Dear Family,

It must have been the computer that was having problems because I opened the email again and it worked fine. Thanks for always sending me an email. You are the only one that I can count on for an email every week.

I'm getting transferred! It is exciting. Sister Stowers and I are both beig transferred together and we are opening a new sisters area. We are going to Destin, which should be fun. They have a very strong and active relief society, and the elders that are there right now say that it is definitely a sisters' area. Since both Sister Stowers and I are being transferred from campus, we might not be transferring with everyone else. President wants our investigators to be able to make the transition and not get lost. So, we might hang around here in Tallahassee to get the investigators turned over to the new sisters. Hopefully, by next weekend we will be in Destin. We will definitely be having p-day on Monday again so that will be when I write next. I'm so excited! We might end up eating McDonalds for Thanksgiving, but that is alright. The senior couple at the Institute has spoiled us with a Thanksgiving dinner yesterday and they are making a special dinner for us Monday night. I'm really going to miss them. They really made this place not as bad as it could have been.

We had an alright week this week. We had Zone Conference on Tuesday which is always the best part of the week. It was amazing again. We talked about obedience and the importance of obedience. President Summerhays said that when we choose to not be obedient we are signing up for a miserable life and also signing up to receive no blessings. I had never thought of it like that before. We also talked about prayer. President also wants us to be more expressive in sharing our love with others, so we did this really fun activity where we went around the room saying why we love each other. It was great fun, kind of awkward having elders tell you that they love you, but it was fun. And, it was a good experience as well. I asked President what I should do with my life, and he said I was qualified to do anything. He said that we would talk about it in the future.

We also were able to set another baptismal date with one of our investigators. She is great, and I'm sad that we'll be leaving her. In our last lesson she said that she knew that being baptized into the Church was what she needed to do, she just wanted to make sure she knew and understood what she would be doing. She makes me happy everytime that we get to meet with her. The new sisters won't actually be teaching her. Instead, one of the sets of elders will be. It is a better match personality wise. She said that she was going to be sad if we left and that she felt comfortable with us. hearing investigators say things like that is the hardest thing to hear when you are getting transferred, but that is what happens. It is a good thing people are converted to the gospel not to the missioanries!

Our toilet has been having problems lately. When we came home from Zone Conference this week, we had a really messy problem that they didn't fix until the next day. It was a little miserable there for 24 hours until they got it fixed. But, I'm grateful that we have good living conditions. There really is nothing to complain about.

Thanks for sending those talks! I really appreciate them. We didn't get to go to the CES Fireside where Elder Holland spoke, but everyone kept saying that it was really good. I'm glad that I could read it. As I was reading it I couldn't help but liken it unto myself, and it made the talk so much more meaningful. Everyone should read it. It is good.

The weather here has been freezing! The lows a couple of nights this week were in the 20s. I was so surprised! It isn't supposed to be this cold in Florida. I've learned how to do some nice layering jobs to stay warm during the day. The hardest part is that from about midcalf down to the toes you can only where so many pairs of nylons/tights. But, I can be a little cold to share to gospel with everyone around me.

There is a baptism tonight for one of the sets of elders. The young man who is getting baptized is amazing! He saw the elders talking to his friend on campus and joined them and started telling his friend that what the missionaries were teaching was true. He is really on fire and actually is thinking about going on a mission. The elders have taken him to some of their teaching appointments and they said that he was awesome.

I aksed Sister Summerhays about being reimbursed. The $94 dollars was probably for the first visit. I paid for the second visit with my debit card, so it will probably just be put into my account, but how do I get access to that $94 dollars on my credit card? Will it just hang out there if I don't use it? Maybe, there is someway to transfer it over to my bank account. It probably needs money in there.

So, I have been thinking about Christmas a little bit lately and have started compiling a Christmas list. Here is what I have so far:
-a new watch. mine has been under several surgeries and it is about out of commission.
-some tights. they have to be solid colors and no texture. I think black and maybe a nude/brown would be great.
-possible some leggings to keep warm. this might not be necessary because it might be warmer in Destin. and this cold spell might be just a crazy Florida weather thing.
-my gray Old Navy bag that I've had forever. The bag I am using is also almost out of commission. I guess since it spent 18 months in Argentina and then the past 14 months here that would be why. That other bag is somewhere in the bin that has all my bags. I think maybe it is in a purple bin of my stuff. I'm not really sure where anything is.

Well, I can't think of anything else to write about. We are having lunch with the ward mission leader and his fiancee, and then we get to start the fun packing process. I think it should be a little easier this time, since I haven't had 10 1/2 months to accumulate things :) I feel that I have been very good while I have been here in Tallahassee.

Well, I love you all! I hope that you have a great Thanksgiving!
Love, Joanna

Dear Family,

It is so great to write to you! Like Sarah's last email, this has been a long week, and I am glad that it is Saturday.

We had Lindsay's baptism last night. It was good and there was a good turn out from the ward. Here are some pictures from it. Her friends from Jacksonville came. There were four investigators that also came, which was a really good thing. The investigator that we are teaching was really glad that she came. She is amazing! She is going to get baptized soon. She gives the best prayers and even this week she prayed that she would be given the strength to take the steps that she knows that she needs to take.

