Fancy cars

Post-crash "We're okay!"

Hello hello, my wonderful family!

How have we been?? This was a unique week to say the least on our end. The first few days all blended together until Wednesday. Wednesday morning we were driving to an appointment and got in an accident which resulted in being car-less for the next two days. We are fine and the majority of the car is fine. They're "sending a human" to look at it today and decide if it is worth repairing. I say it just needs a nose job...an extensive nose job but still just a nose job ;) in the details of the accident God very much was a part, seeing as had there been even the slightest change in timing or speed we both probably would have needed to go to the hospital. Instead, we walked away with two little scratches from handling our detached headlight...ha #tendermercies Oh! Also, I liked this moment very much cause I just was talking with the guy who hit us and the cops the whole time trying to make everyone feel comfortable and after the tow truck came and was hooking up the car we got our accident report back from the popo. I grabbed a BoM out of the car real quick and walked over to the window and said we needed to trade. Haha! They took it and waved bye to us when we left. They were super chill. Following the accident my companion proceeded to make approximately 120 anger cookies that were then shared at the mega zone conference we had Friday. Haha! It was quite the process. :) 

"The popo"

Panera adventure

Seeing as we were without a car in the second biggest area in our mission, the sister training leaders were in the area to pick us up and drop us at the church. There we remained for those three days. We were able to keep most of our appointments through Facebook and FaceTime and still use our time productively, but being in that building the whole time was starting to wear on us. We decided to take an adventure. We walked .6 miles in the 12 degree weather to a Panera (that was the only thing even remotely close to the church) to get some food and have a FaceTime lesson with one of our returning members. We finished up at the church and the district leader companionship took us home (they live right by us). They returned to pick us up and drop us off at the church again the next day. 

Mega zone was great. We ended up singing a version of "Come Thou Fount", and I think it went pretty well. Also, our comp unity though. It's getting a little crazy! Haha! When they told us they were about to show us the new Easter initiative video we both said "yeeeeees" at the exact same time, the same tone, the same duration of time, and the same, well, everything. Haha! The video was awesome. I am really excited for this new initiative. I think it's really needed in the world today #PRINCEofPEACE. It's gonna be great. 

Mega zone

After our mega zone we also got the loaner car from Elder Williams. It is actually the assistants' car. *whistles* Yeah. It is a spaceship. We named it the Millenium Falcon. Yes. It's pretty fancy, a little too fancy for my liking. We were saying yesterday how they're gonna get it back and need to vacuum it out cause it'll be full of curly hair. Oops :)

The people we are working with are all doing really well and progressing in different aspects which is great to see. I had some moments this week that were really, really hard for me personally but have been able to change my focus and perception of things by focusing more on my Savior. I have found there is quite a bit I don't understand and quite a bit I don't know. I also found if I focus on what I lack I will get overwhelmingly consumed in it. What grandpa told me before I came back to New York came to mind: "what we focus on expands." It is so simple, but I have made that my thought. In those moments when I begin to get overwhelmed, I think about my Savior. I think about what I do know and do understand and that provides the opportunity for me to be still and let Him work. It has been pretty amazing to see. In one of my prayers this week I was frustrated and telling God how I wanted to be and felt I should be but wasn't...He listened to me and then prompted me to the scriptures again. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it, and there will always be times we don't understand everything. That is when we need to have clear in our minds how important the gospel of Jesus Christ is to us and act accordingly. 

I love this gospel and am so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve and grow and come closer to my Savior. I hope the next week is great and look forward to what comes for all of us. Let us all press on. :)

Mucho amor,

Hermana Karra Gourley

Mega zone...we are all dorks

Green bagels from the elders

They let me try on their sombrero

Happy birthday to one of our members