Letter #32 - Week 34: Hicks and Ticks and Haitian Enchiladas

May 13, 2019

Hola Everyone!

A lot happened this week. On Monday I dyed Hermana Jeppson's hair, so that was exciting and a new experience for me. We were doing some tidying up in the apartment, and Hermana Tua'one left her mark in several places. I was going to wait to send her a bunch of pictures of stuff that I've found here, but we didn't really take any pictures this week, so spoiler alert Hermana.

As a mission we've been working on effectively asking for referrals while we teach lessons. We were teaching the Law of Chastity to a lady who won't pray to know if anything is true (even the Bible) *facepalm*, so I thought it was an excellent opportunity to practice. I asked her at the end if she knew of anyone who could use the blessings of the Law of Chastity, and she totally wrecked me for judging people and told me that I shouldn't be doing that when we're all sinners. I guess President always tells us to make 1000 mistakes a day anyway.

Wednesday we went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders, and I went up to Newtown with Sister Dunne and Sister Meyer. We did service at a nursing home singing with a member and the member turned out to be the high councilman for our YSA ward. It was a very wholesome experience. Newtown is pretty countryside, and singing patriotic hymns and cowboy songs added to the effect. I also learned that Lyme disease is basically normal here?? There's no sympathy, haha. So basically now I'm terrified to walk in the grass. I used Sister Dunne's Dove shampoo and conditioner, and it was a game changer. I was almost out, so I got some for myself today. I missed district council and correlation with the ward mission leader, but Elder Perkins (our district leader) was on exchanges as well after our district council, so he got to go to the zone leader's district council as well. We might as well have made it a zone conference and called it a day.

Thursday we had interviews with President. It's always good to get the chance to meet with him, even though I'm always terrified and never know what I'm going to say. We set some good goals and he gave me good advice. They were all the way up in Danbury, so I did a lot of driving in a 36-hour period or so.

Yesterday we had dinner with a Haitian family, and I never have had food from Haiti, so I was a little nervous. What I was not expecting was Hispanic food. Apparently the grandma had enchiladas with some of the members in the ward and wanted to try them out herself. The thing is, she only had Haitian spices. Her grandson said that they tasted exactly the same and was really surprised. I wouldn't go that far, but I thought that it turned out pretty well. Hermana Jeppson is still a little skeptical.

Some CT Fun Facts:
-All of the roads are like six-way intersections and the GPS might even make it harder to navigate them
-The roads in nicer neighborhoods are all narrow and windy and terrifying
-It's been raining a lot. It's raining right now and I wear my rain coat most days
-Along with the deer, bunnies, squirrels, and chipmunks are all bounteous in the forested neighborhoods

The Living Christ:

"As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

He rose from the grave to “become the firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among His “other sheep” (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised “dispensation of the fulness of times” (Ephesians 1:10)."

¡Os amo!

-Hermana Prue