James, happy birthday, man. 

We had A REALLY GREAT TURNOUT AT CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A family in the ward's less-active son came, four of our investigators came. So many wonderful people bore their testimonies, and the Spirit was just there really strongly.  And oh, wow, do I have a testimony of the word of wisdom. People are just more prepared to hear the whispering, and promptings of the Holy Spirit when they're not focused on other things! These are eternal principles, you know? I've seen a change in our investigator. He just brightened up! He walks in the park, and goes and hides from all of the people he used to hang out with that drink alcohol and do drugs. He says before when he would try to quit, he'd eventually bum some cigarette off of someone, but now he's quitting and everyone's asking him if he wants some. He thinks it's funny ;)! Oh, my goodness--he's so excited to go to the Addiction Recovery Program every thursday and goes with a former investigator (that we just picked back up and are teaching again). Says he's so excited to learn how to express himself in English for like spiritual things.

Our investigator who was afraid to pray and hasn't for such a long time (18 wks?), prayed. Well, he asked for forgiveness in a group prayer with us, a couple nights after he'd gotten up in ARP and said he "hoped" God's mercy was greater than his wrath. I'm telling you. By the end of sunday night, I was too blown away to even use superlatives. There were some huge deals. 

Haaa it stinks, because these few sentences are things that took a long time to come about and then boom! Our investigator that prayed. WOW. 

A boy in the ward is convinced we wear blue every day. He's also convinced turquoise is blue. So, today we invited his sisters over to play the couch game with us and the member that we live with's grandchildren who were in town, and guess what? He wanted to go home first, because HE WORE BLUE! hahahha. Oh, it's the little things. :D They're also having us over for dinner next week,

 and I begged them to let us have some of their homegrown corn! From their garden!!! :D

This week we got a call from our investigator. "I decided not to read the 'Book of Mormon: Made Easy', so I read the Book of Mormon all day Friday, from 9-5pm. I needed to keep awake, so I was talking a walk. I stopped and prayed--something I've not done  ever before, I think, and I don't really remember what I prayed for, but I opened my eyes, and there was an Oregon Portland Temple picture on the ground, there, in the dirt." Sis. P:"Oh, wow. So, did you see this as answer?" "Oh, absolutely-- it made the hairs on my arms stand up."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

We got a call from this same investigator, this morning, after having a lesson with him on wednesday, and him committing to pray about a baptismal date-- while we were taking a nap, and I looked over and thought, 'don't answer, we're asleep,' and then, I thought, 'who do you think you are, YOU MISSIONARY'. "Hi, I was praying today, for the same thing I've been praying for: an answer to my question of is this true. All of the sudden, a lot of emotions and thoughts and memories washed over me: all the times y'all had met with me, the times I read the Scriptures, and went to church & felt the Spirit. I've decided I want to be baptized." Sister Poulson almost keeled over with joy. That's the truth. 

Our investigators with a baptismal date may have dropped us, but we're not afraid. We know that as we communicate the most important thing to them: the Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to return to live with Heavenly Father and our families, forever. 

You would think that having an incredible Spirit-filled week would tire us out, but I know that the Lord strengthens our capacity to have joy and be filled. Hearts just get bigger and then fill. Which is something else I think about a lot. Oh, if I do everything I'm told, I will be boring. Now, I realized, my life just keeps getting better and better, and is NEVER BORING. Evar. My goodness-- I hope y'all are growing and learning more, because that is the definite truth: if you're not moving forward, you're moving backward. That's legit. Buy a Preach My Gospel, and if you already have one, look up the "Questions of the Soul", section. 

I heart you all, and am so sorry for being a lame writer. 

Muah!

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE, Sister Bothwell

I'd love to hear from you all, about your spiritual experiences, and about your real life. :) <3