Brought into the Fold

Week 6 of the transfer has come and gone. Transfers are tomorrow morning. But that news comes later. I can hardly believe how fast time is flying by here in New Mexico. It seems like I just got here--like I just left home, yet I know that next week I'll hit my 5 month in the mission and 3 month in New Mexico mark. And not only that, but I can hardly remember what my life was like before the mission.

Monday: P-day. We spent the morning cleaning our fridge. That took us about an hour working together. There were Elders living in our apartment for who knows how long before we moved in, and it was evident. There was food in the freezer that was long-since freezer-burnt and expired. Not to mention spills of who-knows-what. But it's clean and sanitary for the next missionaries who move into our apartment so they won't be grossed out like we were.

Tuesday: I woke myself up in the middle of the night praying in Spanish. We'd been teaching a lesson and I was giving the closing prayer. I was trying to bow my head when I woke up--you try doing that when you're laying on your back dead asleep. We drove back and forth from Rio Rancho to Bernalillo about twice for appointments... or was it 3 times? I don't remember. All I know is that our appointments just didn't work in a nice order. But it was a good day and we got home absolutely exhausted!

Wednesday: We went to Pena Blanca--which is about 40 minutes north of Bernalillo via the freeway out in the middle of nowhere--to do finding. Yes, it's still in our area. Still in the Bernalillo ward. I swear, I've never heard of a ward with bigger boundaries. And the boundaries of the ward go even further than that, and up into Rio Rancho. It would take at least an hour to drive from one end of the ward to the other. Pena Blanca is a tiny town--no gas station, lots of dilapidated buildings. I'm trying to remember if I even saw a stop sign. Judging from the outside of the post office, it would fit in mom's living room. But we found a couple new investigators, so our time wasn't wasted by any means.

Thursday: We had our last district meeting of the transfer. The elders all like to make predictions of where everyone is going--it was predicted that I'll be the next Sister Trunnell--staying here for at least 11 months of my mission. And honestly, I would have been okay with that, but I'll go where the Lord wants me to go. I made an apple pie (don't get all excited and impressed. One of the members gave us a jar of pie filling, and we bought the crust at WalMart). We also took pictures (speaking of, my memory chip is on it's way, or will be, so you can see all of my pictures from the past little bit). We were also past our cold snap and had beautiful weather again--we were just fine without jackets again. Yes, I definitely could get used to this weather.

Friday: Happy Birthday Grandma! I hope it was a good day. We did our planning for this week--the first week of the next transfer! Also, while I was putting dates in my new planner, I realized that I'm going to hit my 6-month mark during the next transfer. What!?! This can't be happening!!! Where has the time gone? I'll spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years in my next area... wherever that is. The 13-year-old son of the family who had us for dinner invited a non-member friend. It was so neat! As we shared our message about the Book of Mormon, the son gave his friend a copy of the Book of Mormon and shared his testimony, and invited him to read it. If only they were Spanish... but then again, the Elders in that ward could use some more people to teach and heaven knows we have enough.

Saturday: We had apartment inspections. While they were there, the phone rang. It was a different ring... meaning one of 2 people: President or the Assistants. Regular transfer calls come Saturday nights. If you get a call from President Saturday morning, it means that one of you is training or getting a leadership position, though for sisters it's only news about training. I answered, and President asked me to get Sister Michel and put the phone on speaker. Well... I knew right away what that meant. We're staying together and training. Yep, that's right. I've only been out for 3 months/ 2 transfers and I'm training. Well, junior-training. I'm training to be a trainer. It's a little nerve-wracking, not gonna lie. I'm just glad that I don't have to do it by myself. I'm not that good with the language yet. Though it should greatly improve during this transfer--our new companion is from Peru learning English. Sister Michel is way excited because she thought that she'd have white companions for her whole mission... well, English speaking because my skin is darker than hers. Now I'm going to be the odd-one out language wise. But I'm excited to meet her bright and early in the morning--the training meeting is at 7:15, meaning we're leaving our apartment no later than 6:30. Anyway... back to Saturday: Magda and Emma were baptized! We were teaching Emma before the area split, and because she and Magda are both in the same ward we had a joint baptism with the Elders so the Bishopric wasn't there all day, because there was also an English baptism in that ward. It was such a neat experience. As I look back to the attitude about life and the problems that Magda had when we met her 8 short weeks ago, and look at her now, I can hardly believe the changes she has made. She is definitely one of those people who I will never forget--and one who has greatly blessed my life. I feel so blessed to be able to know her.

Sunday: We went down to Pena Blanca. One of the people we met on Wednesday really seems interested to learn more. And we knocked on some more doors. While we were driving home after our dinner appointment, it hit me. I've had 2 roommates from Peru! So if Janet and/or Maggie are reading this, or someone reading this has contact with them tell them hi for me, and let them know that my new companion is from Peru. I think that's pretty cool that I've already been partially exposed to her culture. But now I can communicate in her language!

Well, I love you all. Be excited for next week's e-mail and details about our new companion. And Thanksgiving. Pray that I don't explode with the 3 dinners we have. I'm just glad it's not 4 like we thought we were going to have. One of them didn't work out.

Love,
Hermana Good