Another week, and almost another transfer--not to mention another chapter in my life-- has flown by. I have started saying goodbye to the people I have come to love so much. We have lunch and dinner appointments every day all week because so many people want to be able to have one last meal with me before I leave. You know, I never thought this week--the last week of the mission--would get here. But here I am, in my last full week as a missionary. One week from today I leave El Paso. The time is absolutely FLYING by. I can't believe it at all. But I'm surviving. I'm not being as emotional as I thought I'd be... maybe because I know that soon I'll have a cell phone and a computer for e-mail and facebook back in my hands and I'll be able to get back in touch with all of these people I love? But there have been times that my poor companions are walking on eggshells, afraid that I'm going to absolutely break down.
Monday: We finished our tile pictures that we started last week with Sister Bittner. I really like the way they turned out. And guess what I learned how to make that night, Mom! I'll give you a hint: It's something you've been nagging me to learn how to make for the past 18 months. And I learned with 2 weeks to spare, and have a phone number I can call if I need help making them--though it's SO much easier to just buy them at the store. Do you have a guess yet? Yup! Flour Tortillas! That is one tedious project. But I know how to do it. And while I was mixing them, the splinter that's been in my finger for the past month was finally worked out enough that I could pull it out.
Tuesday: We had lots of appointments cancel on us. The other sisters slept over at our apartment that night because we were leaving oober early Wednesday morning for Albuquerque for a special training. Sister Knight cut my hair that night. Mom, I know you probably wanted to see it long, but it was yucky. It was to the point that I couldn't take it any more! Even for just 2 more weeks. So you can cancel the appointment for my haircut. I'll be fine for a couple months.
Wednesday: We got an early start to the day. We had to be to the mission home at 11:00 for the sister training, so we left our apartment at 5:50. That made for a very long day, but it was so worth it. On the way up, I finished El Libro do Mormon! Woohoo! I wanted to have it done before I get home, and I do! And I'll have the D&C in Spanish finished too before I get there (I've only got like 60 more pages, and like 100 more to finish the Book of Mormon in English one more time)
It was great to be able to see all of the other sisters before I leave and say goodbye. I had to give my departing testimony. I really enjoyed the training this week. The Spirit was so strong. It was nice to be able to be with all of the other sisters and meet several who I've never had the opportunity to meet. I learned so much that I want to apply in my last week. I was an emotional wreck on the way home. I stared out the window in disbelief. It really hit me that I'm at the end of the mission. I was in tears off and on the whole way back to El Paso. Of course, it didn't help that I hadn't hardly slept in almost a week--probably because of nerves. But I survived. I wasn't driving, and my GPS was navigating.Thursday: I didn't sleep again that night, but zonked out during my studies. When I woke up, my companions told me that they didn't dare wake me up because they knew that I needed it (let's just say that I'd been a zombie). But they got a kick out of me laying there with the Book of Mormon in one hand and my scripture marker in the other. But I sure felt better when I woke up! We had a great lesson with Lucy, who also fed us lunch. Then we did our weekly planning. We celebrated El Dia de los Reyes (Day of the Kings) with our dinner appointment. It's the day when the 3 wise men arrived to see the baby Jesus.
Friday: We had district meeting. Sister Knight and Elder Jordan, our District Leader, fulfilled 15 months in their missions that day (sorry, that's REALLY bad English but I can't think of how to say that correctly in English) so we had a quincenera party for them that day. I started saying some goodbyes that night.
Saturday: We did exchanges this week with the Sisters in Socorro. Sister O'Brien came with Sister Newbold and I and Sister Batchkoff went with Sister Knight. We had a great time with Sister O'Brien. She is such a great missionary! While she was with us, we were able to teach several good lessons, and set two baptismal dates. We are planning to do another exchange this week. It was a good day. Until I had to say goodbye to Brother Gonzales who was our Ward Mission Leader and his family. They were some of my favorite people here. But I was so proud of myself: I didn't cry! Yeah!
Sunday: It was a beautiful day of church. And I said some more goodbyes that night.
I’m sending another package of kind of heavy stuff today--you can just put it in my room, and I'll take care of it when I get there. It's mostly letters, Christmas stuff, and my English scriptures and PMG. I don't think I’ll be overweight. I don't have that much stuff left here, and I’ll put all of my heavy stuff in my little suitcase for carry-on. I have been praying that I'll be able to get a job, so that would certainly be a blessing. I know that the Lord will take care of me for this time I have spent in His service. I'm not worried... but this news certainly does bring me peace of mind. But yes, I will go talk to him next Thursday. I'm going to FREEZE when I get home! I froze when we were up in Albuquerque this week! And it wasn't even that cold! None of the Albuquerque sisters were wearing coats, and they said it was great outside! But we El Paso sisters were another story. But 28 degrees? That's just gross! I'll definitely be wearing lots of layers home. But I guess that will help with the weight in my suitcase.
Well, I know this is short, but not much happened this week. I'll write again next week... one last e-mail as a missionary. So stay tuned next week for details of my last full week as a missionary.
Love you all!
Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO EMILY DIMARTINI AND POULETTE MICHEL!!! I hope you have a great week!
Love, hermana Good
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