So this week. My I had my first exchange. So my companion left me all alone in Jersey City with the car keys, a day full of appointments all over town, and an English speaking missionary. I was a bit terrified. BUT, good news, I can drive in Jersey, sort of. AND I can speak Spanish. AND I can teach the gospel. So I survived and I have a lot more confidence now then I did before. All good things.
I went to a little girls first birthday party and lost a potato sack race to a bunch of little girls. In case anyone was wondering missionary attire and potato sacks do not work very well together. Also, the stake president's wife went from hugging me to dancing with me and wouldn't let me go. She was so funny, and so much fun. It kind of reminded me of late nights dancing in the kitchen with my dad...it was hilarious and reminded me that even though I'm Hermana Santos right now, I'm also Jari.
We had a special training for all the new missionaries. It's amazing what great work we do as such young people. We just depend on our Heavenly Father and He guides everything we do. I'm really impressed with each of the eighteen 19 year old boys that entered with me. They have a lot of faith, a lot of confidence, and they invite miracles. I know I was sent to New Jersey for a reason, and there are specific things that I need to accomplish here. I know I am becoming more of the woman Heavenly Father intends me to be. Sometimes the changing and becoming hurts a bit, but it's so worth it.
I did my first hospital visit as a missionary. I'm really comfortable in hospitals, I attribute that to my father. It works out well too because when people are sick or hurting they just want someone to come in and treat them a little normal. So we came in and sang to this woman for a little while and let her tell us some stories about her family. It was good to be able to spend some time with her and the other patients that were near also came and thanked us for visiting. It was nice. Well, it wasn't nice that she was in the hospital, but it was nice that I could do something to make her and others feel better.
Along with hospitals we visit nursing homes. Specifically, we visit Sister Arranda. She just sits in her little chair all day and sings and makes friends with everyone and prays to God that she can die soon. I ADORE her. She only has one tooth and sometimes she mixes some random mountain language from Bolivia in with her Spanish and I don't understand her at all, but I still just love her. She always asks for the names of all the people we're teaching and prays for them. I'm grateful to her for that.
I know Heavenly Father loves each of His children. I know He is aware of our needs. I know that sometimes He asks us to do hard things because He knows we can and He knows the experience will make us better. I'm so glad that He knows what's up and He takes care of me.
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