Sister Katie Coon: We are living the DREAM!!!!

Hi My Wonderful Family!!!

Wow wow wow! Thank you for your wonderful emails, this week and every week! To be honest, I almost forgot it was my birthday...but thanks to your emails, I remembered! I loved reading them and will definately be reading them all day today. I love you all so much. Can you believe I am going to be 21??? Hey I received the birthday package you sent me! It was such a surprise and was personally delivered to our house last Monday! What beautiful surprises inside! You just know me so well. Nothing better than some good healthy food from home...even dark chocolate and dried fruit. We died and thought we went to heaven. Thank you for the beautiful dress and scarfs, too! I LOVE IT!

This has been such an incredible week. I have never felt Heavenly Fathers love so strongly. We witnessed more MIRACLES this week. I dont know what we did to receive such great blessings from the Lord. There is just not enough room to receive them all. I will talk more about the miracles later on...

...but first...the story of the tooth continues! After I had just gotten it fixed, I was brushing my teethTuesday night, and it fell! My tooth fell out, but this time, into the drain! Before I knew it, it was gone and i was to never see it again! Actually, its quite funny. I dont think Hermana Cox and I have ever laughed so hard. Everything you could possibly think of has gone wrong with this TOOTH! The next day, we went to the dentist, yet again, and he gave me a new tooth. But the catch is...is they didnt even have the color to match my teeth! They put on the whitest of the white color and it is still yellow. So now I have a yellow front tooth that is completely different from my other teeth. I was seriously concerned and distraught as I left that dental office. But seriously. I didnt know whether to laugh or to cry...haha. I guess I just decided to laugh. I was so worried, but then I began to think what Heavenly Father wanted me to learn from this crazy experience. I am not here to focus on myself and my needs. I am here to completely focus on others. I think that is what Heavenly Father wants me to learn. So, the point is is I am learning so much and really finding myself as a person. I am just here to serve and completely lose myself in the work!

But we sure had a pretty good laugh.

This week, we traveled to Montevideo again for Concilio with President Cook and the leaders of the mission. I know you are thinking that we always have concilio! I honestly cant believe how fast the time is moving! Concilio was wonderful. I always feel so blessed to be there and to be apart of it. We discussed so many different ways that we can help the mission. We talked about the kind of leaders that we want to become. We always look so forward to concilio because of the food! Oh my goodness, you have no idea, the food is so good...mostly because its food from the states! Salads, granola, chocolate cake. Hermana Cox and I about died with each bite. Heaven. My favorite part of concilio is always when we all kneel and pray to Heavenly Father together as a council for inspiration. We definintely receive inspiration from on high. What an experience!

The miracles this week were endless. As we left a charla with a few less actives, we stood outside their house and suddenly a woman came up to us. She began telling us that her mom always told her that when she sees the mormon missionaries then miracles happen in their lives. She told us that the lord put us in her path, because just before she saw us, her mother was cured of a sickness. It was so cool. She then began to tell us that she believes that this is a sign from god, that now she needs to go to the mormon church. It was completely amazing. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Our amazing converts are doing so wonderful. They astound me each time. I have so much love for them and their conversion. And what is so fun is they have so much love for us. Melo has my heart. I cant even imagine the day when I have to part from this sacred land. Last night, after Hermana Cox and I finished saying our prayers, we just layed in bed and talked (like always.) We felt and feel so MUCH JOY! I have never felt so happy in all of my life. We then began to realize how much we have grown here in the mission and we began to be able to see all of the many blessings that the lord has given us. I use to wonder what it would feel like to love these Uruguayos unconditionally or what it meant to serve with all of my heart, might, mind, and strength. I use to wonder what it would be like to just enjoy and be happy in every minute, really, how to be the fourth missionary. (Have you read that talk yet?) But last night, as we were exhausted and completely happy, we realized that we have changed. completely. We love the mission with our whole hearts and we love these people. We love every single day walking the same streets, talking to every single person we come in contact with. We love spanish and we love eating fideos con tuco everyday. I love teaching by Hermana Coxs side. I love the spirit that we feel everyday. I love seeing people change. Most of all, what we love the most is bearing pure testimony of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ everyday.

I am changed, forever and always.

We taught our awesome sunday school class yesterday...with all of our stalwart converts. They amaze me. We taught about the Holy Ghost...they shared personal experiences of how we, as their missionaries, we directed by the spirit of the lord to share the gospel with them. It was amazing. the spirit was so strong and testifed that this is the true church.

I am so grateful! I love you all so much! Have such a great first week of school!!!!

LES AMO MUCHO!!!

Hermana Coon