A Bitter Sweet Goodbye

December 13th 2010

Well if you all didn't already guess by the title, we receive transfer calls last night and I am leaving Wenatchee! Crazy the emotional rollercoaster that I have felt over the last 24 hours. I hardly slept last night, due to my mind just would not slow down, but I'm excited for what the future has in store. So be prepared for your jaws to drop because mine sure did when I heard the news. SO I am being transferred to Spokane Valley- all Spanish speaking- and will be serving with......... Sister Naylor again!!! Can you believe it?! Yah, me either...but how cool is that! We actually will be serving in a trio together. Another Sister who is waiting for her visa, I believe her name is Sis. Hamiker...but I'm not 100%. Sis. Naylor wasn't sure either. It is her 2nd transfer in the field since the MTC so Sis. Naylor and I will kind've be 2nd training together. Crazy right! Oh my goodness I'm stoked, but now its the actually leaving part I'm struggling to fully embrace. As mentioned in my email home last week, I felt that a change was coming soon. And it feels right, it feels like its time and it truly does feel like everything has happened in the Lord's due time. Some are taking it harder than others, I had a very sad conversation on the phone with Jakki just a little bit ago and she was bawling on the phone. That's hard. Also, there are others who are taking it hard as well, but trying to put up a good smile and wishing me all the best- like Maggie. Maggie gave me this beautiful locket that says "peace be with you" on it, and while putting it on today, it almost made me cry. I LOVE the people here! I have never felt so much love for anyone in my entire life. As I've said in the past, my heart will always be here! I have grown so incredibly close to the people we are teaching and to the members of the Mission Ridge ward. For many of them though, it is not quite a goodbye for me...it truly feels more like a "see you later" and for sure we will keep in touch. I feel so apart of this ward, and so many of these wonderful people have truly touched my life forever. Not enough words could be typed in this email, to adequately describe my love and appreciation for the people here in Wenatchee. It truly is a bitter sweet goodbye for me. It isn't easy to leave, but I know that where I'm going next is where the Lord needs me to be. There are specific people that I'm meant to find and meant to bring the gospel to. Every thing happens for a reason; and I believe there are no coincidences in Heavenly Father's perfect plan. I surely will "trust and not be afraid, lean not unto my own understanding, in all my ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct my path".

So my new address is as follows. Remember if ever in doubt you can always send to the mission office who will forward it on to me.15418 E. 24th St.Veradale, WA 99037

As for Sis. Blain, she will be staying in Wenatchee and serving with Sis. Kakuska who came out the same time as Sis. Olsen and Perez. I have learned a lot while serving with Sis. Blain. I call her my "just do it" companion because she just "does" without ever being asked. She is a fantastic missionary and it has been such a blessing for me to be able to watch her confidence in the Lord grow and to see her improve in so many ways over the last 6 weeks. We've had some fun together and I'm excited for her to be able to stay in Wenatchee and to continue working with all the amazing people we are working with right now. She is just fantastic! Also in other news, Sis. Perez is going to be second training this transfer the Sister who Sis. Naylor just first trained. SO that is pretty cool. I love transfer days because I get to call all my companions on the phone and reminisce for a little bit, because it is against the rules on any other occassion. One thing that will be different this coming transfer is I now will be serving on the East side of the Mission, and away from almost all the Spanish missionaries. From what I hear, it is quite different, but missionary work all the same. I'm excited for what the next 6 weeks has in store! OH and I am so excited to be serving with Sister Naylor again! And this time around, I will actually be able to speak the language!! Yay! It is going to be a much different experience than our first transfer together, but it will be amazing still. Sis. Naylor and I have a very close friendship and I truly admire her in so many ways. It's going to be so much fun!

Well, I'm pretty much packed now...I've been packing all morning. Wow 7 months of stuff is alot. We have a few errands to run, and I have SO many people I need to say goodbye to and then it's back to work tonight at 6. We are in a trio for 2 days with one of the other sisters from the Castlerock ward, who's companion went home yesterday because she finished her mission. So now we are working both areas together, and we've got lots to do.