That is way crazy to think that you were in the Mesa temple district when
you first got married. How far is Dallas from Mesa?? It’s definitely not like
that anymore! As for seeing the Christmas lights…I have an idea for that! I’ll
tell it to you when the time gets closer.
My week has been good and pretty busy and full of some hard times. The
week started out great! We had to be in by on 6:00 pm on New Year’s Eve and
then we had a Preach My Gospel Read-a-Thon which we made pretty darn fun. It included reading in
accents and singing the words to hymn tunes as we went. It’s okay for you to be
jealous of our celebration! After we planned that night we set the clock
forward to just before Midnight and had our own little countdown. Then we
opened the Martinellis (sp?) that we’ve been saving since Thanksgiving when a
member gave it to us and toasted in the New Year! Probably one of the least eventful
and yet most fun I’ve had on a New Year’s Eve. Sister Bukoskie and I were
laughing pretty hard.
Happy 2014!!!! I can’t believe it!
Wednesday was good too. We were all packed up and ready to go on exchanges
when we swung back by our house to grab my bike because I was going to need it
the next day. I was pumping up the tires and picked out what I thought was a
rock from the tread of my tire. Yeah…it wasn’t a rock. It was a tiny little
thorn that was apparently mean enough to pop my tire. I think the slow sound of
leaking air from a bike tire is one of the worst sounds in the world. We
enlisted the help of our neighbors and they had my tire and Sister Bukoskie’s (whose
tire has been popped for a few weeks!) tire all patched up in no time! Yay for
kind neighbors who know how to fix bikes!!
Exchanges on Thursday went well. We saw several miracles and it was just
good. The lady that fed us dinner was so sweet. She showed us all around her
garden and fed us yummy salad, French Onion soup (which I don’t think I’d ever
had), chicken and green beans, and delicious homemade biscuits like the ones
from Red Lobster. And she gave us a referral! It was great.
We got home that night and after we planned, Sister Bukoskie told me the
news. Her mom had called that morning (with permission from President) and told
her that her 21-year-old cousin had died on New Year’s in a car accident. So
that has been pretty hard. I mean…she’s doing well all things considered and
she’s a lot better yesterday and today than she was last week. I can only
imagine how hard that would be and I’ve been praying for her and trying my best
to help her. Maybe you could just keep her and her family in your prayers. None
of her family are members either so it would be a little hard for them to
understand why she wouldn’t come home for this.
Friday we were together but then were on exchanges again on Saturday.
They went well. This time I stayed in the area and another Sister came here.
She got sick though and threw-up in our Relief Society President’s bathroom. I
think we are going to do a redo for that exchange!
I think one of my favorite things from exchanges is that I get to meet
even more of Heavenly Father’s children. Just being in the lessons on Wednesday
and getting to know the sisters…I just kept thinking how many people are in
this world and how we really know so few of them. That’s why I love my mission.
I know so many more of them than I ever would have if I wasn’t here. And I get
to know them spiritually which is even better! It’s so good to get to know
people because that is when understanding and love comes in. I just think it’s
so much easier to judge someone when you don’t know them, but when you take the
time to ask them about their lives and struggles and things that make them
happy…you just get this renewed since of love and feeling the love of Heavenly
Father. It’s the best! I love the mission!
We are not having much success in the way of teaching and investigators,
but we keep praying and working and searching and trying. I have faith that I
am doing what Heavenly Father wants and so I know that He will bless me with
the things that I need.
I hope that all is well with you. Tell Ben to send me the engagement
photos!!! I want to see. Have a great week! Love you!
Con amor,
Hermana
Baria
