Maren in Milwaukee: Week 75 - "If you want a beautiful life, let beautiful people in"

NI ZHONG! Channeling my inner Hmong person to say "hello"! (Must be the fact that we are having to switch apartments this week where the Hmong Elders were living.) This week has flown, but what else is new? Another transfer has come and gone and I'm sad that Sister Carlini is gonna be leaving me, but SO STOKED to get Sister Hansen! It's going to be such a rad 6 weeks with her. Sorry, but this is going to be a lot of bullet points. My mind is all over the place today!

Went hiking on p-day with the Hermanas and the zone leaders. One of the Hnas got hurt so we had to hike by ourselves back to the car and got lost for a little bit. Kind of felt like a story that would be told in conference. But we made it. No worries.
Had exchanges with the Hermanas and I went to GB Spanish with Hna. Brian! Ahh, I adore her. We had a blast and tracted our hearts out. She's such a hard worker! Also, apparently in Kenosha/Racine (her last area) Dawn Armstrong, the missionary mom from Meet the Mormons, came and spoke at their youth conference and a quote Hna. Brian told me she said was, "If you want a beautiful life, let beautiful people in". I just really like that.
Some girl danced on our car while we were stopped at a stop sign
Met with Cayla a couple times this week. She didn't end up coming to church, but after we talked to her. I can kind of understand, it's still frustrating. But she and Nick came to the Vanderheyden's for dinner last night and it was wonderful.
After dinner at the Bishop's home, we saw Sister Mangum and her daughter finishing up their afternoon walk and stopped our car to talk to them! Then their neighbor called out to us and we all started talking to him. Then Sister Mangum invites him to hear the missionary lessons. WHAT. Way to go, Sister Mangum!! I was so happy to talk to Gary and tell him more about the church, but maybe even more excited that Sister Mangum was so bold in being a missionary!! She's a rockstar. We ended up giving him a BoM and he said we could come back over. So, yay! Then Sister Mangum texted us saying that he used to play for the Packers. So that's pretty cool, I guess :)
GENERAL WOMEN'S BROADCAST. Oh it was the best, wasn't it? I loved all the talks given. There is just such a special spirit that comes during this General Conference season! I loved hearing from all of our leaders, but I really loved Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson's address. She was so bold. It was fantastic.
SUNDAY. Was the best day. We had church. Then we saw Ashley and she fed us, well, me, pizza! Then we went to see Victoria and her family. We're so sad Emma has to move. She's had a really rough life and she's only like 11. Breaks my heart, but we hopefully helped her to feel that God knows her and loves her so so much! She really wants sisters to teach her wherever she ends up, so we'll have to figure that out when the time comes. Then we went to see Cayla cause she skipped out on church. She's had a tough week and is struggling with some things. It was good that we stopped by though. Cause at first she wasn't going to come to the Vanderheyden's for dinner, but at the end Nick came in and they decided they wanted to come. YAY! So we stopped by this LA couple's house and set something up with them. Then we went to the Vanderheyden's for dinner and it was the best. Them + the Elders + The Mills' family + Benson + Jena & Jake = dream team. It was basically all my favorite GB people in one room! Then we went to Hmong class at the Dodson's and I learned all sorts of Hmong phrases from Grandma Ying Moua and it was the best. She told Elder Davis that my Hmong was super awesome hahaha so basically I should have been called to speak Hmong.
Elder Platero ate a bee

But I just love all these people in Green Bay so much and I'm really grateful to be here. Grateful to be a missionary and so grateful to be learning so much about my Savior! He lives! And loves us so much. I hope you are all excited about General Conference this weekend. My heart is just so ready to hear the inspired words of our cute Prophet and other general authorities!

Have a wonderful week, everyone! I LOVE YOU. CTR.

Xo,

Sister Quist