Hangin' with Luke!

This little guy has an affinity for cupboards! I really do think it's genetic because his mom did, and I did too! He was in such a happy and cute mood today! I watched him while Megan worked a morning shift today. We read books, climbed, shot baskets, climbed, ate snacks, climbed, had a good tickle session, climbed and just had a FUN morning!! I love this little boy!!!

McKenzie's Birthday Part 2!

Last night we went out to dinner and tonight we had the ice cream and presents! I am so glad McKenzie has been so patient to celebrate in increments! We were all just so tired last night, we decided to finish the celebration tonight! Drayton came over, so he took the first picture. You can see I'm still in unpacking mode... pure exhaustion right now! But we enjoyed an Oreo cookie ice cream cake (McKenzie's favorite flavor) and enjoyed some family time together!

 

AINT NO WAY (Katelyn's Letter)

Yep I'm in Conway--back at the beach BABY!!! It's epic! The vibes here are so good and chill and nice! We went to Target after playing games with our district at Bishop Boren's house and it literally smelled like the ocean, we were so close. I love it... but that also means I'm in the most humid spot for the summer. Pray Sister Moreno (Mo) and I don't melt this week in the 90° weather ahem.

It was SO HARD to say good-bye to everyone in Sumter! I love and miss that place so much!!! But I know I've made friendships that will last forever and I'm so grateful for the experiences, miracles and growth I had there. Also shout out to the GREAT DAINES! She was an epic comp and so full of love and understanding--even if she does drive into a ditch the day of transfers and we are dangling there with two wheels actually on the ground aha! I also can't wait to do sales in AZ next summer together. (It's in writing now so I'm committed just so ya know bestie) Bahaha! I'm gonna miss Gallman and Willie and Johnny and Kaye too and all the members but I will most definitely visit them again and ride in Bro. Gedding's elevator. (That thing is so sketch but awesome haha!)

I ALSO SAID BYE TO PRESIDENT AND SISTER MONSON:,((( I love them so so much. I couldn't imagine my mission without them! They made me promise to come see them in Utah so I'll pull up most definitely haha!

OK only a few days in Conway and y'all I think I could live here! This area is the most I've felt like home on the mission. The ward is so supportive, welcoming and loving and everyone just wants the best and works hard! I live 20 min from the beach (fat rip I can't swim--I miss it SO much) and have already met some super cool friends that are searching for truth. I feel that both me and Mo, our unique experiences and members experiences are exactly what they need! One guy we are teaching is Loreto. He is from Boston and has the heavy accent that we love so much along with all the lingo and phrases that we have to have him define lol! (One of these emails I'll make a list of Yankee/Northerner vocabulary.) He is so quick witted and jokes so much. He's overcome a ton in his life and I know that God's love and healing is so ready to shine through the dark and help him as it already has:,) There are other people that we are gonna meet with this week on date for baptism and we think we may be blessed if God's will is and our people choose to enter that covenant every week this transfer! We cover a ward and a branch. I think this is the biggest area I've been in haha! So we switch off church every week and the members are super helpful with bringing and keeping our friends that come. It takes an HOUR to drive to Marion so we also switch off days of teaching which is also pretty crazy but so cool too! I haven't seen Marion yet, so I'll keep y'all posted on how the branch is:)

Seeds of Faith
A member of the high council spoke in our ward (Brother Jimenez) and said something that I've never considered but has completely changed my view and approach to repentance:

*The power of replacement* When we root out weaknesses, we have to replace that void with something so those same weaknesses won't grow back! We cannot create a vacuum. He told a story of their baby getting ahold of and playing with a dangerous fork and brother Jimenez taking it from her and her screaming and crying... but then his wife came in and told him to give the fork back. What? She then got a safe baby spoon and started tapping the spoon on the table and making noises and rhythms to make the baby want that spoon because it was making songs and fun noises. So the mom traded it and got the fork from her with no fuss at all!!!--> The power of replacement!

We must have the replacement (the things that Christ teaches and asks us to do) ready before we create the vacuum.

Repentance implements Replacement!

INVITATION
As y'all try to make changes this week, try to prepare by finding things to replace bad habits, thoughts, actions, or feelings! As we do this we will pull out those weeds that destroy and fill the void with seeds that grow:)

Conway Vocab
Chicken Bogg: Soooo we ate with the Potters (and yes I asked and they love Harry Potter @mysisterKenzie;) and they fed us a unique Conway specialty! It's rice with chicken, sausage and yummy seasoning! They made a ton for us and the Elders that share the ward with us and I swear I ate half the bowl lol!

They also told us that they do a "bogg off" in October where all the natives have a competition for the best bogg in Conway--I'm crossing my fingers I can be there for that!

I LOVE Y'ALL!

I hope you have a great week... There's always so much to write and I'm the worst procrastinator but shoutout to the OGs that actually read all my typo filled thrown together nonsense haha<3

P.S. I don't usually give explanations for the photos but I better for the pic of me in a wedding dress lol. Soooooo we got some news that slipped from the APs to the Zone Leaders on Monday that I was probably leaving and I was CRYING at our 20 year old married bestie member friend Jordyn's house. She then asked if I could try on her wedding dress for her and yes I obliged ahem. It really did make me feel a little better though not gonna lie haha! But I never ever thought I'd be wearing one of those on my mission--home girl thrifted that for 200 dollars!!! Crazy but that's my pday 12 year old girl moment bahaha!

