Dear Connections,: Transferred to Cedar Falls, IA

Dearest family,

Remember that one time we went to that lake for Youth Conference and we jumped in the glacier run-off and it was so cold that it froze your lungs? This is warmer than that..........I am currently in Cedar Falls, IA. Temperature outside is -53 degrees, with windchill. Most of the mission been house-grounded for 24 hours, even though it does not feel THAT cold outside. I keep thinking of Avery Hill on a mission in Russia and I feel like a WHIMP!!!!!!!! The Peers and the Barbers tried to warm me it would be cold.....but I never anticipated it being too cold to work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's really strange to be indoors. I feel ansty to be outside talking to people!!!!!!!! Luckily we have a car to get to the library!!!!

It has been a most roller coaster week. I was totally disappointed to get the call that I would leave Iowa City, where all I have known in my mission has been. As I was packing, I kept thinking about how much I LOVED everything here. I love the city, the ward, the people, the other missionaries, just the SET UP of missionary work in that place. We always had teaching appointments. We had 4 new investigators this transfer, two of which we found DURING transfer calls. It was so sad to come out of that lesson, TOTALLY in love with this new couple, ready to set a baptism date with one of my other investigators who i ADORED, to be leaving........I thought about how many memories I had with Lloyd and Murphy there and how I had to leave all that. I felt like I was leaving my closest friends and family all over again.

The words of my trainer kept ringing in my mind and I said SO MANY prayers of gratitude. I kept thanking Heavenly Father for how much I had been given, and promised Him I would give Him all of my strength in my new area.

Cedar Falls is a much smaller city. I am now companions with Sister Monroe and she is ADORABLE. We are the only sisters in the whole zone......pretty big change.

There was a morning I woke up and I was pretty upset about all the change. And over and over and over again, Sister Lloyd's advice would flash through my head. I learned to love the people of Cedar Falls this week. I remembered how much I love the work this week. I remembered how important it is to love my companion this week. I remembered how much I want the Lord to trust me, how much I want Him to guide me, and how much I YEARN for the blessings of His Atonement and an even stronger testimony of the scriptures. That day, we went to District Meeting and my District Leader had also been trained in Iowa City and he is SUPER spiritual and talked to me a little bit and it was SO nice to just talk to someone who knew what I was missing. I was so peaceful about the transition. I went to church on Sunday and remembered how much I truly love my mission.

I LOVE MY LIFE. I love Sister Lloyd even more. I am continually using the things she taught me, especially her attitude toward missionary work. Things are different here, but it's all the same work. And the work is amazing. I just get to love a whole new set of people!!!!!!!!!!

We have two recent converts here and one investigator named Julie (who is the convert's sister). She wants to get baptized but needs to stop smoking and I am learning about faith and miracles this week. SHE IS SO COOL! She wants this so bad.

Staying in has been an answer to an unspoken prayer, actually. I have gotten time to do some studies that I needed to and I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES!!!!!!!!!! God is so merciful to me. He was literally my Best Friend this week. I am SSSOOOOOOOO happy!

Hope all is well at home. LOVE YOU, FAMILIA!!!!!!

~Sister Chloé Michelle Sumsion~