Agency and Humility

Hermana Erekson and I enjoying the view from the Ferrer's

December 16, 2009
Dear Family,


First to clear up some logistics and confusion. Hermana Erekson and I have arranged to do our Christmas phone call in a member's home. I believe the easiest way to do it is for you to call their landline. That's whar all the other missionaries are doing. I hope that works with you being at the Allen home and all. Next week I will send the landline number and give you a time you can call. It will be sometime Christmas afternoon.


Also, I have been recieving your mail and packages. I have recieved a several Dear Elders and a few handwritten letters. Packages do make it here, but only because we have the SWEETEST neighbor who signs for them while we are gone during the day. I got the package you sent to the mission home (stockings and decorations) and a package full of Christmas presents, so things are working. But probably, for future reference it is probably just easier to send packages to the mission home because we are never home to sign for them.

Bug Bites

We have an investigator Ricardo, who is actually progressing!!! It has been such a joy to teach him. He is the only person we have seen that actually has desire. I hope that he can continue to progress. I have been so amazed a how few people have desire. So many people know that what were teaching is true, but they are just plain lazy and refuse to do anything about it. I can not understand that mentality.

Throughout the week I have been absolutely haunted by a memory from my past. I remember one weekend in the San Diego, with the McRae's we went to some kind of festival in the streets. A whole bunch of businesses had set up booths to advertise and the mormon missionaries had a booth. I remember one of the elders had dressed up in a giant cardboard box as the Book of Mormon. I remember thinking "How desperate. How pathetic. Why would you dress up as the Book of Mormon?" Well now I understand why. We are really desperate for people who will listen and the days can be so monotonous that yeah, I can understand why an elder would dress up as the Book of Mormon. I have been humbled.

We also had Zone Conference this last week. That really bolstered my spirits. I finally have friends. It was incredible to realize that I actually have peers. People who are doing the same crazy thing as me. People I actually have things in common with. It was SOO nice to just sit and talk with the sisters in my zone. I have friends!!! It has been so hard to leave my friends behind and feel so alone. But it is good to know that there are other people who feel like me and with whom I can have a relatively normal and casual conversation. That was a big relief.

I have also become exceedingly annoyed with the tactics of Satan. There are these advertising cars that always drive around the neighborhoods that seriously belong to the legions of Satan. They have a huge speaker on top of the car which plays are recording that says "Tito's pawn shop. We buy gold, we buy silver. Change all you items for cash now!" They blast that stupid advertisement so loudly that you can't hear anything while it is driving by. And they have impecable timing. There is always one that decides to creep by right when you get to the story of the first vision. I hate Tito's pawn shop.

La Familia Villanueva.  Hermana Mercedes and Chiky

As another update. This week for service, we de-rat-pooped a member's home. My companion did the bulk of the work.

Well, I am still learning tons. One thing I have learned is that Satan is dilligent. He is constantly at work. Sometimes I feel so helpless as Sister Erekson hurry between appointments doing the little bits of good that we can. It is an overwhelming force and one that only the people can decide to overcome. Without their conviction and efforts, we can do nothing. Oh, the beauty and horror of free agency.

I love you all and miss you SOO much! Really.
Hermana Palmer

Markie, you should send me pictures of your life. You can email them. :D

Dad, I am glad to hear you are back from Africa! How does it feel to have that behind you. I love hearing about your experience in the African church. Hermana Erekson says that in Barbados they wear wigs to church too.
I love you all and I am so excited to talk to you in 9 days!!!!

Morgan