I guess I'll begin this letter by telling you about an interview that I had with President Albright on Friday. I went in and he was asking me about how it was going getting to know my area. I told him it was going well and that I'd been driving in order to know my way around better. He said, "Well, that's really good. And in case there were some changes in companionships next week I would spend the next 3 days getting to know everything you can about the area, investigators, and members." I thought he was joking and just saying it to let me know that I really need to get to know the area so I just replied by saying, "OK." (If you know me, that's my favorite sentence to say. Probably the longest too:) Then he continued to explain to me that there is an Hermana that has a lot of health problems and depression is among those. The past couple of weeks she has been training an Hermana from temple square who is here for two transfers to get experience in the field. She gets so sick that they don't even go out and work two days every week. He then said, "We want to transfer Hermana Alvarado (my companion) to go help this sister. She is about to finish her mission and she needs someone who is going to be very patient with her. So that means that you are going to have to be senior companion and help this sister from temple square learn about missionary work in the field." When I realized that he was being serious, my eyes got REALLY big. He kind of chuckled and said, "What do you think?" Probably not a very good question to ask someone who just got hit by a semi going 75 mph down the freeway, but what am I going to say? He said that it wasn't set in stone and that he would let us know for sure within the next few days. He asked me if I had any concerns about it and I explained that I still can't understand some of our investigators for their accents. His reply was that it would be okay because this sister from temple square is from Mexico. She studied english in college and received her degree, so she speaks both languages perfectly. She also knows Preach My Gospel really well and can answer questions because she has had that experience talking to so many people and introducing them to the church. It didn't really make me feel a whole lot better... So we ended up making the switch. We call it getting "E.T.-ed" (Emergency Transferred). It was really hard to see Hna. Alvarado leave, but I guess the good thing is that I'm definitely going to get to know the area. We changed companionships yesterday after a meeting with all of the spanish missionaries and the work began. Can I just tell you how well they train the missionaries on temple square? I don't think I'm going to be able to teach Hermana Basurto anything. I'm just going to soak in all of her knowledge. This is definitely one of the most humbling experiences that I've gone through in my life. Anywa...MIRACLE #1... we had a lesson last night with the investigators whom I can't understand. We set a baptismal date! ...MIRACLE #2...we went tracting and got in the first door, taught a short lesson, and set a return appointment...MIRACLE #3...visited with a less active member and commited her to come to church this Sunday. All that happened in about 4-5 hours. WOW! Turns out that it is possible to run an area with your senior companion. I think the Lord is helping us more, though, because both of us don't really know exactly what we're doing. At least I don't. Hermana Basurto is an amazing teacher and she talks to me in spanish all of the time. Which is what I need to really learn the language well. We are going to set aside some times to speak in english so she can keep practicing so that it won't be so hard when she gets back to Salt Lake and has to go back to pure english. Really we are both teaching each other everything that we know and it makes up the difference for the things that we don't know. I'm really excited to gain all of this experience, but I need as many prayers as I can get. If there was ever a time when you wanted to help a missionary, I would hope that it is now. Pray for me! I just remembered that I need to pass on some information that President Albright gave us. I don't want to sound prideful or anything, but we just found out that our mission is #1 baptizing out of the Northeast. That's 30 missions. So if anyone wants to say that their mission is the best, I've got numbers to contend with you:) Haha, really I just think that the Lord is blessing us because he felt bad for the 4 BLIZZARDS that He hit us with. Needless to say, the work is moving forward faster than ever and it is because we have so much help from the members. You really are important to missionary work! I hope everything is well with all of you and that you remember the Lord everyday and the blessings He has given you. I know that if we will walk humbly, as the Jaredites in the book of Ether, we will "be taught from on high." The church is true! Take advantage of every opportunity to learn. Have a good week! Hermana Larsen