Howdy howdy! 

This week has been a lot better. I've been out working a lot more and a lot of good stuff has been happening. We had 6 member present lessons last week, and I am really happy with the way the ward has been helping us out. It helps a lot to have a Ward Mission Leader that knows what he is doing and he does a lot for us. He is perfect for this calling. And since we have so many people that are getting close to baptism (we have 3 people set for August 30th) a lot of them need a lot of help, especially since Satan is a bum and tries to cause problems. But it is really cool to see how people progress and are blessed when they keep the commandments as well. For example, E has been investigating for like a year and she has wanted to get baptized so bad but since she was living with someone, she couldn't. And she didn't want to marry him, but she needed his support financially and didn't know what to do. Then, last month, when I was still in Mechanicsville, the Hermanas called me and told me they were doing a fast for E that the guy she was living with's heart would be softened so she could get baptized. So we had like everyone that had ever taught her fasting for her that she would be able to be baptized. I actually forgot to do it on the day they said, but I did it the Sunday after. Whoops. But then, I got transferred to this area again. And what happens like two weeks in? He gets put in jail for drunk driving. And they are going to deport him because he doesn't have papers. Also it's not his first time in jail. But, it may not be exactly an orthodox method, but now she can live the law of chastity and doesn't have to worry about it anymore. And she says that even if he didn't get deported, she would leave him. She just needed a little help making a decision, I guess. But now she is very sure and she is excited for her baptismal date on August 30th! And I am so excited for her too! She is like my Hispanic mother. She is so cute. 

Also, yesterday we went to church (obviously) and a former investigator showed up that used to come all the time! I was sitting by him and they announced the stake temple trip and the times, etc, and this investigator says he wants to go! Obviously he couldn't go inside, but he has always been super interested in the temple. He knows he needs to be baptized to be able to go inside, but I explained about the visitor's center and he was way interested. So yeah, we'll see if he'll go (he'd have to be there for the whole like ten hour trip and stuff) but we think it would be great! No complaints here. 

And also I was sick AGAIN yesterday. I am so sick of getting sick. I think I might be getting strep. Again. Ugh. But yeah, it is not fun. Especially since there is nothing to do at the apartment. I wrote some cards to some various other missionaries and a letter to Shawn. But yeah. And I barely slept at all last night because my head was hurting and I had already slept a bunch that day. But it was just boring, mostly. There is nothing to do when you are just laying in bed in a pitch black room and someone else is asleep also. But oh well. Eventually I got to sleep some and had some funny dreams. I have been remembering so many of my dreams lately! They have been interesting. 

We talked to a Buddhist this week outside a store. It was interesting. He gave us some little booklets about Buddhism so we gave him a plan of salvation pamphlet. He actually already knew quite a bit about the church. He said he'd read the Book of Mormon (before we'd even mentioned it) and knew Utah was church headquarters and such. It was an interesting encounter. But he was nice. 

We also knocked into a random Hispanic member that no one knew about. We only had like 5 seconds to talk to him because he was leaving, but he said his Dad is a patriarch, which was a big surprise. It must be wherever he is from though, because there aren't many Hispanic patriarchs around here. I think there is one in the Chesapeake mission. But it was just disconcerting because he was wearing this honking big cross on his chest with an awkwardly mostly unbuttoned shirt. It was a strange moment. We're going to go back this week and talk to him again and find out more. So yeah. 

Today is the "sister's p-day," which is basically zone p-day but without the Elders. Which means we can actually do something besides just play sports. I think for Elder P-day they are playing sports. But we are going to the zoo with all the Sisters in the zone!  So that will be a party. I hope I don't give anyone strep. Animals can't get strep, can they? And I'll just try not to give any hugs or besitos to anyone. Hopefully I won't take down all the missionaries. That would be unfortunate. But anyways.

Ummm... Yeah. I can't think of anything else to say. 

Well, have a wonderful week! I love you lots! Don't get any diseases or anything!

Love,

Hermana Emily Pratt