Happy June!

Hey Everyone,

I can't believe it's June! This is just so weird that the year is almost halfway over! Time really is flying by for me! I am nearing my halfway mark, and it's not real to me! It definitely feels like summer though! It's been like 95 for the last week, and when we tract or even when we're just going in between the car and houses, I can feel the beads of sweat dripping down my back. Sunday I walked into church, and I took off my backpack and Hna. Xiques said my back was completely wet. I felt a little embarrassed, but there wasn't really anything I could do. I'm just grateful that the summer will eventually be over. And 95 is nothing! It's only going to get hotter and more humid! But honestly I am enjoying the warmth, although it makes me miss the cold and the snow just a little.

I feel like nothing new is going on. Miguel is still set for being baptized on June 6. We finished teaching him everything this past Sunday. He just needs to be interviewed. He's very excited, and we are too! He came to church on Sunday.

We are continuing to find new investigators and we find awesome people for the english sisters and elders to teach. Sometimes I wish we could teach them because they seem SO golden, but we get to teach all of these amazing spanish families.

We're going to Watonga to teach the Reza family tonight. Two of their daughters, Yolanda (Erica's daughter) & Liliana (Mari's daughter), are going to girls' camp this week. We're WAY excited for them. I kind of wish I was in young women's again so I could go with them. Man, I LOVED going to girls' camp. I guess you could say I'm a little jealous of them. I just hope they all the other girls will fellowship them and that they'll make new friends. I also hope they any imperfections of the leaders and the girls will be overlooked, and that this will be a good experience for them. There have been a lot of problems with getting girls' camp settled, mainly in the branch. The biggest thing being that the branch doesn't have a leader going. But it'll hopefully be okay. (Also, just a note in case some of you were wondering, the girls speak spanish and english, but their parents only speak spanish. That is the case with most we teach. The parents speak spanish, but the kids speak both. A lot of the time, the children actually understand english better.)

Maria Martinez... The elders were able to give Sonya, Maria, and Jose blessings last week. It was a neat experience. The spirit was so strong, and I know they felt that. Sonya was also so calm. She's 2 and has down-syndrome. She never lets anyone touch her head, even to do her hair. But Elder Bass layed his hands on her head, and she didn't even move. I know Maria saw that and realized that there is something different about the blessing Elder Bass gave her daughter. I have such a strong testimony of priesthood blessings! And yet every time I witness one, I still am amazed at how the priesthood works and how much Heavenly Father loves us. I'm grateful for the elders and their worthiness and willingness to exercise the priesthood. We found out yesterday that Sonya had to go to the hospital. I'm not really sure how serious it is, but I hope everything will be okay. I love this family. I really feel like Sonya will be what will bring her family to the church. I feel like that is why Sonya was born into this family with down-syndrome, to help her family be ready and willing to accept the gospel. Because like Maria said, every member of their family is completely healthy.

We also had interviews with President Gee last week. I wished I could have talked to him longer. It made me a little sad to think that was my last interview with him. I have seriously grown to love him so much. When I got to the mission, I really didn't want to be close to my mission president. But as I've asked for help and let him into my life he has truly been a blessing to me as a missionary here in Oklahoma. I'm so grateful for him and all he does for me and for all of the missionaries in this mission. With President Taylor coming, President and Sister Gee are to have no contact with any of the missionaries still here in the mission until they finish their missions. I look forward to going to their house next year in Sugar City, Idaho (right next to Rexburg, Sis. Gee said that it's like a 10-15 drive from their house to BYU-I).

I am so grateful that I am a citizen of the United States. I didn't really realize how blessed I am, and I still think I take it for granted. But there are so many members and investigators that we know who don't have papers to be here, and it makes me so sad. This came up in church, during 3rd hour combined RS/Priesthood, and I just am so grateful for what I have.

That's it for today! I love you all so much! I really do think of you guys and miss you! But the mission is wonderful! It's shaping me into the person Heavenly Father needs me to be!

Again, I didn't hear from Corey, but I'm sure all is well in Japan.

Love,

Hermana Christina Hogewoning