An Attitude of Gratitude!!!

Sister Judd and I in some slave ruins. 

I'm going to live in this house someday. It's just missing a roof... and windows and doors and a floor. But you know... It's a fixer upper. 

The Ocean!  I never get tired of the ocean! ;)

Hey everyone! 

We started this week off the right way with a road trip to a national park here on the island. We explored some slave settlement ruins, found a sweet cave, and of course... spent some time on the beach. It was a very good day. As usual. I'm pretty sure every day is a good day in the Bahamas. :) 

I think I mentioned last week that we're really trying to put an emphasis on serving in our area. So this week, we went over and helped an investigator clean up his yard. He had a bunch of banana trees that had fallen down in a storm, and we went and helped him clean it all up. It was so fun! I've discovered I have a love for working in the dirt. Dirt covered hands equals a happy heart.  I may get that from you, Dad. We'll never know :) 

There were several highlights to this week. First up, we took Linda teaching with us for the first time! (She's the one that got baptized about two months ago.) It was amazing. I almost cried. I've seen this girl go from knowing next to nothing about the church to bearing one of the most powerful testimonies of the temple that I've ever heard... all in three months. And she's never even been to a temple. If that doesn't show you how true this gospel is, I don't know what does. The gospel has to be true! It changes lives... it changes people! Through the gospel, someone with all sorts of problems and challenges can become an amazing leader and just a wonderful person! I've seen it happen time and time again... and I'm just so humbled every day to think that Heavenly Father would allow me to be a part of all of this! 

We had a lesson a few days ago with those three brothers I've mentioned a few times. This particular lesson, we were addressing some concerns about finding out if the Book of Mormon is true or not. The boys had been praying and reading diligently... they really wanted to know if it was true. So we went in and asked them a few questions... and then realized they might not be recognizing the answer they're receiving. We read a scripture with them that talks about the fruits of the spirit. The conversation went something along the lines of... 

Us: "So boys, do any of these things sound similar to what you feel when you read and pray?"

One of the boys: "Yeah... peace, joy, faith, love... well I guess all of these."

Another boy: "Oh! I always feel happy when I read and I wondered why."

Us: "So do you think those feelings could be the answer you're looking for?" 

They said yes, and we went on to talk about what it means to know the Book of Mormon is true. Conversations like that make my heart melt. I feel so much love for these people and words can't even describe the feeling you get when they come to know the gospel is true. 

We had a fun family home evening this week. We ate tacos (which was mostly what made it fun because Mexican food is very, very rare here), and then talked about temples! We played a fun little game to help the kids know how to prepare for the temple. It was a very good night indeed. 

Ummm other than that, we had a lot of really fun times running through the rain to appointments, getting splashed by traffic, and just enjoying the life of a missionary! I love this life. I never want it to end :) 

Also, seeing as it's Thanksgiving back home this week, I thought I would share one of my favorite quotes on gratitude. Thanksgiving isn't widely celebrated here, but we'll be eating with a member who knows we'd be missing out and said she'd make us American food for the day :) 

But anyways... the quote. 

"Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God's creation. Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Good ol' President Uchtdorf always knows just what to say, doesn't he? I just love that man. So I'm working on gratitude again this week. In honor of Thanksgiving and all. 

But anyways, that's all for now folks! Have a wonderful week, and Happy Thanksgiving!!! Let the Christmas season begin!! Woohoo!! 

xoxoxoxoxo,

Sister Oman  

Sister Bailey and I at the slave settlement.  

One of my favorite little girls.  

One of my favorite families ever! (Plus he's the branch president, so that's even cooler! haha.) 

On p-day road trips, we take backseat companion selfies. haha :)..... 

.....and we eat sugar cane for snacks!.....

.....and we find colorful buildings!!! 

The national park we went to last week! 

We found this sweet little cave but we couldn't get down to it because we were in skirts. Also it looked a little dangerous haha!!!

Slave settlement thing! it was sick. plus it only cost two dollars! bonus :) 

The awesome ocean!

Just some random street.  Ha Ha!