Thursday, June 24, 2010
June 20, 2010
Hola, greetings and salutations.
What tales shall I regal you with this week?
Well there is one thing that is very different about Houston. As it becomes summer time the insects mature and begin to romance each other. This includes Cicadas which are very loud and another insect that the Latinos call 'cuchara', I don't know the English name. But they hiss in the trees. So every few seconds there's a loud buzzing, and sometimes it's loud enough to drown out our talking. That really makes me feel like I'm in another country!
Another thing that's foreign to me is the heat. Everyone keeps telling me 'Oh, wait until July and August' with a scary kind of foreboding. It's really starting to warm up in earnest. One morning last week it was 99.8 degrees when we left for the day. ALMOST 100 degrees! Yikes! Then while we were driving there came a sudden violent deluge of rain, we drove in and out of several of these and that cooled off the temperature to 76 degrees. Better right? WRONG. That made the humidity SPIKE so it didn't actually feel any better to be outside. In fact the humidity makes it harder for me to breath, I'm going to need gills by August! But even with all that I'm more highly amused by the crazy weather than anything else. I've actually discovered that the Heat doesn't bother me terribly. What gets me is being in the sun, it is my kryptnonite no matter the temperature.
And speaking of temperature there's a story I forgot to tell from like my third week in Texas. Every Thursday we go have dinner at the Ward Mission Leader's house and then have weekly Coordination Meeting with all the ward missionaries and various other leaders. Well one time we had the usual rice and little toasted tortillas and this meat saute with peppers. Now these peppers were green and I thought it was a bell pepper because everyone else was eating it fine and no one had told me not to eat it. Only after I scarf one of the things am I told "Oh don't eat those." But it was too late! It was like a chemical burn all the way down my throat once I tried to keep eating. I turned SO red and I was straight-up CRYING, tears streaming down my face as I gasped and coughed and everyone else at the table laughed at me. No permanent damage though, I'm just very cautious about bits of green in my food now.
That's all I have on my list of things I wanted to talk about for now. If anyone has a specific question or something they would like to hear about, write me! I'll be happy to give a specific exposition on a subject of your choosing.
Until next week,
Love and Stuffies!
~ Hermana Smart
What tales shall I regal you with this week?
Well there is one thing that is very different about Houston. As it becomes summer time the insects mature and begin to romance each other. This includes Cicadas which are very loud and another insect that the Latinos call 'cuchara', I don't know the English name. But they hiss in the trees. So every few seconds there's a loud buzzing, and sometimes it's loud enough to drown out our talking. That really makes me feel like I'm in another country!
Another thing that's foreign to me is the heat. Everyone keeps telling me 'Oh, wait until July and August' with a scary kind of foreboding. It's really starting to warm up in earnest. One morning last week it was 99.8 degrees when we left for the day. ALMOST 100 degrees! Yikes! Then while we were driving there came a sudden violent deluge of rain, we drove in and out of several of these and that cooled off the temperature to 76 degrees. Better right? WRONG. That made the humidity SPIKE so it didn't actually feel any better to be outside. In fact the humidity makes it harder for me to breath, I'm going to need gills by August! But even with all that I'm more highly amused by the crazy weather than anything else. I've actually discovered that the Heat doesn't bother me terribly. What gets me is being in the sun, it is my kryptnonite no matter the temperature.
And speaking of temperature there's a story I forgot to tell from like my third week in Texas. Every Thursday we go have dinner at the Ward Mission Leader's house and then have weekly Coordination Meeting with all the ward missionaries and various other leaders. Well one time we had the usual rice and little toasted tortillas and this meat saute with peppers. Now these peppers were green and I thought it was a bell pepper because everyone else was eating it fine and no one had told me not to eat it. Only after I scarf one of the things am I told "Oh don't eat those." But it was too late! It was like a chemical burn all the way down my throat once I tried to keep eating. I turned SO red and I was straight-up CRYING, tears streaming down my face as I gasped and coughed and everyone else at the table laughed at me. No permanent damage though, I'm just very cautious about bits of green in my food now.
That's all I have on my list of things I wanted to talk about for now. If anyone has a specific question or something they would like to hear about, write me! I'll be happy to give a specific exposition on a subject of your choosing.
Until next week,
Love and Stuffies!
