Bainbridge Island aka Narnia

This first week on Bainbridge flew by! Its insane how fast it went! Tuesday was transfer meeting which of course was powerful. We said goodbye to 9 outstanding missionaries and welcomed 28 new ones! WOW! The work is moving forth!

My new companion is great! Sister Henderson is just wonderful. I've included a picture of her with this email :)

Bainbrigde is VERY different! Coming to Bainbridge felt like walking through the wardrobe and into Narnia. The people here don't respond like people everywhere else. They are for the most part of a much higher class and so they move at their own pace and time. Its presenting a new challenge for me that I'm excited to see the countless lessons I will be taught from it. I've worked hard for the last 14 months to become a bold missionary and now I have to discover a new form of boldness. It'll be great and can only make me a better missionary. I can definitely see the perfection of God's plan when I look back and reflect on each previous transfer. Every companion and every struggle has been such a great blessing. My thoughts often go to Ether 3:5 in which the Brother of Jared teaches us that God can do many things which seem small to us but are truly great power.

"...We know that thou art able to show forth great power, which looks small   unto the understanding of men." Ether 3:5

I've discovered that to be true. I just want to add my testimonies to the Brother of Jared's and say how true that was. Such a small miracle such as a young 14 year old boy in the 1820s, caring enough to wonder why all the churches contradicted each other when the Bible taught "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). What a miracle that a young teen boy with hardly any education would recognize that and seek to find an answer. That led him to study the scriptures and find James 1:5 which led him to a grove of trees where he kneeled in prayer asking to know which church to join. Such small miracles which led to an expression of great power as our loving Heavenly Father and Savior then appeared to such a humble boy. I know that as we seek to see the small miracles we too can see the great power of God. We may not have them appear to us but we can know with a surety of their love and know without a doubt that Joseph Smith truly did see them and the THROUGH him our Savior, Jesus Christ, RESTORED His gospel.

I've discovered a love for words. As I study every morning I constantly turn to my dictionary in which I look up even the most simple of words such as "through" which has many definitions including "by way of" I encourage you all to truly study out the scriptures and find the basics but truly understanding the words given. They are carefully chosen by our loving Father so we should each take care to learn them.

I love this gospel and know the truth of Joseph Smith's experience and the origin of the Book of Mormon. It truly is the word of God. 

I'm doing well but must go for today! So until next week! I love you all and be safe!