Snow, Stuck, Slip, Slush,

Dear Family and Friends,

This week well let me tell you. It snowed so much! So much that we were stuck inside for 2 days because the ice on the roads were terrible! It was so hard to go out working those days because no one answers their doors and everyone goes into this panic mode, worse than when it snows in Austin. It started snowing Monday, just a little bit, and really hit Wednesday during the day. It started about 1:30 on Wednesday and didn't stop snowing until Thursday night. It snowed 10 inches which is insane for North Carolina! Needless to say we were told by President craven to be careful and not drive. So we walked a couple of places, but when it snows no one even touches their doors because they are scared of the snow! But the past couple of days as the snow melts, it freezes during the night, so it's all ice. Well I've slipped and fell more times this week than I did the entire winter I was in Utah. Which let me say is really sad. But I'll deal. 

I've learned something from my falls through. I'll share:

• The first time, Sister Reading and I were walking home and I saw her slip, but not fall, I told her "Be careful! It's icey!" And not 5 seconds later, I slip and am on my hands and knees.
• Time two, we just got home last night from a meeting, it's 9PM, dark, and cold. I look out and say, "Sister Reading be careful! It's slippery!" Again 5 seconds later, I slip and fall! This time scrapping my hand and knee. Not fun!

Well what I learned!

1. Don't tell other people to be careful if you're not going to watch it yourself.
2. When you fall, you can always get back up again. 
3. Bandages are like the atonement, it doesn't take away the initial shock and hurt, but it heals you and helps you feel better.
4. It's really hard to kneel now, which is quite difficult for a missionary as we are kneeling for prayers about 20 to 30 percent of the day. But I'm a tough one (okay I really couldn't say that with a straight face and couldn't write it without laughing!)

So highlights this week:

Edna is getting baptized this Saturday and her interview is today! I am so excited for her! And although I have not gotten to work with her the entire time I am still so excited to see her make this step of faith to be baptized by the Priesthood Authority. She just finished her interview! We are so excited for her to make this step!

Speaking of faith, something I've realized as I've been out on my mission is everything comes down to faith. In Preach My Gospel I don't know how many times it say that "(blank) is an act of faith." Or something along those lines. Everything we do in this life is an act of faith. Faith is the basis of everything we do in the church. And
faith is the action we take based on our belief.

Something that President and Sister Craven have asked us to do is study a Christ-Like Attribute every week until Easter. Starting this week with Faith. I invite each of you to do the same. And tell me about your studies. Not only are we to study each of them, but also apply them to our lives to "Become more Christ-Like for Easter!" I think this is a wonderfully thing. And it will really bring each of you closer to Christ. (Attached is the letter and schedule President and Sister Craven sent us missionaries). This week we are studying on faith.

My birthday was great! Thank you to everyone who made it special! :) my district played basketball and volleyball! Which is always fun!

Happy Belated Valentines to everyone! I can't believe February is half over!

We met Sister Forlines on Valentines Day! She was "less-active" because she didn't know where the church building was! And we couldn't find her because her apartment address was weird, but we finally found it! And perfect timing as well!

Yesterday in Gospel Principals class we talked about the life of Jesus Christ, specifically the atonement. Something that I came to realize a few weeks ago while watching "Finding Faith in Christ" or one of the other videos about His life, I can't remember which one it was specifically. But the thing I realized as I watched Christ go through Gethsemane and on the Cross, was that through it all, He had the power, as did Heavenly Father, to stop it at anytime. He had the agency to quit. He didn't have to finish it, but He did, because He loves us. Because He loves me. As I've been out on my mission, the atonement has become more than just something I use when I make mistakes, but also when I need help feeling less homesick, alone, or discouraged. Elder Peterson (District Leader) shared with the district a quote from one of the past Relief Society Presidency, about the atonement. How Christ knows how I feel when I'm away from home. He knows how I feel when an investigator drops me. He knows how I hurt when one of my investigators turns and believes the anti material. He knows how I feel when one of my investigators enters the waters of baptism. He just doesn't know how it feels, but how I feel.

Love y'all!

- Sister Loosle

P.S. I'll send pics of the snow next week when I can get on the computers!