dearest family! 

remember remember the fifth of november - happy guy fawkes day! 

what a great week this has been. surely a sign of the great transfer it will be. sister rigdon and i are tearing it up in haarlem. we have had so much fun...and also have been given much success. life is good. the work is moving a long. let me begin by going through the week. do you like that form? its easy for me because i just go through my planner and expound. let me know? maybe i will mix it up. 

okay. yes i will mix it up. 

FUNNY THINGS: 

- last pday we watched together forever while i knitted a tie. 

- at district meeting zr. rigdon and i got everyone to loosen up by encouraging them to flare their nostrils. it immediately breaks the ice and makes anyone more personable. 

- on halloween we had an appointment in the church - there were spiderwebs and spiders every where...the moon was full and misty...and when i went to turn the lights on in the church i accidentally pressed the bell and zr. rigdon FREAKED OUT. i felt like i was in the ghost and mr. chicken. 

- we made up a new "yes!" move...a move you do to express your excitement when something good happens with missionary work. i wish i could film it and send it. just know that its awesome. its even so great that we can do it subtley during sacrament meeting. yes! 

- we laugh a lot. i can't always remember why - but it happens a lot. sometimes i feel like i am laughing so hard that i lose muscle control and might fall off my bike. but its good. 

- on november first we celebrated halloween because on the 31st we had no time after nightly planning. but - we really made up for it. at exactly 9:30 when we were done planning we had the fastest and most complete halloween party in the history of the world. we both dressed up crazy. she was a bug? and i was a ghanaian princess. first - we had a dance party to hymns and classical music. it was a RIOT. turns out i am companions with the best dancer in the mission. then we bobbed for apples. that was amazingly fun. we had no bucket so we filled up the sink with water . i got an apple on my second try. and also got completely soaked. THEN we went trick or treating. we took turns until our  bowls were full of candy. we just used our bedroom door. it was way more fun than it sounds like. after that we each ate once piece of candy and had a sleepover in the front room. we were even in bed on time! it was awesome. 

MIRACLESSSSS!!!!!

- on monday night. we had a series of miracles. we had an appointment with hanneke where in which the bishop came on joint teach and we discussed the atonement and the baptismal covenant. (and tonight we are arranging everything for her baptism!!!!!!!)

- on the way home from that appointment i received a text from an unknown number...it was JENNY! from amsterdam! who is back in England. we havent had any contact with her for months. i have been so distraught. this is what the sms said.

 "hi sister stout. hope you're well. just wanted to let you know i'm settled into my new ward and i am going to the temple next week! I am so excited to go in England. love, jenny." 

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!! that was an answer to my prayers!!!! she is safe and happy and still going strong. oh wow. this was such a miracle. :) 

- one of our appointments fell through and it was dark so NATURALLY we decided to deliver flowers to some people in our ward. turns out that was exactly what needed to happen. we brought flowers to one of the most amazing sisters in our ward and told her we loved her - she said...that is not something she hears every day! WHATTTTTT. i was shocked. she was so happy and really - it was more of a miracle for me - so that i could realized how much people need to be loved and how there are people who need it that wouldn't EVER think would...does that make sense? its not always the sad and lonely. it was awesome. 

- we set a baptismal date with one of our eternal investigators! she is seriously making the step of faith and it is SHOCKINGLY MIRACULOUS. we are so excited! its going to take a lot of work but nothing is impossible for the Lord. woo hoo!!!!!!!

- on sunday morning at church, i saw a lady come into the church that i had stopped on the street two months previous. WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!!?! she came with her husband! they are looking for answers!!!! her husband said "this is the coolest church i have ever been to" and we have an appointment with them on saturday!!!!!!! YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

miracles are awesome. this week one of our investigators said she didn't believe in miracles. it broke my heart. i bore her my testimony that miracles are important for us on this earth. because we are children of God and don't have the fullness of knowledge, and still depend on Him for all that we have...we can't explain everything. God can. He understands the fine working details of all of his miracles. He is not a God of chance or coincidence. i need miracles everyday. and if i want to see them, i do. our lives are made up of thousands of tiny miracles. i am so grateful for the opportunity i have to see and enjoy them. people are awesome. i love them. i am grateful for agency. even though many people choose to use it to hurt other people, or destroy the earth - i know that we can also use it to heal broken hearts and mend things that have been destroyed. i am grateful for the justice and mercy that we receive. i am grateful for the laws that this world, and our lives are formed upon. it is a beautiful and logically sound plan that is testified in every single creation on this earth. how blessed we are! hallelujah. i love you all - thank you for your prayers and love and support and general awesomenesssssss! 

loves - sister katelyn marie stout