"Look, Ma! I'm growing!!

   That isn't a quote from anything--It's just the first thing that popped into my head.  I'm growing SO MUCH! It has become ridiculously apparent to me that my experiences right now are preparing me for the rest of my life. Prayer has become so much more of a comfort to me instead of just communication.  I also love my Mission President.  He is such a blessing in my life to guide me.  Anytime I have a problem, he points me to the scriptures! He teaches by example that the answers we need come from the Lord and the Prophets.  The learning curve as a trainer is ridiculous.  

   I was so surprised when I got Mom and Dad's email about their call to serve, but I am so happy for you! I had the wonderful experience of the Spirit confirming to me that this is what the Lord has had in store for our family for a very long time.  I'm just so happy that you were able to understand and feel God's will at this time.  I CAN'T WAIT!! I'm so excited to tell my Mission President. You'll have to forgive me for paraphrasing my call letter: "More blessings than you yet realize await you as you accept this call to serve the Lord."  I goes something like that... I know it's true!!  I love you so much. I know that you are about to step into one of the greatest callings you'll ever have.  Also, does this mean that you'll be released as the Stake Young Men's President? Mom, will you still be a seminary teacher? Don't even worry about not getting your call for Mother's Day! It will be so much better when I'm actually there to see it!

   The connections are actually pretty crazy here.  I'm glad you got in touch with Dad's cousin. In Ward Council the other day, the clerk said to me, "Is there anyone you don't know?!"  Apparently it's a running joke... But yeah, the Luvai family is great. We love going over there, and the kids are a hoot!

   Where does Sister Walker live?

Sorry this letter is so short... I'll try to round up some pictures.

Sister Pratt

Party!

Our mission at a glance

a cute little farmhouse I saw

Easter!!

Ok. Before you do anything else, I want you to stop reading... not right now because then you won't know what I want you to do. You can just stop reading at the end of the paragraph.  Anyway, when you stop reading, I want you to go to mormon.org/because of him and watch the video there. It is amazing! We've showed it to about everyone we've seen in the past week. I love it so much. Ok. Now. 

   It is the next paragraph, which means you should have gone and watched the video already. If you haven't, shame on you. I gave very specific instructions.  This week has been great. It didn't feel like a normal Easter holiday because it lacked all of the normal family traditions.  With that being said, I think this has been the most uplifting, spiritual Easter weekend I have ever experienced.  I was able to focus on Christ and forget about the eggs and bunnies.  It was wonderful.

   Dad, that is so crazy that you're retiring! I can't believe it either. Do you think your mission call will come before Mother's Day? I sure hope it does! I would like to see you open it.  I've heard that there are a lot of options available for couple missionaries and that you can choose if you want a service mission/proselyting mission/etc.  Is that true? What did you pick? Or did you just leave it all open to see where they need you? 

   I'm so happy that the Sisters could teach in your home! It's the best experience to have members you trust.  The next step is finding them someone to teach. ;) How long has Frank lived on the Pace's ranch? Because I remember meeting the renter once when I was little--probably isn't the same guy, though.

   Isn't that a crazy coincidence about Sister Low and Sister Hunter?  I remember the first time I met Sister Hunter, who lives a street down from us, she had just gotten back from a vacation in Seattle.  I knew it was a long shot, but I asked if she knew the Low family. She did!! It was really a tender mercy in my eyes.  

   Something that happened this week, was we went on exchanges--always a blast! We also found 3 new investigators... out of the 5 that was found by our whole zone. I feel like we've been working really hard in this area without any results, and now people are coming out of the woodwork to be taught the gospel.  It's been really encouraging.  

   Well, I'm short on time today, so this is it, but I'll try to send some pictures, too.

Love,

Sister Pratt

we found a polar bear.... in Idaho......

just kidding. It was just a big fluffy white dog

Sister Metcalf

I got to take a picture with a  hand chair...

pretty sweet!

Welcome Sister Capitan!

 

 I apologize in advance for a short letter.  The library is super packed today! Anyway Sister Capitan is my new companion. Fresh from the MTC! She's awesome, and we get along pretty well.  She's actually from the Navajo Reservation down by the 4 corners area.  She wants to work hard, and there isn't anything else I could ask for in a companion.  I think she's adjusting pretty well.

   Thank you all for your encouragement as I start training! It's actually not as hard as I thought because Sister Capitan basically came pre-trained.  She has no problem just jumping into a conversation--which I LOVE.  I was really worried that I wouldn't know what to say or how to teach her, but it comes naturally.  She obviously wouldn't learn everything all at once, so I just help her when unfamiliar situations come up.  I think adjusting to the schedule has been hard for her, but I think all new missionaries struggle with it.  Her body will get used to it.  (early to bed, early to rise.)

   Normally as missionaries, we don't really participate regularly in ward choir, but one of the wards is doing an Easter program, and they deperately needed more voices.  They asked Sister Hatch and I to join, which we did gladly (both of us being singers), but it came as a surprise to Sister Capitan when she came in--I don't think choir is really her thing.  Haha She's a good sport though.  I also found the next song that the family should learn and sing! Maybe you could all take the opportunity to learn it when you're in Dallas for the wedding! It's called Come Unto Christ, and I think it's a Sally Deford piece.  It's beautiful.

   Also, a couple weeks into the rehearsals, one of the songs they were planning on fell through.  I was subsequently volun-told to do a solo.  I will be singing the family favorite "For Me Alone."  I'm super nervous, especially because I don't really know if it's fitting for Sacrament Meeting, but the director liked it, so there you go.

