growth through opposition

Dear Family,

I about died when I saw the picture of Dad, Grandpa, Mark, and Ethan! I can't believe how big he is! How old is he now? He's going to be all grown up when I get back! I would love a copy of that picture.

Things here in Tacoma are going well. It's really wierd weather here, but I LOVE it. Because we are literally right next to the sound int Tacoma we wake up everyday to complete fog. Some days it burns off and other days it just stays, but its always pretty cool. Its in the fifties in the morning and no hotter than 80 in the afternoon and its gets way cool in the evening. I think I might have to move here. I love the weather.

Tracting in Tacoma is pretty much the best thing ever. There are appartment complexes everywhere and we're able to set up church tours just about everyday. Just last week we were able to set up a tour with a woman named Latasha, she's 6'1 and wants to play basketball with me lol! I'm pretty excited, although I have a feeling I'm going to get worked. We're working with a man named Craig right now who's been an eternal investigator, but now is finally coming around. On sunday we went to go make sure he was coming to church but there was no answer at his door. I was pretty angry actually. He promised he was going to be there, but then when we swung by after church we found out that he had broken his ankle the night before, it wasn't casted yet because the swellin was literally out of controll, Roughly the size of a volley ball. Hopefully we can still make his baptism happen some how. He's so ready.

We're also working with a woman named Amanda, she has five children and has been investigating for a few months now, but she we just learned that her boyfriend and her have to get married. She has SO many questions and comes from a southern baptist background, her dad is actually a preacher in the south. She's come to church several times, but still isn't sure. She just needs to take that leap of faith, but she's on her way.

Ariana, our 14 year old investigator is getting baptized this weekend. She's doing it the day after her birthday and is pretty excited. She's the last one in her family to get baptized so we're excited for her. She has a strong testimony of the church, which was really strengthened at girls camp this summer. I'll write more about her next week.

Despite the fact that this week was really hard I'm learning a lot through the rough times. I'm learning that I grow so much more through opposition than through success. Andrew Newton wrote about this a long time ago and I always remembered it, but I think I'm now only just begining to really understand what he meant. I'm grateful for my challanging weeks where everything doesn't work out, because I learn so much more than when it all works out. When things don't work out I'm motivated to try harder to make it work and I grow instead of staying complacant. I love it, or at least I'm learning to love it. Thanks for all your prayers and emails! Love you!

Love Sister Bradley