Goodbye Iowa City! (August 26, 2013)

HAPPY 6 months to me! haha.   I guess the Lord thinks it's time for me to move on to a new area!  ...I'll keep you posted on where that is of course, I don't find out until Thursday at transfer meeting!  Being in Iowa City this long was such a blessing, and I will be forever grateful for the incredible experiences I had here, and the people I met who will be in my heart forever!  And besides, I know this is just "see you later!"  Wow...it's still hard to not know when I'll see them again though!  We just dropped Sister Campbell off at the stake center to be taken to the airport and off to Brazil this afternoon!!!  My posterity is now going foreign! haha!  OH!...and I will now be a great grandma because Sister Hill's Trainee, Sister Brown, got called as a 6 week trainer and Sister Hill is opening up another new area and becoming a Sister Training Leader with me!  YAY!!! :)  So many things are changing here in the mission, and I'm excited for the adventures ahead! 

This week started off with a wonderful exchange with the hermanas in Iowa City, who I love dearly!  Hermana Phelps, Hermana Howell and Hermana Harkness are such powerhouse missionaries and I look up to them all!  We had fun teaching a few of their investigators, meeting people in their area...and reminding them of how amazing they really are!  :)  

Wednesday we had the feeling that we needed to be in Lonetree and see Shelley, so we drove down there and yes she was home!  We had a great lesson with her, answering a few of her concerns and ended up showing her the videos "You can find happiness" and "My New Life"..if you haven't seen them, look them up on mormonchannel.org and watch them as soon as you can!  They are such great reminders of why were are here on earth, how Heavenly Father wants us to be happy, and wants us to find the joy in everything we do. 

Sister Campbell gave a wonderful training on the Book of Mormon for district meeting on Thursday.  I'm so grateful for her and all she has taught me!  She is so knowledgeable in the gospel and her love and appreciation of it as well as the Book of Mormon has changed my life.  She is going to rock it down in Brazil!!! :)  Thursday evening we met with the Young Women's president and got her excited to get the girls more involved in missionary work and brainstormed some ideas on how we could do that.  We decided it would be cool for them to start a Book of Mormon challenge of their own, and read it for THEM and begin to recognize what Heavenly Father wants them to know through the Book of Mormon.  

Saturday was a much needed, much appreciated day spent at the Nauvoo temple!!!  WOW.... It was so comforting and exactly what I needed.  I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!  I was reminded of how big this work is; which I am reminded of often... but even moreso... that I am a part of something so great and important, and I should cherish every moment I have because it is so wonderful to be the Lord's servant at this time.  I am also so grateful to have so many serving with me!  Elder Taylor Alston, Elder Blake Alston, Elder Tyler Chatterton.... 4 family members out all at the same time!  :)  I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!! :)  

Sunday was hard to say goodbye to everyone in the ward, but it was a wonderful day.  Sister Campbell and I sang "The Olive Tree" and many tears were shed! haha.  THIS CHURCH IS TRUE!   

Thank you all for the love and prayers, I love you all so so so much!

Love Always,

Sister Natalia Alston