Hey hey hey!

How're y'all doin? I can't believe it's already Monday! This last week sure did fly! Speaking of flying, the Air Show sure does sound great! I love air shows so much, I bet it was a blast. And that's cool that they let you into the Japanese gardens even though they "shouldn't" have. People really are good. I believe that. Obviously you can find the nasties, but I really think that most people want to do good and be good.

We totally enjoyed third hour yesterday. It was a cool experience and I really think the ward members benefited from hearing us teach, in that now I really believe they trust us more and will hence be more likely to give us their friends. Dad's third hour discussion sounds like something I would have loved so much, I feel like I'm still trying to understand how Jesus is our father in relation to Heavenly Father and the fact that he is our brother... I would have loved to talk with y'all about that! Oh well, small sacrifices are the ones that make it worth it. I can't believe a member texted you a picture of us! Not really sure if that's appropriate, but we were in the gym... haha:) it's cool of her.

...  Also, Girls Camp sounds like it was fun! I'm sure it was cool to be out with the girls. Who all went this year? Cause I thought Maddy Coon was the only girl?

Let's see... my week has been great. It's been a cool week, I just feel like things are finally starting to click. Can't say I had any particularly cool experiences. But we've been able to make some contacts that set return appointments and hopefully they will pan out! No real investigators yet. But, it's been nice to finally start getting some traction. Plus, the ward is great. Last night our new WML invited us over for dinner with a coworker that he had over also. She actually lives in NY, but seemed really sincerely interested, and I have high hopes for the missionaries us there to be able to teach her! I thought it was cool if him to invite her over to dinner with us, even though she doesn't live here. It's still such a powerful moment to work in a member's home with their friends. It was really cool.

We had exchanges this week with the sister training leaders, and that was cool. Sis Pinegar was my comp for the day, and she's incredible. I always love exchanges because I feel like they give me the change to really learn and grow form sisters that have more experience than me. Since I've been training my whole mission, I really haven't had that experience and I love it.

Well, that's about it from me! I love you so much! I hope your week is great.

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀❤

Dad, first off, it's a good thing this is a gospel of repentance! One time at the lake with that type of weather is a sin, I'm pretty sure (probably listed somewhere in Leviticus) haha J Especially since I CAN'T get to the lake, y'all need to go for me! They claim to have a lake here, but it's pretty pathetic compared to home... but I'm biased.

It sounds like the berries and trees and bees and stuff are doing well! I look forward to homemade honey and fresh cherry pie when I get home. Yum! Also, way to go with the interior doors! I sure will miss those old brown ones haha but I guess the new ones sound good! Pics please? ... I have been pleasantly surprised with how healthy most of the dinners are here. I mean, you get the full blown deep fried ones, too, but most are at least kinda healthy. Plus, I don't think I've eaten so much salad in my life. Everyone serves missionaries salad.... so when you have this sisters over, you shouldn't give them salad. Change it up a bit, have green beans or something, haha:) it's a really good thing I discovered that I like Italian dressing... #miracles

I'm so jealous y'all get to go to those gardens and the air show! That'll be sooo fun! I loved the thunderbirds and the whole deal  You'll have to send me lots of pics! And mom, I totally remember that hike! It's cool to connect how roads go and get up in nature. I look forward to going back into the moi titans when I get home. It's just so FLAT here. Well, I guess there are hills, but that's it.

Unfortunately still no super cool stories or investigators this week. When we followed up with Greg, he wasn't home. He had gotten called into work and didn't tell us. That was a fun experience with the Elders quorum president and his wife who had come with us.... of course they were cool about it though. Now, we're trying to get ahold of him again to set another appointment. We're honestly just working a ton with the members right now. We're actually doing fifth Sunday next week in missionary work! The ward mission leader, bishop, councilor, and us will be speaking. But rather than speaking, Sis Gorley and I will actually take our 10 min to teach the first vision and try to help people remember WHY we share the gospel. What it is that we have that others don't. Because if they can feel the spirit, then the missionary work will take care of itself. Plus, if they can hear us teach, it'll instill confidence in us in them to make them comfortable to give us their friends and family. Should be good! I really feel like our efforts now will be blessed, even if it takes some time to get to the point of having a big, active teaching pool it's so worth the effort now. Who really cares if I'm the one to baptize them, or if I just lay the groundwork? It's all God's work, so I don't really care what part of it I get to do. Even if it is easier to see the success of baptisms, success comes in so many different ways.

