2. When you trip, or you're really cold, or you run into something, the people here have a tendency to say something like: "you were running!" or "you should have put on boots this morning!" or "you should watch where you're going!" Maybe I grew up with overly sympathetic people, but I have never had so many criticisms while already in pain... ha. This week the weather seemed okay, so I wore flats and was SO COLD. Everyone told me that I "should have" worn tights or boots or a long skirt... Yes, yes, I know, I brought this on myself, thank you for your observation. :)
3. they pronounce things so strangely! Cities especially! They leave out letters or leave out vowels. It's so hard to remember all of them!
In the future I'll include some New England (or maybe just Bostonian) things that I seem to pick up.
This week was so much better than last week! So many miracles, really! I was so surprised be all the things that happened.
First we missed our stop (by like 3 stops) to our home and ended up taking the Green line and met a girl that actually started the conversation with us! She had an interesting story about how her boyfriend was LDS and she will probably come to church!
Then because we were talking with her we missed our stop again and took a bus where a previous investigator that Sis F had taught got onto and we talked with her and set up an appointment with her and her daughter.
We had a mini-missionary come out with us, which is this volunteer stake program where the youth can come out with us for a weekend or so and experience all things missionary! She was so wonderful and I really think that the Lord make this weekend extra special for her. I gave her my name tag that pins onto my coat, and made her a paper that said, her last name, covered mine, and taped it on. She loved it, she was so official. I would definitely say that it looked pretty "legit."
The open house for the Chapel on friday went... sort of poorly but the Lord gave our mini-missionary the opportunity to street contact ;)
The Elders gave us a referral that day that we were about to call when she called us! She came to the chapel right after the open house and we gave her a tour and talked about Jesus Christ, being clean, and changing. Her name is Laura, and she really is golden. She was amazing and her story was even more amazing - it was all about how she had a friend that had introduced her to the church in High School and that she had read the entire Book of Mormon. When her friend went off to BYU she sent the missionaries to her again a couple years later. She had been having a rough year and she is searching for peace and really ready to make the changes that are required. She has realized that she really wants the gospel in her life!
I thought that "The District" made these people up! But they exist! People that are so so ready! She is absolutely amazing!
We had a fantastic party with the Charles River Ward that night after her lesson, and we really felt a part of their ward. :) We made Chinese dumplings and celebrated a late chinese new year. It was so much fun.
The next day we went to both wards and in each we had amazing experiences! There was a woman who spoke in the CRW that invited 30 people to sacrament meeting! There were SO MANY people there! She was a perfect example of inviting non-members in a casual way to come to church, just for YOU. It was amazing, and the people were so diverse! In University Ward our new investigator came, I sat with her to qualm her fears about the whole thing, and she loved the talks. She teared up during the first one. The whole church experience was amazing, I sat with her and the entire ward was very welcoming.
Sister Pack came and picked up the mini missionary during RS, we sent her off with happy experiences and we told her how much we had loved being with her. I gave her my name tag to keep... I now have one name tag, ha, they're only 4 dollars. I'll order another one.
After church we taught Laura a little bit, and answered questions that she had. She asked us what more she could do, how she loved church and the feeling she had there, she THANKED US for being there to teach her, she told us that she loved having us there to help her, and she just wanted to know the next step. So we told her! We asked if she would be baptized and she said yes! She was so excited! We were so excited!
It was the best ending to a great weekend! I couldn't believe how the Lord had blessed us and me, for being diligent and for having faith. It made up for all the hard things that had been happening!
I'm really happy to be here! Everyday my desire grows! I love you all, I miss you.
Sister HRP