With Love From ... (New Area)

I'm still on the coast. Huzzah!

Hey everybody!

I'm in my new area now which is, drumroll.... Sarasota! I'm serving in the Sarasota Spanish branch with Hermana Snow. I love it here already! We have 5 dates set and several others on the way!!! This place is so golden! There are always people walking around outside, so it's super easy to find and everyone is really friendly. A lot of the members are from Argentina, so I've been having fun trying to understand their accent, it's really cool. Most everyone else is from Mexico.

Pizza creations with pita bread.

Hermana Snow is super funny and outgoing, I absolutely love her. She's from Arizona and she looks like Merida off of Brave. She has the funniest/cutest voice ever, I love it! She only has two transfers left so I'm pretty sure I will be taking over the area when she leaves. We get along really well. 

We're also STL's (again) so we get to exchange with the other sisters in the Sarasota zone too! I can't wait. We live in the same complex as two of our sisters, Sister Trebotitch who came out the same time I did and Sister Day who is a newbie. It's been so fun having them around, we're going to go hang out with them today for p-day. 

New friend. Too bad she's going on a mission.

As for Largo, the night before transfer meeting at about 10:00 we got a call from the APs telling us that Hermana Holloway was leaving too! So we frantically packed for a half an hour and then all morning the next day to get her ready to go. Good news is that they didn't close down the area, but they did "white-wash" it with elders. At transfer meeting we talked with the elders who are going there and let them know everything that is going on. They were super excited to hear that we were having a lot of lessons. I really hope all is well for them. The branch should be really happy because they've wanted elders for a long time. 

Sara and Elisa invited us into their dog tent for play time.

M-W I finished off all my goodbyes. Cindy was really upset that I was leaving. She started to tear up when I talked to her about it. Sarasota isn't too far away so I'm really hoping that I can get a ride up there for the wedding. She and Cornelio just got their engagement rings and their more in love than ever. They're looking out for his nephews and that has caused them to work together a lot more. They're so awesome, really just some of the greatest people I know. 

Cindy and the rings!

Saying goodbye to Gloria and Diego was really funny. They both tried to give me all their last minute tips and then Diego buried me in a giant hug. I didn't have the heart to tell him he's not supposed to hug sister missionaries. We also visited several of the members and other investigators. 

Th-Sun We've been super busy preparing everyone for their baptisms, we had over 20 lessons this week! That's more than I've ever had on my mission, granted half of those I wasn't here for, but still! The work in the Florida Tampa mission is progressing. 

We went to 7/11 on 7/11 and got free slushees (first time ever) and the ZLs sent us a text that said #slushtialkingdom and #slushponderandpray. Haha their hilarious. 

Nothing like a free slushee on a hot day.

We have two baptisms this weekend. I can't wait! These people are so prepared, it's amazing how the Lord sets their lives up just right. 

Yesterday I got to know the Branch. It's about the same size as the branch in Largo but it feels bigger because the building is smaller. There are more youth and less primary. They don't have a piano player so I played for sacrament meeting. Our ward mission leader just got back from vacation so we went over to his house yesterday and I got to get to know him a lot better. He's super nice.  

My new mailing address is:

2566 10th St. #102 

Sarasota 34327

Missionary Letters

Que tenga una buena semana! (Have a good week)

Con Amor de Sarasota (With love of Sarasota)

"Even though I can't see the baby I love him, that's how God's love is. We can feel he is there and we love him." - words from one of our returning members (she's pregnant) to her soon-to-be baptized daughter. Such a tender moment, the spirit was so strong.