Hello...
It's been perfect weather the past few days. I even got a nice burn on my left arm and a tanned face... soon to depart I am sure since it is more overcast now. Maybe it will come back, oh how I pray for it. It was sooo nice.. but on Saturday it may have possibly been too much. We were fasting and it was  HOT (well for Wales) and we went and saw our less active friend, Mair, and we sat outside of course because you have to take advantage of this loveliness. I was in the sunniest part and BOOOM BABY I got a great burn.. and mybe a little smidge of a heat stroke. We left and I was sooo dizzy for the next hour, I finally said to Sister Nadsady... I know I have the Lord's strength.. but I also have that natural body thing called fainting sneaking up on me.. I need a little water and I will be fine. She of course was luck- Sister don't be crazy you could have taken a drink a while ago and I would have understood!! Silly me... ha, oh well.
This week at church was incredible we had a perfect 3 in 1 (it's our president's main goal for us 3 investigators at church, one with a baptismal date. Soon if we are lucky we will have a 3 in 3!! haha let's pray about it. none the less it was amazing). Bro. Farnden hasn't come to church in 11 years.... that is a very long time. I love this man though, so kinda and caring, he'd do anything for anyone!!! I am sooooo happy and proud to say the man who refused to come back for 11 years has now come back and bore his testimony. He made it sound like to us that he was coming back for good. I made a goal though after speaking with a few members on the subject- to never say anything to offend, to make up for it if I do, to visit the less actives in the ward REGARDLESS of if I enjoy them or not, to find what I love about them, to not only be their visiting teacher but to be their friend and to NEVER speak bad about anyone regardless of the mistakes they have made or what I don't understand about what they are going through. God loves all His children, so don't speak badly about them... their HIS children, love one another as I have loved you: His great commandment. God speaks badly of no one, so don't do it about others. I learned that this week ... we gain such a positive relationship with so many of these people and to hear anything negative about them from someone who doesn't know, but thinks they do, breaks my heart. Whether its true or not... it doesn't matter. I am so grateful to know that God loves me and He thinks I am great... I can use refining that He offers me. He loves me as I was yesterday, today, and tomorrow... remember that as we look into the eyes of every child of God. He loves them, and so should we because we are all great in the sight of God.. which is the true way to look at a person.
What an incredible week though full of long days with no fruits, but long hours of tracting. Then Sunday comes and all the people that we had prayed to be there came plus some more. Oh how I am grateful that the Lord knows me and is so mindful of what I need. I have been feeling soooo lazy (which is funny cause we're working allllll the time) but when we aren't, I was just letting myself relax and was honestly being a waster which was irritating myself since I had made a goal to not do that. This morning we woke up and for the past few days Sister Nadsady has had a chest infection. This morning, it got bad and Sister Ogden told her to sleep in for a bit and then go to the doctor's office... pretty sure I read ALOT this morning. I know that I am better focused when I use every second to do the Lord's work. I never understood how that was possible, until I realized that the main conversion I need to constantly be striving to have is my own. I can constantly do that when I am constantly on the Lord's errand. Down time is fine, but use it to gain more knowledge- this life is the time to prepare to meet God. I need sooooo much more preparation. I feel so much closer to Him than ever, yet I realize how little I know and how much there is to learn. I know this Gospel is true and I know I am here for a purpose. Those purposes (people) have come to church and I am excited to find more... but I am extremely excited to become who the Lord knows and wants for me to be. My life's greatest work is and will ever be myself (which sounds self centered but I will explain). I can only control myself. I can only think for myself. I can only only choose for myself. As I help others I grow. This life is not about me, it's about others, but as I make it about others, I personally will grow and benefit- if I bring back one soul to Christ that was fully converted to him all the way and that soul was my own and I did all I could for others but they chose not to heed to it, the Lord will still say 'well done thou good and faithful servant'. I am striving to be my best and in response the Lord is blessing us with the fruit of our labors. Others see and want and stick to it. Goodness is contagious- look in, look up, reach out. Dad it goes through my mind daily and oh how true it is. This is the true Gospel. This is the greatest work and God loves His children. Love them as well.
I am soooo happy for Sarah. and HOLY COWZERS THAT WAS FAST!!! so EA ain't happening. How are her parents doing? I kinda felt like this might happen... man crazy gorgeous girl just being bomb.com!! You see with great effort and faithfulness we'll get what our heart truly desires, she is for sure. Lucky her and SJ just being bomb sisters!! so fun.
I love you soooo much and thank you for your time in reading this GINORMOUS email.  I had more time today which is great for ya'll... well that is still up for grabs I guess. I love you with all my heart and then some. You are always in my prayers.
Moroni 8:3

I love you more than words can say+1bajillion.
        Sister Lauren Lee Filichia