Week 77

July 30, 2017

"Family is the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness." -L Tom Perry

Hey y'all this week was great! 

So I can't save best for last, THE TWINS GOT BAPTIZED! 

It was literally a perfect baptism and they were so happy. They are so tiny and cute and it was wonderful!

I sang a song with our District Leader at the baptism and it ended up being really cool, I sang my verse in Spanish for them. Also after the baptism they bore their testimonies in Spanish and the spirit was so strong. They are the cutest and it was a great way to end my mission!! 

Then on Sunday they were confirmed and we were so blessed to have a returned missionary who could confirm them in Spanish so they could understand it perfectly. :) 

So that was all around wonderful. 

In other news, I changed a thermostat this week like a for real Electrician :)

We also got some delicious rolled ice cream that brought me joy

I love our quad squad. We do lots of fun stuff together. 

On Sunday we went out into the boonies of our area to see a less active and we were able to find this cool racetrack that was closed. So fun! 

We had to climb over a tiny fence. #rebels

Then we found a cool Lake also and you could hear all the alligators calling to each other. Awesome 

So we are having a good time and also working hard. 

I am really excited for this last week! I am getting ready to pack up and leave. It's really weird and I just love it here so much in Florida. This place will always have a piece of my heart!!! 

I love yall! Have a great week! 

Love,

Sister Caton

Week 76

July 24, 2017

"Don't fear, just live right." -Neal A Maxwell

Wow, as the time keeps going by it just seems like it goes faster and faster!
This week was great, and I felt really happy! I can't believe I only
have a few weeks left until my mission is over. It doesn't seem real
yet I think.

This week it rained a lot but we were still able to find people and teach!

Last P day we had an interesting adventure, the other sisters drove us
and we were parked in a dirt lot so we could go to a restaurant for
lunch. We came back and the car was gone! It got towed! So we got a
ride from a member to the towing place and we really had a good
attitude about it. We split the cost of the tow and then we took a
selfie with the guy at the tow place! He was surprised by our happy
attitudes haha

Then on Tuesday we knocked a lot but we found some great people and took a selfie in this weird swamp looking spot in the complex.

It was really sunny out there. #sunnyflorida

Then on Wednesday I had my departing interview with my Mission President. We get it during the normal interview cycle since there are so many people going home with me. It was such a great interview and a time where we just were able to really talk. I love President, we laughed together basically my entire interview and we were able to talk about a lot of things that I needed advice for! It really helped me feel more prepared to go home. It was a fun time.

Then on Thursday it rained so hard and then we got froyo with the STL's (we are the quad squad)

                                                                   Mmmm yes froyo

Then we had our tradeoff with them, and this was my last one!

 I was with Sister Heller and we had so much fun. It was like the day of blessings for Sister Caton! We found someone with a cute dog, we got steak and shake, we did service with dogs, we taught my favorite of their investigators and we had dinner with a less active from New Mexico! He bought us dinner at a Mexican restaurant too. Life is so good.

Ignore the weird lines on our clothes, it's from the light fixture above us.

We had so much fun, and then we were able to have a pre baptismal interview with our twins! They are getting baptized on Friday if all goes according to plan! I think they are so ready. I just love them so much.

At church on Sunday, our cute missionary couple the Bookers spoke and they said some great things that really touched my heart. Sister Booker talked about how life is like a midnight bike race they do every year. It's dark but you use your headlight to see the way, just like the Holy Ghost! But you need to do the right things so you can have it turned on. Then Elder Booker talked about how we are never alone in this life and a few other things, then mentioned how I am going home to everyone haha oh man, the worst part though is that there's an Elder who is also going home with me but he forgot to mention him! It's like everyone forgets that he's going home too! Ugh!

But I digress.

I am really excited for this next week, it's my last real one since next week I go to the temple and then I am home the next week! Crazy!

Love y'all!

Sister Caton

Week 75

July 17, 2017

"In my life I have learned that sometimes I do not receive an answer to a prayer because the Lord knows I am not ready. When He does answer, it is often “here a little and there a little” because that is all that I can bear or all I am willing to do." -Robert D Hales

Hey y'all! 

