"Sanksgibing" is what the Puerto Ricans say because they can't pronounce the word correctly. It kills me every time! :)But hello! So this week has been good. I gave birth on Tuesday evening after spending the whole day in Caguas. Her name is Hermana A__, she's 24 and from Guatemala. My new comp "child" and I are getting along well, I feel like she's getting used to mission life and will be a very successful missionary; I'm excited to see where these next 12 weeks will take us. BUT I feel honored to be training again, and the new missionaries always come into the mission with an energy that I feel like all "veterans" need. She's absolutely terrified of mice and bugs and it's really funny because I'm not that scared anymore. Poor thing. So hurray for being a mother! :)I'm coming up on the 9-month mark and it's just really weird because I feel like time has gone by too quickly. I still feel like I'm brand-new in the mission, and yet at the same time, I feel like I've learned SO much. I've been so thankful this past week for the opportunity I've had to be here. I can't believe I opened my mission call a whole year ago... It's really so unreal. Coming on a mission has been the best decision I've ever made in my life and I feel so blessed to have been able to meet the people I've met and learned the things I've learned.We had the first baptism in the area yesterday, A_ L__. YAY! I honestly thought there for a bit that he wouldn't be getting baptized, but he did it yesterday along with one of the Elders' investigators, and we were all really happy. He looked so... clean. It was really a cool experience.We've been contacting a lot of people. This past week, a lady let us in her house to help her decorate her Christmas tree. It'll be the first Christmas I've ever had without snow... so honestly it doesn't feel like Christmas and I'm actually okay with it because if it did, I feel like I'd be getting trunky a little bit. But for that reason, Heavenly Father sent me here to Puerto Rico where snow doesn't exist, and I'm perfectly fine with it. We gave her her first Christmas present, a Book of Mormon, and we were excited because she said she'd read it even though she's Catholic. So I'm excited for our next appointment with her. She's a super nice lady, and she's young, too! She and her husband H__ have been together for 8 years, and I feel like they would totally get married in the temple! So keep your fingers crossed and prayers goin' up to heaven.But back to talking about Christmas, Puerto Ricans celebrate Christmas starting with Sanksgibing, then they celebrate hard core the holiday of the 3 Kings, then Christmas, then New Years... and just keep celebrating until the first week of February... Woot woot! Party!R__ is having a hard time giving up coffee and smoking, but he wants to get baptized, so hopefully his desire to follow Jesus Christ will be stronger than his addictions.I'm sick for the first time out here. I dunno what it is, but I have a headache all the time and am super tired, and my throat hurts. Hopefully it's not dengue... But if I die out here, just know I died doing what I love doing, so it's okay. Instant exaltation, too. hehehehe. :) jokes, that's an awful thing to say.Man, Rach's emails kinda make me depressed. I feel like she's working in the Celestial kingdom of missionary work. But at least I haven't turned apostate and started to like Coke-a-cola... :)HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HEAD ON SUNDAY! Head, you're allowed to open the envelope I sent you a month ago. :) Cheers. Hope you enjoy.Okay, about the money. Honestly, I have NO idea what I do. Sometimes, I have to pay for my companion and don't have enough on my mission card because she doesn't have anything. (I feel like all Latinos have to buy soda and chips and those are super expensive here...) And then I bought a skirt at Rainbow and MeSalve' because I was really just super sick of my clothes and gave some skirts to Hermana Sosa before she left. But I'm sorry! And besides, I figured it would count as the Birthday money I never spent... :)
Tell Tonya and Vik at the Forum I say hi. Do you know anything more about T__? I worry about her. I miss hair school, well, I miss cutting hair in general. Can't wait to get back into that when I get home! :)
I hope Joshy gets into BYU! Where do you think you'll go, Joshy? MOVE AWAY FROM HOME FUR SHURE! It's so fun! :) Get outta Happy Valley and live in the real world! It'll do you well.
Well anywho, I'll try sending the pictures off now since I have nothing else to say. Love you lots and thank you so much for your support! Keep reading the scriptures and having FHE! Ta ta! :)
Hi Family!
