Pinks!
Sister Coley and Call,
and Sister Soto and I after our lovely exchange.
Ye olde Shakespearean mailbox.
Popcorn! (There were some that really did look like popcorn, but we were driving, so this is the best I could do to find one of those.)
Sister Call and the Centennial Compass.
I'm sorry, but I've been dying to tell you about the blossoms so get ready: They're so amazing and beautiful! My poor companion has had to deal with me stopping a couple times every day and marveling at the trees and snapping pictures. I feel like Dad when he'd see a moose and get uncomfortably close to it to get a picture. Those poor trees, they're probably so embarrassed every time they see me coming. Anyway, the first trees to bloom were the yellow ones like at Gramma Garrard's house, then the pink/purple ones, then the daisy trees (it just looks like a bunch of gerber daisies on a tree, weird, but cute, and I didn't get a picture of those), then the magnolias, then the popcorn trees, then the weeping willows with white and pink blossoms. Ah, lovely.
Ok, sorry about that.
Other things that happened this week were...we saw Don again--the 89 year old gentleman. He is such a joy. Apparently, he used to act and sing! And he loves reading--he's already in Mosiah! But he's a little wary of all the 'fire and brimstone' talk. We talked about prayer and he doesn't think God wants to hear from him, but after some discussion said, "I'll give it a shot!' While saying so, he crooked his arm and swung it in front of him (Note from Mom: classic Missy move.)
I also got the opportunity to go on an exchange in Paterson. That's similar to Newark and Camden, but not quite as drastic. I was with Sister Soto, who lived in Brooklyn before this, and who was born in Honduras. Most of the people we saw spoke only Spanish. I've picked up a few words on my mission so far, only Gospel related ones, and can say the name of the Church in Spanish, but that's it. When we read from the scriptures I could understand pretty well what they were talking about, so that was good. And when I had something to say, Sister Soto would translate. It was quite a fun exchange. I've been wanting to try out a city, so that was kewl. At the end of the day we went to the Church where they've started doing basketball with some of the Dominican barbers they're teaching, and though only two people showed up, it was still a good experience (other missionaries were there too, not just us two with the barbers.)
We got to see a baptism yesterday of a little girl in our ward, Brigitta ( and I quite like that name I've decided). It was so special to watch her father talk to her about baptism and then baptize her. And then he confirmed her a member of the Church, and that was really sweet. And it was fun for the rest of the primary kids to see.
In Relief Society, the teacher told a story about a missionary in the Congo. As part of his responsibilities, he and his companion had to take money from somewhere to somewhere to deposit it (I know. I'm a little foggy on the details right now). One time they were biking past a group of people and stopped and talked with them for a while, and the group found out what the Elders were doing. The next week, as they were biking to the place of deposit, one of the Elders got the feeling they needed to stop biking and pray. They were in the jungle but stopped their bikes, and prayed for each other. They got back on their bikes and went on their way. The next week one of the people from the group told the Elder that they had followed them last week into the jungle, and they were planning on killing them and stealing the money, but as they got closer to them, they say 19 guards around the Elders, so the group left them alone. The missionary didn't see the guards, but later at his homecoming told the story. Someone stood up in Church and asked what day it was that that happened, and he told the newly returned missionary that that day he got a feeling he needed to pray for that missionary, so he got down on his knees in the middle of work and prayed for him. Eighteen other men in the congregation said they did the same thing that day. Wow, how neat! I thought that was so kewl!
To end, I'll just say that this month we've been focusing on the Book of Mormon chapter in Preach My Gospel and it has been great. I really love the Book of Mormon. Our zone leader, Elder Boyes, said that the last mission president told them, "The biggest way to lose faith and dabble in the sins of the day, is to stop reading the Book of Mormon." It does keep us focused and speaks to us for whatever we need to know for the day--so keep reading family. I'm loving my studies so far!
And I love you kids, and I miss you! Happy Birthday shout-outs to Shelby and Will and Popsy! And Happy Anniversary to Nate and Wobin, the happy couple!
Love you,
sister mister
