It is well with my soul -

Hello Everyone! 
Greetings from it-was-the-first-snow-of-the-winter-and-it-already-melted-away-oh-how-I-love-it-Colorado!   I've been so blessed to have had such a warm fall... I've only worn boots 3 times this fall season. awesome. 

We had a fun Halloween party on Saturday... a Soup and Spook. I got to be a judge of the chili and soup cookoff... tough job, let me tell ya.  haha. it was fun! 

On Halloween day, for some strange reason all of the crows in the Denver metro area wanted to be where I was. 1) i don't like birds in general 2) crows are my LEAST favorite of the species 3) HOW DID THEY KNOW IT WAS HALLOWEEN? #socreepy  It was slightly terrifying. 

The lessons with the Foreign exchange students are going well! I love them all so much!!!!  the 3 girls love us...It's so neat to be a part of their lives in a small way.

I love the investigators we teach. Robert and Diana are AMAZING! They are close friends with a member family (which is how we started teaching them) but they are just getting closer to baptism every lesson. I love them!  

You all know that I've been an open book in my emails, and I don't try to cover up if I've had a hard week... Missions are hard.  We feel a small part of the rejection and heart ache prophets, and even the Savior felt during His mission (a very small part thankfully)... but I'm so grateful for my companion talking sense into me. I was just wanting the last transfer to be the best... miraculous... accomplishing all that God wanted me to accomplish (or what I thought He wanted me to do) 
She lovingly called me to repentance and just told me to let it go. So I did. I let go of my righteous desires and my bad desires too. I gave them all to the Savior and told the Lord that it's His mission and not mine. This is His work and not mine. I would love to see conversion, but maybe He is wanting to see refinement in His daughter. I was wanting to be a difference maker, but maybe God wanted me to be here so a difference could be made in me. I know that I'm learning so much about how to be an effective member missionary so that I will be able to CONTINUE sharing the Gospel in the Lord's way all my life. When I had a change of perspective, and when I repented and really said "Thy will be done... and I'm ok that I don't understand thy will all of the time" I literally felt the burden lifted from my shoulders. Christ was just waiting for me to give it to Him so He could take it while respecting my agency.... It was an amazing experience. 

I love my Savior so much.  He is the best of all best friends we could have.  In the Hymn book if often uses the word friend, but is sure to capitalize it.  He is my kind wise Heavenly Friend... so true. 

Sometimes God lets us struggle and face opposition even when what we want is a RIGHTEOUS DESIRE! He is the perfect investor, because He has perfect patience. Sometimes He is able to hold off in blessing us with what we WANT and what will make us immediately HAPPY for giving us what is BEST for our GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND lasting JOY. I'm glad He is smarter than me, even though I like getting my way too often.  

My invitation to you this week is to have a conversation with the Lord.  He knows what you want, but I invite you to offer up all the desires of your heart and then hand it over. Trust Him. Do the best you can and have faith that He is the High Priest of Good things to Come.  

I love you all. I miss you! I can't believe that in 3 weeks I'll be home... In the meantime I'll cherish every day here in Denver. 

Onward Christian Soldiers!

From me to you, Sister Kinzie Lou  

pics... happy halloween!