Monday, September 16, 2013

New Yorkers have a hard outer shell, but a soft pure heart.


Hello family!                                                                                       September 16, 2013

So this past week a huge rainstorm hit, I mean nothing out of the ordinary around here, but enough to DRENCH us as we ran from our ward mission leader's house to the car.......but that sounds like nothing compared to what has been coming down back home!! Yikes! I am still getting over the shock of it. I hope everyone is okay. If you get the chance, I hope you do get to put on the Mormon helping hands yellow vests. Yellow vest, trashed and muddy jeans, rain boots and a bandana is still my favorite missionary uniform. Also let me know if you need any "clean out muddy basement" pointers......And make sure you get lots of rubber gloves....the kind that go up to your elbows. And rain boots are a worthwhile investment too. I will start praying that they can find all those missing persons and help everyone get out!

Oh and guess what?? Transfers are tomorrow and I am staying with Sister Mortensen!! For the first time in my mission I will get to go into a 4th transfer (6-week period) in an area! I am grateful, it will be nice to stay the course and get healthy, and keep working with everyone here. Also, that means I will get to serve as a Sister Training Leader still. No complaints here! Oh AND I get to be on the Island for all the Fall Colors. I have always dreamed of coming to the East Coast in the Fall. It already is getting pretty, and so I can't wait for the leaves to change!

So when I first got my mission call to come to NYC, everyone warned me about how mean, cold blooded and hard the people were. Now looking back, I think that if you think that, than either, you didn't stay in the city long enough to not be a tourist, or you didn't talk to enough of them. Now, have I been screamed at and cursed at by random people on the streets? Yes, but people are just stressed out here haha, and I am a missionary, and as missionaries we have a way of attracting negative attention at times. Its not funny at the time, but makes for a good story later. But that's not my point. My point is that every single day, I am grateful to be surrounded by so many pure hearted and kind people. New Yorkers have a hard outer shell (which you need in a place like this!) but many of them have a soft, pure heart.  I was leaving this morning and realized my wallet was missing. Couldn't find it anywhere. Prayed to be able to find it and felt like we needed to go to the library. We asked the desk, and yes they had it. I must of left it there from 2 days before! And it even still had my cash in it :) Makes me grateful for honest people. Also, this past week, Sister Mortensen and I met this kind old man, who saw us, said he respected what we were doing and bought us a NY pizza pie to take home. This same man saw us today, and gave us some NY desserts to try. All in all, we are all God's children and I am grateful for all of the many friends I have made out here. It will break my heart to leave this wonderful place.

I also wondered often why a mission is so hard, and I have come to know through experience that it is so hard, and being a member can be so hard, because it is so true. And anything worthwhile in this life is worth standing for and working for. And I am grateful to call this my cause.

I love you all! Thanks for all your prayers in my behalf!

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