Dear Connections,: IOWA CITY - week 3, week 5 mission

Dearest Muuffee, (what she calls Sam)

how are you, little brother? I was thinking about you Friday and Sunday and I so miss you. I loved those few weeks we got together before I left: just roaming around the house, hanging out. You are so cool. I feel like I got to know you a lot better during that time.

So here's the thing: YOU HAVE TO GO ON A MISSION. It is literally the best thing you could do with your life. Family will come. Hobbies will fade. But the things you experience on a mission are the BEST. This is the work of God. I know it. I know that when I say that I have been called to be a representative of Jesus Christ through the power of God, that I AM RIGHT! I got a blessing last week and it was just INCREDIBLE to feel how much God loves me. I know that it may seem far away, and a huge responsibility, but please please please do everything you can to be ready to serve God when the time comes for Him to call you. READ YOUR BOOK OF MORMON EVERY DAY. Satan works hard on trying to get people not to do that and it is SO essential. (Come on! It will be fun! We can do it together! (: ) Ok but seriously. The best way to be closer to your Father in Heaven is by studying that book. DO IT!!!!!!!!

Speaking of which, we live with a member family who has 4 adorable little girls. The two year old always comes up to me and says, "Wanna build a tower together?" and I think of our family phrase all the time. It's hilarious. Also, the most random things remind me of you: zombies???? wimp.com???? slang words that are used by some people from Chicago????our GPS's British voice??? marcel the shell???? yeah. random, I told you. anyway. totally miss you.

Guess what? This week we are going to have a baptism!!!! Sister Lloyd and her companion before me came in contact with this man named Scott. He's a 65 year old trucker driver and he is SSSOOOOOO cool. I seriously love him so much and I've met him once! We have our lessons over the phone and he goes to church wherever he is in the U.S. at that time on Sunday mornings. He is literally HUNGRY for more information. On his rest stops, he reads every manual the church has put out. He's SSSSOOOOOO amazing. I feel like he teaches ME every time we talk. I wish everyone had the hunger for the Gospel that he has, myself included. So yeah: he took the weekend off just for his baptism on Saturday and confirmation on Sunday. LOVE HIM! I'm so happy to witness this.

Other than that we are just tryin' our best at the work. We hardly do any finding, we teach a few investigators, but mostly we are doing a TON of contacting people that we know of: ESPECIALLY in the ward. There are a few members we teach that haven't come to church in forever and those are my FAVORITE! They are the coolest people ever and I want SSSOOOO badly for them to remember the Atonement and how it once changed their life. They know the church is true, they all just have their own struggles. I love helping to create an environment in their home where the Spirit can be felt. THAT is what people need. That feeling that the Spirit brings is what people crave. Because it feels SO amazing to be at peace and know that God is real.

Hey. I love you a lot, little brother. I'm so proud of all you do and the example you are to your friends. I know it's a crazy world out there, and I am so proud to watch you, only 15 years old, be man enough to go to church. I loved watching you pass the sacrament this summer. You are an amazing kid and I hope you know I have your best interest at heart. I want to do feel he Spirit in your life more because it is so personal and SSOOOO wonderful. Thanks for the email this week. You are so nice--thanks for taking the time.

LOVE YOU, SAMBO!

~Sister Chloé Michelle Sumsion~

Iowa Des Moines Mission
8515 Douglas Ave Ste 19
Urbandale, IA 50322

SHOUTOUTS:

PEERS: You are the best! Your support means so much to me. Your chips saved my study times this week. Hungry missionary = can't focus! :)

INNISI: Love your family so much. Seriously, I wish I could have shown you the joy on my face when I opened your package. I was like HECK YES I FEEL SO LOVED!!!! I wish I could pop across town and tell you hello.

MURRAYS: Wow. For reals: the missionary love in your family is ridiculous. I so owe you guys. Give Sister Jordan my love: she's been my inspiration for a long time.

LECHE JENKINS: Gosh. Stop it. I love you so much.

AUSTIN BRUNSON: Thought of you SO many times this week. Thanks for changing my LIFE!!