Sister Rachel McIntosh: 5 September 2016

Well. I knew the day was coming. I just didn't know that it would come so soon. I am saddened to announce to you all that it has officially started being "chilly" in Idaho. Most days are fine, but it's only a matter of time before my nose hairs are frozen, my bum is bruised from falling ALWAYS, and my hair starts greying from the stress of driving on iced roads.

But good things are in the future of Rexburg! We're teaching a cute little girl, Eva (9) who is getting baptized this weekend. She's the funniest little girl. And so smart. Oh my heck.

And the fall semester starts in a WEEK! I am anxious for that day. For many, many reasons, but one of the most significant is that we will have MUCH more people to teach! I love working with the YSA and everyone else on campus. Sister Dodd and I have some good ideas to really get the work rolling on campus - stay tuned.

We have a new YSA investigator named Willy - he's really cool and very receptive to everything we teach. We taught him the Plan of Happiness and at the end, since we had gone over a lot with him, I asked what in the lesson particularly stood out to him or meant a lot to him. "Well... no matter what we do, we can be forgiven and it will be okay. If we do what's right, anyways. I didn't know that there was that much hope."

That was a really needed answer for me particular.

I know a decent amount of things. I'm aware of things, at least (except between 10:30pm and 6:30am). But do I really UNDERSTAND what these things mean? Do any of us? It was a good reminder and it made me think of the great missionary Amulek who said:

I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear;

therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know

Profound much?

In our prayers, in our studies, in our everyday activities, let's try to remember and to KNOW the things we know about. Let's pray for increased perspective and understanding of the things we take for granted.

Love you all!!!!!!

Sister McIntosh

1. Me and Kolo both pretending like we weren't crying. This was shortly before she left