Well it sounds like Womens Conference was wonderful! I am so happy that you got to share that opportunity for spiritual nourishment with your sisters. It really lets you three see how far you've come in some areas, and others that you need to keep focusing on.

Well I guess I will begin with the biggest news of the week...

Over the last few weeks we have been going to the library once a week to spend a hour on mormon.org so we can be familiar enough with it to use it as a resource when we are teaching, or when we are visiting members. So we were in the library last Thursday, and we had borrowed a loaner car from the office to use while we were getting our winter tires swapped off. We had picked up the car and drove to meet our district at the public library and while we were walking in I had the thought to lock the car again, making sure I armed the alarm. Well, we went inside and we did our mormon.org thing and then bounced.

As we were approaching the part of the lot where our car was parked we saw a police car with its lights on and an Officer looking at our car. Initially I was hesitant to approach.... I didn't think I did anything illegal.... so I kept walking towards the car and that's when I saw the glass on the ground. Apparently someone smashed the little window on the back-left door, and then they unlocked the car - triggering the alarm, then they grabbed something "black" from the back seat and took off in a car.

There was an eye witness who gave a description of the thief and the plate number from the getaway car so that's good. The officer proceeded to take prints from around the window and asked me if anything was missing. I initially thought that they had stolen my CD case, which had been in plain sight on the back seat, but I looked in and noticed that it was still there, so I kept thinking and finally realized that they had stolen my backpack. My nice backpack, filled with my scriptures in their case, my gospel art book, my epi-pens, my silly $45 fire-piston fire starter, the Plan of Salvation jigsaw that C. gave me, my Samoan & English hymnbooks, and my notes from General Conference! Hundreds of Hours of spiritual insights lost to one selfish heathen.

I spoke with the vehicle coordinator, Elder L., and he called the car insurance for me and found out that they don't cover the cost of goods taken from the vehicle, only the cost of getting the car repaired. He said that our homeowners insurance may cover it though...

The thief must be hating himself right now though because he ended up stealing over $500 in stuff he can't use or sell. That was a very dumb decision. The biggest hindrance is to my missionary work. I feel like a warrior without a sword. I've got a pair of loaner scriptures but it's not the same as having the sword that I have been wielding for months, honing my skills. Sounds dorky. But it's true.

Even if they get the stuff back they may have to hold it as evidence until the conclusion of any trial, which could extend far beyond my stay in Anchorage. I hope they get it all back, but I need to buy new scriptures. It's just hard to study without having the ability to mark or take notes, and quite frankly it's hard to teach (using the scriptures) without MY scriptures. Anyways... That was stressful.

I forgive him for what he did. It's still stupid though. Stealing a minister's book bag.

The rest of the week was pretty good. I am excited to talk on Sunday. I will call in the evening because it sounds like that will be the best time to call. I think I will call at 5:30 your time. That way grandma and grandpa can be there too if they want. I'M SO EXCITED FOR C.'S CALL TO GET THERE!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO EXCITED!!

Well, I guess that is all for this week because I am basically out of time, and I will be talking to you on Sunday.

Love you All!

Elder Winterrose

P.S. I think C. should open his call with me on the phone! Just sayin!!

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(This came in a few minutes later, in response to my email asking what he planned to do.)

Everything basically needs to be replaced, but most important are the scriptures and other teaching tools. I'm not as worried about the fire-starter. I would like to get the backpack... but it's expensive too. It's looking like it will cost a lot to get re-outfitted.

I KNOW 3 FREAKING SETS!!! BAHHH!!!!!! That's what I said when I realized what had happened.

(The set of scriptures Elder Winterrose used in the MTC were also lost to water damage. This will be his third set.)

OH And guess what! Today I am wearing a Formal Lava-lava or i fai toga (ee f-ah-aye tonga) around with flip flops. Neither of the sets of Zone Leaders have told me to change yet! SO I'M NOT GOING TO!! Plus its comfortable! They are the same as that skirt I wore to church at BYUH.