December 9

Dear Family,

Wow what a week! Packing was like trying to fit a jig saw puzzle together. I hadn't packed in 7 1/2 months and collected so much stuff I dont know how I got it all to fit in 2 big suitcases and a carry on. Good thing I was coming home yet, because pretty sure each suitcase weighted over 80 pounds! ha ha.

Canyon is amazing! I love being in a YSA branch! Many are return missionaries and have such a fire about doing missionary work! Its really easy to get members out teaching with us, and the students here at WT campus are so prepared and ready to hear the gospel!

Seriously I know I am supposed to be here in this area. I have such a fire, and the town is just glowing! Our Branch President, President Horn is incredible, he is like all the students' dad away from home. This past conference he flew all the recent converts to General Conference in Salt Lake City! What an experience for them!

One of the recent converts here is T. from China. He is incredible, and he can't wait to go back to China and be a light to those there. He tells us that Jesus Christ is his best friend. He is so sincere and sweet.

A. another recent convert, just got baptized 2 weeks ago. She is so sweet and is the pioneer for her family. Now her grandma and her younger sister back at home are investigating the church. 

C. another recent convert came form a devout church of Christ household. In fact his father is a church of Christ minister! He was a very tough cookie... so he says. Ha ha. It took many months of deep doctrine and one of my favorite sisters (Sister Davis who is now home) is actually the one that taught and baptized him. He is 22 and plans on going on a mission in June! His family was way against it but they are slowly softening. Its so amazing meeting all these recent converts, many who gave up much for the gospel, because they knew it was true! I know I will be making friendships here that last a lifetime!

I know that everything I have learned on my mission up until this point is to help with this area. The branch is so amazing. It gets me way pumped to be a great member missionary when I get home.

We are planning to have hopefully three baptisms this month! P who has a date for the 21st. E  we just contacted on campus and progressing very well. He loved church yesterday. His date is for December 28th and LJ- comes from an atheist background but is making a lot of progression!

Its freezing here. With the windchill is about -13 degrees, but somehow I am still smiling and excited about the work! ha ha. I think I will end my  mission here, and I am really excited all that I can bring to the branch.

WT campus is really cute. They have a lot of people who do agriculture stuff here like judging meat and stuff. ha ha. The church is pretty well known here. Many professors are LDS and they even have an LDSSA (LDS student association) here! They have a festival of trees here, and LDSSA did a Christ tree which is everyone's favorite! Super cool!

I had some crazy things happen this week too! Lost my bike and my wallet! Luckily they've located my bike its in a small town south of here. It got lost in the mix of transfers, so hopefully I get that soon. And we can't seem to find my wallet anywhere, which has made things quite difficult. Pray I can find it. [Update: Sister Turner's wallet was found shortly after she sent this e-mail!]

Hope many of you were able to watch the Christmas Devotional last night! It was awesome! Love this time of year to remember our Savior, the Prince of Peace.

I will be training sisters in two areas in the panhandle this transfer as STL, another STL Sister Boughton will be going with me and we will be leaving our companions behinds and they will work together, and we will work together in exchanges in the areas of the sisters were over. (if that makes any sense. ha) Its getting close where STL's will actually be companions! That sure will be nice!

I love this gospel so much, and I have such a desire to share the gospel with everyone! I want to give my all these last 4 months! Love and miss you all!

Sister Turner

My companion

At transfers