Hey Family,
This second week in Normandy has been pretty fun! Especially now that I'm feeling better. We figured out that it was the car's driving wheel that got me sick so quickly. The weather here is more bi-polar than it is in Utah. One day it decided to be 40 degrees, the next day it's 90 degrees, the next day there's so much fog you can't see a thing... crazy. I don't get it. One second you need a coat, the next you need shorts. I'm really starting to miss all the trees in Gainesville. Jacksonville is more what I pictured Florida to be like, but I miss my trees. The sky is too open here.
Thursday we had interviews with President. Mostly he just asked me how my family was.... how my companionship is going.... looked at my planner.... said to keep doing what I was doing and stay happy. It was pretty quick.
Saturday was our Ward Christmas Party!! Theme was the 'Polar Express' they really decked out the whole church save the chapel. Santa came. Everyone was wearing pajamas except for the missionaries. The conductor was Brother Burnett. That's the family who we ate Thanksgiving with, and who gave us bikes to use. He really doesn't have a mustache.
Saturday was also my halfway mark! Sister Orton and I were in the MTC together so we celebrated by taking mug shots and burning the signs. I apologize for my appearance. I had just ridden home and had helmet hair.
Sunday was my first time at church! I finally got to meet Sister Martinez's recent convert who was baptized just before I got here- Mother Y! As of this week all of Mom Y's kids that are living at home have baptismal dates for the 29th of December!!! We just have to get them to church all three weeks or we're gonna have to change that date. Sister Martinez is excited out of her mind!
I loved the Christmas Devotional last night! I don't know if I should call it the "1st Presidency" Christmas Devotional because only President Monson spoke. I loved all of the speakers, but what Elder Nelson did was very good. They're using that kind of stuff more and more! The person who read Christ's words kind of threw me off though. I'm sad that we couldn't get anyone to it though. The Elders had one of their investigators attend, and we had a few less actives, but most everyone watched it from home. We hope.
We're teaching several people, but none of them want to come to Church. Miss K started investigating because her cousin is a member and her next door neighbor. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and invited her to baptism. She declined saying that she doesn't know if it's true yet. I'm a little frustrated with her cause I don't know what's holding her up. She's been a professional genealogist since she's been 16! I thought the PoS lesson would ring a little more with her. She's more than willing to read and pray though, but she's getting laid off this week so we'll see if she gets to it.
We're also teaching a lady named Sister A who wants to be re-baptized. Her ultimate goal is to go to the temple, but we need to help her work on quitting smoking before that can happen. -
Anyway. We have to go to a Zone P-day where we'll be rehearsing something for our Mission Christmas party on Thursday.
The Church is True! The Book is blue! Moroni is on the ball.
Love ya all!
~Sister Carlson
