Kalamazoo!

Hi Mom! 

This week has been so crazy busy! Since we've known for a while that I was going to get transferred we spent most of the week saying goodbyes while also trying to make the week our most productive and effective yet. Very busy to say the least. 

I have been feeling better this week. The doctors are getting closer to figuring out what the problem is which is really good. I'm not sure what they're going to do since I am being transferred but I'm sure we'll figure everything out when I get there:) 

 Going to Kalamazoo is going to be SO MUCH FUN and I'm so excited! Of course I am super sad to leave everyone that I've gotten to know these past 5 months but it is going to be a lot of fun starting fresh as well. Sister Burk is the sweetest and I can already tell that we're going to have a ton of fun together this next transfer.                                               

     Promo Video for  Kalamazoo Michigan 

Sister Bates and Sister Wilcox will be staying together here in Bay City and Sister Bates will finish training on her own. However, I will be coming back to Bay city at least twice for baptisms of investigators that I helped find. SUPER EXCITING!

Jessica is one of our investigators here in Bay City. Sister Viehweg and Chatman met her in September and she's been meeting with the missionaries ever since. She's so awesome! She actually committed to a date to be baptized on Friday and we are really excited to see her progress even more in these upcoming weeks. Jessica has a 2 year old (Isaac) and a 9 year old (Dominic). We are at her house a lot and her kids love the missionaries! It's been fun to see them grow in the gospel and find their new family in the ward. 

I'm really going to miss the Drouins. Hands down. I LOVE THAT FAMILY. Donna and Breanna are both on date to be baptized on May 28th and we are hoping to push that date to the 14th this week. Donna sent me the sweetest message right after we said goodbye. Oh my goodness I love this family so much. It has been such a wonderful experience watching their family come closer to Christ together. I can't wait to come back in a few weeks for her baptism.

This week we were also going to put two of our other investigators on date as well. Josh White, and Robin. 

Josh is currently dating a less active member of the church and has been taking the lessons on and off for about 2 years. This is the first time that any missionaries have ever gotten him to commit to baptism though so we are super excited. Before dating Sarita (his girlfriend) Josh didn't believe in God at all. But he has changed so much over the course of these past few weeks and I know that by June 11th he will be so ready for baptism:) The coolest thing has been watching his love for the Book of Mormon grow. He has reached the point where when he needs to choose what to read, the Book of Mormon is always the book he chooses. 

Robin has also been being taught for quite a while. She has been given all of the lessons a few times but has been living with her boyfriend up until a month ago and so she hasn't been able to get baptized even though she really wanted to. But now she can. We are so excited for her and that she can finally take this huge step!

Lately I have begun reading the Old Testament. Wow, is it confusing, but I have been learning so much, especially about how important Family history is.. Trying to make a family tree of the people in genesis is hard, but genealogy is so so so important! How else are we going to know where we came from?? 

Kalamazoo is on fire right now, with the missionary work being done. Sister Bates's last companion had actually served in the exact are I am going to and so she keeps telling me of all of these wonderful people that I need to go visit.  Hopefully she wrote them all down since there were SO MANY!!!  Everything that I have heard about the area has been really good though and I can't wait to begin!

OH MY GOODNESS Sunday was hard since I knew am leaving,  but I'll see them all really soon.

I don't have my new address yet, but hopefully I'll get it in time to send it out to you:)

I love you! Have a wonderful week and I'll Skype you in 13 days! 

Love,

Sister Sheppard