Winchester 2/20/17

Exchange with the Paris Hermanas

Wilford and Harold

The family we're teaching

Helping our librarian with book markers :)

Hi friends,

To make for up for the absolute novel last week, I'm going to title my entries so everyone doesn't fall asleep QUITE as fast haha jk;)

Tour de Paris, Polynesian Companions, and Wilford the Kentucky Rat

Happy moments this week:

• The hands down BEST part about going on lots of exchanges is spending quality time with incredible missionaries and helping them get excited about their area again. Went to Paris this week and we explored the town looking for volunteer opportunities and had so many little miracles happen. 
• We got the Zone Leaders back for pretending to cut us a ton of miles a few weeks ago. We told them we went on exchanges with some sisters not in our Zone and they freaked out haha! It was HILARIOUS. Sister Israelsen and I have been focusing on intent this transfer--analyzing everything we do and discerning what our intent is behind it. If our intent was to waste time out of laziness--pranking ZLs wouldn't be good. But Christ has been helping us purify our intent. In order to help the missionaries we need to work closely and have a good relationships with the leaders. And pranking has really helped us all to have a better relationship. It's amazing how if you focus on the doctrine of Christ, you don't have to question if something is "against the rules" or not. If you let Christ change your heart, your intent and therefore your actions will be pure. 
• Helped a lady in the ward rake leaves. She excitedly showed us some "crusty finds" from the local "antique shop" aka rubbish pile for Sister Israelsen as going away presents. Homemade toys she matter-of-factly named Wilford the Kentucky Rat and Herald the Kentucky Cow. She has an interesting sense of humor haha.
• Drove with our investigator to Lexington to get some help with family history! The consultant happened to be one of Sister Iz's recent converts and he showed our investigator pictures of the temple. She got sooo excited. She's amazing!!
• Despite Sister Israelsen's long-held belief that she's going to be a missionary all her life and despite our plans for her to live under my bed and eat cereal for at least another transfer...she's going home Wednesday. Going to miss her like crazy! My new comp is Sister Endemann! She grew up in Samoa and was actually trained by Sis Iz. She is absolutely crazy and so this will be a new adventure for sure!  #pasty 

Love you!

Sister Kristen Johns