May 28,2013

Familia!!!

How's it going? So, I'm in Florida now. It has been a week today. IT IS WONDERFUL. Florida is so cool...Not literally, just figuratively. I'll tell you a bit about it, but first I'll just give you a quick run down of my first week. So, we left the MTC at about 3AM on Tuesday morning. We flew out at 6, had a lay over in Texas, then arrived in Florida around 2. We are headed over to baggage claim, and we see President, Sister Anderson, and the crazy assistants. They welcome us and we all pile into various vehicles. They take us to the mission home where there is the best meal that I had eaten in 6 LONG weeks of MTC food. We have interviews, a short orientation and then a surprise. The assistants say, "You are going to have an awesome experience tonight. You get to place some copies of the Book of Mormon." So, we piled into the van, they took us to what can only be described as the ghetto, they filled our arms full with copies of the Book of Mormon, and said "Go baptize some people." It was insane, but my temporary companion and I placed 5 copies of the Book of Mormon in 30 minutes. A couple people accepted the baptismal invitation right there. It was nuts. I can't believe it happened and I didn't throw up or pass out. The Lord is really helping us because I could not do any of that without him. 

Well, now I am in my area with my companion. My companion's name is Hermana Daines. She is from Utah, and she is wonderful. She is so patient with me and so encouraging. I love her already. We are serving in the Lauderhill South Area. The city is called Coral Springs. It is so awesome. A quick note about the wildlife in Coral Springs, Florida: the frogs are HUUUUGE. They are like the size of squirrels. It is crazy. I want to catch one, but I'm afraid it might hurt me. There are bugs, and lizards everywhere. My legs are covered in mosquito bites (I'm buying insect repellent today) and it's like parting a sea of lizards while we walk. I haven't seen a gator yet. Apparently, they aren't in this area very often, but I'm still holding out hope. I've killed some cockroaches. They are little though, and I've only seen them in the kitchen. I think I can handle it. Weather: It's hot and humid. The canals are super full from all the rain, but I'm not too worried; we live on the third floor of our apartment complex, and my shoes dry fast. Hmmmm...what else? There are lily pads in the canals, I saw a fat fish in a canal near our house, the sky is beautiful, and I love it here. 

Ok, so my favorite part about Florida is definitely the people. Family, they are beautiful. I used to think missionaries were crazy when they'd say that, but I love them. Even the ones that are mean and tell me, and I quote, "Where are you from? O no. I don't have time for that." I love them all. We have a different form of tracting here. Instead of just asking to share a message, we ask if we can share a prayer with their family. The people love it. We had 26 prayers with 26 different families this week. Family, it's beautiful. These people just welcome you into their home without question. We kneel and they tell us things they want us to pray for. It is so special. The Latins are especially accepting. I love them. We've had a lot of success in a trailer park in our area. Almost all of them let us in, give us water, and invite us to come back. They are so accepting and so loving. We are having two baptisms this week. Victor is an awesome, older man who has lost his house and job, but wants to baptized so badly. He is from Venezuela and his Spanish is INSANE. To be perfectly honest, I don't really understand a word he says, but I know he loves the Lord and I can tell he is a good man who wants to change his life. Emily comes from a part member home. She is 8. I love her to pieces. Her mom wants to baptized as well, but we're still working with her. 

Real quick, I want to share my favorite experience that I have had so far. The other day we were tracting (we call it harvesting... weird, I know) and there was a man working on his house. I was afraid to talk to him, but Sister Daines is bold, so we went to talk to him. All I got out was "Somos misioneras...", "We are missionaries,,," and he says, "I know." Come to find out, he is a member. He was active in Honduras, but he isn't now. His parents are, but he only goes to church  when he visits them. Anyway, we gave him a Book of Mormon in Spanish and told him we'd come back with one in English because he is trying to learn English. So, when he go back his wife,Olga, comes out and says that he is sleeping. We talked to her for almost an hour and she wants to know more. She said that she has been asking Henry to go to church, but he doesn't want to. She told us to come back the next day. We did and we taught Henry and Olga a lesson and we have a return appointment. Olga is ready for the Gospel and Henry needs to come back to church. They are so wonderful that I find myself fantasizing of being there when they are sealed in the temple. I love them so much. They both know God loves them and that he sent us there to them. Olga talked about how much she wanted to change her life and how she has been looking for God for so long. I am so excited to see them progress in the Gospel. Pray for them, will you? Olga reminds me of Brittany. She says that she has a reading problem HAHA. She said sometimes she doesn't sleep all night because she is reading. 

Anyway, I need to email President. Family, I love you and miss you. If you send me pictures, I'll catch you a giant frog for a pet!! God loves you. Be good. Love you. 

Hermana Gardner.