Annika in Independence, MO: Work in Progress‏

This week has been incredible. First of all, Karla was baptized on Saturday. It was an awesome service. She was so happy about finally being able to take the dunk. She hasn't smoked in over a month and you better believe that she was ROCKING that white jumpsuit. She had the bishop baptize and confirm her, and it was great to see her make this covenant. She is going to be an incredible addition to this ward :) We teach her first new member lesson on Thursday with her home teachers. Her daughter, Marie, said she would be there, too! So hopefully we can kind of explain what Karla did and Marie will be able to feel the Spirit. More important to me than teaching people is helping them feel the Spirit, because he's the one that really takes it to their hearts.

Sister Heylen and I did a musical number for the baptism, on a sidenote. She played the piano and I sang. Haha I don't even know, guys. It was perfect in the way that is wasn't perfect haha I don't know if that makes sense. It was Abide With Me...I'm going to try to get an audio recording of it...put together a Sister Missionary CD when I get home.

Vikki went to church in Seattle on Sunday :) She was so sweet about it. She had lots of questions about the demographic of women in the Church because apparently the women in her ward on Sunday were all a little...huggable. Anyways, Sister Heylen did a great job of explaining all of that stuff and I just chatted with her afterwards. Kind of an awkward conversation, but I guess that just goes to show that I don't think I could meet a guy online...phone calls are too weird. It's got to be an in-person thing or it just won't work. Hopefully Heavenly Father will take that into consideration hahaha

I've had kind of a rough week, just feeling very inadequate and kind of weak. It's been tough, to be completely honest, but I have fallen back on my testimony of the Atonement so much in the past seven days. Now that I finally understand the enabling power of the Atonement, I feel bad because I think I overuse it haha I pray for strength on an almost hourly basis. It is at times like these, though, when we feel that we have been brought to our lowest point, that the Lord picks us up and dusts us off and boosts us a little higher.

LOVE YOU ALL

Sister Annika Rogers

Isaiah 49:16