Oh! We also got a new Ward Mission Leader on Sunday, and I'm super excited to work with him! He seems awesome.

We had a pretty intense experience on Friday. We were home for lunch and were in the Peterson's home when all of a sudden we heard this loud squawking like a panic outside (they have 6 chickens and 2 ducks) we go out just in time to see a bobcat with a chicken in his mouth! We scared him into dropping the chicken, then it ran off as the poor chicken flopped around for a min before it finally died. Poor guy. We put the birds in that night, and there was missing one more chicken and one of the ducks, so we assume he came back and got them. Now they only have 4 chickens and a duck.... nature of being on a "farm" I guess.

I sure to love you so much! I hope your week is amazing, and you stay strong with your goals!

All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀️❤️❤️☀️

P.s. I'm glad you liked the poem! I enjoyed writing it. It was really quite therapeutic at the time with everything going on:)

Hello Hello!

Wow, what a great week! It's been long, and it kinda feels like it's been forever since I emailed you.

Let's see... I guess I'll start with the first bit of my week in Trophy Club and Roanoke. I had an awesome last few days there. I definitely miss the people, but not as much as I missed Azle. Sis Asay and I finished strong and had a wonderful last push together! I asked for a blessing from a local member before I left, and it was awesome. It was exactly what I needed, and was a powerful witness to me, again, of how God is in control of his work here. I was doing exactly what he asked of me, and all of the almost guilty feelings I had from not being able to get out and work and whatever else with my comps was completely unnecessary because I was doing His will. That was just a great moment for me to have because I don't think I realized I was carrying some of that weight until it was removed in the blessing. I'm so grateful for the priesthood.

Then, on Wednesday I met my new companion! She's awesome!! I love her to death. Her name is Sis Gorley, and she's from a tiny town called Eager, Arizona. Apparently it's pretty similar to Sandpoint :) she's the youngest of 4, with three older brothers! So we get along really well, haha. She came out so prepared willing to learn, and anxious to work. I love it. We've been putting in some good, long days to be sure.

We're working a lot with the members right now, along with following up with a lot of people already in the area book, rather than trying to find new people. Why redo work someone has already done? Plus, the area Book REALLY needs cleaning out.... J the members are awesome! Bishop is great, and super excited about the work. He made an interesting comment about them not having missionaries for a transfer making them realize how much of a difference having us in the ward makes, and we're hoping that this spark will help us find people to teach. The members are definitely excited to have us back. I love this ward!

We actually live with members, which is awesome. It's cool because I serve in a very urban area, but we live on a mini farm! It's so nice to be able to go to sleep to crickets and wind rather than car horns and water heaters again. I love it! We live in a small apartment above their garage, and I love it:)

Well, I can't really think of anything else cool to tell you. We don't have any investigators yet with the whitewash and all... we did have kinda a cool experience this week though. We were following up on this woman, but when we knocked a man named Greg answered. He said that the woman we were looking for was his grandma, and that she had recently passed. So we bore testimony of eternal families and asked if we could come back to talk more about the Plan of Salvation and he said yes! We'll be going back tomorrow, and I have high hopes! :)

I can't believe Garrett got ordained to an elder! I'm so proud of him. He sounds like he's doing great. And it sounds like y'all are having a lot of fun and working hard. Just don't forget to take time to relax and enjoy the fact that you live in the most beautiful town EVER! Enjoy the lake:) I sure miss it, haha.  I'm doing well, and I look forward to seeing y'all when I get home :)

I love you so much! Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Erika Marks ☀J

P.s. I hit my 9 month mark the other day.... AHHHH!!!