This week has been a pretty good one. We did exchanges this week after district meeting, so I got to try working out in a new area. It was really good. I was with Hermana Horton again, in my first area, so that was fun. 

I've been working on improving a little every day, rather than trying to do everything at once. I was reading in Jacob 5 and it talks about taking out the bad stuff (like bad habits/choices) but only as much as the roots have strength. It talks about how you have to replace the bad with good. And I was thinking about why you can't just take out all the bad at once and just do a huge 180 change, or you'll just end up worse than you started out, and you will fall back into old habits. It was kind of cool. I know that it was just for me, because I've been trying so many different ways to change and be better, but it hasn't been working, and I think it was Heavenly Father telling me that I'm trying to do too much at once. And since I read that, I've been going slower and I have been improving steadily. I am able to work harder now and I'm not so discouraged. 

I think I've also been worried because, since I only have just over 3 months left, that there isn't time to change. But it also said in the chapter that the "season" was coming soon, so Heavenly Father hired servants to help him to hurry the process along. I think Hermana Kingsley was definitely sent to me for a reason, because she has been helping me so much. She is super patient with me when I need it, but we talked about it this week during weekly planning and how we could be better and I told her that I could really use a push, so she agreed to help me. It feels like the season is definitely coming soon, but Hermana Kingsley is helping me be able to be a good missionary again. And of course, I have the Savior, and I have been able to feel the Spirit with me, guiding me again more and more strong. I feel like for I while I kind of stopped trying so hard. But now that I am really trying again, even though I am far from perfect, Heavenly Father knows that I am trying and I can feel His hand supporting me when I feel like I can't keep going. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father and I know He loves me and it does matter to Him what I am going through. Even though I feel alone sometimes, it is when I leave His side that I am vulnerable. When I do my best and really try to stay close to Him, He stays close to me, too.  I love the story in the Pearl of Great Price about when Moses sees God and then Satan comes to him and tempts him, telling him to worship him. I LOVE Moses' response:

 13 And it came to pass that Moses looked upon Satan and said: Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?

 14 For behold, I could not look upon God, except his glory should come upon me, and I were transfigured before him. But I can look upon thee in the natural man. Is it not so, surely?

 15 Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; for God said unto me: Worship God, for him only shalt thou serve.

 16 Get thee hence, Satan; deceive me not; for God said unto me: Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten.

I know that I am a daughter of God, and that I am more powerful than Satan. He tries to get me to forget who I am, because when I forget who I am and what I'm worth, that's when I am weak and when I struggle, but I know that Heavenly Father is more powerful than Satan, and I am His daughter, in His likeness, and Satan gave up all his glory when he rebelled against God. Pride is a dangerous thing. It makes us fall more than anything else. When we are prideful, we break our ties with God, thinking that we know better; that one small thing doesn't really matter in the long run; saying that we can do it alone. Well, I can tell you, we don't know better. Every decision we make can be the one that turns our life around. Most importantly, we can't do it alone. We need Heavenly Father's love. We need Christ's Atonement. We need the Spirit's guiding influence. I am grateful for the scriptures and for all the help that our Heavenly Father has given to me. If we try to do it alone, because of pride or whatever, we will not succeed. Maybe it will seem like it for a little while, but it won't get us far.

And I already know all that, but I guess Heavenly Father is trying to tell me something, because that message has just been coming up over and over again. But yeah. There is my rant of the week. Enjoy it. I thought it was cool. You should all read the Pearl of Great Price if you haven't recently. Or even if you have. It's not that long. It is a great book of scripture. 

Well, this week was a good one. We've had some good lessons. 

Oh, and this week J called us. Did you hear? SHE called US. She asked us to come help her move. I was in Chesterfield, but Hermanas Kingsley and Dangerfield helped her out and she is still awesome. So that is cool! She is really excited to learn. She told me when she called she talked to her pastor (I was like, "Ohhh... Dang it...") and that he agreed with her that God sent us!! ("...Wait. What? Are you sure?") It was so cool! Usually when people talk to their pastors, especially when they are really good friends with their pastor like she is, that's the end. She even told him we were Mormons. It was so cool! Heavenly Father really wants her to have this Gospel right now. It's exciting. 

My awkward/embarrassing moment for the week is.... Probably when the buttons of the dress I was wearing (like three of them, right in the front) were open during our member dinner yesterday. Awkward. And I wasn't even wearing an undershirt, so that was unfortunate. 

Well, I love you all! Have a wonderful week and remember to send me some awkward moments!

Love, Hermana Pratt