Transfer

So...I'm transferring...I'm a little obsessed with the fact actually. Probably because it's a little scary, exciting, CRAZY, etc. I will be companions with Hermana Hildenbrand - who as you all know I have already been companions with. The fact that both of us are quite inexperienced is rather worrying. We're both decent at speaking Spanish, but we're not THAT good.

So, I'm being transferred to the Lynn Spanish Branch - we cover Salem, Swampscott, Lynn, and some other places...I don't know all of them. This is the area for Hermanas that Hna. Jardine and Hna. Hildenbrand just barely opened up last transfer.

Oh my goodness! There are some attention-starved 14 year old boys who are picking a fight with the librarian - it makes it really hard to concentrate. Sorry!

So:

Pros:

·        I get a much nicer apartment

·        I get to be with Hermana Hildenbrand who is actually a lot of fun to be around

·        Hermano Paredes is the mission leader in the Lynn branch and he is SUPER awesome to work with (I met him at the Saenz's house on Thanksgiving)

·        I will have to actually start working on my ability to teach - Hermana Hales was such a great companion for that reason. She really carried us in our lessons but now I need the chance to learn for myself.

Cons:

·        I'm scared out of my mind to not have someone much better at Spanish to rely on

·        I'm leaving all our investigators and all the members that I've really grown to love :(

·        I'm finally starting to get along really well with Hermana Hales...and now I'm leaving

I've realized these cons are really lame - this next transfer is going to be awesome! Transfer meeting is tomorrow morning at 10:00 in Belmont. Then the work begins. It's definitely a new adventure. On Saturday night when we got the "T-texts" I was flipping out and was so worried and stressed about it that I honestly couldn't get to sleep until 2:00am which is SO weird for me! I really probably fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. It was a good time to reflect though and think about all the positive things that are going to come from a new challenge in Lynn. I think I probably would have been awake the entire night if it hadn't been for my trusty Book of Mormon. I studied for 15 or 20 minutes around 1:30 and then it didn't take long at all for me to go to sleep when I tried. I love the Book of Mormon! I even learned something - I was reading Mosiah 2-3 and it really struck me how important humility is. I think that is going to be something that will help me a lot during this next transfer - acknowledging that I have a lot to learn and being willing to dig in and try, make mistakes, and try again.

That's really what's been occupying much of my thoughts for the last few days. I'm really worried about Dxxxxxx right now - we haven't had contact since Sunday because she lost/broke her phone and doesn't answer the door unless you call because she's had some scary people come knocking on her door before (she doesn't live in the best part of Revere). I didn't even get to say goodbye!

I love you all and hope you are having a wonderful January - we had a good solid snow storm last Saturday, but then it rained two days ago and pretty much all the snow is gone. So much for winter. On the upside - it feels almost like spring here in New England.

This email is super lame...good thing I get to write again next Monday. I really hope you all are happy and doing well. I have to go eat a very large dinner made by the most adorable Columbian sisters. LOVES!!

-Hermana Palmer