ANGELS

I have gotten extremely close to some of the Young Single Sisters.  What respect and admiration I have for them.  I look at them and know that I was no where near where they are at their age.  They know the Gospel, they strive to be so obedient and give up the things of the world.  They teach by the Spirit and bring so much light to this mission.  I know that our Heavenly Father is so pleased with them and what joy they have brought to me.  I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be taught and uplifted by them.  They give you a sense of hope for the rising generation.  I have watched them teach a room full of senior missionaries, 240 of us to be exact and not even flinch! So saying good bye to some of them this last week was really hard. 

This is Sister Heather Ripplinger from Driggs, Idaho.  What a powerhouse of a spirit she has.  She has been the assistant to the president and done a masterful job.  But she is as sweet as she is amazing.  We have spent a lot of time together, serving in sites, working in the mission leadership, and just plain being friends.  I want her to marry someone amazing, I just don’t know who.  If I had another son, that would have been ideal.

Little Sister Petricek!  What a sweetheart.  She has made me laugh through this whole mission.  She loves Richard as well, and is always going to him, looking in his treat drawer.  She was adopted from India and it was so funny, when her parents came she whispered in my ear, “My parents are WHITE!”  I will miss her and she had made me cry before this picture.  I am only putting it in to have a record of her.  Fly high little Sarah!!!


So I even hate to stand next to this amazing woman but I love her so.  Her name is Ruth Wortley, and she happens to be a famous opera singer from SLC.  She is singing in Prague next summer and is doing “La Traviata,” at the Capitol Theatre in January that she wants me to come and see. She will take me back stage!!!! She and her husband have been the “Ma and Pa,” to all of the Young Performing Missionaries.  They come out for three months during the summer and basically take care of all their needs.  Her birthday and mine are one day apart.  We are kindred spirits.  She said the minute she saw me with my “blingy,” earrings, she knew we were meant to be friends.  What a treat for me.  We even went to Gypsi’s together and what a ball we had.  Some people you are just immediately drawn to, Ruth is one of those for me.  I miss her already……….


Went to Bentonsport, Bonaparte, Cantril, and Burlington, Iowa with two friends of mine on my last preparation day.  What a blast we had.  But talk about exhausting, I am no shopper compared to these two.  Sister Allen and Sister Taylor from the pageant office.  We had a great time and I love being able to have people that I feel as though we have been friends forever.  Richard won’t let me out of the house with these two anymore.