Do
you know what is the worst thing ever/something I am becoming very
professional at? Packing. Packing is the worst. I used to think that
unpacking was worse, but after this week, I have made my firm, eternal
decision--packing. Is. Not fun.
Hermana Homer
and I were both asked to train, so leading up to transfers, we did as
much stalking as humanly possible on a mission...we called Sister Brown
in the office to send us pictures of the incoming missionaries. Then we
pretty much had our eyes glued to those pictures for the next three
days, trying to divine who our greenies might be. We were pretty
impatient.
THEN THE BEST THING EVER HAPPENED.
President Toone asked all of the people that had sung in the double
quartet for Elder Christopherson to come down to the mission home and
sing to the greenies the night before transfers! Seriously, I felt like I
got some kind of year-early sneak-peek at the next Lord of the Rings
movie or something, I was so excited!! So we went down and scoped it
out, sang for a little bit, then scoped it out some more, but none of
the greenies were screaming at me this time. With Hermana Johnson, I
pretty much knew. But this time...nope. I was left to develop patience.
The one Christ-like attribute that has been tested consistently and
daily throughout my entire mission.
It was a
tearful goodbye saying "adios" to Sister Barnes...especially to Sugar.
Not kidding, I cried when Sugar licked my nose for the last time.
Someone help me. I am developing Christ-like love for a Chihuahua.
Well,
we got to transfer meeting and, drumroll please....IT'S A GIRL! :)
Hermana Emily Mello from Massachusetts is my newest, wonferfulest
companion. GOOD OL' EAST COASTIN' UP IN HERE, REPRESENT. Hermana Mello
is a doll. She's so cute. And SHE SPEAKS SPANISH. She says she doesn't,
but don't believe her. She's hablar-ing like nobody's business. I'm so
proud of her.
She's also pretty much got like,
every talent known to man. A couple days I was just sitting at a piano
clunking out some old tune that I remember the first line of, and she
was like, "look! You are so good at piano!" I was like...umm...no. Not
really. I asked her if she played piano, and she said yes, but not very
well.
"Not very well." She played like the
entire Children's Hymnbook for our ward's primary yesterday, not a
single mistake, no sweat, just swaying to and fro, her fingers dancing
on the keys...I was like...oh. Wow. That's good.
Then
yesterday we found this investigator whose son is deaf, so of course
I'm all whipping out my ASL ABC's (the letters I even know are:
ABCDEIJKLMNORTUVWYZ) and also I somehow know the sign for "Christ"? I
don't remember learning that ever, but I got it right...anyway, I am
pretty much communicating at the pace of an ant with a rock on top of
it. Then I turn to Hermana Mello, and she just smiles, and whips out
some ASL! She's all "I know that Jesus Christ lives" in ASL and I'm
like...oh. Wow. That's good.
The point is, she is the bomb. I love her! She is probably one of the sweetest people I know! We are living in our apartm
WAIT I DIDN'T TELL YOU WHERE I AM.
Phoenix
South. Aguila Ward! G-g-g-ghettooo. Kind of. Not really, but a lot more
ghetto than my past areas. (Tempe and Mesa...pretty posh in
comparison.) But the ward is awesome! This is the first time that I have
members that actually ASK me when they can come out with us. I'm
like...how about right now until the end of the night? And all day
tomorrow? Do you want a tag? You can just come live with us.
Did
all the women reading this see the General Women's broadcast this
Saturday? I really hope so! It was so good! We actually got asked to go
help out with this booth at the activity beforehand and remind people
about the temple open house coming up! But we were late because of a
HUGE RAINSTORM that hit us as we were leaving! It was crazy awesome.
Hermana
Mello and I have already had a few adventures, too. That mainly means
that we have gotten lost like 24 times in the last three days. That's
for real. We drove so much last night just trying to figure out where we
were.
Also, we had fast Sunday this weekend.
We actually ate at about 3:30 on Saturday night, then started fasting,
so by yesterday afternoon we were pretty starved, and our dinner wasn't
until 5. We weren't anywhere near the apartment, plus we didn't want to
take time out of proselyting, but it was Sunday so we couldn't just go
buy something quick from a gas station. We were dying of hunger by about
4:00...but then...Hermana Mello found some super crushed up M&Ms in her bag. From like, two months ago.
Best break the fast ever.
We also each had a mint.
As
for the work, we whitewashed in, so it's been a little slow! It's been
especially hard this time for us to get a hold of people, or to find
them in their houses! But we have already met Gerardo, an amazing
investigator who is set to be baptized on the 12th of October! He is
awesome. And we are slowly setting up appointments to meet members and
the other people that the sisters before us were teaching.
Phoenix
South is pretty awesome. I am excited to be here! I hope that I can die
here with Sister Mello. That would be fun. And...I don't want to pack
until I have to...
I LOVE YOU ALL SO STINKIN
MUCH. Oh yeah, also, guess what? I got a call this morning from some BYU
student who was asking permission to use my song from the For Strength
of Youth album for her dance project...I felt pretty famous!
But...unfortunately I had to tell her that I don't actually have the
rights to that song...so I couldn't okay it for her! But...cool, huh?
LOVE YOU! KEEP BEING GOOD PEOPLE. REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU STAND FOR. I'M SERIOUS.
love, Hermana Thomas
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