Hola Familia,
Bwaaaaaaaaah! I wish we had more time to email! Plus I didn't have time to write a snail mail letter last week, so I've got two weeks to catch up on!
Frankie and Mary's baptism was PERFECTLY them! I don't think I've ever been to a baptism like that and I don't think I ever will again. It was great! I loved it! I miss them so much and they're a big reason why I was so sad to leave Bakersfield! They are so great!
If I could tell anyone about my mission, I would tell them this: It's the best! It's the best decision I've ever made. It's also definitely the hardest thing I've ever done. Some things are getting easier though. But you still HAVE to know why you are going. You definitely cannot go just because others are going and you need to know that the mission is not about you or for you...it is for helping others. At least, these are my opinions and what I think about being a missionary.
Starting over has been an adjustment. I realize that change is a little hard for me. I like the ward, but figuring out how others do things, getting used to a new place, and figuring out all that kind of stuff is a challenge. The only grocery store near us is like a Harris Teeter....a lot more expensive than the other grocery stores, so that is a bit aggravating. I am sure I'll be using my personal card more often....
So...the reason why this week has been the "epitome" of missionary work. The reason I say "epitome" is that people always say crazy things happen to missionaries...and this week was full of crazy things!
One story.... We knocked on A.'s door. A. is in his 20's and we try to strike up a conversation. We ask, "So, A, what makes you happy?" He says, "Beer. And video games." We continue the conversation for a few minutes and we end it by asking if there was a time that we could come back and share our message. He says, "Sure. Maybe tomorrow when I'm not drunk." We left that doorstep, got in the car, and laughed so hard!!!
Another one....We taught an investigator that has four kids (8, 6, and two twins under three) and those four kids are all boys! That lesson was just crazy busy! She needed to take her laundry to the laundry mat, so we helped her bring it there, just walking it over. Nice to be able to help people.
And then the big ending to the epitome of missionary work week....We met a guy named D. and the first thing he brings up is polygamy. It just seemed like with all the people we met throughout this week, we had a very typical Mormon missionary work week!
Alright...now for random things:
-The peaches here are not as good as home. Not bad, but home is better.
-The ward here is super great. It's a really small ward, smaller than Bakersfield, smaller than the Singles ward back home. The people are great though!
-You need to make this thing called mole. You say it like guacamole, but without the guaca. It is so good!! I've had it like three times on my mission and it is amazing. I've heard it has chocolate in it and it is spicy too. So good!
-Alright, so you need to make biscuits and when they're still hot, put butter on the top and then dip it in cinnamon sugar. That's really good too..courtesy of Sister Allred! :)
-Oh last week, when I was leaving, Sister Porter Baliar, and Allred sang to me the song "na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey goodbye". It was funny. And it seemed to be our song of the day!
-We also saw a little dog get hit by a car! :( We were leaving an appointment and it was so tragic!!! I hope I never, ever, ever see that again! It was sooooo sad! :(
-If I were in Bakersfield, I would have had to speak this past Sunday. But I'm giving a talk this week in district meeting on Diligence.
-Oh and from my past district, there was an elder who is from Alaska. I asked him if he could see Russia from his house (no) and if he got that question a lot (yeah, kind of). HA HA In my shout a journal ( a journal people sign when you leave and put their contact info, etc in) he drew a picture of where he lived and a dashed line to Russia. Based on the picture, he can't see Russia! haaaaaaaaaaa Sometimes I crack myself up! :) He went to school with one of Sarah Palin's daughters.
Tell Cassie I'm SOOOOOO happy for her!! She'll be great!!!!! If she's in 3M residence halls in the MTC, floor 2, she needs to see if there are sticky notes on the bathroom mirrors. :)
The real deal (mom note: I've started asking lately...give me a "real deal" detail. Not a sugar coated detail, but a real detail that tells us what missionary life is really like). She said: This past week has been overwhelming. I'm happy every single day, but there are moments when I wonder if I can do this whole language thing. It has been a roller coaster of emotions...one minute I'm wishing I'd been called to an English speaking mission, the next thinking maybe I can possibly learn Spanish very quickly, and the next thinking I'll never be able to pick this up. I feel like I know less Spanish than I did the day I left the MTC and that is really frustrating for me. Sigh.... Just keep me in your prayers. Pray that I'll be able to speak Spanish and understand Spanish!
