ALright, so this week was AMAZING! It's great. It's so so pretty and the peopls are amazing!!! I am so happy to be here. BUT I still miss you and think of you every single day!
My first week here has been AMAZING! Like...I can't believe how gorgeous it is here, and there are so many blackberries!!! Hehe.
On the bus here, we sat and talked with one of the men who designs the Liahona, and who helped make Preach My Gospel! He was super cool. THEN on the plane here, I sat next to an Elder who's had 3 heart attacks, been hit by three cars, had 23 bones replaced, and was buried alive under 15 feet of dirt for 15 minutes. Also, his grandparents are German mobsters and have mob watching his families every move. CRAZY, right?! I was like...woah. I just kept asking questions and stuff. Someone really didn't want him on a mission....
But during all this, I was running off of three hours sleep, so I was exhausted. But it was really cool, cause I wasn't too tired, actually. I was able to stay awake. We got here and met our Mission Pres and his wife, and they are AWESOME! Then we all took a picture at Chambers Bay, and we saw a bald eagle flying over the water! It was so gorgeous! AND on the way from the airport to the church where we had transfer meeting, I was just so happy and excited to be there, so I started quietly singing (yes...I was being quiet! I know...amazing right? :P) and then some elders in the row ahead of us heard what I was singing and started singing along, and soon the whole bus was singing Onward Christian Soldiers, and Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Called to Serve and it was such a cool, cool feeling! I felt so honored to have started that! Sister Blatter (the President's wife) kept taking videos and calling people to hear us sing. It was so cool!
After that, we had orientation and just basic information about the mission, and then met our companions. Sister Harbough is super sweet. She literally skips almost everywhere! It's really adorable. So then all the greenies got introduced, and the trainees did little skits to "welcome them" (they were all super funny and silly). Then all the departing missionaries bore their testimonies...which took THREE HOURS. I started to get a little grumpy and tired and hungry. It was so long. But then we all stood and sang "Amazing Grace" BUT it was Washington-Tacoma (WATAC) style. I started crying and the spirit was super strong. THEN finally we ended, and I got to eat. We got back to the apartment, planned, and then I crashed.
Then this whole week has been meeting people, and teaching, and knocking. We haven't had too many lessons cause it's been a crazy week of meetings and stuff, but the lessons we DID have went really well! We had one investigator commit to baptism, and another commit to read and pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon! I also met a funny lady name Riki Jacobs. She had a hard time speaking and was a bit scattered in her speech. But we tried committing her to come to church. She didn't show up though :(
Church was awesome because everyone is so friendly! They are all so nice! This one family , the Petersons, had us over for dinner and they were so busy with a birthday party they were just going to feed us corn dogs and mac n cheese, like their kids. BUT when they found out that it was my first Sunday, the whipped up chicken, and mashed potatoes, and carrots and salad. I was like "you really don't need to! But than you so so much!" Then another family, the Reynolds, are super kind and just funny. We went over and they fed us some ice cream cake and just talked with us about their kids and stuff. Then there's the LeBlancs. I am so glad she's been keeping you informed and everything. She's so awesome! I love her. Then there's the Cranes who will do anything for the missionaries, and sister Dodge who makes us lunch and leaves it in the fridge at the church every single Sunday. I also got to meet Brother Ramon, a blind man who was going to kill himself but heard the missionaries and they sounded like angels. So he invited them in, and was baptized. Now he calls us all his angels. They're all super awesome!
Then, we get to knock from 5-7, every day, no matter what. I got discouraging a little, but Sister Harbough and I sand and talked and told stories as we walked, and people are pretty nice. If they say no, it's more "Thanks, but we're catholic, so not thanks." or they just aren't home. We've had two doors open, and then slam with a hasty "no thanks" but it wasn't too bad! and I was able to remain positive! We knocked into two less actives, and then two potential investigators who said we could come back! We get to see them Tuesday!
Okay mommy and daddy. Please send my love to everyone, okay?
I love you all so much. I think of you every single day. You help brighten my spirit when I think of your love, example, hugs and all the fun memories we have together. I am grateful for your example of keeping the temple always in your sights, of prayer, of faith, and of service. You are amazing and I would never be the same if I didn't have you. You are the best parents in the ENTIRE world. Love you much!
Sister Kramer
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