# 55

I got transferred to Ajapnyak (the Assistants' area) as a Sister Training Leader (which I feel so unqualified for since I haven't trained or opened an area). I know you didn't have those when you were a missionary, so I'll just explain some responsibilities a bit. We have a lot of the same responsibilities as the assistants do, except for the priesthood aspect. We work a lot with President on determining transfers (which I got to participate in this past week as a trio - before one of the STLs went home), exchanges with the sisters, going to Georgia to unify us with the missionaries there, going to mission leadership council (with the zone leaders and assistants) and doing interviews with other sisters. I never realized how much work the STLs do and I definitely am so humbled and have felt a little overwhelmed at first (especially being the youngest sister training leader we've had and also being the youngest leader mission wise). I've been trying to catch up on a lot of things from my companion (Sister W from Cedar City Utah). She's been a great help since I feel like I was just thrown into this. But do you have any advice in regards to leadership? I've felt my biggest strength will be to just love the missionaries. It's been pretty cool to see how much the missionaries' needs are discussed and how much the leaders know the missionaries individually (maybe that's just because we're a small mission), but I hope I can continue to express love and appreciation for all of them.

I had the chance to help assign the new missionaries to their trainers and pick mini missionaries as well. It's also been cool to see how the new missionaries are doing. They are getting along just fine. The Malatia sisters are living with us for this week since their apartment is being redone, so I've been able to work with them and talk to the trainer and trainee individually in that companionship. They're doing super well. 

My companion is great. She is so down to earth. A little bit about her: She's 22 and the youngest of 3. She's going to school to be a pediatrician. She played basketball in college at SUU. She's deaf in one ear (so I \always have to walk on the right side of her so she can hear). She's been a STL for a while and has been a huge help to me.

One thing that made me feel good though was President and Sister C said that they knew for 4 months that I was going to come to the area...and Sister W knew when I went on exchanges with her last transfer...she said it was hard for her not to say anything but she felt and knew I was ready to be there. So that made me feel good :)

Also, the Stake President is in my new area and I love him!! He's so great! I bore my testimony last week and he came up and said "thank you so much for your testimony my pretty daughter." So sweet!!! The Bishop here is pretty awesome too...he assigned me to speak next week in church so we'll see how that goes. 

Love you,

Misa :)

Dear President,

I still can't believe that I'm here in Ajapnyak right now...but with that being said I am happy to be here! I never realized how much the leaders in the mission truly think about each missionary in the mission. The last few days I have really seen how much love they have for everyone. Which is so key! It is a privilege to be apart of the missionary leadership council and to be included in assigning missionaries to serve together. Thank you for letting me apart of that. I've already seen the thought and preparation and the inspiration involved in that. 

I am so excited to be with my companion! She is great :) She has included me in every decision so far and has being catching me up to speed on goals for the mission and with the needs of the sisters. All while being patient with me and my newness to the area! I've got a stellar leader and friend as a companion, you know that?

We've been able to meet with a few of our ward members this week and I've been able to become familiar we them, which was a great help for Sunday. We visited with our Bishop and his family and also with our Ward Mission Leader (who has been less-active lately). We worked a bit with him and talked about strengthening his testimony in times of trial and hardship. The Assistants had a great spiritual thought from D&C 122 and I was able to bear my testimony. At the end of the lesson, he told us that he hadn't felt the spirit like that in a long time and that he hadn't prayed for three months, but he offered the closing prayer. Hopefully, he will recognize that he needs to be doing his daily "work" (reading, praying, coming to church) to get his daily bread (blessings). We also met with a less-active older woman who was at home injured. We visited her and shared Alma 7:11-13 and talked about Christ's atonement making up for everything we lack in and any illness or injury we may face in this life. That seemed to touch her. We also met with a few other members and their non-member family members to see how that were doing and how we could serve them. 

We also met with quite a few contacts and were introduced to their family members. We did How To Begin Teachings with them and established our purpose and we hope to pick them up as investigators soon. 

We are working with one mother and daughter right now (the daughter is married to a recent member) and were able to teach them about the Restoration and a tripod. They accepted a date to be baptized on May 24, so we will be working a lot with them to make that happen! They come to church pretty frequently and we don't believe there will be any Word of Wisdom obstacles there. 

It should be a good upcoming week as I come to know more of our investigators and members.

Thank you for you time and your love!!

Love,

Sister Morreall