20 years old

..and I still feel like I'm 13.

This week has been a trial of our faith for sure. Well, the whole transfer has been really. But that's okay. :) It's in the rough times that we grow the most. Refiner's fire, refiner's fire.

We saw the sun this week! I got my first sunburn since last summer. Life is good!

We talked to some drunk old men, mowed someone's lawn, had interviews with President Eaton, and everyone ditched out on us for their appointments.

I love serving in Washington because it is so diverse. Seriously, it's like I'm serving my mission in India, China, Mexico, Russia, Africa, and the United States all combined. I love it. We started teaching English to a lady named Ling Houng. She's from Hong Kong. She's teaching us a little Chinese too, so I know 1-10 (only how to pronounce them actually.) They insist on feeding us dinner before we teach so we had kelp soup and some other lovely dishes. We also got a drink that we have yet to open up and taste. The dinner was super good (kelp will be a little hard to get used to) and I am getting better at using chop sticks.
Sister Morse took us out to Teriyaki and I got some more practice there too. I'll be a pro by the time I get back.

Funny story about our visit to the Houng's. It was super hot. Sister Webb and I were sweating. We were teaching her with some flash cards and stuff and Sister Webb asked for some water because she was so hot... the little girl brings us some mugs and pours us some water out of a pitcher. The next thing I know, Sister Webb is literally cracking up and I don't know why. I go to take a sip of my water and my glasses fog up. It was steaming hot water! That doesn't sound like a funny story, but we were dying! 

Some lady, who I think was Deaf (but I didn't get the chance to try my sign language out because it's a little hard to use your hands while you're riding a bike) totally shunned us or cursed us or something. It was a tad bit scary.

I got a bug in my nose.

For my birthday yesterday  a lady in the Ward we call Grandma Bowen made me a cake and we had dinner at a Filipino lady's house. She made the best egg rolls ever. Apparently my stomach didn't agree though; I woke up at 1 this morning with a killer stomach ache. With my flashlight I searched around the cottage for some tums. And then found a giant tube sock, scooped some rice in it, and made myself a heating pad. To make it short, I didn't go back to bed until like 4. Killer. A lovely cherry-on-top to my 20th birthday. Haha:)

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

 17 For our light ^aaffliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and ^beternal ^cweight of glory;
 18 While we look not at the things which are ^aseen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not ^bseen are ^ceternal.


We all have challenges. We have had hard times, we may currently be in hard times, and we've still got challenges to come, but with an eternal perspective they are a lot easier to manage. Sometimes we preoccupy our lives with THINGS. iPhones and cars and laptops. Music, television shows, sports, or clothes. None of that is eternal, but our Spirits are. We have to spend some time making them the way God wants.


I can't remember if I've used this video or not either, but I thought I'd put it in here. Many of you know that we, as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are a temple going people. Thought you might want to learn a little more about why and what goes on in them. Pat, Sam, and a couple more recent converts were able to attend last week... as well as some returning members. We heard it was an incredible experience.
http://www.mormonchannel.org/introduction-to-the-church?v=2639016677001

Welp. Love you all,

Until next time I'll be doin' it the Federal Way!

Love,
Sister Pearson :)