Alrighty,

I'm glad to hear everything is going good at home! I keep you all in my prayers! You are all just amazing!! I'm excited about the new temple video! Sister Williams and I are actually going to the temple on Thursday so I'm really excited! Unfortunately the video won't be in the Temple until next week though. But we get to go at least once a transfer, so I will get to see it next time! I can't believe the kids are already going back to school and mom is going back to work! It seems like summer just started. Time really does go by quick! Being on a mission makes time seem to fly by even quicker! The days are so long and it seems like we do a million things but the weeks are so quick and you wonder how it just flew by!? It's exciting to see how many people are going on missions in our ward! Missions are just amazing! I wish everyone had this opportunity because there is really nothing like it!

So this week has been awesome!! Sis. Williams told me this has been the best week teaching wise since she's been on her mission! First of all there was a street we really wanted to go trackting on. The very first person we talked to we went in and taught the Restoration. She loved the bible and told us she would try to read the whole book of mormon before the next time we met (Which is today at 3). It was very interesting however. She kept telling us to be really careful and that she had a prompting to tell us to be safe. She probably told us over 10 times in just an hour to be careful. She showed us her gun and mase and told us we should probably get some. That night we had a random old woman just walk into our apartment, and then another man from our building came knocking on our door. It was kind of a strange night. So I told Sister Williams we are not going back to this investigator's house without a member. I think I'm just paranoid :)

We also found another investigator named Alexia and she seems pretty interested as well. So our very SOLID investigator Nancie that I set a date with last week has been really struggling. Her sister is not supportive in her baptism at all. It has been really sad to see Nancie struggle to do what makes her happy (get baptized) but to see her hurt so much from her sister. We fasted for her and prayed a lot!! The first time this week we saw her she had no light in her eyes and wanted to drop the baptism date. After our fast, we went back and she wants to keep her date and she has been studying the Book of Mormon A LOT! She is gaining a very strong testimony! I know when we fast and pray our Heavenly Father answers those prayers. He is concerned for us and truly cares that we are Happy!

We've really been able to get really close with the less-actives. We've had some cool experiences of them opening up and us being able to share exactly the right scripture that they needed. It has been cool to watch their testimonies start to come alive again. Some are really struggling with smoking habits, or feel embarrassed or think they don't fit in. The members really have a great responsibility to open up their arms in love to EVERYONE!! Our ward has focused a lot on missionary work. We have set a goal to have every family set a date where they will find someone to meet with the missionaries. Some of the families have really had that faith and set dates and we are seeing how great they are being blessed and having the Lord help them find those that are ready to hear the gospel. There are a lot of people that are ready but it is important for us to find them and then to be missionaries. We are so blessed to have this gospel and the happiness it brings. Sometimes I think we are selfish by not sharing that happiness with those around us. We can all be missionaries and it doesn't matter if we have a name tag or not. I have really looked to the example of Ammon in Alma 17. He reaches out to everyone through his service and love! I'm learning to see how important having charity and serving others is! We are all children of our Heavenly Father and he wants us ALL to return back to him!!

Oh so in order to get one of our less actives to come back to church, we are learning a hymn on the picallo so we can play it during Sacrament Meeting! That's pretty fun! Another Sister had us over for dinner and we had fried chicken. I think Sis. Williams and I had food poisoning for a little bit, but we had a priesthood blessing and we are both feeling a lot better today! It is amazing how priesthood blessing truly have AMAZING Power!!

On Thursday we were able to go to Greenfield Village, which was soooo fun!! Hopefully one day I can bring the family there. I was able to see where Henry Ford was born, I saw the first ever light bulb made by Thomas Edison. There are a lot of cool historical houses and farms and it was just super neat! We had a member Sis. Mayo take us and I really just Love her! It was super fun! We drove past Detroit and it really looks like it has been abandoned. There are buildings with smashed windows and graffiti EVERYWHERE! It is really sad to see the city struggling like that. Even in the cities where I serve there are a lot of people on welfare and a lot of people struggling. But I love how the gospel is probably the greatest gift we can ever have and it doesn't cost any money at all. It is free to all those who believe in Christ and obey his commandments! I can see how the gospel has helped many people here through their hard times! I really just love Christ's gospel!!

This morning we had the awesome opportunity to have President and Sister Gerber come and study with us. It was really neat! A lot of people think they have been saved because Christ died for us and because of that they don't have to do anything else. So we read Alma chapter 42 and how through his mercy and justice we are able to return to our father in Heaven. It was cool to see how our works is what gives us access to the Atonement of Christ! I love in 2 Nephi 25, where it says by grace that we are saved, after all we can do. It truly is After all we can do. We must have that strong faith in Christ and Repent everyday in order to access his atonement. When we reach the judgment our savior will plead our case because he knows that we could not be perfect but through him we will be glorified (D&C 45). I know that when we repent and try our very best each and everyday our Savior will be pleased with us and he will be willing to plead our case so we can be with our Father in Heaven for all eternity! I love my Savior and all that he has done for me! I know that it is through him that I can be made perfect!

I love all of you and all you do for me! Thank Chad, Corin, Kaleb, Parker, and Kasie for their letters! I loved them!! Continue to stand steadfast in Christ! Be the best missionaries you can be and be more like Christ by serving and Loving everyone!! Have a good week!

Love always, Sister Tracy!