I finally feel like a missionary!

Dear family,

It's great! I finally feel like a missionary! I think I've gotten used to most things on a mission and even though it's really hard, I'm starting to love it. P-days used to be really hard, because I would feel like a normal person and I'd start to feel weird. Now I love it! We go to Walmart and see like 20 other missionaries and it's great! We get to do laundry and wash the car and clean the apartment, and I just love it now.  I used to get really emotional when I read my emails because of either the shock of the news I would get,  because I realized how much I miss  you all, I felt homesick, or because I felt the Spirit. It has been so emotional for me and I always forget my tissues, haha. Today I didn't think I would cry until I read in Mom's email the words to "How Firm a Foundation." These last verses express exactly how I feel today and this past week.

In every condition--in sickness, in health,
In poverty's vale or abounding in wealth,
At home or abroad, on the land or the sea--
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

Fear not, I am with thee; oh be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand--
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o'erflow,
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials they pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose
I will not, I cannot desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake!

I have had the highest highs and the lowest lows in just the past few days. Right now I'm on a high, because I can see how the Lord has blessed me so much. I hope to keep this perspective and be able to keep loving missionary work. My testimony of fasting and the priesthood has been strengthened because I fasted that I would be able to withstand Satan's critical thoughts about myself and I got a blessing from my wonderful district leader on Saturday night, and during church I literally felt the powers of Satan loosed from my spirit. I was able to bear my testimony in both of the wards and I know it is the strength of the Spirit that is helping me to press forward with hope.

This week has been very interesting. We had a great lesson and set a baptismal date for two kids on Monday (who will be baptized in their dad's ward in Apache Junction), passed off our Red Mountain ward to some elders (and set a baptismal date with an investigator with them), and we also had a baptism with our wonderful investigator, Tammy. We had baptisms two weeks in a row! It was awesome!! None of those baptisms count for our numbers, but that's okay. It's all the Lord's work. Hopefully we can get some of our investigators to set baptismal dates this week.

It has been fun to get to know our new ward, but it's also sad to say goodbye to so many people we love in Red Mountain. They're like our children and our brothers and sisters and it's so hard to just hand them off. Still, I know that the Lord's hand is in this work and that the switch will be for the best. It's amazing how much I am growing to love people. I love the members, the investigators, and even their dogs. I hope to stay in touch with them forever, even though I've only known them for a short time. I told the Lomax's and the Sroufe's to stop by our house next time they're in Utah. They are two awesome couples. The Lomax's let us do laundry at their house and feed us and gave us clothes and the Sroufe's are a young couple that have helped us do missionary work and have become our dear friends. Both couples go to Utah pretty often, so I'm going to give them one of my cards that has my name and home address. (sorry my grammar is really bad! I don't have time to care about it even though I know it's wrong.)

Here are some random fun things that happened this week:

• We found a cockroach in the bathroom this morning. It was about an inch long and we crunched it and put in the toilet. Gross! Oh well. We see lizards all the time and it's really cool. 
• I got to play soccer last week with some elders and sisters! It was fun, but no one else really knows how to play so it was kinda boring. I bought a soccer ball and it's fun to teach my companion how to play in the apartment. I love zone sports! We go every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and most of the time Sister Snyder and I are the only sisters who go.
• Also, at a gas station this week some random stranger paid for our drinks. It was really cool! That's the first time someone has done that for us. I felt so blessed. 
• On Saturday and Sunday Elder Anderson of the twelve apostles is coming to our stake conference!!! We are so excited!! It should be an amazing experience. 
• We have some new sketchy apartments in our new ward! It feels like you're in another country. It's sad to see that people struggle to have enough money to feed their kids.

I'm so excited to hear about who the new bishop is and what gender Eliza's baby is!!!!!!!! One of my investigators is pregnant and will have her baby in December.

I know that the Gospel is true!! It makes me so happy as I've come closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my trials because my testimony is so much stronger now.  I know I am a daughter of Heavenly Father who loves me and cares for me. I know He is guiding me and helping me every day. Everything will work out. The Atonement helps me in all my trials and angels are around me to bear me up. Keep living and sharing the Gospel. If you want to be a little happier, share the Gospel a little. If you want to be a lot happier, share the Gospel a lot more!!

I love you all! Thanks for your support and love!! I am learning to love my mission! Hurrah for Isreal!! :)

Love, Sister Sallstrom