My Heart is in Texas: Houston Texas Baby!!!

Sister Loo from the Hood

As from one of our ward members when he saw my hair this last week... "You look more ghetto now!"

I love seeing different people's reactions. President Pingree's wife about gasped when she saw me... hope this isn't against any of the rules. :) And then so many people love it!

I think everyone thinks I'm black now but it fits with Sister Huber and I's motto now... "We only teach black people." Since our last 3 baptisms were and everyone we seem to be teaching and finding are black as well. I guess I just fit right in.

It took a long time to get my hair braided... 9 Hours. I think we watched every approved church movie with Isaaclyn during that time. Too bad we couldn't count it as more than 1 lesson. :) But it was a lot of fun and we were able to bond with her and get to know her even better. I even got some authentic African food as well. I tried my first pig hoove fat... didn't necessarily like that but I did try it!

Isaaclyn and KP Baptism

On Wednesday, Isaaclyn and KP were interviewed for baptism... Well the problem with having 18 year old missionaries is that they get a little curious sometimes... So after the interview an Elder was playing with the fire alarm and made it go off. It took us about an hour to finally get someone who knew how to shut it off. Oh elders...

Isaaclyn and KP were so excited for their baptism and we were too! We created a plan with KP to be able to keep himself busy and distract him from the temptations that Satan would throw his way in wanting to smoke. So sister huber made him some mint brownies to eat whenever he had the urge to smoke... I think he ate them all in the first couple of days though. He is hooked on those brownies now.

The morning of the baptism KP told us that he woke up and his urge to smoke was completely gone... such a miracle!

The day of the baptism Sister Huber and I went early to fill the font... We filled it and then went to the chapel to play some hymns. We took a break and went to the room and heard some draining noises. Oh no. The plug was slowly leaking water... We almost got in there and went swimming because we had no other idea on how to fix the problem. But luckily we found a bigger plug and I used some skills with a stick and broom to somehow manage to take the other plug out and put the bigger one on. Problem solved!

The baptism was absolutely wonderful and there were so many people there to support them! To our surprise Viet even came towards the end! They were then confirmed the following Sunday. They had such beautiful blessings.

Afterwards I was talking to Isaaclyn and asking her how she felt. She said, "I feel so full. I don't know how all these people go about life without the gospel. I feel so great." Isaaclyn wanted to make sure she got pictures of everything. She told us that she wants to get pictures to show her family and her kids one day.

KP was smiling from ear to ear. He was so happy. We had a new investigator, Joseph at church who our ward mission leader had met the day before, and after sacrament meeting KP walks up to him and says, "Welcome to the ward, man!" He loves that he is a member of the church and feels even more like a member of the ward. He is going to be a great fellowshipper and missionary.

I am excited to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead with them. Isaaclyn's father passed away when she was 16 years old and we told her about being able to take her father to be baptized. She was really excited about that and to have an immediate family member part of the true church and gospel with her. :)

During Sunday School, KP came and asked if we were still going to come and have lessons with them or if we were just going to kick them to the curb. I guess once your baptized we are done...not. Baptism is the gate. We told him that we were definitely going to be coming over. This is only the start of so many wonderful blessings and ordinances ahead for these two.

Blessings & Prayers

Sister Huber and I are being so blessed. This weekend Danielle is getting baptized as well! Which will make 4 baptisms in the last month! The lord is truly hastening his work.

Please pray for Viet that his boss will be able to find a replacement for his job. As soon as his boss finds someone that means he won't have to work on Sunday's anymore and he can come to church for the first time! He already comes to FHE and Institute each week and is so involved in anything that he can. He just can't come to church. As soon as he does, he will be able to be baptized!

Spiritual Awakenings

This week at zone meeting we talked about spiritual awakenings and read Alma 5: 6-7 which reads,

6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them

Through our spiritual awakenings we are lead to Christ and it allows us to enjoy the blessings of the Atonement.

As I think about the many spiritual awakenings that I have had in my life, I am so thankful for the struggle and act of faith, the spirit that I was able to feel to be able to strengthen my testimony. It is through these spiritual awakenings that we learn and grow. We become stronger. It is all a part of Heavenly Father's plan for us on earth.

So when is a time where you experienced a spiritual awakening? I would encourage all of us to think of those time and what we can do to continue to have those moments in our lives.

I love y'all!

Love,

Sister Loo

A member's dog had 12 puppies...they are so cute!

Getting my hair braided and eating African food...

So the braiding was only suppose to take 4 hours, but she
underestimated the amount of hair I have and it took 9 hours.
Towards the end she recruited the help of Sis. Huber.

So the helmet alone wouldn't fit my big head...but then add

a whole bunch of hair in braids and its even worse!
I just had to take a selfie because it was too funny!
I'm sure people driving by had some good laughs!?