Transfer Shockers!

This week was sooooo awesome! The Lord's hand was seen in everything
that happened- God is a God of miracles! Near the beginning of the
week we had a lesson with our investigator, Glen (who, by the way,
wears a different 'Trump for President' shirt every single day of the
week). We were talking about the doctrine of Christ, and Sister Grover
extended a beautiful baptismal invitation! Which, by the way, he
accepted! People have this need to feel clean and guilt-free in their
lives, and I love so much getting to be a bearer of good news and say,
"Hey! You can be completely sin free! You can have your guilt swept
away! God has provided a way for you!" You can see people's eyes just
get so big, and they want to do anything to feel that peace that comes
only from the Savior. Glen is definitely headed in the right
direction! (He also referred us to his two daughters in town he wants
us to teach- holla!).

This week we also taught Taylor, who high-key (no pun intended) is a
little bit (a lot bit) of a pothead. She's always kinda high, but she
has a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and wants to make changes in
her life to follow Him more completely. She loves the Book of Mormon
and told us she knows that it's true. We committed her to be baptized
and she said yes! She has a couple things she has to work through
before stepping into the waters, but I'm confident that with the
enabling power of the Atonement of Christ, she can do it!

We taught our first lesson with Allison, a single mom of 3 kids. We
shared the Plan of Salvation, and all of them were absolutely
captivated. They'd all grown up going to church, but she said, "I've
never seen it like this, and I've asked a lot of pastors about it who
can't tell me the answers. Why can't they explain it like you
girls...so simply." We testified of its truthfulness and asked her to
pray about it, and she said she would, but she also said she already
could tell it was the truth. We gave her a Book of Mormon and told her
the whole reason we know about the Plan of Salvation is because of
modern-day revelation. She was so excited to read it and put the Holy
Ghost to the test. I think we're even more excited to go back and see
how it went!
We also found a new Hmong investigator- zoo kawg nkaus! It's been a
whole transfer since teaching gospel principles in Hmong...I went from
teaching Hmong people 90% of the time, to now teaching them 10%, if
even that. I love Eau Claire, but I definitely miss the Hmong branch!
But teaching Vaj will be a good opportunity to keep the language up-
AND bring him closer to Christ. Obviously!

General Conference was AMAZING! I feel like so many of the talks were
geared toward missionary work and sharing the gospel. For sure a major
advocate for that :) I felt so much peace hearing the apostles share
their messages, and couldn't help the flood of absolute love that just
washed over me when President Monson got up to speak. When you look
into his eyes, you can feel in your soul that he's a prophet of God.
It's undeniable, and the Spirit bears witness of it so strongly. For
anyone who hasn't watched it before, WATCH IT! My favorite talk was by
Russell M. Nelson, who talked about how the key to spiritual survival
in the latter-days is JOY! "Adam fell that men might be, and men are
that they might have joy." 2 Nephi 2:25. With all the craziness going
on in the world, it's hard to feel at peace or feel safe or feel
whatever comfort you're hoping for. TRUE joy, (not the kind the world
tries to sell you) comes only through the Savior, Jesus Christ. When
you put your faith in Him and make your life His, you don't have to
worry about what else goes on, because your anchor is in the Lord!

So....transfers....Sister Grover and I are splitting up- I'm training
again!!! I'm so sad to not be with her anymore, but I'm so grateful
for the opportunity to have been her trainer, and know she will do
FABULOUS- not cuz of anything I did, obviously. But because she's just
amazing! #proudmama I'm so excited to welcome a new sister into the
mission, and I'm so excited for this upcoming transfer!!!

**Quotes of the week:

Sister Grover: "I can't understand him! My soul delighteth in plainness!"

Elder Swendsen: "I feel like the organ says, 'You play the piano?
Cute- I play five at the same time.'"

Also... I'M AN AUNT!!! My first baby niece was born September
30th...welcome Anna Elizabeth Brett!!! Congrats big bro!