Hello family!
How are you all? Wonderful, I hope. I am doing great. I've been a 'real' missionary in the real, non-MTC world for a full week now. Woo hoo! I feel like we should have a b-day party :) Ok, might be hard.
So as you've now learned, my P-day is on Tuesday. And I'll get to doing e-mail around 11:30 or 12 each time. I'm at one of the Carlsbad City Libraries. Maybe you don't care so much about that. Let's get down to the good stuff, eh?
*Ask Mum for the scoop on the title of the e-mail. Basically, no Mum I don't have a pillow yet. Today for sure! Last Tuesday was crazy. And we aren't supposed to shop for things besides on P-day. yes, pillows are semi-important. But we're missionaries! Missionaries don't need pillows (wink). I folded up some pillow cases the first night. Then I added a towel, then a scarf. It's been alright. Maybe caused more tension in my shoulders, but it's ALL good.
Ok. The meat that you're all dying to hear. I'm serving in the Oceanside 5th Ward....Spanish speaking! (it's highly likely my language assignment will change sometime during my mission. Here in the Ca-Carl mission they assign you by area and language.) My apartment address can't be given (good thing I have a trainer to tell me these things!). Just look in the area of Oceanside. You'll see where I'm working and serving the Lord.
My companion is Hermana Talbot from Colorado Springs, CO. A very cool thing - I know Pres. Brady was inspired to put us together. Because he told me so himself in our first interview. Pretty neat! We get along great...even down to the food. Well, except milk. She likes whole and I like skim. We compromised with 2%. She has been out for one year now (including MTC time) and I am her second "daughter" or 'hija' = person she trains. This is her third area. Can't think of much else. We're pretty similar. Why don't you ask me questions and I'll find out the answers then let you know. Ok? One thing I do remember - her dad works for/in the Air Force. And her older sister served in the Temple Square Mission a few years ago. (we're the same age too) She thinks that we will be together for 2 transfers. We'll see. Next transfer is Nov 25.
Our area is really big! We had some issues with area lines. They couldn't decide where to have us work (huh, what are they trying to say?). So on Sunday we finally received our map and information about the area we will serve in. Doesn't seem like too big of a deal to non-missionaries. But it's a huge deal! You can't go outside your area so if you don't know what your area is...it's hard. And we didn't know where to work for those first few days. We chose a spot we were pretty certain would be in our area. Central. Let me tell you about it...the population is pretty much all Spanish-speakers (perfect!) and it's sketchy at night. We were warned about it twice. Perfect, eh? If I had more brain power and time I would phrase that so I get you all good and scared. (but I don't have either) And then tell you they gave that section of Oceanside to the elders. Hm....we think they might have had some legitimate reasons for that. Don't know for sure. It was a good area and we found some promising investigators in that short time so we just handed them over to the elders on Sun. But they handed some to us so it all works out.
So that first Tuesday was literally crazy. But it was so wonderful! I was just really excited to get out here (a blessing. I thought I might be scared or nervous.) I was really calm and knew I was in the right place. Pres. Brady and I talked about that in the first interview and he reminded me that I'm here in this mission for the people. I'm starting to see that already. It's incredible! I love being a part of this great work.
I love the members in our ward. We found 2 families our first night here (Tues) which was great. And then we had 2 meals with member families this past week. But both live in the Central area so we can't visit them again. We had dinner with a sister on Sunday and it was great. We also found the little grandma of the ward. Yeah! She sat us down and talked and talked, gave us Squirt and delicious tea cookie/biscuits. And then sent us home with a gocery bag with three bags of Halloween candy, all the tea cookies we hadn't eaten, and a bag of potato chips. I needed that. It was so fun. Her name is Ofelia. She told us she wouldn't be at church because of pain due to a root canal. I saw a note on another ward list that said she's less-active. We'll see about that. I just love her! I'll try to get a pic. with her sometime.
My time is almost up. I have two charges for everyone who reads this. 1) Help the missionaries! Go with them to lessons, fellowship investigators. It is crucial. 2) Be good member missionaries. Go find people for the full-time missionaries to teach. Share your testimonies and knowledge, beyond your examples (which is a great thing).
Today is going to be crazy. We were given a dirty car and so-so apartment. We have to attack them today. Yeah for clean things!!!
Sorry if this is jumbled. I've barely been able to synthesize everything. I have quite a few journal entries that aren't complete. and I usually can't write them until the next day. Ah! I need my journal time :)
I love you all so much! I love being a busy missionary. Off we go to Target (YES! big area has some perks.)
Love,
Hermana Green
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