Jan and Family!
Everything's going well on the east coast. We have kept doing flood clean up, because some areas are still flooded. They are actually still under water, so this will last a grundle more weeks. We still haven't had a regular church meeting, just 30 minutes to take the sacrament and then go to our clean up assignments. I'm grateful for the opportunity, but I really do love church, so live it up in Utah for me. On Saturday all the missionaries in our entire mission got together to serve. In one house, the guy was on vacation and came home to find his house flooded. He had a good attitude though and just wanted to get done what he had to to move on. He took a sledgehammer and attacked a fixture in his garage he never liked, said, "That was satisfying! Here you go.", handed me the sledgehammer, and told us to go nuts. He was definitely one of the more cheery victims. His wife ordered us pizza, so we took a break and chatted. The next day a lady who saw us helping down the neighborhood had us talk with her for a bit. She was so appreciative of what we were doing in her neighborhood that her mother made us Italian knot cookies (which are delicious, and they have anise in them. Make them!)
Another neighbor on her street didn't need help, but was also grateful for the service so he dropped off a pizza at the lady's house to give to us. Community.
Towards evening we went around with assessment forms for people who need work done still. One lady we came to was so shell shocked. She and her husband run an at-home business, and everything was ruined. And her house was totally ruined. And then her husband, after the hurricane, was checking the roof for damage, fell off, and died. All that in one week. I am so glad we talked to her. Her neighbors have been helping as much as they can, and hopefully we can have a good crew come by soon. I just hope they aren't too rambunctious with tearing things down.
This week I had Specialized Training. It's for the new missionaries and lasts a couple hours. Our trainers went in a separate room and talked, while we sat in a group with President Jeppson and talked. It was wonderful to hear how everyone was faring. It's good to hear I'm not the only one getting used to all this. And it's also good to hear how excited and determined everyone is. Our mission president is the best. I've been praying for weeks that I would have more desire to be here, and that training was the answer to my prayers. I still know this won't be easy, but the days since that training I've been excited to get up and study and teach. Terrified of course, but excited.
I started driving this week. And it went a lot better than I thought it would! In New Jersey, there are zero rules, besides letting pedestrians go first. It is crazy, absolutely crazy the way they drive. Like Nate says about LA, there is ALWAYS someone there. But I've been doing pretty well and enjoying it, so take that city! I also went to my first Dunkin' Donuts. They are on every block here. You could combine all the McDonalds, Starbucks, and Walmarts anywhere, and there are still more Dunkin's in one city here. It was tasty, by the way.
We are meeting with David and Kristen tonight and we're teaching about the priesthood and general conference. I'm so excited. I hope they are receptive to it. Honestly, being away from a place where priesthood holders are everywhere to coming here, I am so grateful for it. Utah is absolutely amazing, and so blessed. But I'm glad to be out here to see just how amazing the church is wherever you are. Anyway, I hope our lesson goes well. We are going to invite them to general conference, and I really hope they say yes. I can't think of a better way to gain a testimony about modern prophets than by listening to them.
Well, I love you folks and thanks for the package! I haven't gotten it yet, but hopefully soon. Our next transfer conference is on September 27, but I won't go unless I'm being transferred (and I won't find out until 1 or 2 days before). New kids aren't usually transferred after the first 6 weeks, unless they are being switched to Spanish or something, so we'll see.
Also, apparently the hip slang in high school right now is, "Yo my dude(s)." So Popsy, if you want to sound hip and with the times, please start saying that.
Love you,
Sister Mel
