Hey my family!

Well this has been a pretty great week! We've been able to see some progress with the investigators that we're working with and also with some of the less active families that we've been teaching. I'm not sure if you use Elder Perry's Top 20 program back home, but basically what the ward does is select about 10-15 families that they'd like us as the missionaries to focus on and to teach. Well we have consistent visits with about 5 of the ones on that list and it's been a pretty awesome experience. Remember Elvis, the fire dancer at Disney? We're still teaching him, and he's doing extremely well. He was able to get his hands on his patriarchal blessing and his journals from his mission, and he's flying through it all. Ha it makes teaching him pretty simple but rewarding because every time we talk to him you can see it all coming back to him. Other then that we've been holding FHE with the Jewell family. Sis. Jewell is a single sister that has a bunch of her family that lives with her. They love having us over, and at one point we were thinking that we might have to stop going because the guy that was living there moved out (which just left sister Jewell, her two daughters and 12 yr old son, and then her older daughter's three young kids). Kind of confusing, I know haha. Well that evening the Relief Society president called us and asked us to "find a way to make it work" because Sis. Jewell really wants us teaching in their home. They're a really awesome family, and I was more then happy to find a way to make it work ha.
Other then that we were able to have another lesson with Gina Sastre this week! I never realized what an extremely smart lady she is. She's taken special courses and received certificates because of her extensive reading and analyzing of the Bible, particularly the book of Revelations. It can be a little intimidating talking to her sometimes, but she has a real thirst for knowledge. She pulled out the Book of Mormon/D&C/Pearl of Great Price that she had gotten 5 yrs ago from her first missionaries. The entire thing is covered by post-it notes and high lighting. She was amazed by how little she remembered from it, and finally declared that she would be reading it again, but this time it would be with an open mind looking for truth rather then just reading it to read. That was music to my ears. I know that she's so ready for the gospel to be in her life, and she's taking the right steps to learn more. She also told us that she'll be attending church with us next Sunday! Ha this lady is really awesome. We'll have another lesson with her on Thursday night.
Well we found out about transfers! Ha it's pretty funny to see all the drama that transfers create in the mission. Missionaries are calling each other the night before we official find out to see if anyone has heard any hints as to what might be going on, and then once we do know what's going on I'm sure the minutes used on our phones goes through the roof. I'm sure the mission office couples just shake their heads when they see the giant spike in phone calls. Anyways, I found out that I'll be training a new missionary next transfer! Haha honestly, my stomach did a back flip when I found out, but I'm starting to warm up to the idea. I don't really feel like I know enough, but if nothing else it will push me and help me grow.

Well I love you all so much! Thanks for all the letters and support! Have an awesome week and know that I'm thinking about you all!

Love,

Elder Kade Bartschi