September 1

Hello!

This week was a good one. Monday for preparation day we went with some
other sisters to Okefenokee swamp! I held a baby alligator and a
snake, fed some chickens and went on a little train ride. We were the
only ones in the train so the train conductor stopped the train and
let us take a picture in front of a huge alligator!

This week we had a couple of our investigators drop us. It was really
for the better, she was not prepared. We have been talking and
thinking so much about the elect. A lot of times missionaries think
that they have to keep seeing people even when they aren't
progressing. It is an act of love, faith, and humility to drop people
who are not progressing and trust that God will continue to prepare
them and they will find the gospel again when they are ready.

On the other hand, remember Richard, our (not) atheist investigator?
He is back!!! We had no idea when he was going to be back and there
was no way for us to get a hold of him. We thought it might not be
until September 4. But we went to his house to visit his dad and bam!
He was there! He told us that while he was gone for 3 weeks he got a
hold of a Book of Mormon and had read some of it. And he must have
talked to someone about the church because he told us that someone
told him that we don't drink tea or smoke. So we got to teach him
about the word of wisdom and he completely understood and accepted it.
Wow. Then....he came to church on Sunday! It was amazing. He only came
for sacrament meeting but he loved it! It is so amazing to have him
back. We missed him so much.

We also went to Jacksonville for mission leadership council on
Wednesday. It was great! We talked a lot about Christlike attributes,
contacting, and online work! We are starting to get the members really
involved in member missionary work online. We talked about Elder
Bednar's talk at education week. You should read it or watch it. The
possibilities of sharing the gospel online are endless! I have a
testimony that online is one way that the work is hastening!

This week we also had interviews with President Craig, which is always
an amazing experience. I love him and his wife so much! They are the
perfect for my mission president and mission mom.

Sister Earl has been sick, along with some other sisters in this area.
Sister Earl and another sister stayed in Saturday night and I went
with sister Smedley. We both had some appointments. It worked out
pretty well, except for the being sick part. We also had two
trade-offs this week which went so great!

Have a blessed day!
Sister Kasteler