So this week was good. On Monday, the Collazo's came and taught E__ and his family with us and it went SO well! We actually have hope that they'll get baptized now! We're happy about it. We celebrated my 8-month mark today by doing nothing. :) Just kidding. We went out and worked like normal. I used my glasses for the past week and got lots of headaches, so I dunno if my prescription is bad now, or what. But I probably won't be using them. I've been wearing my retainer, too. So be proud!
I feel like everyone gave us food this week and I know it's only going to get worse with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up; EVERYONE gives us food. I feel like I'm going to gain weight.... But on the bright side, I learned how to play chess this week! :) We also put up a member's Christmas tree and decorated it. It made me a little homesick. I'll miss that this year. But at the same time, the fact that it feels like summertime weather doesn't make it feel like it's November. It's weird.
So we found out about transfers on Saturday evening. Hermana Sosa and I were both anxious all week to know what would happen since we'd had such a great lesson with E__ and his family on Monday night and since we've got A__ L__s' baptism on Sunday. But turns out, I'll be staying here in Cidra, and Hermana Sosa is leaving the area. She'll be training! I am so excited for her. She's going to Ponce, and I'm staying here and I'll also be training a new sister missionary. How do I feel about it? Well, to be completely honest, I actually don't really want to train. It's an honor, but at the same time, I've been studying the 12-week program for the past 8 months... So I get tired of watching all the District movies. But I'll do what I'm supposed to do. Apparently there's something I'm still supposed to learn from studying the 12-week program, so I'll try to figure that out with a little more diligence this time. :) I don't know what my companion's name is, but I know she's from Guatemala. We'll be picking the new babies up tomorrow. I'm excited! This'll be the 5th time I've trained. ;)
Congratulations to Krispen! A baby! That's great news! I'm glad to hear that no one died this week in car accidents. (close deer encounter.) Congratulations on the new computer, too! That's so cool that Jeff made it. What a babe! And it's great that Dad has enough money to pay for stuff like that! Dad, can I have an iPhone? Hehehe :)
President Smartt said I'd be going to the islands in a few weeks, so we'll see. I'll be sure to let you know what'll happen.
Sorry this email was super lame, but I don't have a lot of time. The library was closed today so we're writing in a member's home and I feel bad and don't want to take as much time as normal.
Love you guys lots! Have a good week!
-Hermana Erickson
Hello!
This week was really amazing and I loved every second of it. I can’t believe that I’ve been here in Cidra now for almost 12 weeks. I feel like the weeks are going by so quickly, and it’s not okay with me because transfers are NEXT week. I’d really love to stay here another transfer with Hermana Sosa. I feel like we’re just beginning to see the fruits of our labors and I don’t want to leave that behind quite yet. I wanna see this through.
Like I said in my short email, I had exchanges this week with Hermana Torres. I went to work with her in Hato Rey all day on Friday. I’m just going to be honest about it. I didn’t really like it. All we did was visit less-actives all day and it was really boring. Don’t get me wrong, I love visiting less actives, but it’s just not the same as teaching someone who’s never heard of the gospel before. I felt, though, like I was starting all over in my mission again, though, because my very first exchange in Pontezuela was with Hermana Torres, and so it brought back good memories. Hermana Torres is a powerful missionary and I admire her enthusiasm to go out and work. I’m just bummed we didn’t get to contact or anything. Contacting in the city is a LOT more effective than it is in the mountains. I couldn’t believe how many people were out and about. And everyone who lives in Hato Rey is Dominican, so it made me feel like I was serving in the DR with Rach. The Hato Rey ward is the biggest and most active ward on the whole island. I’d LOVE to serve there because Dominicans are obviously super awesome. But I still love the Puerto Ricans, even though they’re on the lazier side. :)
So we have a lot going on in our area, specifically about a family of pure gold we’ve been teaching ever since we got here. I’ve written to you guys about them before, but E__, the father, and M__, the mother have 3 kids, all very involved in extra-curricular activities and never have time to go to any church, but they accept every person who walks through their doors. Hermana Sosa and I have loved going over there every Monday to visit and teach them, but we’ve never been able to get through the whole lesson because once Elias begins talking, he NEVER stops. It’s been difficult for us to figure out how to teach them when all he ever wants to do is teach us. Last night, though, it was really different because we had invited Elder and Hermana Collazo to come along with us to teach. (They’re an elderly couple who have been serving for 17 months; I worked with them in Pontezuela a few times). But anyways, the lesson was INCREDIBLE. For the first time, both Elias and Maria were listening, and it was just so cool to watch the Spirit work within them. The Spirit was so strong, and for the first time since we’ve been teaching them, Hermana Sosa and I feel hopeful that they’ll actually begin progressing. We’d been thinking for the past two weeks that we needed to stop visiting them because the only thing they had changed in their lives since we’d begun teaching them was that they’ve begun to pray as a family. We’ve been going for almost 12 weeks now, so we were feeling pretty hopeless. But last night changed EVERYTHING, and I want to see this though so badly. I know without a doubt that this family will be baptized and change the Church here in Cayey. I love them so much and I am so thankful I came out here on a mission and could find them. I’ve never wanted someone to accept the gospel so badly as I do for them. I’ve never wanted to see someone enter the temple so badly as I feel for them. The lesson we had last night changed my entire perspective, and I feel like it’s possible.