P.S.S. Y'all have to take a guess for the other pics--sorry heehee;)

Drayton's Birthday Surprise for McKenzie!

So cute Drayton figured out that McKenzie LOVES Twisted Sugar cookies and wanted to surprise her with one... While we were all out to dinner tonight celebrating her birthday (yes, I know, it was very belated!), Drayton and Jim came over and decorated our front porch for her! Drayton made balloons and wishing her a happy birthday and gave her a pink sugar cookie-- the best! We saw the whole thing on our Ring camera at the restaurant! Jim yelled Happy Birthday as they walked off... he knew we were watching! McKenzie was so surprised and happy that Drayton did this for her! She walked over to the Livingstone's on Sunday because Jamie had promised her a cookie... and she wanted to claim it! Hahahaha!! So Drayton knew that she loves these cookies! And he knew that we would be gone because he was over yesterday, and I had mentioned that we were going out to dinner. Drayton is a cute kid...love that guy!!!

Adventures with Lukey Bear...

So this little guy is resourceful! I guess Megan took some baby ibuprofen away from him and put it on the changing table. Well he saw where she put it and a few minutes later he was doing THIS!!! He is so determined! Boys are so different than girls! He is such a climber-- I don't remember my girls doing stuff like this! Although, I'm plenty familiar with determination!!! I had plenty of that with my girls! This is so cute though... I love the thought process to get to this point!

 

Luke & His Dog "Spaaaaa"

Megan and Todd got this stuffed dog from DI for a dollar and he hasn't put him down, she says. He calls him "Spaaaaa"--AKA "Spot" from his book. Soooo cute! BTW-- Luke's banged up nose is a result from a face plant at the park. His nose took the hit! Cute little boy!

 

Getting Settled...

So we moved in yesterday-- on McKenzie's 29th birthday! She was a huge help and worked so hard right along with us! To say that it has been tiring would be the understatement of the century! I do not recommend double moving! We are in, but we still have a lot of stuff in storage and all the other places we put things... it's so crazy! BUT-- this is the view from my window and I LOVE IT!! I especially love that there is an American flag waving in the breeze right out my window too! It's hard to see in these pictures, but it is so beautiful! I've noticed that a lot of people have flag poles up here and fly the flag proudly! We did accomplish a lot today, but we are definitely in the "it has to get messy before it can look good" stage. It looks like a bomb has gone off in our house and our garage! But we will get there!

From Daines pt 2 (Katelyn's Letter)

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy,

This week was dope as always. Sadly we were separated for exchanges again:(  But we got to see the Sumter South Sisters every day.

We found a cool guy that was a Pastor for like 40 years.

Got to see Gallman and Willie again. They're doing fabulous thanks for asking.

Had Fathers Day dinner with dad, yummy pancakes.

This week was awesome. So many miracles. So many people ready for the gospel and practically begging us to teach them! 🙏🏼

With love,
Yours truly,
Sincerely,
Sister Daines

Finally a Short One:) (Katelyn's Letter)

Here's some mems of the week:))

- WE FOUND THE CUTEST FAMILY THIS WEEK!! The grandma Alfreda is a member but she hasn't been to church since her teenage years... but her grandkids have all joined in on our lessons and want to get baptized! Pray for them! They are the cutest! Terrence literally copied down the Intro of the Book of Mormon. He also drew a picture of Daines and me--literally melted my whole heart!

-Terrence fashion showed his Sunday drip for us--also the best thing ever!

-Most of these points are about this fam because they literally have my whole heart but they also all came to church and LOVED IT. Made me so happy!!

-Had a bday dinner for Steevee at no one else but the Howard's house haha! There was an itty bitty taco piñata and she burned a sock for her six months. We always use his lacrosse stick for the piñata as a joke because somehow... I won't get into the details ahem, but lacrosse stick + Uncle Roy + girl crush = Dad (Ryan) going to prison and then an insane asylum... no cap the most hilarious story I've EVER heard!

-Daines wore pants for the first time on her mission---> They were white and when we put Terrence and the fam on date we talked about what he would wear and he pointed at Daines pants and said, "So are you wearin' baptism pants??" Soooo they are now the bappy pants lol!

-One of the boys passed out right on top of Sister Steevy during the sacrament ahhhhhh! Super scary in the moment but after the fact it's hilarious... she told me after it actually wasn't the first time someone has passed out on her... lol. I guess she worked at a dental office and lots of people faint there but she's a queen. It was SO FUNNY.

-Made my Dad's father's day present today at Bro. Geddings house. It was a party! His dog sleeps really weird lol. Look at the pics--we died! (We also thought Mable died too lol...)

"The law of God is an expression of love--> we don't eat the straight and narrow, we eat the fruit from the tree of life"

See God's love in the things He asks of y'all, so we can look forward to the tree of life!

Love yall!<3