7th Week March 18,2013

Well folks! I'm still alive! heck yes!!!!!!! I wrote myself a cute list so I could remember everything I am wanting to write home about but I'm also a little nervous I'll forget important stuff. so first I'll tell you about the apartment a little more. I can't remember what i said before... Well! Its myself and Sister Andrade in one room, we have a bathroom to ourself! Yes!!! Then Sister Kreis and Sister Neinataype(definitely not spelt right...) In the other room. That's right! My MTC comp and I are out here together! No worries we don't hang out at all. First big thing I wanna talk about, it is HOT HOT HOT!! In Laredo. apparently it is the hottest area in our mission. Yay.... But its ok. Because everyone puts their conditioners on full blast! So if they let us in, we are good to go and have no problems with heat! Our car got to 110 degrees one day when we were out walking around. Pretty crazy right?! It is so stinking hot and just gets hotter in april and may.... yikes! Wish me luck on that one! The water is interesting... we all buy bottled water to drink.. so if someone wanted to send me those drink mixes? Like the personal water bottle sized ones? I would not be complaining(: I had my first member dinner on... Wednesday night? something like that! The family is so sweet! They are from Utah so sister andrade asked me if every mormon family is just like them... Mostly(: They were super sweet though. They made me green jello jigglers since i'm the greenie! Cute right? I told them about my brother in law who just loves green jello and they had a good laugh about that one. They really are so sweet though! The father of the family is the branch mission leader in one of our branches. They really are so awesome! By the way.. Laredo doesn't have its own zone. I can't remember if I told you that. So we have 5 branches. I work in Laredo 1st and ... i think 3rd... 3rd is the spanish branch and they rock. I don't understand everything yet. but they had us sing in sunday school(: No one can carry a tune out here. Its pretty fun. I haven't received any mail yet): That broke my heart a little. zone conference the bring the mail up from the office and there was nothing for me): sad day.... We had zone conference by the way! That was way awesome. one of my favorite things they talked about what asking yourself every night 'was the holy ghost the senior companion, junior companion, or even a companion in my lessons today" I know its SO important to have the spirit with you when you teach. if its not there, your just preaching not teaching! My first official lesson was with an investigador that is set to be baptized on April 21!!!! I'm so excited! she is awesome! she has a little boy about 4 who is just full of energy! She wants to be baptized but doesn't want to be a mormon... definitely makes sense right? but we will see her this week and hopefully resolve that issue and her word of wisdom problem... she came to church on sunday though! that rocked! minor problem... she was an hour late and walked up smoking with a starbucks coffee in hand hahaha(: Thats ok! she is wonderful and I know she wants to come closer to the savior! I already love her so muchHAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN!!!!! I went to bed on the 14th thinking" crap i didn't send his letter yet..." so that will be in the mail this week. It feels weird missing family events... i don't really like that at all but I know we have plenty more to come in 16 months so it will be fine! Last HUGE thing to write about...... WE HAD OUR FIRST BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes. thats right. This greenie had a baptism her first sunday! Oh yeah! It was amazing! The girl is 9. Her mom was less active so the missionaries started visiting then turned focus on the daughter because she was old enough to get baptized. so she was baptized yesterday! So fun! her family is hilarious. the mom is 50 and only speaks spanish and the dad is an 80 white guy... whaaaat? But they were so excited for her baptism! After wards we went to the dinner at her house and I tried mole... oh man... it was a chocolate mole and it was spicy! But pretty good. they do the mole sauce over boiled chicken.. definitely an adventure. did I mention the food is hit and miss here? I've had a lot of cornbread all ready, not complaining! and then I get random bursts of mexican food. the other awesome thing about the baptism is the dad isn't a member. So at the dinner Sister andrade felt very strongly he needs to be baptized. So she started talking to him and was like 'so what do you think about your daughter being baptized?" and hes like oh yeah its good then she just straight out asked 'so are you ready to be baptized?" it took a little talking about it and well.... he's doing it on april 21! yay! We start teaching him officially on friday night! so awesome! I had the best time in primary on sunday by the way... we went to primary with our investigator and her son because he didn't want to be alone. I got to sing and sit with the kids. then a little girl turned around and blew me kisses(: So happy! She was adorable! Well that about tells all my fun for this week! Not really... but kind of.. Oh wait! one more story I got to door knock! So intense! it was very intimidating at first but then got easier. The first person was rude and totally blew us off. Then we had a guy who started walking out and after we said who we were started to walk away saying "oh well I'm catholic I don't need you" so sister andrade asked "who is jesus christ to you?" and he shouted "hes that guy that established the catholic church 2000 years ago!" and slammed the door. Sister A and I looked at each other and said 'well i don't remember the holy ghost telling me that..." and away we went to find others! Funny huh? Kinda of sad... but its ok. He will come around eventually I'm sure! we just aren't the right missionaries for him(: Alright! I love you all! be safe and remember, the church is true! Your Heavenly Father loves you! -Sister Nielson