, this place is incredible.  The Saints here were doing everything they could to be obedient to God's commandments.  Walking through the Whitney's home and store, we discover their experiences coming to know their Heavenly Father.  Answered Prayers.  Healings.  Revealed instruction from God. Happy family times.  Work.  School.  Play.  It is amazing.  I love to think about walking through other people's homes and hearing their stories.  It would be so cool to have any of you take me around where you grew up and tell all your stories.  Daddy, I love when we are driving in Dallas and share about your life B.E. as you always say.  (Before Elizabeth).  Anyways, I just love that God gives us opportunities to learn from each other.  I love people. (:

       We went to a few appointments that night and spent all of Sunday at sites.  Life is good.  There are many wonderful things happening here. 

        I love you!!

            Sister