So this last week I mentioned that there were transfers, but then I also neglected to mention what was happening at transfers...sorry. Hermana Beaty successfully finished her mission and went home to Arizona. We miss her. Hermana Andreasen got sent to Conroe and I admit I am a weeeee bit jealous, but there is nothing you can do about that, and I am still thrilled to be here. (We decorated the apartment for Christmas this morning- so cute.)
MY NEW COMPANION's name is Hermana Black. She is a Nephite, as she grew up in Nephi, Utah. She really likes movies, and has seen a great many movies. She even can quote wold war two movies back to me, it is quite exciting. :) She kind of looks like Taylor Swift, has really cute accessories, and has this weird mixture of an easy-going-really-chill/really-cool-person/unexpected-nerd vibe going on that I really enjoy. She has been a lot of fun, and I am glad I get to enjoy her for five more weeks. :)
Speaking of Hermana Black, she was equally as thrilled at the prospect of being able to contact using Christmas Carols. It is one of our goals to memorize all our Christmas Hymns in Spanish, and we've been walking around all week saying, "Noche de luz, noche de paz-" It reminds me of how much Hermana Lowry always loved that song ;)
Some other changes that happened- Elder Guzman is now our District Leader and Elder Blackford is training a brand new missionary named Elder Smith. Every time someone new meets him they ask him if he is related to Joseph Smith. Elder Guzman has been freaking out about being district leader and how he doesn't know what he is doing, and oh I wish you could have seen his face when President Mortensen walked into his first district meeting this week. His mouth fell flat open in HORROR. I don't think I've ever seen anyone's mouth fall open before. But really he did a great job and shouldn't have freaked out.
We also did a lot of TRACKING PEOPLE DOWN this week. A lot.
-First, we went to go find a Venezuelan referral who lives in some fancy apartments that have four floors, right on our side of the border with the south mission. We went to the top floor balcony and took a picture with the Texas Houston South Mission. It was fun.
-Then Grace and Karina went to their Aunt's house for thanksgiving and told us we could come too, but didn't give us the address.....But we knew the general vacinity, and we managed to find them. It was really funny. They were like, "Really we never gave you the address?"
-Our recent convert Dannie was home, and they let us in, and we had a lesson. IT WAS A MIRACLE. I was so happy I kind of teared up. We haven't seen Dannie in many months and I was worried about her.
The day before Thanksgiving we had a lesson with our investigator Heidi, who has had a really hard life. We have been teaching her for a couple weeks now, and considering where she has started she has progressed SO MUCH! She told us this week about the changes she has seen in herself and how much happier she is because of the things she is learning. She also said that she asked her family if she could say the prayer for their Thanksgiving Dinner and her whole family responded to the likes of: "You? What?" We are so proud of her. :)
Thanksgiving we went tot he Perla's and the Coronado's. It was lovely. I made the Byrnes traditional Cranberry Salad. (I can't take Thanksgiving seriously without it anymore. That's a tradition I am definitely carrying on.) It was a really great day and everyone was home and I just walked around with a smile almost the entire time. I might have smiled while I was asleep too, I was just so grateful for everything. (This is the end of the first email. Haha)
Whoops. I didn't finish and accidentally clicked send. :(
Then, we were struggling to find new investigators this week but did literally everything we could do and it still wasn't working out. When we started Sunday morning we had zero, but the goal was 4. We prayed a lot, and at the end of the day we had 4 really solid people. IT WAS SO AWESOME!
And then- definitely the best part of the week- KARINA GOT BAPTIZED!!! It was so beautiful and she was so prepared too. All the adults were really shocked about how much she knew it was super cute. When she was baptized I wanted to shout for joy, I was so happy :) Her mom and her dad came and it was really special. :) She is a super special girl and we love her a lot.
Than, just to follow up for last week about the ten things that I am grateful for:
(and thank you to everyone that emailed me theirs-)
1. Ice cream
I love that when you eat ice cream somehow the world becomes more positive.
2. Light
Light is so pretty. I love to work with it, to change the colors and the angles, and to see all the different effects and wonderful things it does. Spot lights. Christmas lights. Fire flies. How beautiful light really is. I am grateful for the light that always illuminates my life.
3. Jesus Christ and the atonement.
I don't have enough space to write why I am grateful for Jesus Christ, but I am infinitely grateful for Him. I am grateful that all things are possible through Him, and that I can become and overcome everything with His help.
4. My testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Of all the things God has given to me, perhaps the greatest is my testimony of the Book of Mormon. It has changed everything.
5. My family.
I am grateful for my smart dad, my smiling mother, smouldering Rhodric, pencilneck Jarrett, Henrietta Pixie Peanut Chocolate Mgurdy McCurdy (aka Kami), Jimbo, my grandparents, my great grandparents, and all that came before them. I am so glad God put me in a family!
6. My mission.
7. Happy thoughts
8. Our capacity to learn.
9. Our capacity to love.
10. the ability to be grateful.
I know the Book of Mormon is true, and that Jesus Christ lives! I am so grateful for my knowledge of God's plans, and for the hope that they always offer me. I am grateful for you too, whoever you are. :)
Please let me know if there is anything I can do for you!
Always,
Hermana McCurdy
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