February 28, 2017

Hola Familia!

So....

I am being transferred! I am going Portuguese Speaking!!! I am totally kidding, that would be insane, ha. Sister Rosario is learning Portuguese now, though. It's fun to guess at the pronunciation with her, though she knows a little how it should sound. It was so funny, with one of the letters, the pronunciation said there is no equivalent sound in the English language and to ask the teacher. A little tough when you are your own teacher! Ha. But anyways, I am going to white wash (my companion and I will both be new to the area and know nothing! So exciting! Ha, I'm a dork)

in to the Fort Lauderdale Zone! Yeah!!! I am going to be in the Hollywood Hills area, and my new companion will be Sister Osborn, but neither Sis. Rosario nor I know who that is. We think it is a Spanish area, plus it wouldn't make much sense to put me in an English area when I am still learning Spanish (though the weaker me would love to go English, ha.) Hermana Rosario is going to the Del Rey Beach Ward, soI guess the Palm Beach area? Not sure, haha. Which is so surprising, because everyone thought for sure she'd be going STL or training again. There are 22 new sisters coming to the mission in the next two transfers! We've heard that they're aren't enough Spanish sister areas for all the Spanish sisters coming, ha. The AP's will have fun with that one.

Random Things I am Going to Miss:

BREADMAN'S MIAMI!!!! (Tequenos con Queso are my fav! Someone send me a bomb recipe, plz!)

Our super sweet old Cuban neighbor Jose, we gave him Christmas cookies in December for always bringing our trashcan back to the house after trash day and for just being so friendly. I love him! The owner of the house a few weeks ago had a tree service guy come and completely destroy the tree out front(it was mainly cut down, it had no branches and no leaves) which made a huge mess of sawdust and what not, and Jose came over and started sweeping it up! It was so funny, but he is such a cute old guy, always staying busy with all his plants and pots outside. Ha. We love him!

The Ward! We have worked so hard with the ward, and of course right as we leave, we get an awesome new Ward Missionary! Finally! The one we had before had some problems come up and went less active. We have all tried (literally us, the elders, the bishop, most of the ward..) to bring him back, but the door leading up the stars to his front door is always locked, he doesn't answer his phone, etc. It is super sad.. But that's okay! The work goes on!

Fun Fact: just this morning a sister in the ward, Hermana Smith, waxed mine and Hna Rosario's eyebrows! Ha, I love our members.

So yeah, I am super excited to see new things and help people in a new area, but Doral South will always be my "home" because this is where I was "born!" Haha. It has been so hard to say goodbye to Marcial, our rescue. I think he got a little too attached to us, but he seems to be doing better now. We will see him for the last time tonight. Pedro is doing great! We had another FHE in a members house, the Madriz (that's 3!) and have a temple tour set up this saturday for the next missionaries. He is so solid and preparing for his date on the 18th of March!

We also were knocking the other day and someone was trimming their coconut tree, and gave us 4 coconuts! We gave two to the elders and tried to open one last night (it was an experience!) I'll send the photos.

But I love being a missionary! The work is progressing everywhere! I know this Gospel is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that it is so true! I love you all, have an amazing week!

Hermana Stokes