#3 12-02-09

December 2, 2009
Thanksgiving and Birthday made this past
week quite eventful and very enjoyable.
It was a great opportunity to think of
all the many blessings I have in my life
and all of the great people in my life.
We had the chance to have an early
Thanksgiving dinner with a couple of
American Families here in Geneva last
weekend, though we didn't have any plans
for the actual day of Thanksgiving.
But, one of the blessings of being here at
the mission home is that the Mission
President and his wife are way too nice and
invited us over for a huge dinner with the
couple missionaries, the stake president and
his wife, and a couple of other people.
It was a great meal and it was great to be
able to celebrate Thanksgiving with those
who resemble family here in the mission.
The baptism of I, our ami, was incredible!
There were so many people who came.
Everyone was so happy and I was on top of
the world. She had tons of friends there
and everyone was so happy for her. I was
way scared of messing of the words with so
many people there, but it went perfectly.
She received the Holy Ghost on Sunday and
is doing so well.
D is also doing very well. She will still
be baptized this Sunday and is
looking stronger and stronger. She has
already read, and understands, the
entire gospel principles book, and this
last Saturday she decided to read the
whole Book of Mormon before her baptism,
which was in 8 days. After 2 days she
was already into Mosiah. She is incredible!
We have been so blessed here with
all of these choice children of God who
are finding and accepting the gospel.
My 21st birthday was wonderful!
I honestly don't feel any older than
I did when I was 18. I think that was the
last time I felt any difference in age,
but boy am I getting old! My companion
actually planned on making me breakfast
in bed because I had mentioned it was a
tradition in out family and so he tried doing
it. The only problem is is that he heard
a noise and thought it was his alarm
and got up and made it, only to realize it
was only midnight! haha, it was nice
of him to show how great of a companion
he is. He forgot to reset his alarm but
made me something anyway when he got up.
I have a great companion. D and
her sister Z, the Mongolians, had actually
fixed a rendez-vous with us. We
had a great teaching and the surprised me
with a way nice cake and a bunch of
little pizzas from a way nice place
for lunch! They then gave me a card with
100 francs in it! Of course I didn't take it,
but the shear fact that they have
so little but were willing to give me so much
really really touched me. I mean,
that's huge. Just being with them and the
two institute couples here in Geneva
was great for lunch. Then, I get home and
Betty, she is the "maid" at the
mission home, had made me lunch and a
birthday cake. Betty is the greatest
woman in the world. She is from the Philippines
and has been a member for the last 40 years,
she 60. She is the most lively woman I have
ever met. That night, I had fixed a rendez-vous
with us and surprised me with a bunch of
chocolate which was great! Myself, Elder S,
and the two office Elders (Elder B and Elder D)
went to chick-chicken for dinner (its kind
of like KFC). We got back to the mission home
and the mission president and his
wife had gone to the American store and bought
me a funfetti cake with frosting
and root beers for us all! I felt so loved.
The people here are so amazing and
I feel so lucky to have so many people here
and also back home who care about me
so much.
This week will be great! We have been
working on transfers and we will finish
that up this week. I am pretty positive
I now know where I am going, but I
don't think I am allowed to say.
But I am way excited! A little hint,
its not really a big change. By next
week I will be in my last area of my mission
with probably my last companion.
I am way excited!