Love you,
Love
Hermana Rubow
Bwaaaaaaaaah! I wish we had more time to email! Plus I didn't have time to write a snail mail letter last week, so I've got two weeks to catch up on!
Frankie and Mary's baptism was PERFECTLY them! I don't think I've ever been to a baptism like that and I don't think I ever will again. It was great! I loved it! I miss them so much and they're a big reason why I was so sad to leave Bakersfield! They are so great!
If I could tell anyone about my mission, I would tell them this: It's the best! It's the best decision I've ever made. It's also definitely the hardest thing I've ever done. Some things are getting easier though. But you still HAVE to know why you are going. You definitely cannot go just because others are going and you need to know that the mission is not about you or for you...it is for helping others. At least, these are my opinions and what I think about being a missionary.
Starting over has been an adjustment. I realize that change is a little hard for me. I like the ward, but figuring out how others do things, getting used to a new place, and figuring out all that kind of stuff is a challenge. The only grocery store near us is like a Harris Teeter....a lot more expensive than the other grocery stores, so that is a bit aggravating. I am sure I'll be using my personal card more often....
So...the reason why this week has been the "epitome" of missionary work. The reason I say "epitome" is that people always say crazy things happen to missionaries...and this week was full of crazy things!
One story.... We knocked on A.'s door. A. is in his 20's and we try to strike up a conversation. We ask, "So, A, what makes you happy?" He says, "Beer. And video games." We continue the conversation for a few minutes and we end it by asking if there was a time that we could come back and share our message. He says, "Sure. Maybe tomorrow when I'm not drunk." We left that doorstep, got in the car, and laughed so hard!!!
Another one....We taught an investigator that has four kids (8, 6, and two twins under three) and those four kids are all boys! That lesson was just crazy busy! She needed to take her laundry to the laundry mat, so we helped her bring it there, just walking it over. Nice to be able to help people.
And then the big ending to the epitome of missionary work week....We met a guy named D. and the first thing he brings up is polygamy. It just seemed like with all the people we met throughout this week, we had a very typical Mormon missionary work week!
Alright...now for random things:
-The peaches here are not as good as home. Not bad, but home is better.
-The ward here is super great. It's a really small ward, smaller than Bakersfield, smaller than the Singles ward back home. The people are great though!
-You need to make this thing called mole. You say it like guacamole, but without the guaca. It is so good!! I've had it like three times on my mission and it is amazing. I've heard it has chocolate in it and it is spicy too. So good!
-Alright, so you need to make biscuits and when they're still hot, put butter on the top and then dip it in cinnamon sugar. That's really good too..courtesy of Sister Allred! :)
-Oh last week, when I was leaving, Sister Porter Baliar, and Allred sang to me the song "na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey goodbye". It was funny. And it seemed to be our song of the day!
-We also saw a little dog get hit by a car! :( We were leaving an appointment and it was so tragic!!! I hope I never, ever, ever see that again! It was sooooo sad! :(
-If I were in Bakersfield, I would have had to speak this past Sunday. But I'm giving a talk this week in district meeting on Diligence.
-Oh and from my past district, there was an elder who is from Alaska. I asked him if he could see Russia from his house (no) and if he got that question a lot (yeah, kind of). HA HA In my shout a journal ( a journal people sign when you leave and put their contact info, etc in) he drew a picture of where he lived and a dashed line to Russia. Based on the picture, he can't see Russia! haaaaaaaaaaa Sometimes I crack myself up! :) He went to school with one of Sarah Palin's daughters.
Tell Cassie I'm SOOOOOO happy for her!! She'll be great!!!!! If she's in 3M residence halls in the MTC, floor 2, she needs to see if there are sticky notes on the bathroom mirrors. :)
The real deal (mom note: I've started asking lately...give me a "real deal" detail. Not a sugar coated detail, but a real detail that tells us what missionary life is really like). She said: This past week has been overwhelming. I'm happy every single day, but there are moments when I wonder if I can do this whole language thing. It has been a roller coaster of emotions...one minute I'm wishing I'd been called to an English speaking mission, the next thinking maybe I can possibly learn Spanish very quickly, and the next thinking I'll never be able to pick this up. I feel like I know less Spanish than I did the day I left the MTC and that is really frustrating for me. Sigh.... Just keep me in your prayers. Pray that I'll be able to speak Spanish and understand Spanish!
Love you,
Love
Hermana Rubow
So glad to know she is doing well and having lots of great experiences! Keep the real deal bits coming.
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