52 Weeks of Gratitude

Hey guys! 

Alright this email has the potential to be really long... so I apologize in advance haha. I hope you're all doing well! As usual, I miss you and love you all!!! 

First things first, our week was great! Paul (an investigator from Portmore) got baptized yesterday! I was super sad I didn't get to be there for the baptism, but it was so exciting to talk to him on the phone for a minute and hear all about the baptism :) Ahhh missionary work is just the best. 

Next up-- we were doing some tracting at night one night when the mosquito fogging truck drove by. Now for those of you that don't know what that is... it's a giant truck that sprays out this super thick, nasty smelling and even worse tasting fog to kill the mosquitoes. Everyone locks up in their houses when it goes by until the fog clears up. But poor us didn't have a house to lock up in! So we hid in a bush... which wasn't embarrassing until we came out of the bush coughing and sputtering and looked up to see someone standing on their veranda wondering why two girls just crawled out of a bush haha. We tried to make it better by sharing the gospel with them... but somehow I don't think that was the best first impression haha. 

We were walking to an appointment this week when we felt like we should take the long way... so we did, and just when we were coming around a corner, we saw this guy standing in the middle of his yard staring at us. We were like "Uhh... what is he doing?" So before we could even say hi, he called out and asked us what church we're from. We went over and talked to him, and had a pretty good little conversation. He agreed to have us come back a different time to have another lesson, and then we walked off. As we were walking, we were talking about how it was a little weird that he was just standing there like he was waiting for us. I (mostly joking) said that it was probably the spirit that told him to go outside and wait for something right when we came around. Little did I know... 

A few days later when we returned for the next lesson, he was talking about how he feels God wants him to go a different direction in his life right now. He said "Like the day I met you guys. I was just sitting inside watching tv when I thought I heard someone telling me to go outside and wait for the two girls that are walking down the street. So I went outside and just a few seconds later, you two came around the corner." How cool is that??? It really was the spirit! I'm so excited to continue working with him!!! 

In other news, this Thursday marks one year since I entered the MTC! I still can't figure out where the time went. I've spent some time reflecting over the last year these last few days, and I've been reading through some journal entries from the course of my mission. I've made it a goal to write three things I'm grateful for that day every time I finish a journal entry. So... in honor of 52 weeks as a missionary, I thought I'd share 52 things I've been grateful for over the past year! Ready, set, go! 

1. My family (I write this like every day)
2. The laughter of little kids
3. Clean drinking water (after our water filter broke and we'd all been sick for like two weeks) 
4. The priesthood
5. Ocean waves and ocean breeze
6. My momma and daddy
7. The Book of Mormon! 
8. Emma Smith 
9. Air conditioning and fans
10. The beautiful earth we live on
11. Pancakes and tacos
12. The home I was raised in
13. An obedient companion
14. Eternal families- My family! The family I'll one day have of my own
15. Primary songs
16. A living prophet
17. Agency
18. Sunscreen- lots of sunscreen! 
19. Cold skim milk
20. God's love 
21. Modern technology and emails
22. Smiles! 
23. Ibuprofen, sleep, orange juice, and priesthood blessings (when I had chickungunya) 
24. Opportunities for growth
25. President Brown
26. Sunsets
27. The companionship of the Holy Ghost 
28. Heavenly Father's listening ear- even when my faith falters, He is always there! 
29. The plan of salvation and temples! 
30. The strengthening power of the Atonement 
31. Laughter and love 
32. A mom who never fed me fish 
33. Comfy couches to sit on in the evenings 
34. The Bible
35. Patriarchal blessings
36. Lessons with people who are prepared and willing to listen 
37. Trust and forgiveness
38. Bug spray and calamine lotion
39. The ability I have to read and write 
40. Answered prayers and being able to pray
41. Rain storms 
42. People who keep their appointments 
43. My siblings 
44. Spontaneous adventures 
45. Parents who taught me there is always some good to be found in someone if you look for it 
46. The chance I have to spend 18 months focused on nothing but the gospel 
47. The safety and protection we receive every day 
48. The opportunity I had to grow up in the church 
49. Peace 
50. Electricity 
51. President Monson
52. My mission :) 

Alright, that's it for this week folks! I love you all and appreciate you more than I can ever tell you! Hope everyone is doing well! Have super duper weeks! 

xoxoxoxo,

Sister Oman 

We look like major dorks in our bike helmets and awkward proselyting skirts haha. But we love it! 

The railroad tracks we walk on to get to church every time we go to church! 

I made curried chicken and rice and peas for Sunday dinner last night... man it was good! Thank heavens for a companion who teaches me how to cook delicious Jamaican food :) 

I spy goats.

Our apartment in Old Harbour!

Sister Slater and I

We found a purple Barney house!!

A random boat we found!

Our bedroom