Hermana Emily Barfuss: Sisters are just so great! We are just so likeable!

We found a lake! It is in Castaic! It was beautiful. Never seen so much water in Southern California. I guess there is the ocean...but I've never seen it!

This week flew by. I know I always say this, but before I know it I'm in the library again emailing home trying to think what even happened this week :)

I think the highlight of the week was going to the temple! We left at 5:30 am so we could make the 6:45 session. It was exactly where I wanted to be this Easter weekend. I realized a few things this temple trip, and one of them is that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. He wants us to be just beaming with joy, and it is possible! In the most difficult times when we feel like hope is lost, we can be cheerful, positive, grateful, happy, and joyful in our circumstances. I was in the temple on Friday. The day of Christ's crucifixion. A terrible, horrible, no good, rotten day, but as I sat in the temple the words, "Don't lose hope" kept running through my head. Sunday is coming! Friday night may feel long, Saturday may feel like it is NEVER going to end, but Sunday will always come.

This week all the missionaries were asked to speak at church. I decided to speak on Thomas. He has a very interesting but short story in the Bible. Thomas has gone down in history as Doubting Thomas, but as I read his story I started to connect to him and his experience. Thomas had just seen his best friend, the person he trusted most, and was willing to sacrifice and leave everything behind for, be murdered in a horrible way. Then the apostles come running and saying, "Thomas! He's back! We've seen the risen Lord." With those images still fresh in his head, I can see how he doubted, but I also studied how Thomas was there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb. Thomas had seen many miracles, but this miracle maybe seemed too impossible for him to believe. I started to think about my life. Even though I have seen, heard, experienced so many miracles I still doubt if certain things are possible. I don't want to go down in history as Doubting Hermana Barfuss. So I choose to believe! I know too much. I've seen too much. I know nothing is impossible through Jesus Christ and faith in him!

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust itinto my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Let's see what else happened this week

1. We ate with the Pethos family (pronounced Peeto) turns out Brother Pethos served in the Highland Stake! It was back in 2000 so I don't remember any of the people he served around.

2. L is getting baptized tomorrow! WEEHOO! We emailed her son who is serving a mission and he got permission to skype his mom tomorrow. She is going to FREAK OUT!

3. We helped an older lady from the Newhall ward clean out her garage. I think I inhaled about a pound of dust, but we found all these old karate and boxing magazines! I also found this random Star Wars magazine from the 70s. I asked Sister Montross if I could keep it and give it to Brennan!

4. I loved Women's Conference! I loved that it was so centered in service. Put down the mirror and start connecting with people! Love it!

5. My companion had two accidents this week during workout hahaa. So I have been trying to run more, and she is not a huge runner so one day she decided to heely behind me (you know those shoes with the wheels in them) but she hit a rock and totally scrapped her knee. The other day I was running around the park and she was playing on the monkey bars, slipped and completely gashed her shin. We are still not sure how it happened! Hahaa funny things happen at 6:30 am.

6. We ate lamb for dinner yesterday. I felt bad. Lambs are so stinkin' cute!

7. The Newhall ward has been signing up to feed us a lot. So much that the Elders serving in their ward have not been getting fed. Whoops! I feel bad, but Sisters are just so great! We are just so likeable! Hahaa that's definitely not what the Elders are thinking muahahaha