Holy Konoli. It has only been SIX days and sooooooo much as already happened. I hope that my fingers can type quick enough so I can get everything said that I want because the Elders are chomping at the bit to get in here and use the computers to email. hehe.
Fun Facts:
Our tub is green and only the hot water works in our bathroom sink.
I get ready in our room on the floor sitting indian style listening to my music. It's great.
I have gotten to run everyday!!!!!! I love running.
we have had NO FOOD. I have been living off of dry cereal (mini wheats) and baby bagels. I can't wait to go shopping today.
We have a recent convert her name is Sheaquanna. She is 18 years old and HILARIOUS. She is going to teach me all the New York lingo. haha!
and she loves MAN BUNS. She prayed for all the man buns out there to be converted. bahahahah.
First, Do you like my subject title for the email?? Hahah I'm pretty much counting this mission of mine as a two year one... and if that's the case then I hit my 13 month mark yesterday. YAY! (happy dance)
Okay now let's begin with my companion.
SISTER THAO:
Her parents are from Laos. There are 8 kids in her family including her. She falls in line at number FOUR. wowwzaa. She got a big Laos family. Hahah they sound great though. Her mom has been a stay at home momma and her dad is a welder. COOL! She measures up to a rather exquisite size of 4'11. She is TINY. I honestly feel like big foot around her. HAHAHAH. But it's great. The office sister, Sister Wiggins. She is a doll. She reminds me a lot of Sister Munro <3 but yes anyway, Sister Wiggins nicknamed us the 7 11 companionship. because I am 5'7 and Sister Thao is 4'11. Soooo clever Sister wiggins. haha it was actually pretty funny when she came up with it. So yeah, Sister Thao is fantastic. She has been out for 11 months now and is so good at what she does. What I love most about her is she IS SO GRATEFUL ALWAYS. In our prayers that is the first thing she starts out with every time without fail. She has already taught me that I need to be more grateful in every aspect of my life.
I feel that Sister Thao is a huge answer to my prayers and she is exactly what I needed coming back and relearning how to be a missionary (even though we all know I never really left missionary mode) ha ha. We are both super excited to work together and see where the next transfer and a half takes us. Chances are she will be the only companion I have here while I am in New York.
NEW HARTFORD:
Our area is about 10 minutes south of Utica. Utica has a population of about 66,000 ish and New Hartford prolly has...... ehhhhh 20-30,000 or so. It's prolly similar to springville, but definitely smaller. They don't have much in the town... They don't even have like normal lights here. They have a single signal light that has four sides to it and it hangs on a string. hahah! what the? I feel like I'm living in the 60's era or whatever era that was. No, but the town is super cute! It reminds me soo much of the town BLUEBELL in the show HART OF DIXIE. heheh all the little dentist and doctors offices are in little houses likes Zoe's on that show. I love it. When I thought of New York I only thought of city... But Utica is DEF not city. It actually reminds me A LOT of North Carolina. A LOT. So that's kind of fun. I've been reminiscing on that summer quite a bit the past week.
GATORS:
We have TWO right now! Alieanna and Nate. Alieanna is a 16 year old african american girl and she is so great. They had just recently started working with her before I got here, so we are still in the beginning stages with her, which are some of my favorite. Same with NATE THE GREAT. (He totally nicknamed himself that yesterday after our lesson we had after church. I told him he was great and he came back with, "yeah, I am great. Nate the great.") bahahahahahahahahahah. He's a stud. So, Nate the great is a single father of 3 girls. 9, 7, and 5. They actually found him TRACTING! How bout that? They had only had a few lessons with him before I came. We met with him this past.... Friday I think it was and we invited him to church. He came! Whoop whoop.He justttt missed the sacrament, but he was there for all 3 hours and then we had a lesson with him after church. He was 100% prepared and one of God's elect, but man is he going to be a tough nut to crack. He has a whole load of good questions, but he just keeps confusing himself with them. Our lesson with him that day was supperrrr spiritual. We really wanted to get him on date for baptism and has discussed that if we felt prompted by the spirit to ask him to do it. Boy did I feel prompted. It was like the spirit was surging through me to just spit it out and ask him. So I did! I thought for sure that there was no way that he would say no! But he did. hahahaha it was a debbie downer for me for sure. His response was, well why do I need to be baptized again when I already have been twice. He's all hung up on the priesthood and why we have to have the authority from God... we have tried pounding it into his head as simply as we can, but it just isn't working. At the conclusion of our lesson on Sunday we invited him to pray to have a better understanding of the priesthood and why it is important. We have high hopes for Nate the Great. We know that he'll get in those waters. I think him saying no to me was a good reminder that all of this is a process.
WORK IN NEW HARTFORD:
We are focusing on Less Actives, Formers and Potentials. So all day everyday we go around trying to find them and while we do we keep our eyes peeled for any others that we might feel prompted to speak with. Yesterday we were taking a book to a Homebound Less Active and on our way to her house I saw this mom with some kids walking. I didn't know where she was going at the time, but as we were getting ready to leave sister Hungerford's home I saw that the mom I had seen actually lived right across the street. I turned to sister Thao and I said I feel like we should go knock on her door. So we did! After talking with her for a bit, she mentioned that she had been wanting to get back to church (prepared). We asked if we could come back and talk a bit more with her about what we believe and she said absolutely. We have a return appointment with her for tomorrow. Pray for her! Her name is Vanessa:)
OUR APARTMENT:
Okay, our apartment is so cute. and BIG. Holy tolido. We have an ENTIRE room for studying. That is super weird to me. The first night there we went to do planning at 9 and I knelt down at the coffee table like sister Smith and I used to do, and Sister Thao was like, uhmmm what are you doing? We do that in our study room. Hahaha it was pretty funny.
I am truly SO happy. It honestly feels like I never even left. This mission is sooooooo different from Czech, but the work is all the same. I am just so grateful that I get to be a part of it again. I finally feel like I am EXACTLY where I am supposed to be. I've had a few moments where it's been hard, but I look at my CTR ring and remember all that Heavenly Father did for me while I was home, how hard I worked to get back out here and my support system (all of YOU) back home and those overwhelming feelings go away. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. They are my greatest friends.
Until next week! :)
S laskou,
Sestra Fred
Elder Chase and I just before our flight to utica. That was the crazy day. Staying in the hotel room by myself was kind fun though. haha
Elder Chase and I are the best of friends after spending more than 24 hours together in an airport. He was a blessing! Glad I didn't have to do it alone.
Saw this in the Chicago Airport and thought of Eli Rios.
Sister Nowak and us. 
Our front door. Isn't it cute??
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