Hiking and almost dying but not quite....!

I say this because the reason I didn't email yesterday was because we went hiking at Waterton Parks. Which is beautiful. Google it. And we hiked Bear's Hump, which was beautiful! But, let's be honest here. The crunches and push-ups I do in the morning did NOT prepare me for that. So yeah, I almost died on that hike. BUT I DIDN'T!!! And it was beautiful! And I have the sunburn to show for it! Our ward mission leader and his wife, the Forsyths, took us and the Spanish elders, McLaren and Gill, as well. They prepared a picnic lunch for us and we hiked and went to a gift shop and ate ice cream and took photos and it was so much fun! Canada is beautiful, you guys. I'm so coming back here for more after my mission. 

So the Chans. They are a couple in our ward who left on their mission yesterday to serve in the Hong Kong Temple Mission! They're so awesome. He teaches our Gospel Principles class and she is just the sweetest little thing. He is the one who drew us those photos of the Cardston temple. We went to visit them on Sunday before they were set apart and Bro. Chan gave us each a poster of the Christus that he had drawn a few years back. Holy beautiful! And he said he'd draw one of the Kansas City Temple for me because it's my favorite and I can't wait! They're such a neat family. 

We've done tons and tons of service this week and it's been such a blessing to see how the missionaries really do impact others. I love serving! It's the best! We've also had a lot of less active work, and it is so amazing you guys! These people know what's right, and we're just helping remind them how to continue doing it! So I encourage each of you this week to reach out and find someone who may be less active in the gospel or maybe just needs a friend in the church to sit next to, and make them feel loved! It's so important!

Sister Layton and I wrote two songs this week about missionary work. One is a parody of Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson. The other is an original, called What He Would Have Us Do. As soon as we record them, you will know! We plan to use them as a finding project. We borrowed a ukulele from a member and we plan to go around and sing for people! It'll be great(: 

So these photos are some that we took at Waterton. As well as our little friend Lizzy. Lizzy's family pretty much adopts the missionaries and she is obsessed with going on a mission, which is great, but she's four and extremely sassy hahaha. Every time we're at their house, she begs to wear Sister Layton's tag and we call her Sister Layton and she says, "Sister Pickin, when are we leaving to go teach?" And she's just adorable. So we pretend that she's my new companion every week lol. And this other photo is my zone today at zone training meeting. They're a bunch of goof balls but we love them. 

This week I have somehow ended up studying a lot about eternal families. Along with my scripture reading, I was reading in Our Search For Happiness by Elder Ballard and I love that book so much! You all need to read it. But he talks about how eternal families are eternal. Duh, right? But I had to take a moment to realize what eternal really means. That's literally forever, not until just the end of this life. And it hit me how extremely grateful I am for my eternal family and that my parents have raised me in the gospel and taught me what's right and what's wrong. Because I don't know where I'd be without them. 

I love you all so much and I'm sorry this email is so short, but I'm grateful for all your love and support!

sister Pipkin