Happy 4th of July!! (one day late) I hope everyone had a very happy 4th and a happy week! This week was super good and super busy, I loved it! We had so many lessons and the miracles continued. 

Our first miracle happened last Tuesday. But it kinda started on Monday. Remember last week when I talked about Tiffany? And how she called while I was writing my letter? Well we were at the library when that happened and when we had finished we were walking out of the library and there was Tiffany! We stopped and talked to her and scheduled an appointment with her Wednesday because we couldn't really understand her on the phone. Well we did our daily planning Monday night and decided to go to Winchester the following day but for some reason I didn't feel good about it. Well we woke up Tuesday morning and I just told Hermana Crowther that I really didn't think we should go to Winchester and so we called all of our appointments and they said they couldn't meet anyway so it worked out. Well we were eating lunch trying to decide what to do and Tiffany called. She asked if we could meet her at the library for a lesson and then help her mop her floors. So we finished eating and ran over. Well we were inside waiting at the library and Hermana Crowther was on the phone with someone and this lady walks in that I've never seen before and comes up to me and Hermana Crowther and gives us a big hug and kiss. I was so confused I had no idea who this lady was but she seemed to know me. Once Hermana Crowther was off the phone we started talking to her and quickly realized that it had been her who was calling us, not Tiffany hahaha oops! Her name is Ana and she is an Italian adopted by Cubans and raised in the United States (fun fact for you). But she said, "I'm ready to be baptized and I really want it, can you teach me everything to get me prepared?" I was so shocked, definitely wasn't expecting that! We taught her the restoration and she said, "It just makes sense, it feels right." We asked her to pray and ask God if what we taught her is true and she said in her prayer, "God I'm supposed to ask you if what I learned is true but I already believe it, but I guess I'll ask you anyway." Haha she is the sweetest lady! We have another lesson with her tonight so hopefully we can set a baptism date and help her work towards it! 

Next is Fidencio. Fidencio is just proof that the Atonement is so real. He has been so incredible to watch and it has been amazing to see him change. We had a lesson with him almost every single day this week. And he loves it! He's always outside waiting for us and before we can even say hello he's already opened his Book of Mormon and showing us what he learned! He is so excited for his baptism (July 16) and he's already talking about going to the temple and helping us teach lessons to other investigators. He is the kingdom builder we've been looking for, seriously he's going to be the next bishop or something! We also were able to have a family night with Fidencio and his two kids and the Salas family. It went super well, we had a lesson about tithing and gave them a million skittles to eat (thanks Maddie). It was so funny Fidencio's daughter, Daniela (6 years old) the whole night was yelling, "Dad are you going to get what's that word again?" She's talking about baptism I think she's more excited for it than he is. 

And Daniela even came to church! She's like my best friend now. But anyway it was fast and testimony meeting and she begged her dad to let her go up and bear her testimony but he kept saying no so she finally grabbed my hand and dragged me up there and I was able to help her bear her testimony. It was so cute but I got in trouble by her because I didn't make it long enough for her haha! But she's so funny we had a lesson with her Sunday night and were seriously best friends and she knows my name but she doesn't know Hermana Crowther's and just figured every missionary's name is Swapp. So I'm Hermana Swapp and Hermana Crowther is Pete Swapp. I couldn't stop laughing and Daniela said the prayer and she said, "thanks for all of my blessings. Thanks for Hermana Swapp and thanks for Pete Swapp." I just started busting up laughing in the middle of the prayer, it was so funny!!

But we've had lots of lessons with people this week and even though they don't all have baptism dates they are all coming closer to Christ and that is amazing to see. It's so cool to watch someone who feels so alone or worthless or lost invite Christ into their lives. They all have a new light in their eyes and have found direction and hope. That's my very favorite thing to see. 

This week was a success at church. We've been working with a less active her name is Haylie and she is 17. She has had a hard home situation but we started working with her and she told us she wants to go on a mission (yay!) and so we've been helping her get ready! And she came to church!! It made me so happy because 1. She's going to be so much happier because of it and 2. Because I love her and it's like having one of your best friends at church! And then Fidencio and his daughter were at church and Mario came too!! We had so much fun, OH! And the Salas family switched their records to the Paris ward so we now have a Spanish Sunday school class! It rocks. We are slowly building up the Spanish in the Paris ward! 

Well the 4th of July was a success here in Kentucky. We had a normal missionary day until 6 and then it was party time! We ran back to our place once it hit 6 and we did our nails and got in our Fourth of July outfits! (It's the 4th of July of course you have to go all out). And then we went over to the Harney's a little before 7 and guess what! Fidencio came! Oh we had so much fun! We had a stinkin good meal and then we all just hung out. It poured rain the whole day so the city fireworks were cancelled but the Harney's had our back! They had soooo many fireworks! We whipped out the glow sticks and silly string (thanks mom) and then we ran to the road and had a pop-its war! It was such a fun night. 'Merica! 

Then today for P-day we went to Claiborne Farm! That's where Secretariat is buried and all that cool stuff. It was seriously the coolest and prettiest thing in the whole world! The whole Fam is coming back here to see it because it's amazing. We had so much fun and now I feel like I've really been to Kentucky! And I've officially decided that when I grow up I'm going to get a horse and when I come home from my mission I'm watching every single horse movie there is (you better get a list ready for me dad!). 

We've started making a weekly email for the ward here and in that email we give the ward a weekly challenge so I'll extend the challenge to you as well! "True Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men." -President David O. McKay

First and foremost, as members of the church, we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ. He is our exemplar, and it is our duty to serve others. My invitation to you is to find at least one person to serve every day this week. And I promise you will have so much more happiness in your life this week!  

I love you all so very much!! I really hope you know that! I pray for you every day and I hope you're all happy! Thank you for being the best family a girl could ask for! 

Les Amo!!!!!!

Hermana Swapp

 

We actually went to Paris this week.

 

We had zone conference this week! Here's all the missionaries in our zone!

Here's our 4th of July celebrations! Fidencio is such a good sport and a big THANKS to Sister Elizabeth for our flag shirts!! (My hair was cute but the humidity go to it just in time for pics).

Meet Orb. He won the Kentucky Derby in 2013. Seriously the prettiest and softest horse ever.

This was Secretariat's stall.

I got to feed a horse!

Secretariat's grave!

 

Here's just some random pictures of the farm!