Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Transfers!

It was SO hard to wait clear until today to get our email from Melissa!  But, it was worth it!  Keep reading to see what's happening with Sister Broekhuijsen…

I have had a wonderful time since I last wrote! I have some pretty big news too....
The good news is, I'm staying in my LP wards!!  I am SO happy! I was worried I'd have to leave these wards that I love so much. I prayed a LOT - not praying for my will to be done, but praying to be able to accept it if I had to move. But I was blessed to be able to stay. I feel like the work we are doing with the members is really important and I just love them so much - it would be SO hard to have to be transferred right before the holidays and spend Christmas in a new apartment with nobody that I knew. So I am definitely feeling lucky to be here. I already have wonderfully fun plans for Christmas Day! 
The other good news is that I'm TRAINING. What? I still feel like I'm new out here, but I am SO excited to train. I think it will really help my homesickness to be able to focus on helping someone ELSE! So this is an answer to prayers all over the place. I am not letting it get to my head, but when President Evans called and asked me to accept the calling of trainer, he gave me some advice, and then said that he hopes I take this responsibility as a compliment, because that's how he means it. That he thinks I came out "wonderfully mature and ready to lead" and that he has full confidence in my abilities. So that was really nice to hear! I love that he appreciates my efforts to be obedient and that he trusts me. 
So I don't know anything about her - just that she will be arriving tonight! Sister Meier and the other Sister who is going home this transfer, along with this new baby girl will all be at our apartment until Friday morning so that will be a bit hectic, I'm sure, but I'm really excited to meet her. I've been praying and fasting like crazy for her, and would ask that all you out there will pray for me to be able to be a good trainer. I want to be fun and funny and nice and considerate, but also teach her important things, and be obedient. That will be a tough balance, but I have faith that it CAN be done. 
This past Sunday was the Christmas program in both my wards since so many people will be home for the holidays the next three weeks. Both programs were great! I had some problems with singing Christmas carols a couple weeks ago, because they made me think of home too much and get weepy homesickness. But this week, while I was still thinking of home, I was able to just rejoice. I sang SO loudly during the congregational hymns because really, how many chances do I have to sing at full voice nowadays? Not many. But when you've got a packed chapel and an organ playin' its heart out, I can get away with singing soprano at the top of my lungs and I don't even seem weird!! It was such a fun time to be able to worship that way. I was asked to sing in a small group number - we did Joy to the World in 3 different languages: Spanish, Romanian, and Russian. I got to sing in the Spanish verse, so that was fun. It made me feel a connection to Mom, because of your mission in Chile, and a connection to baby brother in Russia! So that was a good one.
On Monday we had L*'s baptismal interview. Of course she passed with flying colors. We had a couple good lessons yesterday, and then pday today will be mostly cleaning the apartment to get it ready for the new Sister coming in! 
I got to start your 12 days of Christmas yesterday and that was SO much fun. I have already listened to that Christmas CD like 6 times, and currently have the di di di song stuck in my head. It is SO awesome. Perhaps that song makes me dance around the whole apartment. Shhhh.... don't tell. I have also still been enjoying the Christmas quotes from the advent calendar. I'm saving both the 12 days of Christmas and the quotes in my journal. It's so cute I'm basically Martha Stewart. 
Well, that's about it. All day tomorrow will be training meetings and transfer meetings. I'm so excited to introduce my new companion to all the ward members that I love so much! Let's keep the prayers coming for my ability to not ruin a new missionary. Thanks.
Love you all!
Sister Melissa Broekhuijsen

This next part came in a separate email that came later.  I was told to put it on the blog, "because it's hilarious."  So, I am nothing if not obedient…

Last night J* took us all out for a big fancy LOBSTER dinner. That's right. I'm so New England. They had a real live tank there and everything. It was so fun/traumatizing to order our food, then see the waitress take the order back to the kitchen, then see the chef walk up and grab some lobsters out of the tank and walk them back. There was just no denying that it was because of us that they were about to meet certain death. Also, when they bring them out to you.... it's the WHOLE thing. You know? Face and all. It was awesome. They also give you a little bowl with a shell cracker, a bib, and some moist towelettes. It was the REAL DEAL! I totally DID it. I ripped arms off and claws (um... those are actually probably the same thing) and legs and the tail. And it was freaky, but it was so fun and delicious. Such a treat! She had gotten a really good deal for the place from Groupon and thought, "Who am I going to take out for LOBSTER?" and decided on: the Sisters. That is the best kind of decision I've ever heard of.
Also, on Monday I had ANOTHER awesome experience. I call it: I Was Looking Out My Back Door Onto the Forest Behind My Apartment and Witnessed a Red-tailed Hawk Swoop Down Out of a Tree and Snatch a Squirrel Off A Stump and Fly Back Up to Another Tree and EAT IT.  <---- the title is pretty self explanatory. Needless to say, the Elders were very jealous. Also needless to say, I have about 8 minutes of video of the hawk eating the squirrel. Also needless to say, I am apparently a 13 year old boy. 

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