Hooray for a better week!!

This week was better than last and Sister Unrast and I have decided to see the good in every day. This week we have had lessons with a few inactives, some part member families and some recent converts! It just feels good to teach and let the spirit tell people what they need to hear. Sometimes it is difficult to know when you are teaching and when you are allowing the spirit to teach. I am learning more every day. So...this week was the Fourth of July which is my first big holiday away from our normal family festivities. And I finally experienced 2 dinners in a row! We had a family in one of our wards sign up to feed us at 5 and then we had an inactive family that we had stopped by at the beginning of the week tell us to come by for their family barbeque! The members were nice and we had a typical burgers, watermelon, rice krispy treats, corn on the cob good eatin barbeque. The inactive family is the P----- Family. They are the best! The dad is sarcastic and funny and keeps telling us that he is catholic...then he laughs! He is a hoot! The mom is sweet and caring and she tells us to stop by and kept urging us to come to their 4th of July get together. All their children are grown up and out of the house but on the 4th ALL their family came over! It made me feel like I was back home! There were kids EVERYWHERE! It was loud and there was always someone to talk to! There was a ton and a half of food and lots of good conversation. So for any family that reads this...know that I was well taken care of for my first holiday away. It's easy to love a lot of people here. The Lord is looking out for me. I pray for everyone back home daily and I know that this gospel is the most amazing blessing in my life.

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:18 and 27

"As we obey God, He blesses us. He gives us power to meet life's challenges. He helps us change the desires of our hearts. Through our faith in Jesus Christ, He can heal us, both physically and spiritually." PMG 62.

I love you all. Thank you for the prayers. Missions are hard and when I find myself getting discouraged, I can feel your prayers and that is what pulls me through and reminds me why I am here. 

All my love, Sister Lauren Dodd

If the people in Utah aren't beautiful...the scenery sure is! #thosemountainstho

The 4th of July breakfast bike parade!

Sister Xiong (left) and Sister Case (right) are the other sisters in the Parleys Stake. So Sister Unrast and I cover the 2, 4 and 7 wards and Sister X and C cover the 1,3,5,6 wards. We all live in a duplex together and share the car.