~ Hermana Smart
June 14-2010
Say hello to my second Transfer in the Mission!Transfers are six weeks long, and at the end is when Missionaries get a call to see if they are staying where they are, moving to a new area, or getting a new companion. Luckily I do indeed get to stay with my marvelous Trainer Hermana Green for another Transfer. I hope I can stay with her until she leaves in October to go home, but I don't think that's terribly likely. Okay news on the week let's see... hmmm....Well I went on my first Exchanges last weekend. Exchanges are when Companionships swap companions for a twenty-four hour period. It is a fun way to see how things are done in another companionship, and what another area is like, to gain more experience. I was the one that was swapped, so I went to the area of Crosstimbers where I had never been before and Hermana Thomas was my companion. She is pretty awesome. But it was interesting to be with her because while I am a Greenie, she was a Veteran and is going home on Wednesday. What a contrast! We talked a LOT and I was trying to syphon off all the knowledge and experience and such that I could in that time. While on exchanges I went to the Pulga for the third time, I'm kinda-sorta getting better. The Elders that were there before us paid the icecream vendor next to our table so we could each have one of these things that I can't remember the name of. But it's like sweet, milky with a hint of fruit flavor liquid in plastic and frozen. It was SO nice after standing in the heat and talking to people for hours! You bite a corner off the plastic and it's like a big otterpop. Yum! They're only a dollar, so I think I MAY have a new Pulga tradition to help me be excited for them.I don't know if I remembered to talk about Squirt before. So there's this little toad that we saw on the grass next to our apartment while we were walking in one night. It had been raining so it was a good moistness for him I guess. Then we saw him again another night and Hermana Green tried to pick him up again. I guess she squeezed him or scared him because he peed ALL over her hand Haha! So his name is Squirt, and now we see him with good regularity. Last night in fact. If it's rained that day it's almost garenteed that he's going to be out on that grass. I guess that's all for this week. Today is the long-awaited day of Ruben's BBQ! Ruben is a member who is very awesome, comes with us to appointments and is an all-around wonderful fun guy. But he ALSO puts on a BBQ once a Transfer for missionaries to either say their goodbyes, or also their hellos depending which week it's held. And I've heard about this wonderous event for six weeks now and I'm so excited! Eeeee! I'll tell you how it goes next week probably, and I'll have pictures from it!Viva la Vida Misional!~ Hermana Smart
Roomies at the MTC
Hermana Read
Our Dorm room
We happened to all have different colored towels. Mine of course was Orange
Our Dorm room
We happened to all have different colored towels. Mine of course was Orange
Monday, June 7, 2010
A month and two days in Texas
Greetings to family, friends, and possible future acquaintances!
First off: I had my first baptism on Saturday! WOOOOHOOOOO! Oh it was so wonderful! A couple of things went wrong, but we persevered and Pedro got baptized and I am so happy! I know that his life will continue to change for the better, and he will receive even more blessings. Starting with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And his apartment-mate Jose came both to his Baptism, and then to his Confirmation the next day!
Speaking of Jose, there is a story I would like to tell. Jose is interesting, he agrees with everything we teach, he even participates and sounds like a Member a lot of the time as he helps Pedro understand. But he says to change is really hard for him, even though he believes everything we are saying is true; INCLUDING that the true Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth. But he's in every lesson we teach, he's started cooking dinner for us when we come over, and he even reminded us when it was 9:04 and we needed to be home at 9:30. (He called us 'ninas' which means 'young girls' basically) And actually that particular night last week, we said goodbuy and they stayed on their second-story porch as we went to where we always parked. When we came to our car a man called out to us and began to walk towards us. Now this man had a cigarette, a plastic garbage can, and was in striped pajamas with a robe and flipflops. Already we know that this is not normal. Anyways he asks "You speak english?" and we said we did. He said that he had lived there since August and had not met a SINGLE person who spoke english. Uhhhh-huh.... Well he told us this story that made me doutb that he knew english either (there was something about snakes, crippled mexicans, his pregnant ladyfriend, drivers liscence, and a busride across town tomorrow). Then he asked for money, and as missionaries we don't carry cash on us so we couldnt' help him. He turned cold real quick once we wouldn't give him money and then he walked off. Now in normal circumstances we would have driven off pretty quickly, but Hermana Green had to back me out of the parking space, since I was driving, and I didn't want to leave her alone outside the car incase the guy was crazy AND aggressive. So once he walked away Hna. Green gestured at me mouthing 'Go! Go!' and I quickly got in the car and she backed me up, and got inside where it was safe.
