Dear Family and Friends,

This last week was great. Sister Chadwick and I were hoping for snow and imagining that the fog we were engulfed in the past couple of days was snow, but it is about 65 degrees today. It looks like there will be no snow. Thanksgiving was so good. People are so good to the missionaries! We ate two dinners and then had dessert later that evening. Of course, I ate way too much! The thing that was the most unique was that they eat cornbread dressing here and don't really do pies for dessert. However, there are some people from New York that live here so we got our fill of pie. I am in the process of collecting some good recipes to share with y'all.

This past week we truly saw the blessings that come from fasting and paying fast offerings. Last week we drained our funds for the month of December and we had two weeks left to go before we got more money. We were worried about what we would do especially with food and with toilet paper. All throughout last week, people kept giving us food-leftovers, dinner in their homes and dinners for us to take and cook for ourselves, etc. However, our need for toilet paper still hadn't been fulfilled. We didn't know what we would do! We kept devising ways to get toilet paper so we would last through this next week, but nothing was happening for us. The blessings of heaven were opened yesterday as a family who spends part of the year in Destin and the other part of the year in Ohio came though Andalusia and gave us the rest of their supplies that they wouldn't need anymore. What happened to be the majority of the stuff they gave us? Yes, toilet paper. The Lord really does keep his promises for paying tithing and fast offerings. This Church really is true!

The high school football team lost its playoff game. And Alabama lost to Auburn. However, the most glorious news came when we found out that BYU beat Utah again. We had a moment of rejoicing and then sang the fight song. Then we got back to work.

Thank you to everyone who sent letters this week. They always help motivate and pick up my spirits. I love you all! Love, Joanna

Dear Family and Friends,
Things in Andalusia are still going very well. Our new companion, Sister Mickelson is great. I don't understand why people dread trios. We love it! We can get so much more work done while we are in a trio.

The Lord really does bless His missionaries while they are doing His work. Even though we don't do a lot of tracting and contacting, we got four, possibly five, new investigators this week. And, they are sincere people. I feel great about all of them. And, the best part is they all came when we were visiting members or from member referrals. This work isn't just for the full-time missionaries. We get our best results from the members who invite their friends to learn more. I hope you are all taking the advice from General Conference. It was great to have those inspired messages about sharing the gospel. This work is true!

Well, a little more worldly news. Andalusia is in the third round of the football playoffs. Apparently they have a really good team. Next week is the big Alabama Auburn game. We'll see if we have any success next Saturday. We have two dinner appointments from Thanksgiving. I am excited. Oh, we also had Thanksgiving last week at the place where we do service on Fridays. They love us there and we love them. We are going to be going there on Wednesday this week since they will be closed on Friday. People have picked up on the fact that I am a yankee and apparently it is quite endearing. Two people this past week have called me something along the lines of their little yankee.

Well, I hope all is well with everyone. Thanks to everyone for their support and letters and emails. It makes the hard times easier to handle. I love you all!
Love, Joanna

Dear Family,
We don't have much time this week, so this will just be to tell you that things are good here. I'm excited for Sarah's call to the Peru Lima East mission. She goes in on my 6-month mark!

We had a pretty good week, even though it didn't feel like it during the week. We were able to get two of our investigators to set a baptism date! And, two of our three progressing investigators were at Sacrament meeting! It was great. I'm pretty sure I'm staying here in Andalusia. We can't get the transfer information yet, but I think we are getting a third sister. President told us that last week at Stake Conference.

I don't know if there is anything new. I've been learning how to work through disappointment as the non-member YW president told us she didn't want us to teach her the lessons. It was hard to hear that and to know what she is missing out on having the gospel in her life. We love her to pieces, but she just doesn't want to overcome her concerns.

Do you think you could send some piano music from the music binder. Each week we sing at a nursing home, so we need more music to sing.

I love you all and appreciate your prayers!
Love, Joanna

Dear Family,
Things are still good here in Andalusia. We had lots of meetings this past week so we were not in our area and couldn't get nearly as much as we wanted done. But, things are still going well. I love having meetings with other missionaries! There is such strength that can be gained from being around one another. I also love Pres. and Sis. Summerhays. They are great and I wish I could spend all my time working with them.

We are still working with our family of investigators. We got a little scared last night when the mom didn't greet us at the door like she had the past couple of times. Luckily, we were able to bring the Spirit and get her to hear the lesson. She really could tell that what we were teaching about the Plan of Salvation was true. Hopefully, she will keep praying to know that the Book of Mormon is true as well. We still aren't sure what to do with the part member family, but we are working on that. It is hard to know.

The work keeps on going. Nothing really exciting is happening. Oh, there is a new couple in our district and she is related to Scoresbys. It sure is a small world.

