Jan 25, 2016
Earthquake, Anchorage, and One Big Dog

My dear companion Sister Webster experienced her first earthquake this week, and that 

puts me at number four in Alaska (only the second one I've really felt.) It was about 1:30 in 

the morning, and it actually woke me up! Our second story apartment was nice and shaky, 

but nothing even fell from the walls, so that was no fun. I've heard there's some sweet 

pictures of stores in Anchorage where all of their food fell off the shelves... the epicenter 

was in Anchor Point, so if I would have been in Soldotna I would've been super close, but 

up here we all felt it but nobody was hurt. I heard it was a 6.2 and I also heard it was a 7.1, 

so if someone wants to send me some details I wouldn't complain. It was exciting. Also, me 

half asleep trying to remember what you're supposed to do during an earthquake: "Are we 

supposed to get under a table or something? Because our table is tiny and not helpful." So I

 just laid in my bed and fell back asleep.

We also had exchanges this week! Sister Fambrough came up and we saw all the miracles.

She came out the transfer before I did and spent her first six months in Fairbanks in the 

summer (so basically the opposite end of Alaska from me.) She was super fun to work with,

 and we ate fried chicken and talked about the Gospel and found a new person to teach, 

Vita. She's a sweet older native lady that was tracted into almost a year ago and now we're 

finally actually connecting with her! It's really neat when someone tells you that you're an 

answer to prayer.

We also drove to Anchorage a third time for Sisters' Training, where all of the sisters in 

Alaska get together and learn about how to be our best selves. Since transfer meetings are 

no longer a thing (praise the Lord, they wasted time... but that's okay) it was nice to see my 

trainer, Sister Price one more time before she goes home next week to Tennessee! She'll 

be leaving a week from tomorrow, crazy. No one actually goes back to the lower 48...

Oh, and as of this week I'm 4 for 4 with companions and going to the doctor! #skillz

Tracting adventures in the middle of nowhere, nice people who talk to us, people are very 

kind and I'm trying to love everyone.

In other news, I've been reading through the Book of Mormon with a focus on grace and 

how we can access it. I loved in Mosiah 7 when king Limhi realizes that Ammon and his 

friends have come to save them - after being in bondage to the Lamanites for his whole life,

 someone has come to rescue them! But he also includes this caveat at the end of verse 18

 - "I trust there remain[s] an effectual struggle to be made." He sees the light at the end of 

the tunnel, but he also recognizes the reality of having to get there. He knows that soon he 

and his people will finally be free, but until then he's got his armor on and is ready to fight 

his way out. Just like when someone sees the hope in the message of Jesus Christ, they've 

still got an "effectual struggle" to have before they get back to God. Because the struggle is 

real.

Remember who you are! Don't do drugs!

Sister Rollins

Sisters Gambrough, Rollins, Johnstun and Webster exchianging back  in Eagle River.
Gotta love us some missionary work

Sister Price and I right before she goes home!

Calvin, the English mastiff, giving me a big sloppy kiss.
His weight is down to 195 lbs from 215 because he has
 bone cancer  :(

More Pictures from this week!

Sisters Training