Ole!

Easter district

Hola, mi familia :)

¿Como estamos? This has been one crazy week. I cannot believe this transfer is over. How can that even be a thing? We got transfer calls this morning and of our zone Sister Ashford is out, Elder Lammi is out, Elder Snell is out, and Elder Weisler is out. And my compañera is being transferred to Utah ;) Everyone else is the same. Sister Reeve and I will be training. It's so sad that the best transfers always feel so short...

Honestly, it is hard to remember what happened this week because the weeks have gone like days and the days have gone like weeks. We had our branch breakfast for Easter Saturday morning at ten. We got there at nine to hide the eggs for the primary kids and then I went into a little room off where the activity was being held to FaceTime into the new trainer meeting. The meeting ended as the breakfast also ended and then we had Aldo's baptism! That was awesome. We were sitting there and I looked around at such an odd little bunch we were (our branch has members from a good number of countries in Central & South America, Iran, India, all us blanquitos over here, and a few other odds and ends). It is great. We were all there excited for this new member of our congregation and the Spirit was so strong. I had the thought go through my head that only the gospel could bring a bunch together like this. It was really cool actually. The gospel is amazing.

We were invited over to a few families' homes yesterday and finished off with the Pachecos. Analisse and Yohanna are amazing. We made up a game with Analisse as we were attempting to pass a volleyball between the three of us. This game also included crawling through the bushes here and there to retrieve lost balls #wehavenohandeyecoordination #Ole! We got a bunch of pictures after before the goodbyes. Goodbyes are hard. It will be interesting to see what comes with these next few transfers. Now that is a terrifying thought! I only will have one transfer left (most likely, I guess we don't KNOW yet what the plan is...) after I finish training this new companion of mine. I wonder what'll happen there. Maybe we will do three together...? Huh. We shall see :) one thing at a time.

This morning we went on a district "hike" (it's a hill...but a hill of trees nonetheless that they who have never seen Rockies dare to call a hike) and that was super fun! We got some pictures together as a district. I love these people.

We were driving home on Thursday I think and everything kind of hit me. Just that this transfer was over, that so much has happened, where we're at now, where I was 14 months ago...#hitsitinoneweek #what and how much life just goes. It was really really cool actually, because we were singing to music with all the windows down, driving home down an empty road and I just felt full. That is the only way I could even describe it. I felt so full of gratitude, tears, and who knows what else. I couldn't explain that feeling ever, but I think they call it joy. Pure joy. Gratitude for everything that has happened, for all the Lord has allowed me to experience. We felt it together and we were kind of talking about it and Hna Staker said, "this is what Adam and Eve left the garden for." It was really cool.

Sometimes we have hard things and experiences that we really don't understand. It can be hard at times to see the grand scheme of things and where this moment fits in everything. I know we can have the hope for what will come in the moment and try to imagine at times what will maybe come of those experiences, but I don't think I've ever felt the gratitude for those hard times as fully as that moment Thursday night. I've learned because of those trials; I've seen blessings because of them; I've seen personal growth and understanding come because of them; but this was the first time I think I really felt that joy to match my pain. I think about Alma...I was going to paraphrase it but the scriptures say it so much better: "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you...that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you...that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy." <<that. :)

This has been a good week and a good day :) we will be going to the Betetas tonight (our second counselor's family) for our last little goodbye party. It'll be exciting to see what comes in the next couple of days! The Lord is great. I couldn't be happier with where I am and what I'm doing. We are so blessed. I love you very much. Have a fabulous week!! :)

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

. Our little Plainview and Westbury clan

Our hike!

With the Rodriguez family

Johanna and Analisse

Dinner with the Pachecos and Hno Chetty

Us doing our "Ole!"

They had lawn fairies playing!

Service

Our favorite sign

Hna Martínez

Eating yogurt with forks