Dear family,

I thought I sent the email, but I didn't. Luckily, I remembered before we left the library. I didn't really take pictures in Troy and am still trying to process what all went down while I was in Troy. I'll figure it out and write as i get it figured out.

I am so happy to be back in Andalusia! Going away for two weeks and then being able to come back here, I have seen how great this area really is. I loved being in Troy on campus, but it just doesn't compare. I was really excited to hear that Sister Mickleson and Sister Osburn had done so much while I was gone. I am excited to keep having such great success and seeing miracles happen here. From what my companions told me and what I hear from the members and our investigators, I'm apparently not allowed to ever leave Andalusia :) I'm not sure what I've done to gain that trust, but I hope it has been an example to them of what we need to do in missionary work and how we need to be committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The lessons that we have had since I've been back "home" have been really great! This gospel really is true and really does change lives!

Now, about Troy. I liked being there. Missionary work there was different than missionary work here. Now with my hindsight I would have done things a little differently on my part. Maybe I'll get a chance to fix it in the future.

I feel that I really needed it. I can't really say that I did much while I was there, but I learned a lot while I was there. You could kind of say it was therapeutic for me to go. I absolutely loved working with Sis. Colvin! We had such a great time together, and I felt like I really could work hard while I was serving with her. I was physically worn out after serving with her. I was also happier working with someone who knows that we have to give it all we've got to do missionary work. The branch leaders are really dedicated to missionary work there. I was a little intimidated by their 'weekly teaching records' and how intense the branch mission leader was. It was fun to see how they went about missionary work there.

Here is missionary update for the ward. Lately, my Book of Mormon reading has been in Alma 26-29. The amount of joy that Alma and Ammon experienced was so great that it overwhelmed them. As I thought about this and how it all came about because of their missions, I likened it to myself. Up until I went to Troy I was okay with being a missionary and serving a mission. Of course, I wasn't the number one thing I wanted to do, but I knew the Lord wanted me to be serving a mission, so out of obedience I am serving a mission. I never really felt an over abundance of joy because I was serving a mission. Since I came back to Andalusia, I have really been thinking about Alma and Ammon and the other sons of Mosiah's missions in regards to mine. Now I can really say that I have found great joy in being here on a mission. After this transfer I will be done with 1/3 of my mission! There is no way that I really will only have a year left! I have found perhaps the greatest happiness I've experienced so far in my life in serving the Lord full-time as a missionary. Yes, there are discouraging days, but the joy of doing missionary work so greatly over shadows all the not fun parts of missionary work.

Thanks for all the support and prayers! I got the Valentine's day package today and letters from Uncle Paul's family as well. They were great! I love you all!

Love, Joanna