October 30, 2011
The weeks go by so quickly I can't believe it--it seems like I am writing my weekly letters every time I turn around. We went from fall to winter in about 24 hours--BRRRRR!!!!!
I didn't go to the 1st Ward church today because I woke up with a headache. I was ready to go to 2nd Ward when I decided to change a light before I went and guess what I did--you got it--I fell off the chair, messing up my back AGAIN!!! Why not?!?
Last Sunday, Sister Harper and I received about six new referrals of sisters who needed help in one way or another, so our week was extra busy. Monday, we started our day scheduling our week. We got this completed and were printing it out, when Sister Harper's computer froze up, not saving anything, so we had to start over from the beginning. Modern technology is wonderful, but can also be very frustrating!
Thank goodness the rest of the week went better than Monday--We helped clean a sister's (Sarah's) home who has been away visiting her mom in Alabama for a month. She has terrible morning sickness and hasn't been able to do anything, so her sister-in-law (Rebekah) took charge and asked a friend (Emily) in the ward and Sister Harper and me to help get the house ready for when she returns home next week.
We visited a grandmother in her 80's who has guardianship of her 15-year-old grandson. (His mother is out of the picture and his older brother is in prison for life!) They have lived in the ward about a month, and he has already been suspended from school. The day he was suspended, he took off from the truant officer and didn't come home til after midnight, saying he had to "clear his head"--what a worry for poor Margaret, whose health is poor. (They moved into our ward because she was robbed in the District)
In comparison, we also visited Dorothy, another grandmother in her 60's who's raising her grandsons, 4 and 10, (their mom just takes off when she decides to), and a 30-year-old son with autism. The boys are so well behaved and respectful, and are so anxious to please; the oldest one even wanted to play a song on his violin for us the first time he met us.
We met Vicky Amoah, a darling girl who is from Ghana. She told us such fun and interesting stories of her life and culture there. She met her husband when he was serving a mission in Ghana. She came to the U.S. and he came later where they met up again and were married. They have four children, and he is the mission leader in the 1st ward.
Another sister we visited is this excentric retired school teacher that taught AP chemistry and went to Bolivia on a mission when she was in her 70's. She's so funny and we absolutely love her!!! It would be so easy to visit her every week. The first week we met her, she said that she felt like we had always known each other--it's so easy to say that about Ethyl and almost all of the sisters we visit!
On Friday we were invited to dinner at the home of the Ramon's. She is in the Relief Society Pres. and he is the High Priest Group Leader. They are such a fun couple--they also invited us to Thanksgiving dinner, which is really great!
This is the last week that Pres. and Sister Tingey and their counsellors and matrons will be at the temple. The new temple presidency will start on Tuesday, Nov. 1st. Even though we were only with the Tingey's for a month, we loved them immediately; I'm sure we will feel the same for the new presidency also.
I love my mission more every day. It is so fun meeting and visiting the sisters of the White Plains 1st and 2nd Wards. Please keep them in your prayers.
