Birthday Wishes and Valentine Kisses

Good heavens. SO much happens in one week that I have the hardest time trying to write it all out. But this week was sugar-filled! 

On Valentine's Day we had interviews with President Olson. He's really a hard-working, dedicated missionary who cares a lot about us and the work we do. After we dropped off the Elders, we stopped by Krispy Kreme and I had my first ever Kripsy Kreme donut! And they were delicious! Then we were off to Paul and Janice's where we ate crawfish. Let me explain how you eat a crawfish: First you pull the entire tail off, then you scoop out the fat with your finger and eat it. Then you pinch the head and suck out the juices. Then you peel off the shell on the tail and eat the little piece of meat. And that's it! It's actually quite delicious, and I was pleasantly surprised. And then we skinned another squirrel. 

My first Krispy Kreme donut!

Crawfish for Valentine's Day

We skinned another squirrel.

Then we took some donuts to Bonnie. Bonnie is the best y'all. She came to church again, and this past week we finally got to teach her all of the Restoration. We asked her if she thought that what we shared could be true, to which she just looked at us and replied, "Oh. I already know it is." AH! We set her with a baptismal date, and she got excited and pulled out her calendar to make sure she wrote it down. She hasn't drank since the day we met her. She's golden, y'all. 

And we finished our Valentine's Day with the Pettet family! When I grow up, I want to be just like the Pettets. So much love!

Wednesday we commemorated Elder Loader's missionary service. He went home for medical reasons and so we all wore black to district meeting. Hence the sweater I so classily tied around my shoulders. He will surely be missed. But this District is awesome!! Elder Neilsen put together a birthday lunch for me! It was seriously amazing. Elder Giblette made some killer peanut butter-chocolate pie. Yeah, it was another good day! 

And then I turned 20!! Wednesday night, Sister Lamb and I blew up balloons, baked a cake, and decorated. Then on my birthday morning, I invited her to jump on the bed with me. To which she kindly obliged. She also made me a delicious breakfast burrito and that, my friends is how you start off your birthday right!!! 

Swig cookies (definitely not peaches) for my birthday!!!

Started out my birthday right

A birthday breakfast burrito

It was all uphill from there. The Biloxi Spanish Elders (Elder Pierre-Louis and Elder Scoresby) came by and silly-stringed us! Then we went out to lunch with Sister Skiles and Josh. Then we taught Josh the law of chastity and it went surprisingly well. Not even awkward! Josh has been progressing so well. It's been pretty incredible to see how he's changed these past two months. He really just gets it! 

Silly-stringed by the Biloxi Spanish Elders

Lunch with Sister Skiles and Josh

After his lesson, we read the Book of Mormon with a less-active guy named Frank. Sister Thompson and I found him tracting and now he's starting to really trust us and it's been cool. We're working to get him back to church and I know he'll get there soon. 

Then we had burritos with Paul and Janice. And they had cake! They're too sweet. Love them!

Birthday cake with Paul and Janice

After that, we headed home and soon thereafter we went to Sister Maisch's for a steak dinner. And another cake!! And sweet Sister Vance gave me roses! Oh my goodness it was a food-filled day. 

Another cake at Sister Maisch's home 

Roses from Sister Vance

But wait. There's more. When we got home from dinner, Sister Schrepp brought me a candy bouquet and cupcakes! This ward is too, too good y'all.

Candy Bouquet from Sister Schrepp

 Then naturally I had to light 20 candles on my birthday cake that Sister Lamb and I made. 

And that is how you have a killer birthday on your mission. It was seriously awesome. Couldn't have asked for better. Loved every minute of it! I feel so blessed to be here and to be serving around such amazing people. 

Just to clarify, the only kisses I had on Valentine's Day were from a spicy crawfish. #Page33 #MyHeartIsLocked

​HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET MOMMA ON SUNDAY!! 

Love you, mom! And may your birthday be every bit as wonderful as mine was.