"Well, he stood too close to the screen door, didn't he!"

​Has another week really flown by? My goodness. We're already halfway through the transfer! What?!

Y'all. I love this place. I love these people. And I love being a missionary. It's been a good week :) 

On Wednesday I went on exchanges with my new Sister Training Leader, Sister Kendall! We brought Sunny with us, taught a bunch of lessons, and had probably too much fun. That night, she mentioned she might want to maybe  go into cosmetology when she gets home. I asked her if she had ever dyed hair before, she said  no. I asked her if she wanted to learn, she said yes. There was a mystery tube of hair dye and a bottle of developer in the closet, so she dyed my hair! And then there was some left over so I dyed hers! Luckily it was a brown-ish colour :) It was a good time. And our companion's faces when they came home the next day were priceless!

Sister Bartsch and Kendall after dying their hair!

Our mission has a new goal! Every companionship is working towards having a baptism in November. When we make it that's 100 BAPTISMS. Sister Maughan and I are currently teaching 7 people/families that we have really high hopes for who are making real progress in the Gospel. It's wonderful. We pray for them all the time! If you want to help us out, pray for the mission!

To explain the quote in the subject of my email, we watched Meet the Mormons at Sister Adams' house with Sunny and Don on Friday night. There was a really freckled-faced kid on the screen and Brother Adams (age 92) pipes up and said "Well, he stood too close to the screen door, didn't he!" He is a man of few words and Sister Maughan and I have been laughing about that ever since. You might not think it is funny, but it really broke the mood when everyone was crying through the story. Good 'ol Brother Adams.

I have a Southernism to share with yall! Obviously I have loved it since I first heard it, but I've grown a new appreciation as I have started to use it in my own vocab :) "Fixin' to" (verb) used in place of "going to, preparing for, or getting ready to" such as "fixin' to take a shower, fixin' to go to work, or fixin' to start readin my Bible again." Sometimes they don't even get the whole word out and it sounds more like a fi'in to. AND I THOUGHT I WASN'T LEARNING A LANGUAGE. 

Everyone thought the world was ending last night, too. I heard that was a common concern? I got flyers on my car and stuff.. and lots of people asked us what we knew and whether our Prophet warned us..

"L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." By Noah and the Whale was stuck in my head all week :)
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Like I said, I really love this place and these people. I have such an appreciation for the Faith of the South. And whether these people join the Church or not, I am grateful to help them come closer to their Savior Jesus Christ. One of my favourite quotes from the Women's Session of General Conference was: 

"When we serve in the name of the Lord with purity of heart, we reflect the Savior's love and give others a glimpse of Heaven" -Sister McConkie

The Church is so true and I am so happy out here. I love you all! Have a blessed week :)

Sister Bartsch

P.S. I love my companion!