FROSTBITTEN

Good evening from the New Hartford Libby!

We've had a bit of a weird schedule today. When went to lunch with Lily Cossey. She's a member. 18 years old and headed to BYU-I come December. Then Sister Mitchell, who had us over for General Conference (as I was typing that I almost typed Thanksgiving. hahah) took ALL of us missionaries (SEVEN) serving here in Utica shopping! She wanted to buy us winter gear since it is right around the corner. We went to Kohls and had blast together trying on hats and scarves. That Mitchell family is something else. We are SO spoiled and SO grateful for them and EVERYTHING they do for us. 

So, anyway, we've been in and out and I have sent off a few emails in between all of that. So Mom, Dad, don't worry. Everything is fine and I am doing just fine. :)

Utica Uniques

---> So I lied. Nice 'n Easy is more like the 711 and FastTrac is more like Maverick. ha ha\

---> There are A LOT of runners here! I think of you mom every time I see them!

---> We live at the Hillside Garden Apartments off of Oxford Rd. (Dad, Go ahead and google map it if you haven't already. ;))

--->Greens, Salt Potatoes, Tomatoe Pie and Chicken Riggies are all unique foods to this area of New York. I have tried 2 of the 4

---> Weather here is more bi-polar then Utah... 

---> We grocery shop at a store called ALDI. It reminds me of Billa and Tesco in Czech actually! We also have to use a quarter to use a cart there. 

WEATHER:

Alright, it snowed this past weekend. Not okay. Saturday and Sunday we had snow flurries!!! It was soooo cold and soo crazy! We honestly couldn't believe it. I mean it is only the middle of October! As we drove to the mission home this morning to do our laundry (that's where we do it now, because Sister Fuhriman's dryer went out about a month ago) I admired the soccer field next to an elementary school that was dusted with frost. Quite beautiful, but just doesn't seem like it's supposed to be that time of the year already. The temperature said a whopping 39 degrees. Yikes. 

I forgot to mention how much it RAINED last week. We had a day where it literally rained for 24 hours. Even alllll through the night. It was crazy! I enjoyed it though. I've always been a fan of the rain. :)

The sun came out later today though and it was actually really pretty and nice. Still cold though! 

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Sister Thao and I have been doing service at the New Hartford Libby! We've been doing it the past couple of weeks and last week we had the opportunity to help out at their annual Mini-Golf and bake sale. They had 18 holes that all had different themes, which were created by kids and families from the community. How cute is that?! I took lots of good pics so I'll send them your way. :) They were also selling this yummy smoked BBQ Chicken, like the real homegrown, down in the south stuff. hahah so we were outside helping with that. It was soooooooooo cooolllddddd that day. We had a lot of fun though. We had some people ask us about our names. One man giggled and said, "Well Sister is a funny first name" heheh It was cute. ALSO, I had a new opportunity to teach a POLISH man a little bit of the Restoration as well as about our church and the process of going on a mission and how we live as missionaries. He kept asking what we did in our private lives while we were here and was so confused when I would try to explain to him that we don't really have a "private life" when we are on a mission. He also was flabbergasted by the fact that we don't drink beer. haha! He was so funny. His name is Mark. He is Jewish and told me he won't change. So I gave him a Resto Pamphlet, Word of Wisdom pamphlet, our card with our number on it and sent him on his way. He said he wants to come to Utah to ski! So I told him he better come find me when he does. :) Kylee I thought of you the whole time I was talking with him! :)

STAKE CONFERENCE:

We had stake conference this past weekend! It was fantastic! So many good things were said. We were a little bit late getting there Saturday evening due to picking up the Walk Elders. But justttt as we walked in and sat down the Sister that was speaking says, "When I was serving my mission in the Czech Republic..." WHAT! I just saw there and smiled knowing that Heavenly Father was just giving me another tender mercy and another tie to the CZ. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to speak with her after the meeting, but there is a sister in our ward who knows her pretty well so I am going to get her information from her and hopefully get in contact with her via email! 

One thing she said that really stood out to me was that "On this carousel of life, we tend to get on and it starts to spin so fast that we can hardly recognize notice what is even on the carousel itself, let alone what is on the outside looking in." I found that so profound. The tender mercy gets even better. She went on to tell a story about one day on her mission her and her companion were on their way to a lesson. They were just getting ready to hop on tram or bus when her companion noticed an older woman struggling with some grocery bags on the side walk. Her companion said wait a sec and lead her to go help this grandma with her bags to wherever she was going. And you'll never guess what her companions name was. Sister SMITH. When I served with MY sister Smith, we had a very similar experience happen. Sis Carly Smith prolly doesn't even remember doing it, but I have never forgotten the example that she set for me that day when offering to push a lady's cart to her car for her before we went into the store ourselves. So, Carly thank you. I love you and I am so extremely grateful that God put you in my life.

MORE CONFERENCE:

We have zone conference coming up this Thursday. Soooo muchhhh siitttinnngggg. I don't know if I can take much more of that. hahah nah, it's all good. It's all for our benefit and the benefit of the work of the Lord. :) We've had so much goodness being poured into our brains that I can hardly keep it straight. I want to share with you more of everything next week!

RANDOMS:

So ever since I got here I have been able to practice the piano every week on Sunday's an hour before church starts, which is at 10. Since we have started doing out laundry at the Mission Home I have been able to practice there as well! It's been such a tender mercy for me. The piano is one way I de-stress each week. 

Lately I've really been into pumpkin things.... If there's pumpkin in it, then I try it! haha my favorite so far has been these pumpkin tortilla chips. There were so yummy! the pumpkin cream cheese is pretty good too. :) I have also been loving rice cakes and hummus... hahah it's weird I know. but I like my weird healthy treats. ;)

Oh gasoline here is only $2.30! I actually saw it for $2.20 one time. What are the prices like back home? 

Sheaquanna teaches me all the hood lingo.

"I'm ashey" means "I'm dry"

"Lemme put you on" means "Lemme fill you in"

"You tweaked!" means "you crazy/loco"

"Gringo" means "white"

hahah she's so funny. I'll throw them out in my white girl way and she gets a big kick out of it. 

STUDIES:

I made some goals for myself. I want to read all of the standard works on my mission! I just finished Mark in the New Testament and 4th Nephi in the Book of Mormon. When I am finished with the Book of Mormon I will go on to read the Doctrine and Convenants. I have been reading the Kniha Mormonova right along side the Book of Mormon, so I have a projected finish date for those two the beginning of November. I get so excited everytime I finish a book! haha 

I have loved studying 3rd Nephi. I was acutally sad that it was over when I came to the last chapter. ha ha. I have never studied the Book of Mormon as in depth as I have the past month and I have gotten so much out of it. I loved reading the chapters when Christ came and ministered unto the people and showed Himself unto them. All of those verses are beautiful and heartwarming. 

To finish off this novel of an email I'd like to share with you a well known favorite that is repeated a couple of times in the 3rd book of Nephi. 

3 Nephi 27:28-30

"And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you. 

Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 

And no, behold, my joy is great, even unto fullness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost. 

All we must do is ask and knock. I want to challenge all of you to ask and knock for whatever it is that your heart and soul desire and need most at this time. As you do so, don't forget to listen and hear with you heart and then proceed to Let Him In. 

He lives! He loves us! 

Until next time! I love you alllllll a spoon full of sugar!

S laskou,

Sestra Fred

P.s. Sorry no pics this week! I'll send lots next week! :)