This past week really stunk to be completely honest. I HATE being sick away from home! Let's just put it that way. And I felt guilty if we stayed in at all, and it was raining all week, so we went out and contacted, and didn't have any success. I'm all good now, no more sickness really, but wow. It was really dumb. I hope I never get sick again on the mission! I'm VERY thankful for good health.
Happy Sanksgibing this past week! I'm so happy everyone is alive and well. I was thinking of you all on Thanksgiving, missing Grandma Farley's turkey, and Mom's homemade rolls. But we got to celebrate it, too. I'll write about it later, though. But let's just say we don't need to buy groceries for two weeks. :)
I've been reading The Infinite Atonement by Tad R. Callister and it's honestly changed my life. I definitely recommend it. I got the book from one of the members who used to be a Baptist preacher 18 years ago. He has a TON of Church books, so I plan to read all of them while I'm here for the next 12 weeks. I am learning SO much and can't believe I never read any of his books before! But from now on, and for Christmas, if you could give me books, I'd really appreciate it. That's all I want for Christmas. (Don't send them, just have them ready for me to devour upon my return home). Thanks! But I recommend the one I'm reading right now. I started it on Tuesday, and I'll finish it by tomorrow I think. My mind has been BLOWN away. Read, read, read. That's ALL I want to do for forever. THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO READ!
But man! It was good to hear from you guys! Thanks so much for keeping me updated about life. I'm glad you all had a good, Happy Sanksgibing, I missed you guys! I was thinking about how I opened my mission call, too! Just ONE year ago. How crazy is that!? I loved going to Disneyland with you, Dad and Jeff (and Rach, duh). Can't wait to go again! And I hope you are all having fun, too!
HEAD, sorry you lost your soccer games! It's okay though because life goes on. Glad you liked the bracelet! I thought you'd like it. Sorry your birthday was lonely, too. That's sad. I was thinking of you, though! If it makes you feel better, I ate ice cream for you! :)
JAKE! Congrats on bearing your testimony in front of strangers! That's awesome! I'm proud of you, bud!
JOSHY! Keep rollin' in the dough! Be safe! Love you! What are your thoughts on a mission? Are you going to school first? Or will you just leave and not see me for 3 years? Remember the consequences...
JEFF! I'm glad to hear you're doing okay after the shoulder incident last night. Glad you could get to the emergency room safely. How'd that happen!?
MOM and DAD: Don't have Joshy or Head or anyone read the letter to you. It's for YOU TWO only. Thanks. Tissues not included. Love you so much.
And sorry to hear about your poopy hotel bathroom situation. That reminds me, though. Yesterday in Church, an inactive guy named R__ came for the first time in... I don't know how long. We've been visiting him and his wife ever since we got here, and he just showed up yesterday even though we didn't see him at all during the week. He said, "I almost died this past week..." When we asked him why, he told us a story that made me think of you guys: he said, "Pardon my language, but I had a diarrhea so awful that I couldn't even move for four days. No one came by the house... and I was just praying and praying, 'Lord, please send someone to help us! Anyone! Please send the sister missionaries...' But no one came. Until finally, M__'s [his wife's] son called to ask if we were doing okay. When I told him my... condition... he came with some Pepto pills to the rescue..." It took everything in my power not to laugh. He was completely serious! It reminded me of that line on "The Home Teachers," when he says: "Poor guy, I've been there..." But it was an interesting story. Luckily, he didn't share that story from the pulpit when he got up to bear his testimony. He said he'd be coming to Church from now on. And I just thought, Wow. The Lord definitely works in mysterious ways.
So Sanksgibing here is different in Puerto Rico because instead of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, we have rice and beans and turkey and flan for dessert. (Flan is disgusting, by the way). But anyway, we had a zone conference in Caguas with President Smartt and Elder Cornish. It was really, really great and I loved it. We ate turkey and rice and beans and pumpkin flan for lunch.And afterwards, the O__ family invited us over for dinner. So we went there and that was more of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, stuffing, Pillsbury rolls, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes. I ate it all and even had some pecan pie and it was delicious. They also gave us flan. Woo hoo. But I ate it all anyway. We sang Spanish traditional Christmas songs and I knew all of them thanks to the Spanish Immersion program! :) It brought back good memories. We promised we'd stop by E__ and M__'s house, too, so we went at 8:30 and they offered us more turkey and rice... We were so full and had to say no, but I tried a bit of the turkey and it was the best I'd had all day.
We did service on Friday for A__. Due to the fact that he's been taking care of his sister for the past two years, his house has suffered a lot and it was disgusting. Poor guy. We cleaned his room from top to bottom and we're going back again this Friday to help him paint. We're excited and he's really happy to be a member of the Church. He received the Holy Ghost on Sunday (yesterday) and he's really happy.
Something I realized this week, too, was why Heavenly Father sent me here to Puerto Rico. It's because they don't roll their "r"'s here! He knows I can't do it to save my life, and the people here don't do it, either! It was a good personal revelation.
Thanks for getting Tiff's mission email address! I appreciate it! Could you get me her MTC and in-field address as well? Sorry, I know I'm SO needy. :)
Well anyway, that's really all I have to say about what's going on and how I'm doing. I'm really happy and really thankful to be out here. I feel like I'm learning so so much and progressing. The Gospel is absolutely true. I have no doubt about it. I feel so lucky to be a member of Christ's Church upon the earth. What an amazing privilege we have!
I love you and miss you! Until next week!
-Hermana Erickson
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