December 12,"Transfers-Tallahassee"

So some surprise news! Transfers were this past week and we were expecting that I would be staying in Crestview and hopefully Sister Saunders would stay as well for at least one more transfer. Well, President Smith called us early one morning to tell us that I am getting transferred to Tallahassee to be head STL (kinda the equivalent to an AP for sisters) with Sister Stephens who is going home next transfer! I am really grateful to get this opportunity early on my mission to learn what I can from the amazing sisters in the mission! I am grateful that the Lord trusts me enough to be this for Him!

This week was a good week! Sister Saunders and I noticed this past week how stagnant Crestview is and we have felt some challenging times here, especially this past week, but we both grew a lot out of it and tried to find the joy and happiness in doing what we could even if others were unresponsive. I am really sad I am leaving Crestview especially because there are so many members and families that I have grown to love and sad I will miss Christmas here, but happy for change and the growth that comes with that. 

Love y'all so much! Next time we write I will be in Tally! 

Sister Baker

December 5,"Month Of Service"

Another busy, all over, crazy week but a good week!

We had Missionary Leadership Council this week and then Sisters Conference where all the sisters in the mission came together and the Mission president and wife spoke and it was a really inspiring event, and also exchanges! The Sister's Conference was all focused on Anchoring Ourselves in Jesus Christ and on working on ourselves with Christ so that we can become something more! I really have seen that on my mission and so grateful for the ways He is refining me and molding me! I loved being able to see all the sisters that I really have grown to love and admire! They had the sisters that are soon to be departing bear their testimonies and it is so inspiring to hear their heartfelt testimonies of the Savior! I have really appreciated their examples to me and hope that I can be for someone what they were and are to me! 

For December 1st (Worldwide day of Service) President Smith came to Crestview to help us serve at a local soup kitchen. I am really excited for the greater emphasis there is on service this month and to see God's hand more as we look for ways to serve and give of ourselves.

I am really looking forward to Christmas on the mission! The members here are so good at making sure we are taken care of and fed and loved! 

We find out transfer news this Saturday and I am hoping for more time with Sister Saunder's but I know God will have His hand in whatever happens! 

Love y'all! Thank y'all for your continued support and love!

Sister Baker

November 28,"Thanksgiving" 7 months

Zone Training was this week which is where all the Elders and the Sisters in the zone get together and the Zone Leader's and the STL's discuss for a couple hours the mission initiative of obedience through charity and love and service. The church just came out with a new Christmas initiative talking all about service and Jesus Christ so we have been using that lately as a finding tool! As missionaries and members, we have been challenged to do different service projects for those around us for 25 days leading up to Christmas. I am really looking forward to seeing the many hearts that will be softened and uplifted because we are striving to follow Christ's example and serve those who are placed in our path. 

To start off the Thanksgiving day, we served at a local soup kitchen/church and met with a lot of those around us who are less fortunate. It made me happy to be able to do something for them and excited to think of all the ways this next month of December we are going to be looking for opportunities to look outside of ourselves and give! 

We had so many people in the ward invite us to their Thanksgiving meals which was so wonderful! Except for the fact that we had a hard time saying no so we had 3 full Thanksgiving meals (fried turkey, stuffing which they call "dressing" here, sweet potato casseroles, rolls, pies, the works) all within 5 hours. We drove from one dinner appointment to the next and our stomachs were plenty full but it was so good to be with all the wonderful members of the ward! We feel very loved! 

We have met a lot of amazing families and people this past week who we are very excited to see where they go! I am grateful to be serving a mission and I really do have so much to be grateful for! Going on a mission has opened my eyes to all the many ways the Lord has blessed me and prepared me to be here and also all the ways He is preparing me for the future! I am grateful for the joy that I am discovering on the mission as I try to give more of myself and hold nothing back from the Lord. There is joy in the work! 

Love y'all!

Sister Baker

November 21

This past week Sister Saunders and I went on two exchanges with some wonderful sisters in the zone! I feel like I have really learned so much from observing others sisters and how much they give for the gospel! They are examples to me!

My first exchange was with Sister Dominique who is a recent convert! Our exchange was a blast especially when the car decided to not start right after our lesson and we spent the rest of our exchange in a Firestone auto shop waiting for our car to be fixed. Good times! 

The second exchange was with Sister Trawick (who I forgot to take a picture with, whoops) and it was neat to be with her! She is still pretty new and I remember what exchanges felt like when you are still getting the hang of things. I remember how I felt about the STL's and how much I learned and looked up to them so it's cool for me to think that I can be like that for someone else!

A quote that has been my motto for the past week is that "Opposition permits us to grow  toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become." And I have seen that! I have seen God help me a lot this past week and make me strong beyond my own power to do so! I have been praying for more faith this past month and I see now how much faith and trust I do have in God, and I am grateful for all that he gives and takes away so that I can learn to become more of what he wants for me!

 I am grateful for this Thanksgiving week to reflect on all the things I have to be grateful for! I am grateful for my family and friends that support me and love me! 

Sister Baker

November 14,"Mission Reunion"

This week was crazy busy but I am loving it! We had Missionary Leadership council with all the leaders in the mission and the Mission President, where we talked about the needs and concerns of the missionaries here and it was so awesome to discuss what we can do to help improve the mission culture. I love this mission and our zone!

Sister Saunders and I are getting along so well, I consider her one of my really good friends on the mission. We are having fun getting to know the area and the people here better! Time seems to be flying by, I can tell this transfer with her is going to go by too quick!

One cool experience this week was with an elderly lady named Sister Fonville. We came by and you could tell that she was just not in a good place spiritually, and she told us she just wanted to give up, she was never going to be able to quit smoking, and never make it to the temple! The thought came to us to ask her where she thought all these negative thoughts were coming from and right then you could tell the spirit change in the lesson. Right as we all acknowledged that Satan was putting all of that in her head, she softened and the rest of the lesson was full of hope and faith. Her countenance was completely different. I am going to miss experiences like that where God works through you to help someone get off their spiritual cliff. 

There is a lot of good things up ahead for me in this area! I love Crestview and the ward and the families and all their examples to me! I am learning so much!

Love y'all so much! 

Sister Baker