Preaching in Pennsylvania: Did someone say cake?

Mi familia:

Hola!! Como esta?! (Haha that's about all the Spanish I remember

#morefluentinPittsburghese

)

Well, let's see. What happened this week? (I feel like I ask that every time ha ha but the struggle never ends.)

Tuesday was a swell day. Consider the following events:

We got to the library to meet with Jessica (we dropped her a while but still see her every now and then), but she was having a rough day so she wanted to reschedule.
Our car was parked, so we decided to walk up that street to try a referral and a potential investigator and talk to anyone else that we saw. (Apparently to the cowboys in this mission, this is called "park and bark" ha ha seriously have never heard this before )
We tried a referral, but he didn't answer the door.
We tried a potential, but no one was home.
Our team-up who we were going to pick up to take with us "just happened" to live on that street, so we grabbed her and started walking back in the direction of our car.
A lady was walking towards us, and I knew we needed to talk to her, so I OYM-ed her. She was super open and said we could share a message with her. I started talking about the Book of Mormon and she said, "Do you want to go sit down on those bleachers over there? That way we don't have to stand." I was just shocked but we agreed and walked over to some bleachers next to the huge track we were next to. We found out her name is Ghazala. We taught her the Restoration, and even though she's from a very different religious background, she found it all very fascinating. We invited her to read and pray and we set up a time to see her next week. It was amazing!

More miracles happened on Saturday. So about a month or two ago we got a referral for a man named Ricki. The elders contacted him because they didn't realize he lived in our area. We have tried several times to get in contact with him, with no luck. We had decided to try to see him on a Saturday morning right after personal study. So we jumped in the car and drove to his house. We were sitting in the car and saw two men at the house next to Ricki's, and I made eye contact with one of them. I immediately thought, "I wonder if that's Ricki..." We prayed and got out of the car. Part of me was just going to walk up the stairs to knock on the door, but instead we walked over to him, and started talking to him. Come to find out, HE IS RICKI. Holy cow, I was blown away. WE FINALLY MET/FOUND HIM. We set up a time to see him this week, which made him a new investigator. It was fantastic! God is so good.

Later that day, we popped in on Ron and Sheryl--the ones we helped move last week. They were so happy to see us! We had actually called them the day before and Sheryl told us her mom had passed away. We decided to take them a cake we had gotten from the cake auction (I'll tell yinz about that in a second). They were so grateful! It wasn't the best time to try and share a message with them, but we gave them a couple copies of the Plan of Salvation pamphlet and they told us we could pop in again this next week. So we totally are going to! They are awesome people, I just feel like their hearts are open and ready for what we want to share with them. ALL THANKS TO SERVICE.

We also had interviews this week...and I know yinz already know what I'm gonna say. I LOVE PRESIDENT AND SISTER JOHNSON. They are literally my other set of parents and I ADORE them. My goals: be like Sister Johnson, marry someone like President Johnson and have a marriage like they do (ha ha don't worry...that prolly won't happen for a while

). I always learn so much when I'm with them.

Did someone say cake? ...so every year, the Washington ward has their Blue and Gold Banquet which consists of a spaghetti dinner and a cake auction (to raise money for the youth programs). Yinz are gonna die...each companionship was given $160 to bid on desserts. It was crazy. We definitely spent it all though...and got SO much sugar. I thought I was going to die. I literally am so sugared out, I don't know if I'll ever be able to eat it again (...okay, that might not be 100% truthful...but regardless, I am going to super cut back...I *have* to). Anywhoosers. I did have the best Peanut Butter pie I have EVER tasted. But the best part....the auctioneer who did it...Brother Butcher. Literally the BEST auctioneer in all the land. (Take a look at the video) It was such a good time, I laughed so hard!

I've been learning so much about the Atonement and it's power in my own life. I know that it is a real and tangible thing. I know that the sacrifice of our Savior is not just a story, it is a real event that has the power to change our lives. Through His sacrifice, and through our humility and repentance we can be made clean. We can be forgiven and purified and made whole. Through Him we also can receive grace, or the strength we need to move forward and overcome what we could never overcome on our own. I love my dear Savior and cannot be grateful enough for His Atonement.

Remember His Atonement isn't just an abstract idea--it is something that we are meant to utilize and apply in our lives. I hope you have an incredible week!!! I love you so very much!!!

"Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)

all my love,

Sister Brianna Bartlett xoxo

811 Frederick Court

Canonsburg, PA 15317

PS: I'm safe and staying in Washington for my last transfer!