Here is where Jose comes in: I didn't see but Hna. Green did that he had either heard the man call out to us or saw him walking towards where we always parked and he came down. He had been watching the goings on from a short distance away with his arms crossed. I wish I had known he was there, Hna. Green said his face was priceless, he looked like a dog with his hackles up. I have no doubt that if that man had done anything threatening at all our short, mexican guardian angel would have swooped in in a heartbeat.
Those were the two most exciting events this past week. There has been a lot of cloudcover and some rain lately, which I enjoy. One day it was even dim enough to remind me of my home in Western Washington! But as soon as I step outside the illusion is shattered, 'cause it's hot and humid. But that's okay. I haven't gotten sunburned yet, I MIGHT be tanning a little, I don't know. But what I do know is that I must have the tastiest bloodtype in the land because I get EATEN up by mosquitoes. I am like candy to them! But weird thing is it's always my legs, and usually my left leg. Don't know why that is. But I am developing a supreme will to not scratch them when I get them. At least I haven't been bitten by any ants lately, that's happened a couple of times too. The buggers are everywhere! We had an infestation of sugar ants in our kitchen a while back, and now some in our bathroom. Though I think they might have exterminated themselves for us, they came for the Robitussin in the medicine cabinet, then we found vast numbers fo their corpses on the bathroom counter. And I didn't see any live ones when I cleaned this morning... hm...
This is the last week in this Transfer (6 weeks) but I don't think I'll be transfered to another area, or that I'll be losing my Trainer Hermana Green. They usually keep Trainers and Trainees together for two tranfers. I'm happy about that.
Much love!
~ Hermana Green
First off: I had my first baptism on Saturday! WOOOOHOOOOO! Oh it was so wonderful! A couple of things went wrong, but we persevered and Pedro got baptized and I am so happy! I know that his life will continue to change for the better, and he will receive even more blessings. Starting with the Gift of the Holy Ghost. And his apartment-mate Jose came both to his Baptism, and then to his Confirmation the next day!
Speaking of Jose, there is a story I would like to tell. Jose is interesting, he agrees with everything we teach, he even participates and sounds like a Member a lot of the time as he helps Pedro understand. But he says to change is really hard for him, even though he believes everything we are saying is true; INCLUDING that the true Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth. But he's in every lesson we teach, he's started cooking dinner for us when we come over, and he even reminded us when it was 9:04 and we needed to be home at 9:30. (He called us 'ninas' which means 'young girls' basically) And actually that particular night last week, we said goodbuy and they stayed on their second-story porch as we went to where we always parked. When we came to our car a man called out to us and began to walk towards us. Now this man had a cigarette, a plastic garbage can, and was in striped pajamas with a robe and flipflops. Already we know that this is not normal. Anyways he asks "You speak english?" and we said we did. He said that he had lived there since August and had not met a SINGLE person who spoke english. Uhhhh-huh.... Well he told us this story that made me doutb that he knew english either (there was something about snakes, crippled mexicans, his pregnant ladyfriend, drivers liscence, and a busride across town tomorrow). Then he asked for money, and as missionaries we don't carry cash on us so we couldnt' help him. He turned cold real quick once we wouldn't give him money and then he walked off. Now in normal circumstances we would have driven off pretty quickly, but Hermana Green had to back me out of the parking space, since I was driving, and I didn't want to leave her alone outside the car incase the guy was crazy AND aggressive. So once he walked away Hna. Green gestured at me mouthing 'Go! Go!' and I quickly got in the car and she backed me up, and got inside where it was safe.
Here is where Jose comes in: I didn't see but Hna. Green did that he had either heard the man call out to us or saw him walking towards where we always parked and he came down. He had been watching the goings on from a short distance away with his arms crossed. I wish I had known he was there, Hna. Green said his face was priceless, he looked like a dog with his hackles up. I have no doubt that if that man had done anything threatening at all our short, mexican guardian angel would have swooped in in a heartbeat.
Those were the two most exciting events this past week. There has been a lot of cloudcover and some rain lately, which I enjoy. One day it was even dim enough to remind me of my home in Western Washington! But as soon as I step outside the illusion is shattered, 'cause it's hot and humid. But that's okay. I haven't gotten sunburned yet, I MIGHT be tanning a little, I don't know. But what I do know is that I must have the tastiest bloodtype in the land because I get EATEN up by mosquitoes. I am like candy to them! But weird thing is it's always my legs, and usually my left leg. Don't know why that is. But I am developing a supreme will to not scratch them when I get them. At least I haven't been bitten by any ants lately, that's happened a couple of times too. The buggers are everywhere! We had an infestation of sugar ants in our kitchen a while back, and now some in our bathroom. Though I think they might have exterminated themselves for us, they came for the Robitussin in the medicine cabinet, then we found vast numbers fo their corpses on the bathroom counter. And I didn't see any live ones when I cleaned this morning... hm...