   I love hearing about all the adventures that you are having.  I especially loved Mom's description of the Opera she went to--mainly because I could hear her singing "Figaro, Figaro, Fiiiiiigarooooooo!"  Good times.  I also loved hearing that you are treating the Sister Missionaries well in your ward! Make your home one that they can always come for a drink of water if they've been walking for 10 miles in the heat.  You need at least one of those houses in every neighborhood!

   Well life is great! I still love being a missionary.  It never gets dull. 

Sister Pratt

 

I found this written in chalk on the sidewalk.  Pretty hilarious!

We met a pretty cool bird.

I think my new companion Sister Capitan was a little nervous.

Eating Jam Never Lets Wise People Consume Frozen Rasberries‏

(This letter was actually sent on March 31st before the prior post.  Sorry they got out of order)  
A special prize will be given to the first person who emails me with an explanation of this title!

   This week has been a week of MIRACLES!  Our mission has really been focusing on finding new investigators this month, and it seemed like Sister Hatch and I had just hit a rough spot. We were barely getting many lessons--let alone finding new people to teach.  This week we found 5.  That's right, 5.  One of them was just a lady we met walking down the street.  The other 4 were a family that came to church with their neighbor. They are from Korea.  We stayed with them through the 3 hours of church, and they were really interested in learning more.  They might not have understood everything that was taught and said, but I know they felt the Spirit as they sat in the church building.  Sister Hatch and I are really excited to teach them! 

   Also, I don't remember if I told you about the brother and sister that were getting kicked out of their house, but we committed them to baptism last night.  We just really let them know that while everything else in their lives is going crazy, the church will be something for them that will be stable and constant.  No matter where the end up, they can walk into an LDS church building and have the same lessons, the same Spirit and the same fellowship that they are now experiencing. That really hit home for them, and I think it is a motivation for them to invest their time and interest into the Gospel.  It was an amazing teaching experience.  Sister Hatch taught like an ANGEL, and we were united in purpose. The Spirit was so strong, and I have an even greater testimony that He is the true power of conversion in people's lives.

   I'm grateful for your continued prayers on my behalf, and I feel your love and support!  I love you all, and I am indescribably happy that Robin will be going through the temple this Friday. You all will be in my thoughts.

Hay Que Tener Fe!

Sister Pratt

P.S. I forgot my camera today, so I don't have any pictures. Sorry!

I just finished one of the craziest weekends of my mission.‏

My weekend was crazy for 2 reasons.  

1) General Conference--which was the most amazing one that I've ever watched! Everyone says that General Conference is different on your mission, and they're so right!! You just get so much more out of it!  I absolutely LOVED it, and I took rigorous notes for most of the sessions.  I was planning to share all the insights with you in my email today, but alas, I forgot my notes.  I'm pretty bummed because I had a lot to share, but I'll attempt to share what I remember.  

How cool was it that President Eyring shared that story about Heinrich Eyring! I was so touched when I found out that one of my Great Great Great Grandpas was converted by a pamphlet that my other Great Great Great Grandpa wrote! Small world, huh?  I loved the talk overall, though.  It really touched me about making and keeping covenants.  I felt like that was a theme this Conference, and it was particularly applicable with Robin's trip to the temple! 

Another talk I LOVED was Elder Ballard's---Preach My Gospel is just as wonderful as he says it is!!  If you have any questions about it, let me know, and I will try to do my best.  As a mission, a couple months ago we were challenged to read PMG everyday.  It has been such a blessing in my life, and I've gotten to know it pretty well! (Although I've got a lot more to learn.)  Elder Ballard's talk also made me want to hear about all of your missionary experiences! Write me about them if you get the chance!  I know you are all feeling worn out from the challenges and everything, so don't put it on your check list of things to do... I would want it to be an uplifting experience, not one to bog you down.

That brings me to another thing I loved from Conference.  Sister Stevens said something to the effect of, "The Gospel isn't weight; it is wings. It carries us."  I think this is such a simple quote, and yet I think it is very profound.  There are so many things we are asked and encouraged to do in the church. So many people get "burned out" from a calling or service, but that isn't how it's supposed to work.  You should allow the gospel and the church to ease your burdens!  (Which also ties into Elder Bednar's talk).  

I was also so touched by President Packer's precious and simple testimony.  I know that we will be able to cherish that for years to come.  There are so many other things I enjoyed this weekend, but I don't remember them all, and even if I did, I wouldn't have time to write them. I might include more thoughts from Conference in my upcoming emails, as they become applicable.

2) Transfer calls--Yes. Right in the middle of General Conference.  We actually received the voicemail between the Saturday sessions. It was pretty intense. The verdict? I will be staying, and I will be training!! I'm kind of scared out of my mind.  I don't know what they were thinking, but apparently you aren't allowed to decline a call to be a trainer..... just kidding :) I'm super excited because I know that this is when I will learn the most.  It will be a growing experience for me, and growing doesn't happen without it's growing pains. It's gonna be hard, but that's ok! The hard times make us rely on the Lord.  I don't even know who my companion is going to be.  She's still in the MTC right now, so I'm just kind of floating until she gets here tomorrow.  My companion for the day is Sister Heaton, who is also waiting for her greenie.  It should be a good experience.  I'll let you all know how I'm doing at the end of next week!

Hay que tener fe!

Sister Pratt 

Found another Silverado sign!! I think it's my goal to find as many as possible on my mission :)

Brother Miranda had a Bday!

We found a pretty sweet Bolo tie! We actually made Brother Miranda wear it one Sunday when he was conducting.

I also found this picture and thought it was hilarious

On exchanges, Sister Metcalf and I got to clean out this really nasty pond........ like super nasty I can't even describe.  

we also found a cute frog 

More pond pictures!