Wow this week was so stellar! I can't believe I only have a few weeks left. But it is exciting and I am making every second count! 

This Tuesday was my birthday and I had a great one! I can't believe I am getting so old. I am 21 now and my life is going well. 

My old Bishop from Normandy came and took us out to lunch and brought his 3 sons but they didn't want to be in any of the pictures. We had a great time! He is the best!

Then that night, some of the YSA members threw me a fun little party! We had pizza and fruit and they made me a cake shaped like 21! 

They are so sweet, I really enjoyed my birthday. 

We even knocked Building 21! 

Classy right? 

Then on Wednesday we had Zone Conference and I sang a song, but I was really nervous so idk how good it was. But it was scary since I didn't get to practice that much and I didn't get to play for myself haha 

But I bore my departing testimony which is very strange to me. We each get a minute to say our testimonies and mine was about how much I have been able to change, and I know that it is only through Christ I have been able to do that! 

I feel very privileged and happy to have had such a great mission experience. It was sad to say goodbye to people since some of them I will not see again for a long time. Especially my trainee Sister Harris. She is so great, she brought me a teddy bear for my birthday present! 

It was awesome. 

Friday the STLs had a tradeoff and invited us to come get froyo with them and the Ocala 2 sisters. It was fun and we got a good pic! 

I am really enjoying my last few weeks and I am working hard. I hope y'all are seeing miracles and staying happy! 

Also, selfies...

Straightened my hair for church! 

Love yall! See you in 3! 

Sister Caton

Week 74

July 3, 2017

"Missionary service is not easy, but it is infinitely worth it. Those who serve and return home with honor have established a pattern of living and serving that will bless their own lives and the lives of generations to follow." -M. Russell Ballard

Wow this week was awesome! 

So I said goodbye to my dear Sister Ridenour and much of our beginning of the week consisted of saying goodbye to people with her. Everyone will miss her! 

We were able to take a picture with one of our amazing investigators who is praying about baptism right now. We love her! 

 Then we went to transfers on Wednesday and the craziest thing happened! 

So this transfer, my trainee's trainee is training, which makes me a great-grandma on the mission!!! And lucky for us, we got a posterity picture! 

Sister Arns, my great granddaughter, Sister Winona, my granddaughter, Sister Harris my child and me! 

I just was lucky to have awesome posterity :)

Then I got my new companion, Sister Stailey! She is so great and we have been having so much fun together. Also, the quad lives on and we still spend a lot of time with our great STL's, Sister Heller and now Sister Heiner. 

So this week was 4th of July weekend and EVERYONE IS GONE. I couldn't believe how empty campus and all the apartments were. It was crazy! #collegetowns

So on Friday we were looking for service opportunities and we went everywhere looking and calling people. Then we got a call from the Salvation Army. They told us we were sent from God because they couldn't find any volunteers and they really needed some to help feed people dinner! We were able to go and help out and it was so amazing. We fed homeless people and it was really rewarding and fun. The lady who works there was also really interested in the church and she told us a lot about her life and how she has been searching for the truth for a long time. I invited her to meet with the missionaries and she said she would think about it and let us know next time! It was so great, I love doing the Lord's work. 

It was a good time. 

Then on Saturday we got to spend some time with the STLs again and we took another selfie at Tropical Smoothie. We needed a milkshake moment, but Sister Stailey and I are trying to eat really healthy so we got smoothies instead haha 

Those selfie skills. 

Then yesterday we were knocking and I caught a baby skink! It was awesome! It's kind of like a lizard mixed with a snake. Normally they are a lot bigger, I caught a big one once before but it almost bit me and I dropped it before I could get a picture. So this one was much better! 

He was such a cute little guy! 

So there's my lizard life for the first time in a while haha 

I am so excited for my last transfer. I have been feeling an urgency in the work more than ever before and I am very motivated to make this last transfer great! I am starting on My Plan this week and I am planning for my future and making goals and I love that stuff! 

I hope all of you have miracles in your life! Keep track of them! God is real! 

Love,

Sister Caton