This is the last week in this Transfer (6 weeks) but I don't think I'll be transfered to another area, or that I'll be losing my Trainer Hermana Green. They usually keep Trainers and Trainees together for two tranfers. I'm happy about that.
Much love!
~ Hermana Green
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Week four in Texas
Wow, I've been in Texas just under a month. Has it felt like a whole month to anyone?
In some ways it does feel like a whole four weeks to me. But in others, it is really just a blur punctuated by flashes of awesome.
Let's see, what do I want to talk about this week... well first off sorry that my email is late this week. As you all probably know Monday was Memorial Day, and many places were closed. Such as: the library where we type our emails. So everyone was to do them Tuesday. But then the site that we use for our email was down for the whole time. My companion logged in a few minutes before me because I was doing my email to the President of the Mission on a different program. Then when I tried it wouldn't allow me to log in no matter which link I tried or how I typed it. It was just a big ol' error page. So I sat while my companion finished her emails up and when she tried to log out and let me use her computer, but the site also errored when she logged out. So I was kinda sad, but I got over it.
We had another storm last week that was pretty awesome, lots of lightning and I got a video of it! I actually caught some bolts! Whoo! I hope that when I send my memory card home my parents will be able to put up some of my videos. I think they're cool at least heh.
Also we have one Member who is big on home remedies. (All Latinos seem to like home remedies like yucky teas and such) She gave my Companion a spoon full of Castor Oil and then made me take one too! I had always heard that Castor Oil tasted horrible. Truthfully it didn't taste like much, maybe a slight aftertaste of cucumber if you think hard enough. But the TEXTURE is what got us, oh goodness! It was like trying to swallow melted Vaseline. Bleeeeeeh. I don't think it did us any good either.
I'm really excited for tomorrow because we get to go to the Houston Temple! Yay! It's soooo pretty! I'll try to get some pictures of it, the grounds are beautiful and there's a fountain! Also we can go to the church bookstore that's next to it, maybe I can find an Angel Moroni key chain, I've wanted something like that for my bag for a little while. Or fun stickers! I love stickers!
I think that's it for now. I replied to all the letters I had been sent other than what I recieved late last week and I haven't gotten any letters yet this week so I'm up to date! Yay me!
Much love and encouragement from me to you!
Adios hasta el proximo Lunes
~ Hermana Smart
In some ways it does feel like a whole four weeks to me. But in others, it is really just a blur punctuated by flashes of awesome.
Let's see, what do I want to talk about this week... well first off sorry that my email is late this week. As you all probably know Monday was Memorial Day, and many places were closed. Such as: the library where we type our emails. So everyone was to do them Tuesday. But then the site that we use for our email was down for the whole time. My companion logged in a few minutes before me because I was doing my email to the President of the Mission on a different program. Then when I tried it wouldn't allow me to log in no matter which link I tried or how I typed it. It was just a big ol' error page. So I sat while my companion finished her emails up and when she tried to log out and let me use her computer, but the site also errored when she logged out. So I was kinda sad, but I got over it.
We had another storm last week that was pretty awesome, lots of lightning and I got a video of it! I actually caught some bolts! Whoo! I hope that when I send my memory card home my parents will be able to put up some of my videos. I think they're cool at least heh.
Also we have one Member who is big on home remedies. (All Latinos seem to like home remedies like yucky teas and such) She gave my Companion a spoon full of Castor Oil and then made me take one too! I had always heard that Castor Oil tasted horrible. Truthfully it didn't taste like much, maybe a slight aftertaste of cucumber if you think hard enough. But the TEXTURE is what got us, oh goodness! It was like trying to swallow melted Vaseline. Bleeeeeeh. I don't think it did us any good either.
I'm really excited for tomorrow because we get to go to the Houston Temple! Yay! It's soooo pretty! I'll try to get some pictures of it, the grounds are beautiful and there's a fountain! Also we can go to the church bookstore that's next to it, maybe I can find an Angel Moroni key chain, I've wanted something like that for my bag for a little while. Or fun stickers! I love stickers!
I think that's it for now. I replied to all the letters I had been sent other than what I recieved late last week and I haven't gotten any letters yet this week so I'm up to date! Yay me!
Much love and encouragement from me to you!
Adios hasta el proximo Lunes
~ Hermana Smart
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