After Christmas

December 30, 2009

Well, this week was definitely interesting with the effects of Christmas. It was very nice talking with my family on Christmas Eve. I loved catching up on the news and just hearing everyone's voices. It is nice to talk in English. It is so much easier and more casual. I really enjoyed that. But, very hard waking up the next day and realizing I didn't have that to look forward to anymore.

This week we have been doing a lot of walking. We have a monthly allotment of miles each month and with all of the training meetings I have been having in San Juan we are coming up short at the end of the month. I think overall I have really enjoyed it. Street contacting is really not that bad. I feel so much more comfortable and we have taught more lessons and set more appointments because there were definitely alot more people out for the Christmas season. I have really enjoyed it, I much prefer those contacts to knocking doors and I have no complaints about the extra exercise. Although it can get pretty dang hot and sweaty right before it rains.

I had an interesting adventure in Sacrament meeting this week. As I was playing the intro to the sacrament hymn the chorister leaned over to me and whispered that she had never heard that song before. It was hysterical. An epic battle between the pianist and chorister. And NO ONE in the congration sang a word. It was interesting.

Gospel Principles also continues to be an interesting class. The recent converts who attend are packed with personality. We had a long debate about whether bacon was allowed in the Word of Wisdom and then whether Marijuna was really a harmful drug. I was grateful that we had already taught the word of wisdom to our investigator who was present. We didn't have to do too much repair work with him afterwards.

This week we actually talked to the guys who drive the Tito's Pawn Shop car. We caught them on their smoking break. They were very friendly and nice. One of them is an "inactive Muslim". When we told him we didn't know much about that religion he said "neither do I". That made me laugh. Anyways, now we are friends with Tito's Pawn Shop and we always wave at each other when we find them cruising around the streets.

We had an awesome family home evening with Ricardo again. The members are really liking him because they can see that he is sincerely interested. The Ortega Family prepared a really great lesson about the priesthood authority and baptism. Hermano Ortega is a strong priesthood member he teaches with authority. (It would have been the perfect lesson if it weren't for that little tangent about the three Nephites.) ;D

But, I am learning lots everyday. Mostly I learn how much I have to learn and how much I need to improve. It is overwhelming, but I can see little traces of progress everyday. It is amazing to see how necessary the gospel is in everyone's life. I wish I could make everyone understand that. But all I can do is try to be the best missionary I can.

I love you all and miss you!
Hermana Palmer

Family tidbits
So glad to hear about the wedding and Christmas. It sounds like Jessica and Porter had a good ole Animas style wedding. I like the way they do things. And I can't imagine Christmas with so many little boys. It must have been so strange. I hope Grandma's heater gets fixed soon. That sounds miserable.

I want you all to think of the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The part where the aunt is telling everyone about the tumor on her neck. "Yes, inside the bump..was my twin." These are the kinds of stories I listen to everyday. They are so wierd. And every time I think of that movie. that is my life.

My P-day is on Tuesday next week because of Transfers. We'll see if anything in this area changes. I think Hermana Erekson and I will definitley stay, but the elders might change.

We had to drop an investigator yesterday. It was the first investigator that I cared about. We've dropped other ones before, but I barely knew them. It was really hard leaving her house because I knew that I will probably never see her again. She just wasn't willing or ready to progress. I hope some other missionaries can find her in the future when she is more ready, but I really don't know.

I hope Tanya is doing well. I enjoy hearing from her.  I like hearing from other missionaries. They have stories that I understand and some of them make me laugh so hard. Jace, is particularly funny. He says that some times when they knock doors people yell "If it's about religion I don't want to know about it." (in an English accent) He says they are always skeptical when they say, "Actually, it's about happiness!"

Well, I love you all and hope to hear from you next week!

Morgan