Hola!

This week has been good, not a lot has happened. We did have this cool lesson with one of our investigators named V where we were going to show her a conference talk about the Book of Mormon ("Safety for the Soul" by Jeffery R Holland - go watch it) because she doesn't really have a strong testimony of The BoM and we can't get her to pray about it, but we couldn't get either of her dvd players connected. We tried for like half an hour. But then after that we were both pushed by the Spirit to share something else about how to recognize answers to prayers and it was so great! The Spirit was super strong and she really responded to the lesson. It was cool to see how the Spirit was really just pushing us. Because we were really trying hard to hook up those dvd players and I was just thinking the whole time, "Man, I've really lost the little technological skill I used to have..." But it was just a testimony to me that the Spirit really does guide us. She still has a lot of walls to break down, and I think it will be a long process with her, but she really does have so much faith. She is great.

And also we had a plan of salvation lesson with her (the first half) and when we asked her what she thinks the purpose of life is. Essentially, she said, "When you first taught me this, I didn't know what my purpose in life was. But since then I believe I have realized what my purpose is. God put me here on this earth to serve and to bless others. I have been given so much and I need to share. I may not have a lot of money, but I can give other things, and I can be a friend to those who need it and make people happy."

She went on, but that was the essence of what she said. It just hit me so hard. This woman lives in a trailer park and has no computer, no cable, no tablet, none of the luxuries that everyone in this world thinks is essential, and she was still telling us how much she has been given, and how much she has to give to others. She really does know her purpose. It doesn't matter how much we have, or what we have, there is always something we can give, even if it is only a smile, or to be a friend. And I know pretty much everyone reading this has so much more than this wonderful woman materially, and we can all at least give of our time and talents.

Also, when she told us that she didn't used to know her purpose, but since we have been teaching her she had found it, it was such a cool feeling. Sometimes it is hard to see what good I am doing, when people don't progress, or when no one wants to listen, or when people drop us, but if all the good I were to do out here was just to help V find her purpose, I would be okay with it. It is an amazing feeling, to be able to help people become better, even if they don't join the church, or become reactivated, if I can just help people come closer to Christ, I have done my job.

But yeah, not a ton has happened this week. We've been visiting some members, and President Wilson has been asking us to do something different at member dinners. Rather than just sharing a scripture or a spiritual thought, he wants us to role play sharing the gospel with them. It's been really interesting and I think it has been going well. There is this 10-year-old girl that we role played with who gave away a Book of Mormon to her friend and said, "This book made me really happy! You should read it!" and her friend has been reading it! How cool is that? That whole family is great. The mom cut my hair for free for me! Just so it would me a more grow-outable haircut, you know? Because it can be awkward to grow out you hair from a short cut like I had.

So, if anyone wanted to write me a letter or send me pictures at any point in time, they could. If they wanted. 

Transfer calls are at the end of this week. This has been like the fastest transfer of all time. They are just getting faster and faster. I don't want anything to change though. I love Hermana Horton, and I love this area, too. And since I was so sick I haven't been able to work as hard as I would like. Especially since I work with Hispanics. It is worse if you get one of them sick, since most of them don't have papers and so they can't just like go to the doctor like most people would, and their jobs are a lot more tenuous and so I just hesitated a little more to go out when I was super contagious, especially with strep, since you need an antibiotic to cure that one. But oh well.

Anyways, I don't have much more to say except that I love you all tons! You are the greatest and I'm so grateful for your support and prayers! It is really cool to think about how many thousands of prayers go out for me every day when people pray for the missionaries, and how many people are praying for me specifically. It would be hard to believe if I couldn't feel the strength of them. It is really cool. Thanks!

I love you!

Hermana Emily Ann Pratt