Chiquitas in Carolina

My heart is so full of happiness and joy for all the wonderful events
of this weekend!! What a happy time for everyone to be together! Can't
wait to hear ALL the details one day. Congratulations again, Grandma
and Grandpa! I'm so happy for y'all!!

It's been a week of highs and lows on all fronts, weather included:)
We're teaching a few really great people right now. E, is
preparing for baptism on February 15th  (Happy birthday to Quincy
Larue poo) what better day to have a baptism. Pray for her:) We had
our first sacrament meeting a few days ago with the newly aligned
ward. The bishopric spoke and the stake president did as well. It was
an incredible meeting. I have a really great feeling about all these
changes. It's going to be so good. I was so fired up and excited after
sacrament meeting. We didn't have sunday school or relief society
because the ward is pretty much starting from scratch but we had a
nice potluck. Chicken wings included. I felt like i was right back in
Noni's house on Christmas Day.

We had a couple really good exchanges this week. I got to be with one
of the best, Sister Reid. She's a tender mercy for me. I love her. I
went up to an area called Welcome on exchange last week too. It's near
High Point. We taught like crazy and rode our bikes literally a
million miles. I am a champ at the bicycle. Don't mess with me. Then Saturday 
 I got picked up, drove right back to Charlotte, and we
were on our bikes all day Saturday as well. Holy moly.  Sore. But all 
for a good cause. :)

Yesterday was the famous MLKJD. President Craven switched it to a
proselyting day because it's more effective when everyone is home all
day. We taught some great people.
Story: Kate, read this. There's this young man that had been taught by
sisters in another area and they gave him to us when the boundaries
changed. We had a set appointment with him so we went to the address
we were given and this cute little old lady answered the door  and
just stared at us with a smile on her face. We asked if our investigator was home
and in the thickest accent she said, He is with company. And she closed
the door behind her and joined us on the front porch. Her cat had
escaped so we were all surrounding the car where it was hiding. A
young man in his twenties came outside to get the cat. He started
speaking to is gramma in a different language and immediately my heart
started beating fast and I thought, they're UKRAINIAN!! I felt an
immediate eternal connection to these people and got the tiniest
glimpse of the love Katie has for the Ukrainian people. My heart was
literally going to explode, all while these two American missionaries
and two Ukrainians are chasing this cat around a car.
Turns out he is in his mid twenties, his gramma is straight from Ukraine
and hardly speaks any English. He translated pretty well. She knew
about polygamy, The Book of Mormon, and missionaries. He was
interested in the Book of Mormon and so was she. We picked a Ukrainian
copy up for her last night from the office and I can't wait to take it
to her.
Kate. Ask your mission president if you have permission to teach
someone in Ukrainian in America over Skype. Let's make it happen.
#sistercompanions #yoso

I love y'all. Your constantly in my prayers. I'm so grateful to be in
a family that loves missionary work. Never stop! "how great shall be
your joy with him" there isn't a greater feeling in the world. The
gospel is true. God lives. Jesus is the Christ.
Have a great week! Sure love y'all!
Love, Sister Mad

Also. Funny story, on exchange in welcome, a member took us to a mex
restaurant. The elders were there and we were talking about free fried
ice cream from Los Hermanos on your bday and this restaurant had fried
ice cream...the member got up "to go to the bathroom" a few minutes
later the whole place came out and sang clapping hands with a sombrero
that they put on my head. Only on exchange. Birthdays everyday!