OK. Now Don't Laugh.

So, my first area is in the Mesa North stake. We are exactly north of the Mesa Temple. And the Visitor's Center is a common meeting place for our investigator lessons, and it's so cool to have those resources so close! We have several investigators right now, one of which is getting baptized on Saturday.We also have an investigator getting baptized on the following Saturday.It's pretty sweet. Oh, so I'm pretty sure that I've met more druggies in the last week than I have in the rest of my life combined.We are teaching one guy, he's apparently come a LONG way, he asks every time we see him if he can get baptized yet. There's also a woman who we were teaching, but then she was moved out of our area and the other sisters teach her now.She is completely amazing. She was introduced to the gospel during her second term in jail, and while she was there, she read the BOM twice. We are just waiting for her to quite smoking before she gets baptized. Another lady who already knows she wants to be baptized.The first time we met her, she told us that some friends have been teaching her and she wants to be baptized before school starts on the 11th.We're doing our best to make that happen. Ok.Now don't laugh.I don't think I've ever seen so many cacti in my whole life.It's like the plant of choice here in Arizona! Now, I know that they grow wild, but I never considered that people would use them in Landscaping!Who would want a prickly plant as a centerpiece?!I just don't understand. But then again, I guess I can't say much since a bundle of roses never bothered me!... lol There are also TONS of palm trees which apparently are not natural to Arizona.Sister Tanner said that they are all hand planted.Palm trees and cactus... the only two plants that will grow in Arizona... (ok, that's half a lie- But only half of one!) Oh, and any other trees that do manage to survive in this heat, are painted white from the base up until the branches start sprouting out of the trunk. Apparently it's to keep the bark from baking and killing the tree. Understandable, but weird looking... I have to admit, I don't care for the heat in the slightest. I'm getting used to it, but I feel like I'm chugging water all the time, when in fact, I'm not.Trying to, but I know that I'm not completely hydrated yet.Luckily for me, I've come in the end of Monsoon season and we've gotten quite a bit of rain and overcast skies.I'm just hoping that all of the really hot stuff is over until next year.Probably not, but hopefully. Ok. Well, I love you, tell the ward I love them too. I found out the address you should send stuff to is the Mission Home.he mission president will forward anything that they get there. They want you to do it that way so that if we get transferred, we won't have to worry about mail going astray. Anyway, I love you. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOOXX Gina