We have other investigators that are progressing, too. R__, who is over 80 years old, but is still completely sane, is one of the most amazing people I’ve met out here so far. I don’t know what it is, but his personality kills me! And he’s reading the Book of Mormon and he loves it. And when we first met him, we invited him to Church, but he said he would never come. But last week, he said, “I need to come to Church,” and he’ll be coming on Sunday. I know he’ll be getting baptized, too and I’m so excited because he’s the cutest little old man!
I think I’ve written about A__ L__ before, but he’s got a baptismal date for the 24th of November. He’s come to Church twice now, and has loved it. He’s already got a testimony of the Book of Mormon and we’re so excited about him.
So now I’ll reply to your questions:
– As for Christmas packages ideas, I don’t need really anything, but I’d LOVE some new garments. And if you could send me some Christmas music, too, that’d be fun. More Mo-tab, too. I want normal hymns.
– Just so you know, I’m wearing my retainer for a week straight every month and I haven’t missed a single day flossing. :) Thanks for your fatherly advice, Dad! I’ll keep it up!
– You should be proud of me because I’m learning how to make so much good food! I’m the one that cooks for the two of us always, and Hermana Sosa says she loves my food! Hurray! :)
– We played soccer yesterday for P-day and it was SO fun! I hadn’t played in over a year I think, and wow. I love that game. I wish more people played it here, but the main sports are baseball and basketball. Lame.
Well anyway, that’s really all I have to say about this week. I love all the people we’re teaching and am so excited for everything happening here in Cidra. This week was just perfect and I am really so thankful that I came out here, I’m glad I didn’t go home when times were tough, and I’m glad I’ve still got 10 months to go. I love this and I love serving the Lord by serving other people! This gospel is really what everything is all about. I am so thankful for it in my life. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for raising us in a gospel-centered home. Thank you for doing family scripture study every week with us. Thank you for all of the family home evenings we had. Thank you for taking us to Church on Sunday. Thank you so much for everything! I just love you guys!
-Hermana Erickson
Hi, family!
So I'll be writing super fast because we don't have much time today.
This week was super good. I went to Hato Rey (highly populated downtown area) to work for a day with Hermana Torres, we had exchanges. It was my first exchange in a really long time. But it went really well; I forgot what it's like in the city, I'm so used to being here already. I don't want to leave, but we have transfers next week and I'm thinking I'll be getting transferred. I don't really want to, but I'll accept whatever the Lord wants me to do.
Haha, a funny experience I had this week was that I broke a light bulb with my head! So in Hato Rey, they have bunk beds in the apartment and the ceiling was super low and when I woke up, I obviously forgot I was there, so I was making my bed, half asleep, and all of a sudden, I heard this shattering noise and then glass was in my bed and fell to the ground. I scared Hna Torres really bad. And after I showered, I found glass in my hair. But I think I'm glass-free now. :)
We have 3 awesome investigators with baptismal dates.