This Church is true! You can see it change people's lives. Even as we have been working with members, there is a change in them. We are gaining great inspiration as to help our branch grow. Keep praying for me because I am going to need it as we start working out our plan to find and invite others to this gospel. I love this work! Love, Joanna

Okay, I know I haven't been answering questions lately, but I keep forgetting. The weather switches between cool and warm about every three or four days. It is nice when the weather is cool, because I keep thinking that fall might be coming. We have seen some of the leaves change color, but things are still mostly green. They are in the middle of a drought. It doesn't really look like it, though.

Transfers are coming in a week and a half. There will be some changes, but I should be staying here. I'll tell you more about it next week when I learn more about what is happening.
I think Sarah will go to the Philippines or Taiwan. I will try and send more pictures next week. And, Melissa has a different email address since she got home from her mission, but I think you might have noticed that. Oh, because it does get a little cool, I might need some tights. I will let you know what I decide about that. I need to go email my mission president. I love you! Oh, I got the chocolate covered cinnamon bears and the the pictures from the wedding. They were both great!

I love you, again! Love, Joanna

Dear Family,

Things here in Andalusia are going great! I think this week I will start with Sunday and work my way back to last Monday. Yesterday we got to have our first Sunday in Primary and Young Women. It was a little rough. We do singing time in primary, which is tough because there are only two kids that really participate and sing. It was fun to sing primary songs again! Young Women was great. We taught about the Theme. The YW President is great. I really like her a lot. Oh, I took the fabulous wedding picture and people loved it. However, they did ask the old question: if Sarah was older than me :) People here are really excited for us to be here. We didn't quite realize that until after Testimony Meeting. After Church we went and had dinner with a member and then we met a less-active family. We don't know why they don't come to Church, but they are pretty set on not coming back. They were really friendly and told us to come back. We can help on their farm.

Saturday, we ventured out to the 'country'. There we learned a sad thing that is tearing this branch apart. There was an old Church built a long while ago which had a cemetery next to it where members used to be buried. About thirty years ago, they built the building we have now in town. The other building just sat in the country. A few years ago (I think about 7), they sold the old building. This caused a huge uproar and division between the people that live out by the old Church whose families did so much to get the Church. Most of the people who live out in that area have just stopped coming to Church because they are upset that it was sold. They are so bitter and can't forgive anyone. The saddest thing is that they still believe and know the Church is true, but because the man who sold it is active and goes to Church every Sunday, they refuse to go. Instead they go to the Baptist Church just up the road from the old Church building. It is like Thomas Marsh and the milk skimmings. How sad that they will give up all the blessings of the gospel and coming to Church just because their feelings were hurt years ago. We also had a great lesson that evening with our investigators about the Atonement. They still haven't come to Church because one is scared about making the decision to join. That is perfectly understandable. She wants to know for herself that this really is the true Church of Jesus Christ. We have a member that goes with us to those teaching appointments. She and her family are great! Friday, we did service serving lunch at an adult center. It was fun. We also went out into town to talk to people. It was your typical missionary day.Thursday we had our appointment fall through. It was disappointing, but it happens. Wednesday, we tried to meet some more less-active members and check up on some referrals. We also had Enrichment meeting and another lesson with our investigators. It was good as always. They are so eager to learn more. Tuesday, we had our district meeting. They are great! We said goodbye to a senior couple who are moving areas. They actually will only be a few miles from us and said they would see if we can get together for Thanksgiving. We also did some more service at a nursing home in Opp and ran into two members from Dothan, AL. One of them gave us two referrals to work on. And that brings us back to Monday. We chilled and then had dinner with a member family and met their neighbor who had a few discussions a while back when there were missionaries here before.

This week we were planning on having a district P-day but unfortunately it fell through. We were a little bummed because we live in the sticks and never get to see any other missionaries. But, we have new missionary orientation tomorrow, so we get to meet with missionaries and with President and Sister Summerhays. We are excited! I love President and Sister Summerhays. They are great! Then we get to have district meeting on Wednesday because three of the four companionships will be at new missionary orientation tomorrow and will be unable to go to the regularly scheduled district meeting. I'm excited. And, Wednesday is Halloween. We have an appointment with our YW president and family. I'm excited. It will be good to be with her.

I'm glad to hear that everything is going well with everyone. I was so excited to know that people are keeping me updated on their blogs. I feel like I am almost up to date on everyone's lives. People here are preparing for the Alabama-Auburn game. I am still deciding what side I want to join. We got a great vocabulary lesson yesterday day. I'm going to write a book so we can all practice when I get home. Be prepared for some good language:) Oh, here are some pictures. They are of the cemetery and the old Church.It is now part of a house. There are some more as well. I can't remember what ones I have sent you, but I hope you enjoy them! Have a great week! I love you all and am grateful for your support!

Love, Joanna