Fireflies & Rainstorms all week (sorry this is late)

I woke up this morning to a Bronx bug under the arch of my foot. Don't
know what a Bronx bug is? Look it up buttercup. Yup.

To the people I love,
Phew I feel like I just emailed you, but at the same time I have so
much to share. So, where to begin.... Well actually I can't really
remember anything much except this past Monday, the day went down in
my journal as "Miracle Monday" and I'll tell you why. We woke up. Ran
our mile. Showered. Ate my peanut butter and honey sand which and
apples. Personal study. DIVINE. Companionship study. BEST IT HAS EVER
BEEN. I was feelin dandy. Off to my first zone conference. We talked
about our goals [dad: I use the quote "Failure to plan is planning to
fail." everyday of my life out here. Thanks.] as a zone and as
districts and the spirit was strong. I was also given the opportunity
to share my testimony with the missionaries, and that was humbling.
Scurry off to an appointment with an investigator named Marietta.

Pause. Marietta is one of those eternal investigators or what ever
they call them. She has been meeting with the missionaries for 5
years. That's quite a bit of time. So I was just another missionary
thrown into her teaching pool. She is a cat lover so her house smells
of cat heaven.... I pretty much try to breathe through my mouth until
the cat hair has lined my throat. Marietta is in her 60's. So funny
and so loving towards everyone she meets BUT at the same time she
don't take no junk from anyone.

We arrive at Marietta's home. Ready to teach the restoration. She
opens the door and pulls us in. I notice she was a bit antsy. She sat
us down and before we could even get a word out she says "Sisters? I
have something to tell you.... I want to get baptized." My head could
not comprehend what she had just said. Tears of joy flowed from all
our eyes as we sat there. She will be getting baptized July 27th.
Please pray for her. She is strong so I know satan will work hard. We
meet with her everyday and yesterday I got to teach her about the law
of chastity and plan of salvation. Oh man guys, our Father in Heaven
really loves his children.

After we left Marietta's we went to do service at a less active's. She
is gutting an old home so she was throwing out glorious old clothes,
suitcases, letters, books, nick nacks, ect! The elders pretty much did
all the work while I had a grand time playing dress up. :) Sister
Vilela [LA] took us missionaries out for my first trip to have real
New York pizza. It was glorious. Off to Milly's home right after. She
was so happy to see us. As we taught her that God loves her and Christ
died for her she got silent [thats not normal for Milly]. As we asked
her some inspired questions she opened up, and for a few moments Milly
was all there, it was like she was 20 years old again. So bright and
full of the spirit. I don't think Milly will have to opportunity in
this life to get baptized but I am so glad The Lord sent us to her
when he did.

We then hurried off to our dance lessons!!! Ah yeah! You heard right.
:) Sometimes us missionaries have to get a lil creative when it comes
to getting LA to meet with us. Julie Palazzo, she was baptized a year
ago and has been less active for a year. So if you do the math, she
hasn't been to back to the church since being dunked. So we texted her
and after a long battle trying to get her to believe us that we really
did just want to get to know her she finally said she would come teach
us how to salsa dance. Woot! It was a miracle that she came to the
church. She had a lot of fun, as did I since I crave dance. She even
said she would like to come back to church! MIRACLES I tell you. Oh
and she talks like Bon Qui Qui, no joke. It took all my strength not
to echo her every word in her accent/voice.

Just after we walked into our apartment door and plopped on the floor
someone knocked on our door and to our surprise it was out sweet
Elders with ice cream and homemade brownies! [not the first time this
has happened] Yes, that is how wonderful our Elders are. We then sat,
talked, laughed and enjoyed stuffing our faces full. It was an
exhausting day. We didn't even have time to change out of our service
clothes, even though they were filled with fiber glass, all day. I
have never felt more accomplished and I know that feeling only comes
through God.... And those boxed brownies the elders gave us. ;)

Sheesh, I'm sorry my emails are so long! The work is progressing. This
is hard and it is going way to fast. I am humbled. I miss my family so
incredibly much but seeing others take steps toward eternity with
theirs makes this all well worth it. I love this gospel. I love the
Book of Mormon. As we drive through the country side I love looking
through the thick trees and thinking about the young boy who knelt
here in New York to pray to ask a humble sincere question that has
changed my life. I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I love my
Savior and I know he lives!

"Half way in half way out fills the mind and heart with doubt." I love
you all! FAMILY: How was lake Powell? What did you do for the Fourth
of July? Where is Judell? Meredith, Vivian? You still alive? ;) Shout
out to Sha Nay Nay, thanks for the letter homegurl. I hope you have a
wonderful week, I'll talk to you next. SEND SOME PHOTOS. Ciao!! XO 

Love, Sister Checketts

 1- Service at the court house. We do it every Thursday. We organize

super old documents, it's so sweet!
2- Sister Astle teaching Milly on Monday in our service clothes. [yes,
she is wearing shorts]
3- Milly's collection of raccoons and teddy bears, that is her couch
and coffee table.
4- Sister Astle, Milly and I. FYI: natural hair right thur. I told you
my hair looks like Emma's out here.