Hello family and friends!

I can't believe it is time to write again this week as well! When I look back over the week and month, I realize that even though the days sometime seem to go by so slowly, they really go by quite fast.

This week was a normal missionary week. We had our Zone Conference yesterday. It was really good. I really needed it, too. Sister Stowers did a great job with her training. I love serving with her. We get along really well.

At our Zone Conference, we talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon in the conversion process of our investigators and also in our own personal conversion to help us stay holding on to the iron rod after our missions. I can always tell when I don't have a good study of the Book of Mormon. Missing out on learning about the truths of the gospel and of the Savior can really affect how the day goes. I love the Book of Mormon! It is the truth!

The excema on my finger isn't getting fixed with the stuff the doctor gave me, so I'm going to be going back in sooner than planned. I hope this doesn't end up being a huge ordeal.

I got a letter this week from the Murrays. I loved it and the pictures they sent from their trip to Nauvoo. It is strange thinking that there are sisters serving in Mount Vernon, though. I very vaguely remember there being sisters when I was really young.

I also really enjoyed my birthday package from Joseph and Tracy. I was thinking it was a happy one year thing (because that is my mission birthday). It really made my day. I wasn't expecting it at all, and it was a really happy surprise! I also got the hot cross bun recipe, and I think Sister Bowcutt will really appreciate it.

I went on my first splits this week. Sister Stowers went Visiting teaching with her companion and I went tracting with a ward missionary. It was fun! She really enjoyed tracting! We have some great ward missionaries to work with. The members are the key to successful missionary work. Sarah pointed that out in her email. When members don't have missionaries around they realize the importance of helping the missionaries and appreciate the work they do so much more. I would love to open another area again!

Lindsay, our investigator, is really excited about getting baptized. We met with her right before her institute class on Tuesday night and she said, "Can I tell people that I'm getting baptized?" We said, "Of course, tell everyone!" She is going to be here this weekend, so she gets to come to church here instead of in Jacksonville. She is excited to see what it is like.

I'm excited for the Relief Society broadcast tonight. I didn't get to see it last year because I was in the MTC, and I really missed it. President Summerhays gave us special permission to watch it.

The weather here is beautiful! There is a little bit of a chill (okay, it's only between 60 and 65, but here that is a chill) in the mornings when we go out to exercise. Then during the day we don't sweat buckets of sweat any more. In fact, we hardly sweat at all! It is so nice! I am really excited about this weather.

Well, I think that is about it. I don't have anymore pictures to send, but I'll probably take some later today for next week. I love you all!

Love, Joanna