Hey how is everyone doing. I am sending you hello's from cold, rainy Mississippi (but not cold enough for snow). I heard all my friends in Marion finally saw some snow and my friends in Oklahoma and Arkansas got some too...sigh...well I guess we really live in the south now. We are doing okay. These Mississippi germs have really knocked us out this winter. I don't think all four of us have been healthy more than a day or two since Thanksgiving. Right now Mason, Matt and I are battling colds. Last week Matt missed four days of school with fever and Mason missed two, all of us missed church on Sunday because we were sick (those of you that know our church habits know how rare that is, we usually can manage at least one or two). I have started working with the youth but it is hard. I just keep reminding myself that when I first started to hang out with the youth at Aldersgate and SBPC it was hard too because when noone knows you it is just strange. I feel like they are going "who is this old woman who is showing up?" But hopefully we will all get to know each other better and be able to form the type of friendships I have before. This youth group seems less focused on faith matters and more on fellowship. I don't notice the level of commitment to Christ that I am used to at Aldersgate but I will do what I can to change that (maybe that is why God sent us here). There is virtually no Jr. High youth attendance so pray we can reach those kids especially. We have had a rash of teen suicides in the area and it is very distressing. I am trying to get my mind around the type of hopelessness one must feel to take that action. Suicide is never an answer, it will never get better and is the most horrible thing you can do to your friends and family. I had a youth from my group in Texas (Greg) that committed suicide in 2005 (after we were in Marion) and I still wonder if there was anything I could have done differently to change that outcome but eventually you have to let that go and try to listen more today. I always go back to the 23rd Psalm where it says "I walk through the valley of death" we walk through the dark and horrible times but there is another side. We come up out of the valley and back to the mountaintop and just have to make it through each day and it will get better, and trust God to love and lead us through. I didn't mean to get this long but as I said this is distressing me, please pray for our youth who feel so hopeless I know I am. I'll try to update soon...I love you all. Pattie | 
