Jenna in West Virginia: I'm alive! (Week 54)

Hello, hello!

Thanks for the emails! I loved them and I absolutely loved seeing all the pictures!! Holy cow! I miss those kids so much!(niece and nephews) One of my favorites was the one where they are outside on the pallet (bridge) and Asher is holding Emry's hand. I loved them sitting on their chairs in their church clothes too! Lindsey- are you teaching your children modeling. Asher especially! It was so cute because it was like every picture Asher was striking a pose! ha I love it. Emry is so big and so cute! Wow, I don't even recognize her and feel like I don't even know her :( Hopefully, she will at least talk to me a little bit when I get home! ha I'm so jealous that you went to the temple!! Grrrrrr! I hope you take full advantage of the temple and realize just how lucky you are to have a temple by you! I am dying out here and just want to go to the temple! That's one of the priorities when I get home (besides the wedding (for Kellie)!!!), ok?? The bridal expo sounds so fun and really cool! Tell me how that is cause that sounds cool. Too bad I am missing all this! If I get any wedding inspiration out here I will let you know...since you know I have the gift of the spirit out here! haha And, you could tell by my title that I survived being sick and am still alive! Can I just tell you how miserable that was!? I still have to blow my nose at times, but it's not really runny though. That and I think the flu bug is going around, and a lot of people have it. It's just wonderful! Stay healthy!

As for my week, it was a pretty good week I would say. Last monday, we went to a member's home for dinner and that was wonderful! Her name is (xxxxx) and I love her so much! She is a convert to the church and has gone through a lot during the years, but had fallen away from the church years ago. She has told us like her life story! Crazy!! Recently, she wanted to come back to church because she realized how much she loved church and how much she needed it in her life because it really does bless you when you are active and living it! So, I think it was my second or third sunday I was here, she was counted as saved (or re-activated) and has been to church every week since. She is stellar! Her husband is not a member and at this time is not that interested, but they are in our area so we'll get him! ha She is working so hard to get everything restored back to her and to know that the Lord has forgiven her and to be an active part in this church. We went to dinner there and then shared a mormon message with her (thanks to my handy dandy dvd's! Thank you!!!!) and she loved it so much!! I had just felt that we needed to share that one with her. The first time we watched it and it finished she was absolutely speechless because it was spot on with what she needed. We watched it again...she started tearing up. We watched it a third time, and she was able to talk more and was so grateful to us for showing that to her because it was so beautiful and it made me realize even more that this gospel is true. She wanted to watch a few more messages and then she wanted to watch that video for the fourth time before we left because she loved it so much! She said that Satan had been working hard on her and that she was having a really hard day and just felt like she was in a funk or something, but immediantly when we walked through her door she knew that it was going to be ok. After our message, she said that she knew without a doubt that we needed to be there at that time with her to help her through this struggle. She said, 'you are in the right place at the right time because you have helped me sooooo much tonight!' It was so neat and so spiritual there! Talking to her yesterday at church she said she struggled more last week, but always would revert back to the video and remember the lines especially 'He can heal us.' and she would be ok. I just love her so much because she is amazing and has been such a big example to me!!

On thursday, we went to dinner at a member's house. The wife was baptized last June and the husband is going to be baptized sometime. I love them so much because they are so strong and amazing! I met her when I came to Morgantown last year cause they drive the north transfer train, and she knew things that went on with the sisters there after I left, and knew about my situation. President and Sister Pitt love her and are close with her. We had a wonderful dinner, but at the same time it was interesting. I don't know how to phrase this but she kind of got on us and called us to repentance in a way. The zone leaders are close with her and I guess they thought that we were slacking off a bit. (Uh, we were both sooo sick!) But, she was saying all this stuff at dinner, but basically that we needed to change how we did things and that we needed to step it up. I love her so much and respect her, but that lit something within me because if people think I am a missionary like that, then I am going to work even harder to show them that I am not like that! I was just like I will prove them wrong if that's what they think of me. It made me want to just do even more, so we pushed hard these last couple of days because I am not a crappy missionary! So, that was an interesting dinner, but it helped me because it fueled my fire more to work harder out here. She did it out of love and just wants the best for me, so that's fine with me! I know we can all be better!

On a wonderful note though, yesterday (Sunday) was amazing!!! We found out friday night that we had to teach gospel principles and I was not to excited about it but it turned out that it was great! Sister Peck really didn't teach much so it was basically me, and I surprised myself because I kept going and going and it all made sense!! ha Everyone really enjoyed the lesson! We had dinner at our relief society president's house and it was like thanksgiving, but in september!! There was so much food there!! We were soooo full!! We went and tried to contact a referral and they told us to come back and were excited which was exciting for us! Then I felt that we needed to knock on the neighbor's door and she talked to us for a while. I felt like I needed to give her a pamphlet on family history and it turns out she loves family history. It was really cool. Then we tried another referral and they weren't there, but the Lord needed us in that area for a different reason. I kept turning and looking at this house behind us and I kept feeling that we needed to go there!! No one looked home at all, but it kept coming- we needed to go there. So, we walked over and a woman answered and we started talking. She is baptist, but talked with us. She told us her husband had just had a stroke and she was needing help with things around the house. We told her we could help her, and then I just started saying things, not really sure what all I said, but the next thing I knew, I had her crying on the doorstep. She said she just felt so loved and cared for and she really appreciated us! So, we are hoping that we get a call soon to help her!! It was really neat and was a testimony builder to me that the Lord is mindful of each one of His children and has us in places for things that we don't even realize at the time. It was a good way to end the week too because I know that the Lord is watching out for me and is using me to help His children here!! I love it!!! This area will come, I know it!! We're just helping build a foundation of love right now!!

Oh, fall has come! It is cold here! 57 today! Ahhh! It is definitely not like last year. When I flew in on october 2 it was still super hot and humid! We'll see what this winter brings, but I have a feeling that I am going to freeze! ha I love you guys and am so grateful to be a part of our family!! Thank you all for supporting me, uplifting me and teaching me! You help me when I need a pick me up and help remind me that I am helping me and doing the work of the Lord! It's true and I need to be here! I love you all and miss you!! Thanks for being wonderful! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Higgins

It's your lucky day! You get pictures today! yay!

We made applesauce, apple pie filling, and apple juice! Yummy!