Exchange number one was to Bay City. It was a really interesting area, and I really liked the sister I was on exchange with, Sister Smith. We talked with a less active and shared a Book of Mormon message but got a little distracted because she referred to her iphone as her "oracle" and I asked if she had ever come across that verse in the BOM that says something about having knowledge in the palm of their hand and how that was probably talking about iphones. She hadn't but sister Smith had but neither of us could remember where it was and we spent the next 5 minutes looking for it with no success (Mom, I think that you're the one who first pointed it out to me and I was sure you could tell me where it was so please do). We also taught a nine year old investigator and her dad the restoration lesson because she was last taught it about 4 months ago. It went really well. We tried to make everything as simple as possible so it would be easier for her to remember and understand and I think it helped her dad understand to.
Exchange number two was with OUR sister training leader. They had decided I would stay and take over the area with Hermana LeBaron while S.McCleery would go to Manvel with Hermana Harken (the STL). But they had made plans to cook chile rellenos at a members home for them and they realized that Hermana LeBaron was the one who knew how to cook and therefore had to stay. So I've yet to take over my area but I now know how to cook chile rellenos and will do so for everyone when I come home. They were extremely good. However, the members spoke almost no English so I was trying to remember the little Spanish from my 3 years of high school classes. I did come up with two very good sentences while I was there though. Hermana Harken had texted asking us to save her a chile and I had jokingly responded "no ayude, no come." "She doesn't help, she doesn't eat." I'm sure I absolutely butchered it but Hermana Cruz (the member) thought I was absolutely hilarious. At some point, another member joined us for supper and she asked if I spoke Spanish and I responded "entiendo un pocito y hablo menos" "I understand a very little and speak less." As I listened while we cooked though I did remember things here and there that I had forgotten and was able to say a few more things. Hermana Cruz was impressed by how Hispanic I was in cooking and eating and was proud of my efforts to speak Spanish. She complemented my pronunciation and jokingly said at one point that I was more Hispanic than Hermana Harken who is assigned to the Spanish area and actually speaks Spanish. It really was quite fun and I was reminded that my very first night in Houston I just felt absolutely certain that I would end up in a Spanish area. I guess I should see about adding in some language study time in my morning schedule. Dad will be proud.
Hermana LeBaron also made me huevos rancheros for breakfast the next morning and we got ice cream for everyone from the Paleteria (Mexican ice cream parlor) on the drive back to Friendswood. I just got a coconut popsicle because I didn't think I could eat a whole bowl of ice cream but it was absolutely delicious and I look forward to the next chance I get to stop there.
Tyrone got baptized this Saturday, which meant that almost everything went wrong Saturday as we tried to put together our program but it all worked out in the end. And man! Sister McCleery kept saying how strongly you feel the spirit at a baptism while you're on a mission but I don't think I quite believed her until I experienced it myself. The spirit apparently is so strong that 80% of investigators who attend a baptism get baptized. It's just such an amazing and important ordinance. So it was awesome. But now we have 0 progressing investigators so we have a lot of work ahead of us.
By the way, if people are ever looking for ideas of things to send me. Let it be cd's that they've put together full of white handbook approved music - I can't listen to another MoTab rendition of the Spirit of God - I just can't do it. Our mission president has expressly said that we can't have disney songs though. It's rather disappointing because one of the elders from my MTC district just said in his email this week that their only rule is you can listen to it if you wouldn't feel guilty listening to it with the Savior present. We are allowed to have movie scores though because they're classical. If you're looking for specific suggestions - maybe a few songs by Vocal Point and Noteworthy, the score of the Chronicles of Narnia (one of the sisters has it and I really like it), there's a couple of songs that I absolutely love in Prince of Egypt and Joseph Prince of Dreams (which I think are dreamworks and therefore not disqualified by President Halls no Disney restriction), and that's all I can really think of right now but if you have good music I'll totally take it.
Which reminds me, last night we had a stake performance of The Lamb of God and it was absolutely AMAZING! Definitely professional quality and a great way to start off the week before Easter
I wish I had more access than I do to talks and books that I could read during personal study but all I really have access to is whatever Ensigns we have and my Jesus the Christ, and that's all we're really allowed. I never really realized how worldly I was until I was so separated from it. Mostly I miss music. You thought it'd be my laptop but it's music and books-
Sister Gillespie
This pic was taken by Fern Burgett the woman in red in the next picture (she's a woman who was baptized about a year ago who we've been helping with her family history work and will be going to the temple with for baptisms on Mar 30)
This pic was taken by Fern Burgett the woman in red in the next picture (she's a woman who was baptized about a year ago who we've been helping with her family history work and will be going to the temple with for baptisms on Mar 30)
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