We're BAAAACCCCKKKK!

It's been a while, It's been a while. How are things? Sorry I didn't mass email last week, things were pretty crazzzy. But everything's good as new again. I'm still in the downtown library sitting next to home needing people, and that's ok. They have a very unique aroma that I'm becoming quite acquainted with :) But life is so good :) I'ma start out with a funny story to lighten the mood. This was number 3 in the top ten bloopers of the week that we send out as a zone. We were teaching Jerry in his apartment and he only has one couch that he's taken up all of the space on because of his broken hip. So we usually will sit on some folding chairs or the ground. But he recently got some exercise balls that are way more fun to sit on than folding chairs :) Well the ball is actually too big/ tall for me and it's harder for me to balance so of course during one of our discussions I start to loose balance and topple off the ball backwards. I was so focused on maintaining my modesty that I didn't notice how close the wall was behind my head. But luckily my shoulder hit before my head did so it wasn't as bad ;) haha! I'm sure it was a sight to see, my short little legs flying in the air! hahah! Jerry sure got a kick out of it. Let's just say I'm not allowed to sit on the exercise balls anymore. Well I feel like I have a LOT to catch ya'll up on :) Griz might move his baptism date up to February, and he's progressing SO much! His heart is still a little hard but Sister Phadnis and I are just a buttering it up real soft :) He doesn't believe in modern day prophets but he likes Joseph Smith. And he thinks the Word of Wisdom is bologna. We have testified about obedience and I even teared up for him, but he doesn't think that Heavenly Father cares if he drinks coffee. His wife told him he was being petty, and he said that we were petty! Haha! He is so stubborn but you know what? I love him. SO MUCH. My heart gets so full when ever I'm around him and I know that it's really Christ's love that I'm feeling. It's so powerful. So you know, we're not too worried. I have faith that he'll eventually get over it :) Steffanie didn't get baptized. She wasn't as committed as we thought and just has a hard time to committing to anything. But we are still working very hard and patiently with her. I honestly feel like I'm here in college hill for Her and for Griz. They mean so much to me and I feel so connected to them. So I'm not giving up on her. It's frustrating because we can never get her to church but we keep praying and we'll keep inviting :) Also I have some really really sad news :/ Karen? The wonderful woman who was baptized a month and a half ago? She called us and said that she doesn't want to be apart of the church anymore. Over new years she was with her family and they were all smoking and she finally gave in at the end of the night and started smoking again. We visited her a few days after and she admitted to it right away. She said that she thought it would fill the emptiness she was feeling but it didn't and she just felt bad about it. She said she would stop. Well a week or so later she's sick with bronchitis and we go to drop off some hot chocolate and a muffin and she's smoking again. She said she knew she was being dumb and that she needed to stop and we prayed with her and everything. I could tell that she was really losing the spirit and her drive. I felt the spirit so strongly to promise her that if she read from the book of Mormon every night she would lose her desire to smoke and God would fill that whole in her heart. She felt the power behind that promise and said she would. Then the next Tuesday she tells us that The church is covering up too many things and that it wasn't true. She asked that we not come by because she didn't want to be talked out of it. It was seriously so hard to hear. I just felt like after all of that, how can you give up? It was very hard, but I still have hope for her. She's got people in the ward who love her and I want to see her in heaven gosh dangit! :) But we asked if we could visit her in a week or two so we should be seeing her soon enough :) Well on a lighter note! Ok kind of :) So my companion and I were having marital issues. We got along so well at the beginning that it was hard to address when things would bother us and we're both bottlers so it just was all waiting to explode. It was really hard and I was tired of dealing with it, but after this last week I'm so glad that I did. We had a nice long long long talk :) And we basically laid everything out on the table and pick out things we could fix and control and other things that we would just have to suck up and deal with. it was very cleansing :) I felt just lighter after the whole thing. I really got to know Sister Phadnis more than I thought I ever would and we have a really good understanding now :) It's great. The Lord has blessed us so much. Thank you for your prayers and everything! I feel so loved and very berry blessed :) I have learned a lot and know that when something like this comes again I'll be able to face it with more confidence. AND there's a sister who's going through something very similar to what we were dealing with and I was able to help her because of it. The Lord knows and loves all of his missionaries. I'm really glad that we get the chance to not only serve the people in Kansas, but also each other. Basically the Lord's a genius and I don't know why I ever question his way. Well thank you for all the love. I seriously have the best family ever. And the best friends :) I can't wait to hear more about your lives and what it's like to be a normal person :) I hope you all have a fantastic week! Love, Sister Herrin P.s. New favorite scripture that totally hit me like a ton of bricks Enos 1:27. I know it's a classic, but wow I just love it right now.