I made sure to take pictures, so I'll be sending those. If I can get on tomorrow to write since it's Veteran's Day and the libraries are closed, I will, but don't count on it. :) I love you lots and am loving my mission. I love sharing the gospel and I know it's true. We are so blessed to have it in our lives!
Have a good week, I hope you're all doing well. BYE!
-Hermana Erickson
Hi there!
This week was good, we taught a few new investigators that we're excited about, especially a young man named M__! He's one of the members' boyfriend, and he's been coming to Church for a while now, but we always assumed the Elders were teaching him, but turns out he's from Cidra! So we teach him now on Wednesdays at the Church. He's really awesome because he is super interested during the lessons, he asks questions, and reads the Gospel Principles book in between. And yesterday, he said he wanted to know what we'd be teaching him so he could read in advance and be prepared! I couldn't help but think, "WHO IS THIS GUY!?!" I've never met a young man so interested in spirituality! He's from a super Catholic family, but he's curious about the Church and is finding out the truth for himself. We're excited for him and I'm pretty sure he'll be getting baptized as soon as he's ready. He didn't accept a baptismal date. But hurray for member missionary work!
Another investigator we found about two weeks ago, R__, is super awesome. He's over 80 years old, but still completely sane, and has had so many gospel-related questions for so long and he's finally finding the answers! When we went three days after our first appointment with him, he'd already read from the introduction of the Book of Mormon all the way to 1 Nephi 8. For an 80 year-old, that's awesome! He has the sweetest personality and we're always so excited to teach him! He is so sassy! And he gives us ice cream sandwiches every time we visit him! It reminds me of Grandma and Grandpa Erickson's house because they used to give those to us. So happy :)
Another investigator, A__, came to Church yesterday for the first time! And he LOVED it! So we're excited because he's progressing and he isn't scared of getting baptized again, so that's good, too. We just have to set a date with him I think. He has developed a testimony of the Book of Mormon and since then, he's been progressing rapidly. We're almost done teaching him everything!
C__ called this past week a day after our appointment with him and said he didn't want to meet with us anymore, so I dunno what happened, but he said he has schizophrenia and is just waiting to die. It's a really sad situation, but he doesn't want help either. So that's the end of that. :(
Anyways, I'll reply to your email now! Thanks for writing to me so faithfully! You guys are great! (Mostly Dad!)
Halloween was SO different here. Apparently, it's super dangerous on Halloween, and people throw eggs or pumpkins at the windshields of the cars that drive by. People are also super drunk and super crazy and do awful things. So we weren't allowed to be out of doors after 6 p.m. Hermana Sosa and I enjoyed the evening by making chocolate chip cookies! They weren't as good as Mom's, but I know O__ (our landlord guy) likes them! :) But I thought of you guys on Halloween and I'm glad you guys had fun and carved pumpkins and what not. Did anyone dress up?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GRANDMA ERICKSON two days ago!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MADELINE MARIE ASHCRAFT VANCE one day ago!
Wish Tiffanie good luck at her farewell this Sunday. I'll be thinking and praying for her and I hope she continues being a light to everyone she comes in contact with! :) I LOVE YOU TIFF!
Congratulations to (cousin) Ashley getting married!
Congratulations as well to Annie Woolley! I KNEW SHE'D MARRY JACOB COVEY!!!! I totally called it TWO whole years ago! :) Tell her somehow I say HI! Agh! That just makes me so happy!
Dad, I'll be sure to try to write more interesting things so you have some type of usable material for your next Elders Quorum address. :) They're not making you speak double time because you have TWO missionaries out, right? What's wrong with that!? :)
Thanks for the pictures of the dead mice! Super funny with the Book of Mormon. That is now my phone background. :) The rats here are HUGE! I see them all the time on the street. The other day, I saw a rat head on the ground (I'm guessing a cat ate the rest or something) and I thought about taking a picture of it next to a Book of Mormon, but I didn't have one.
Well anyways, I love you all so much and am so happy I get to live with you guys forever! Miss you so much and am so proud of all of you! Jeff, DON'T GET MARRIED BEFORE I GET HOME!
oxoxox!
-Hermana Erickson
"Sanksgibing" is what the Puerto Ricans say because they can't pronounce the word correctly. It kills me every time! :)
