(This is a picture of fireflies on a dirt road in Nebraska but not from Sabrina)

As you can see I am quite excited to inform you that fireflies exist. I saw them for the first time last night and I was oh so happy!!!! They look like little sparks jumping in the grass, jumping off the trees, jumping into the leaves. It is so magical. One of the coolest things I have seen since coming to Nebraska. 

So a little update. I am in Lincoln Nebraska! And I wouldn't exactly call it a big city Jakey....haha it is really weird. I am serving in the ghetto. Like straight up the ghetto. One of the sketchiest areas of the mission. So far I have taught refugees from Liberia, Iraq, Vietnam, and a slew of other places, also a gang member, the cutest black family, so guy from "da hood" of Mississippi, a hippie, and all sorts of other strange and hilarious humans. So it has definitely been different. Nothing like I have ever experienced before! That is for sure. But it is awesome. I come out of lessons wreaking of smoke, and everyone here has tattoos. Just imagine me in the ghetto!!! Does it not make you laugh?!?! Makes me laugh every single night. Seriously it is too funny. I am so small...and so white.

Daddy - Happy Father's Day yesterday! I missed you more than you know, and I hope it was wonderful. I'm glad you got those pictures. The guy that sent it to you is the best man I have ever met! So hopefully I will be seeing a lot of him and in turn you will be seeing a lot more of me! As for the questions. We are in wards here, and I serve in the Capital ward. We drive a tiny acura and there is no corn in sight...haha. . And I am RIGHT BY the stadium. Lots of cornhusker fans so that is fun. 

Holy smokes my time is running out so I will try to type as fast as I stinking can. 

My companion is Sister Smith and she is the most amazing human that ever walked planet earth. I kid you not. She is almost 22? I think and she is from Idaho! Yes we have oodles of connections, she is like best friends with the Swensons! And you must meet her parents sometime. I have no doubt they are incredible people. I already love them. But seriously Sister Smith works so hard and she has been like my lil Mama. She is helping me through this and I know that with her by my side I can do anything! She is my number one! She is confident and spunky and happy and bold and just what I needed. Plus President loves her, so we are going to be a power duo....eventually when I get the hang of all this. Missions are hard. I have never felt so inadequate or impatient with myself, but I realize that I am learning and that I have so so far to go. 

Goodness I miss you guys! So fun hearing about all you are doing though! And seeing pictures! I love the ripstick Daddy, haha and I love that you got to go hike Mt. Olympus! I am jealous...so we best be doing that when I get home. 

So as far as my area goes...Lincoln is chopped up like a pie, so we cover one triangle of it. (The best triangle of it...because it is the ghetto!) People are humble here, so they are really willing to listen to the gospel. Which is really cool! Right now we are teaching a lady named Phoebe who I would classify as a crazy hippie, but she is really awesome. She loves church, and even went to girls camp! And she is working currently on trying to quit smoking and drinking coffee. Which is hard for her. She talks about "the strings" and "the rod and the staff" all the time which I dunno what that is...and she goes off on strange tangents in the middle of our lessons, haha but she has a big heart, and she really wants to come to Christ. 

We are also teaching this lady named Shanice who has 7 kids under the age of 11. We went to see her the other day and teach her the Restoration and she grabbed her B.O.M. and told us that she has been reading it every night with her kids! Like what?? That is incredible! She is so prepared and she has come to know for herself this church is true. She accepted baptism, and came to church with all 7 of her children on Sunday. Which is real nuts because it was stake conference. (Elder Dube from Zimbabwe spoke, and praise that! He was awesome!) Lemme just tell you, it is real hard trying to keep 7 children entertained during stake conference...so I have mad respect for all the Mom's in the world. I don't think anyone realizes what you do. 

We are also teaching Rita, who is from Liberia. She has two kids and is beautiful. We went over the other day to have a little Come to Jesus moment with her and she totally opened up. I guess Sister Smith had previously taught her the law of chastity and she said she would live it. Well, she told us she has been living with her boyfriend and that she told him she either wants to marry him or get him out of there because she refuses to be baptized in sin! She really does want to come to Christ and she even said she wants to raise her family in the church. That is remarkable!!! She has such faith and light. People are amazing!

So we were teaching this lady and two little girls this week and at the beginning they asked us where we were from and all that jazz so we chatted and I told them I was from Utah. Like 20 minutes later the little girl looked at me and asked if I spoke a different language. I told her no and she kinda blankly stared at me and said..."but you're from Utah!" It took everything inside me not to bust up laughing. 

I know that this week has been a whirlwind, and that I just gave you way too much information, but I want you to know that I am ok. And that things are hard but they are good. I hope you guys will be able to see the blessings you receive from me being out here on a mission, because I wouldn't be here if I didn't know that you were all being taken care of. I have learned more about the Atonement this week than I ever thought possible, and I can say with all honesty that I would not be here if it weren't for Christ and what he did for me, what he did for all of us. I mean I am in the ghetto! Preaching the good word to gang members and drug lords....haha and I would not still be here if I didn't have the power of the Atonement and if I wasn't 110% reliant on Christ. I'm giving this all to Him, because I cannot even attempt to do this on my own. In personal study I came upon a verse that I love, and that I will treasure for the rest of my life. D&C 123:17. I am learning not to focus on what I don't have control over, just to work my hardest and do my best and then see God's hand in the rest of it. We are so lucky to have this gospel. And I am so lucky to have you for a family. I miss you more every day, but I know that this is going to bless us! We have the best crew and lucky for us it is ETERNAL. I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH!!!!