the cold never bothered me anyway: "BAPTISM WOULD BE A GOOD DATE"

hey real quick, just pull up your socks.

this week was a week I will NEVER forget. sister RITCHIE and I had the highest results I have ever seen on my mission. oh, did you read that clearly? SISTER RITCHIE AND I. THE SISTER RITCHIE THAT WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH ME. yep, we laugh. all the time. sometimes I just look at her and we stare, and then we laugh. because we can't believe it. we're companions.

Tammy was baptized this weekend!!!!!! it was such a powerful meeting. she had been reading her book of Mormon all day and watching Mormon messages to prepare. she could probably tell you more about joseph smiths life than I can. that is why I love her. I spoke on the holy ghost at her baptism. I never felt the power of the spirit until that moment. I value the holy spirit that is with me. and im so grateful for Tam Tam for making that commitment to get it.

her daughter Katie came to her baptism. shes 19. we met her before and got to know her so when she came we were all best friends! Katie love us. which is a huge blessing, because shes open to our message too :) we've started to teach her. and two days after she brought her BOYFRIEND to listen too!! her boyfriend is STELLAR. he is very Christian and has Mormon family so hes totally interested in learning!! we read 2 nephi 31 (all about why Christ was baptized and why we need to!) tammy ended up preaching to them both. Eric was like full on glued to her words. we invited them to be baptized together and Eric looks at her and says, "well, that would be a good date!" I didn't stop laughing for at least 5 min. he said the closing prayer and thanked us for coming. and thanked Tammy for raising such a beautiful daughter. and then prayed to know if the things we taught were true. never....... have i thought a prayer was so adorable.

side note: when tammy was reading from the BOM she talked in an English accent like she was from those times. she cracks me up. i seriously don't know where she came from.

The winter games are going on here in PG. yes, the Olympics for CANADA! its huge. and there are so many people here from everywhere!! its SO dang fun. we met a guy and had a quick conversation with him and invited him to church (not thinking he really would) but he came!!!! and we went to welcome him and he was like "of course im here! i told you i would be. that's integrity!!" when he left he grabbed me and said "you're missin two things.. your wings!" haha oh brother. what a nice man. we're teaching him this week as well!!!

we had 8 new investigators this week so we have a LOT planned for this upcoming week! we can hardly wait. thinking about it makes me so pumped.

i have never fully embraced the gospel in my entire life and i am so eternally grateful that i finally did. i will never look back and i will always look back to my baptismal covenant. remember that day. it sounds like a fairy tale- we really do have a living Christ. when i tell people.. i don't know if there just smiling because i have a huge smile on my face, or if they are embracing a loving savior like i am. i hope you all know how lucky we are. i hope your book of Mormon reading is going good. that is how we will come to embrace it. and how we will TRULY.. TRULY.. truly be happy. i know this gospel is true! and i know it changes each of our lives- if we let it.

have an incredible week! don't forget to be GRATEFUL!

xoxo, sister ovard