My sweet missionary cousin, Sister Taylor, sent me a very encouraging email today and a letter so that was nice. I'm doing better this week. I still have a ton of ups and downs and often want to come home... I'm still hoping 17 months will go fast but I also know there will be a point where I'll love it. I've been praying almost as often as I breathe out here.
Many have asked why is it hard? The homesickness is hard. It's gotten better as the week has gone on but it still hits me sometimes. 17 months seems so faraway... But I think it will go by fast. It's also hard when we knock on doors and people won't listen to us or even answer. At first it was frustrating because to me it felt like we weren't doing anything but knocking. We do get to work with a lot of less actives and that is rewarding. We've visited a lot of old people who are lonely and in senior centers.
Yesterday we finally found a less active couple that we've been searching for... Their address is wrong on the ward list... All we knew for sure is that they lived in a certain trailer park. But we found them and they warmly invited us into their home and were happy we had come. The mother struggles from bipolarity and depression and that has kept her from coming to church... Her and her husband haven't been to church in a long time. They were converted 12 years ago and this is her second marriage, and she said that the church is what saved her marriage so she's grateful for that. We're going to go over there at least once a week and study the Book of Mormon with them so that will be good. We want to get them on the road to receiving their temple endowments for when the Philly temple is built!!
My companion is good. She challenges me in companion study and it's good to learn. We have very different personalities though. But, as we've get to know each other more it's gotten better. We are growing to be good friends. She's helpful with supporting me through being homesick.. She remembers feeling the way I do. She even insisted on buying me some frozen yogurt last Monday... (That was the day I was having the hardest time).
Sister McPherson (we go to her house to email and do laundry) also helped me that day and made me some tortilla soup (I told her that was one of my favorite meals from home). She is the one that gave us an Easter basket too.
Also, the Fyffes sent me an Easter package which was so very kind of them! Be sure to thank them for me... I sent them a card but I don't think they'll have gotten it yet.
I also got to draw a picture for an old lady we go visit... She's in a rehab center because her health is bad and she has no family here so she's very lonely. It's hard for her to talk, but we sing to her and hold her hand and she loved my picture. I'll try to send you a pic of it soon.
An eight year old girl named Annika, who loves us sister missionaries, she runs up and gives us a huge hug whenever she sees us, is being baptized on May 17. Her family has invited a lot of family friends who aren't members, so far two are coming for sure. Us missionaries are going teach the plan of salvation!!
We also taught a boy yesterday who's turning 8 soon and being baptized in June. We taught him about the Ten Commandments yesterday.
On Saturday we got to go to Susquehanna for a service project with the whole stake so that was a ton of fun!! There were a ton of missionaries and members.. It was with the whole stake. We waxed fire trucks and cleaned the fire station building and got to rake leaves out of a huge park (that was my favorite part) and we got to visit the priesthood restoration site but it was closed. I remember being there on heritage tours. It was a fun day.
Overall, it was a good week!! A lot of ups and there was still some downs, but I am growing to love it, slowly but surely.
I love you all so much!! Thanks for all your love and letters and support.. I don't know where I'd be without you guys!
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