**I still don't have an address for Chelsea, so I'm sorry for not being able to write that in here yet. I will update that as soon as I get it!**
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Dearest family and friends!!!
I love you all so much!!! It's hard to even describe how much my love has grown for you all of you while I've been out here. I hope that you are all doing well! I pray for all of you every morning and night and I pray that the Lord will bless through my efforts in the field. Whenever I am tempted to not be exactly obedient, the thought always comes to my head that you, my family, won't get as many blessings if I'm not exactly obedient. That is honestly the greatest motivation for me, so I continually strive to be exactly obedient!
Also, thank you so much for all your e-mails this past week! I love them all so much and I love everything you say and talk about! Ashley, you can keep sending "rambly" e-mails and everything that you're sending-I love it all! I'm bummed because my e-mail today will have to be a little brief, but I feel like I have so much to tell you! It's 11:50 am here and we are supposed to leave for D.C. by 12:30 (we are going for my companion's birthday, which is today!!!). I struggle at times with being with a companion all the time. You know how I like to do things really fast? Well, she is exactly the opposite, and sometimes things take longer than I feel they should. I just keep telling myself that the Lord is teaching me patience, and it's okay to do things a little bit differently. We just do some things unnecessarily slowly, but all is well.
Here are all the dets for this past week...I can't wait to tell you everything!!!!
-The flight and arrival: Wednesday morning started with a 4 a.m. wakeup call, and it was a crazy morning getting ready for the shuttle. We made it there by 5:30 am though, and actually didn't leave until 6:00 or so. We only had to wait in the airport for a bit, and our flight took off right on time around 10:00 am and I got to talk to Momma in the airport!!! The flight was really chill and it had very little turbulence! I sat by an elder from my district and another sister who hadn't been in my district. I took my Dramamine, so I was out almost the whole flight. I'm sure I had the whole head up, mouth open look going on the while time, so at least I'm not looking for a husband here! It was so exciting to all walk to see President and Sister Riggs when we arrived! There were 30 of us missionaries, 16 sisters and 14 elders. He is like a second dad and he is so great. He makes everyone feel like they are his favorite missionary, and he has so much love for all of his missionaries. I already love them both so much!!
-We were taken to the mission home after we arrived, where we had dinner, a testimony/introduction meeting and interviews with the mission president. It was such a good night, and it was so nice to just all be there. My interview with the president was really powerful, and he reassured me that I'm where I'm supposed to be. He then asked me if I loved my mom, and I of course said yes, and started to cry for the first time. He then said that he wanted me to pretend like I was my mom, telling him all the good things about my daughter. I hope I gave him an accurate representation of what you think of me Mom! :)
-We woke up the next morning and went to a stake center for transfer meeting. We had a short in-field orientation, and then we got to meet our new companions!!! My companion is named Sister Orrock!! She is a few inches taller than me with blonde hair, and she is from Orem. She just finished getting trained herself and she has only been out here three months. She is very sweet and has a big heart. We have some differences that we are working through, but it is great overall! Ashley, you talked about how when you got to the field, you found that things were different than the MTC-I have found that same thing and have struggled with that for some reason at times. My companion will correct me for doing things that I was told to do in the MTC at times, which is hard for me to hear. Again, it's okay though! I genuinely do love her!
-I am in Arlington, Virginia, and my area is called Crystal City! It is a pretty small area, and is such a cozy little place! I seriously love it so much here! I love the people here and everything about it! I would come live here again after my mission! I absolutely love the ward and the people here. There is such a good community feel. I feel like it is a pretty safe area, and I have never felt nervous here. The other day we were street contacting, and ran into a man that we talked to for a bit. He kept telling us all of the scary things about this place, and how the biggest gang in the U.S. is located here. He told us to carry pepper spray and tasers, and just to be really careful because people are always looking to take your purse or something. He was just very intense, and it wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear the 3rd day being here. :)
-I have had so many incredible experiences here already! The Lord is truly preparing his people for the gospel and for the truth. So many people are searching for it and they need it, and they don't always know it at first. They have a hole in their heart that they don't know how to fill, but as we talk to them about the gospel, you can see that they can feel the Spirit and it honestly gives them hope. Street contacting was honestly terrifying at first! We went contacting the first night at a park nearby, and I don't think I said a single word. I felt like I was being annoying and we got all rejections. It was a very humbling experience!
-We have taught a lesson everyday here, all of which have been incredible. I can feel the Lord blessing us, both as we work to find people and teach them. I have felt the Spirit working in me as I teach, and there are times where I'm like, "I can't believe I just said that," for I promise them things or tell them things that I couldn't think of on my own. It is so amazing, and one of the best feelings in the world! There is no where else I would rather be than on this mission. I cannot wait to wake up every morning to see what will happen, for the Lord leads us to things that we didn't plan on our own, but that are better than what we had planned. It has been a lot harder than I ever could imagine, but the Lord is strengthening. He is helping me to give it everything, and to be completely here in Northern Virginia--all my heart, might, mind and strength. Here is quick recap of some experiences:
-We taught a couple named Bobby and Keren the second night I was here. She is from Jerusalem, and is sincerely seeking for the truth. She said she would get baptized if she come to know it's true! I love them both, and we're seeing them again on Friday.
-We taught a woman named Jan the next night, and she is also incredible! She believes absolutely everything the LDS church does, and she has had so many spiritual experiences in her life. The only thing holding her back is that she and her husband were baptized together in another church, and she felt like God approved of her baptism. She just wants a strong confirmation that Heavenly Father wants her to be baptized again in the LDS faith.
-We taught a couple named Jody and Cheng last night. They are from China and they're the sweetest couple. The Spirit was so strong in our lesson, and that is when I really felt the Spirit speaking through me. I pray that they read the Book of Mormon and pray on their own, for I feel so much that the Lord is preparing them!
I have to go but I love you all so much! There is so much I didn't get to tell you, but just know that I'm happy and that the Lord is taking care of me. I know that He is doing the same for you.
All my love,
Sister Chelsea Marie Akin
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