Week 23 Chico/Orland CA

Hey mom!!

This was a good week!!

To start, we did a lot of service for Kristina. She is working on moving to Orland from Willows, so we have been helping her out with that! On Monday we went over and planted some flowers. So all that gardening Mom taught me finally payed off! And then on Saturday, a group of the members and us went over to help paint her house. She has to paint it all white, and we got it just about done! She was super appreciative of all the help, and it was super fun to help out! We also got to have a few lessons with her and she is just so awesome. Like SO excited to be baptized! she is so willing to change and is excited to learn more! It's so cool to find people like her. She is such a great example of how we should all be. But Kristina is still doing great!

This week was also zone conference! That is always a good time. A time to learn and to see old friends! It's weird though because at my first zone conference, i knew no one. But now I go and i see everyone and I want to talk to everyone cause I haven't seen them in so long! It's weird. It's like I want to be social. But it is great and I love all the friends that I have made here!

But zone conference itself was good. We learned a lot about using the members. I have seen that help even in the little bit it has been. The members are the way to do missionary work! They make everything better!! But the other take away was that I wanted to have more sincere prayers. I say all my prayers in Spanish, so sometimes I feel like I just get into a routine, but that isn't good. So I have made more of an effort with that this week, and it has been awesome! It has helped with everything if I'm being honest! It's col to see how something so small and simple can have such a huge impact on my life. But zone conference was awesome!

This week, we also had a baptism!! It was for Natasha, and she is so sweet!! She was so excited! She is the first of the grand kids of that family to be baptized, and she was super excited! The ward was super supportive, and her grandpa was super excited to baptize her! It was the first baptism he did, and so he was super excited!! It was a good time though :)

Ok, so that's it for the normal and spiritual and serious things. now for some other random things that have happened.

Ok, so first off. We have been preparing for zone conference with the zone leaders, Elder Gilson and Elder Comins. and so we were video skyping to finish up some things. but my video cut out and then got back in. but when i got back in one of the elders said something and i didn't hear. so then later on the elder said, "Hermana Atkinson, I'm sorry that I said it looked like someone punched you in the face." and then Hermana Hayes and I DIED!! We hadn't heard him say that, so it was really funny. Elder Gilson just does not have a filter. Funny guy.

ok, next story. On Saturday we gave away our food to a homeless woman, cause we felt bad... so instead we went to McDonald's. And I have not eaten McDonald's in like a year. and now I know why. It wrecked my stomach... not doing that again. but hey, I'm alive now.

I got Hermana Hayes hooked on dutch bros too!! It is SO GOOD!! It is like a coffee shop that has yummy hot chocolate and smoothies and drinks. I have gotten most of my companions hooked on it. I'm a good influence :)

And last story. So I found out that I have a fear of frogs. I'm not afraid of them, but i just really don't like them... We were walking back to our apartment and a frog jumped out at us and i ran into Hermana Hayes and then jumped on her back and she carried me in so the frog wouldn't attack my feet. She thought that was hilarious. and then I got attacked by a lizard! Well, he just kinda ran at me. But you should've seen the look in his eye. He was mean.

But yeah, that was the week. We bought more vegges so that we an attempt to be healthier. And Hermana Hayes is teaching me to be a soccer super star!!

I hope you have a great week! love you and miss you!!

Kiley

Hermana Atkinson

The baptism, Kristina, and lots of service!!