McWonderful

Hello everyone!

I hope that you are all doing well. To start off…..Happy birthday to the fabulous Gigi!  99 years old and she is still killing it!!   (Translation – “killing it” means that means Gigi is doing fantastic!)   What a wonderful lady and example she is to us.

And! Happy birthday to mom later this week! We are so lucky to have the best mom in the whole wide world!! I can't imagine anyone else being my momma. She is such an amazing example of Jesus Christ and always so happy! I love you momma :)

I heard about the loss of Darcy this week. It is so sad to hear. I feel so strongly that Heavenly Father really needs her on the other side.  She has many people to help understand the gospel of Jesus Christ in the spirit world.  I am so grateful that we have the knowledge of the Atonement that we truly will be able to see our loved ones once again.

Hermana Stevens and I were together until Friday.  I think that she is a lot happier at home.  I spent all day Friday working in the mission office with a couple senior missionaries.  Now that was a hoot!  

My new companion is Hermana Tuisaula!  She is Samoan.  She was raised in Hawaii (right by the hotel) and then now her family is living in Alaska. She is super awesome.  She has been out for 4 months.  She really wants to work hard. Things have been great so far!

Yoselin came to church!  She said it was very different for her since she is used to going to the Catholic Church. But she said that she is looking forward to learning more.  She is progressing more and more every week. She still hasn't told her parents about her desire to be baptized so we really want to help her do that this week.

Since Hermana T and I don't know too much of the area we feel like its a great opportunity to work more with the members.  We had zone conference on Tuesday and we talked a lot about working with members.  We also talked a lot about the doctrine of the family.  As a mission we are starting to memorize the Proclamation to the family.  I am so excited.  I know that this can help me in the future.  If we don't know the doctrine we can't defend it.  If any of you are willing I invite you to memorize the proclamation as well :) As Satan continues to attack the family we are going to have to defend our beliefs.

A recent convert that is about 26 years old left on his mission this last week. I had the opportunity to share my testimony about how amazing it is to be a missionary.  It is such a blessing to be a representative of Jesus Christ.  I wouldn't say there is an easy day out here but every day it helps me grow. I am so grateful for this gospel!

Have a great week everyone!

Love you all!

Hermana Gifford

Hermana Tuisaula and I

My senior companions for the day! The sister on the right reminded me
so much of mom, she's a hoot!