Monday, June 10, 2013

HOLYYYY MOLY! I LOVE NEW YORK!

I am feeling like I know people more, and am building relationships-- so that is so great!

Some highlights from the week- we met with a less active, and he committed (and was excited about) coming to church on Sunday! We can't wait! We met with him at the park and had a picnic with our branch missionary!! She rocks! Seriously though! She dedicates so much time to helping us and makes it a priority! Her son is out on a mission, that gives her a lot of motivation to help those around her seeking for the truth.  President Anderson, the best branch president asked us to focus  a lot on the less actives in the ward.  So we got our English list and have been going to town! We visit people on their birthdays and give them cookies and a card. A lot of people have moved on our list or are clearly not interested; which is sad, but as long as they know they are remembered and thought of... I think that makes a huge difference.

We were asked by President Calderwood to pray in all of our prayers to ask to be "led to the honest in heart, including families." Seriously, I see a HUGGGGE difference in the work in just 2 weeks! We had a Sisters Conference and the highlight message of the whole thing was what we ALLLL needed to hear! It was focused on our weaknesses becoming strengths and we learned to read our patriarchal blessing differently. Anything we are blessed with can be changed to a skill or ability Heavenly Father has given us. For example. "I bless you.... read your scriptures..." etc. can be looked at as, "you have the ability to read your scriptures.  If you do that with your whole blessing you will see how powerful it really is and how much you HAVE been blessed with.

On Thursday we had a trainer/ trainee meeting with the mission.  It was great.  I learned a lot!

I write my tender mercies down for each day now and what I've learned.  You learn a lot on a mission... just saying.

A neat experience for the week is that there is a lady that came to church and she is BEYOND ready to receive the gospel. She came on her own and we will start teaching her Saturday!  She is so interested in Relief society and Visiting and Home teaching.  Her name is Lorna! :)

 So, just to confirm, have you received the box of 5 journals?  Yes thanks!  I'm realizing I went through that last journal in a MONTH!  I think the 9 journals I bought won't be enough..... oh well.  We'll deal with that when we get to that point, I guess :) haha

How many members are in your branch? 450  

How many members attend your branch?  100ish active

Do you feel like you are in a safe area?  VERYYYY safe.  Not like what you would normally think of New York  Do you feel scared at all about being out knocking doors or just being out?  No.  Not in Lynbrook.  It's a really nice area. Really upscale.  There are only 2 cities that we don't go to at night.  But it's fine in the day time for sure. I LOOOOVE it here.  The weather is haywire though!  We literally had to take off our shoes because we were wading in ankle deep water. haha Crazy!  We even got a text with a flash flood warning.  Cool right?!

Do you get many men/boys who are interested in you that you have to fend off?  Not many. I know... I know... SUPER surprising, right? hahaha

**** was telling me last night that it is her understanding that all new missionaries are assigned to their trainers for 12 weeks.  She said that is new church policy because of the decreased time at the MTC; missionaries are required to pass off certain requirements within the first 12 weeks. Do you know anything about that?  Yes, there is a 12 week program. It's great- we find it's hard to do because we spend a lot of time studying for our investigators... but it's really handy. They have online stuff to complete too.

Have you played the piano or led the music at church yet?  No, they have the youth do it in Sacrament and switch weekly.  It's not really a calling.  Our organist is Elder Olson's wife.  Elder Olson is a member of the quorum of the 70. Ask Grandma Freeze about the LDS newspaper she sent me- the man in the article was him.  He is in our branch.  Greatest family! 

I finally got a library card.  They really didn't want to give me one so now our computer time is upped to 2 hours if we need it.  Apparently there is no mission rule about how long to spend on the computer so we just do our best to hurry.  I have been fixing a lot of my skirts with the thread  I have.  So glad I have it. Most are ripping at seems (yes... probably cuz I'm fat) so they are easy fixes.  Our mission allows maxi skirts.  So I might buy one or two when I'm out of skirts.

All is well!  I honestly do love it here, things are just falling into place.  It is nice to finally see fruit come from our hard work.

OH! and Sister **** got midnighted! :(:( (means to leave mid transfer) I was soooo sad! So we got Sister **** . (I think that's how you spell it) She rocks!

Keep up the greatness.  Love my fan club! Stay safe! What's the weather like there? 

--love Sister Freeze