First Week in Tempe!

I love Arizona! I don't even know where to begin. This past week has

been crazy! I woke up 2:30 tuesday morning and got to the Phoenix

Airport around 10:30. We got to go to the mission home and office then

went to the Mesa Temple to the visitors center. It was such a

marvelous day! President Toone and his wife and the AP's are awesome!

President Toone is 7ft tall! He's great though, I can tell that

everything he does is inpsired from God. We stayed at a member's house

that night and then Wednesday was transfers! I met my trainer Sister

F who actually just barely finished getting trained herself. She

is so great. Super hardworking and motivated. I've learned a lot from

her already and can't wait to keep learning all that I can. It's funny

because she likes to be early to everything, so i'm working on getting

out of the "Dewey's are always late" tradition. haha

Our area is the Maryvale ward in the Phoenix stake. Our ward boundary

is 19 square miles and we are on bikes. BUT thankfully we split the

ward in half with the Elders and we do have a car we can use

sometimes. But only have a certain amount of miles. I personally don't

mind riding bikes, at least right now, because we get to talk to more

people on the street. The biggest thing is trying to get members to

come with us to lessons and can drive us, it sure saves time from

biking. Something about our area is it's very humbling for me, because

Maryvale is the 2nd dangerous/highest crime rate city in Arizona. And

the number 1 city is next to the border haha. So because of that most

people are very poor. It helps me realize how much the Gospel can

really help improve their lives. Maybe not temporally, but in so many

other ways. And so many are searching for direction and hope in their

life but just don't know it yet. Through the guidance of the Spirit we

can find those people and help them realize their desire to want more

in life.

There have been so many times these past couple days where I know

without a doubt the Lord has directed us and touched the hearts of

those we are teaching. Just a couple things. First, we are teaching

this alcoholic who on Thursday actually gave his beer to us and then

came to church on sunday! Second, this boy who has wanted to get

baptized for a year but his dad didn't want to, on saturday finally

said he would start preparing to be able to baptize him! Third, we

went to go visit a less active who we didn't even know if she lived

there. She let us in and found out she has always really wanted to go

to the temple. Plus her 2 cousins were there so we taught them and

invited them to be baptized. They said if they found out it was true

they would! Fourth, we were going to a lesson when this lady walking

down the street called out to us and asked if we were Jehovah

witnesses. We told her we're Mormon and she said finally! She

expressed that she felt so lost in her life and wanted something

better for her and her kids. They apparently got the lessons before

but something came up, but she said she was ready now! I know these

things are miracles and that Heavenly Father has prepared people for

us to bring into His fold or back into His fold. There have been many

lessons that fell through and people not answering the door, (partly

because they think it's the police haha) but it's totally worth the

times when the Spirit is so strong and you know the investigator is

feeling it too.

I still have so much to learn and the hardest thing is to try to have

the Spirit with you at all times. Going from the MTC where the Spirit

is the strongest i've ever felt to the slums and ghetto of Phoenix is

a challenge. But I am SO up for it. And I know that Heavenly Father is

watching over us and will protect us. More importantly, this message

we have to share can change lives. And everyone needs to hear it. I'm

grateful to be here and excited for this next week! I hope all is well

with you!

keep the faith!

Sister Dewey