We are having our Zone Conference this Tuesday. I am really looking forward to it. Last Sunday, we walked into the Church building to make some copies for our weekly coordination meeting and President Summerhays greeted us at the door. It was great! He wanted to talk to us about transfers and what was going to happen. He said he isn't sure, but there is a possibilty that I'll be transfered. I'll let you know what is happening next week. Because of that, I don't have any idea what will be happening with Thanksgiving. Transfers are two days before Thanksgiving so it is up in the air. It'll be good though. We are having district meeting that morning, so I'll at least be going to district meeting :)

So, Mom and Dad, I had a horrible dream last night about both of you. For some reason I was driving to someone's house to visit them. All of a sudden I was at the house on the corner of Beckley and Upper Fredricktown road by the 10 bridge. Y'all pulled up and I went to hug you and both of you pulled out cigarettes and started smoking them. I was horrified! And, then I woke up relieved. But, it must have been a crazy night for dreams because then later I dreamt that two of the Elders here and Sister Stowers were all being sent home. My mind is working too hard when I sleep!

I don't really know what else to tell you. Things haven't been too exciting here. Just the normal missionary stuff. Oh, this Sunday is the third Sunday so I better find something great for you to share. Yeah I can't think of anything. I hope the last couple of emails have something a little more beneficial in them. If not tell the ward that I am doing great and that missionary work is precisely that--work. It might not be happy and exciting, but we have to do it. Whatever you want.

I just looked at those pictures I sent, and I look like a sister missionary.
Yesterday while we were at the Ronald McDonald House we put the lights on their Christmas trees. I couldn't believe it. here I was putting lights on Christmas trees and it isn't even Thanksgiving yet. They have a Florida themed tree. I'm excited to see what it looks like. Someone asked me today if I would move back to Tallahassee. I said "No, I like cold weather."

Well, I guess that is it. Hopefully, next week will be a little more exciting. I love you all!

Love, Joanna

Dear Family,

Well, this week was alright. We met some really neat people that hopefully we can get back in contact with to teach. Our investigators are doing well. During our lesson with one of them this week, he told us that earlier in the week he had a dream. In that dream his grandfather came to him and told him that the Book of Mormon was true. He told us that that was the answer that he needed, so he is working towards being baptized in December. Lindsay's baptism for today got pushed back until next weekend. Other than that nothing new is happening.

Today is a big football game. We ran into a lady from somewhere in Eastern Europe that we had talked to before, and had a good conversation with her. The only thing is she can't make time to meet with us. It is sad to think that people aren't willing to make that time themselves. It is something we all have to do. I've realized that since I've been out. Time management is important and also making sure that we use our time wisely to do the important things in life like studying the scriptures and praying.

I wish we could have gone to the CES fireside. We didn't have any investigators go, so we couldn't go.

I don't know what else to write about. We'll probably be here for a while yet. Oh, here are the pictures.The first on is me and Melanie. She cut my hair. She is great and she helps us with a lot of stuff. She joined the Church almost three years ago. The other picture is with that house of girls. The are great! They are probably some of my favorite people here. They all are really good about helping us. The picture isn't too great, but you get the gist of it.

I just remembered something else I wanted to ask you about. Could you send me some recipes? The ones that I would really love to have are blonde brownies, banana bread, and baked apple donuts. I taught the Institute couple how to make German pancakes and they love them! They have even varied it up some and put cheese and jalapeno peppers in it.


I can't think of anything else to write. The work is great, and the Church is true! I love you all!

Love, Joanna

Dear Family,

I had a nice long email written, but then I accidently deleted it. I hate it when that happens. I can't even remember what I wrote. Sorry this one won't be as long. I'll probably write a letter today with some of the other stuff in it.

We had a good week. We had our special Zone Conference with Elder Mask. It was excellent. We also had really good lessons. We stayed safe last night with Halloween, because we were to be inside by 7:00.

Thanks for the package. I love the sweater. I looked at that sweater at Target and really wanted to buy it, but I didn't. Thank you! I cut my hair short last Saturday. I would send pictures, but this computer doesn't want to read them off of my card. I'll send them next week.

It sounds like exciting things are happening for Dad and Ben. Soon I'll have to worry about that, but for now I'll just enjoying worry about missionary work. Being able to do missionary work is great! I have loved being on my mission even though there were difficult times. I have never felt more joy and happiness. I don't think we ever understand the effect we have until much later on. I was reminded of that this week at our Zone Conference and then also in a letter I received.

Our investigators are doing really well. Lindsay is getting baptized next Saturday. She is moving to Jacksonville at the end of the semester, which is sad, but something she needs to do. Zach also said he would get baptized which is really exciting. He has such a great desire to do what is right and to make changes. It is really strange because all of our investigators act like members. No one at church really knows they are investigators unless we tell them so.

Well, I think I will write anything else I have to share with you in the letter I actually write. I love you! Thank you for all the love and support. It means so much to know that I have a family who is supporting me in what I am doing.

Love, Joanna