Dear Friends and Family,
I finally learned how to pray in English again. It's quite an accomplishment...you have no idea. Something else that has been the struggle lately is staying upright on my own two feet. You know how my mom always says that I am made for the water, not land. I can testify that that is a true statement. I have slipped and fallen so many times lately, I can't even count. I think I need soccer cleats or something. It's just so wet here...yes I am fine...no I am not hurt...just my pride. It's a lesson in humility, I'm sure of it. My Greenie finds it hilarious, so I hope all of you do too! (especially Auntie Karen)
I am sad to be out of a Spanish area. There are pro and cons in switching cultures. Hispanics are much nicer to your face, but it's nice to have people at an appointment and they are even on time here! I am just praying that my Spanish doesn't fade away because I don't have language study time. But I think I have found every Hispanic that lives in this area. Especially while we were tracting during the Superbowl - only Hispanics and one Vietnamese person opened their doors.
I have no idea how long I will be out of a Spanish area, it's very...how to best say it...unpredictable around here. We have a whole set of new rules including the rule of staying in sight and sound of my companion, even in our apartment, so shower time has become even more precious to me. But it's fine because Sister Barrett is super cool, super chill. We have already had a lot of fun and success together. She is just an English speaking sister, so I freaked her out when I first met her because I told her we were Spanish speaking. She gave me that 'deer in the headlights' look.
So white-washing and training has been fun, but super hard. I was frustrated at first to be out of Spanish, but I have been able to focus on my teaching skills more which has made me a better missionary. Also, there have been a lot of crazy "signs" that I am receiving- almost like the Twilight zone kind of "signs" that have made me love my area and connect with the people here. So instead of knocking trailer parks, we have been spending the last few nights knocking on these mansions that are down by the water. So gorgeous, but they give me so much anxiety, because these people are smart. They know what they are talking about and they often want to find fault in our doctrine. So we always try to soften them up by praying or singing a song to them.
So the first "sign" happened about a week ago. This guy opened his door and his rat terrier dog ran out. He started calling after it, "Lucy, Lucy get back in here!" I started freaking out! I was like, "NO WAY MAN! My dog is a Rat terrier and her name is Lucy." He was like, "Get out of town!" and I was like, "No really, I am being serious," and he was like, "No really get out of here. I am Catholic." Haha okay I get it. No, it was cool to have that one connection with this random stranger until he told us that he was not interested at all.
Now for the best part! We found a woman named Michele. I was like that's cool her name is my middle name. Then she said her birthday was coming up and I said, "No way, so is mine." She said her birthday is Feb. 20. Yet again I was like, "No stop! This isn't possible." Freaky right? Turns out that Michele is hands down the most prepared person ever. We have seen her a few times this past week and she and her two kids came to church yesterday!! I already love her and want to be life long friends. She has had a hard life. She has been battling Crohn's disease since she was 11 and has a whole list of other things that she is trying to put behind her. Already the Spirit and the Atonement are changing her life. She told us in tears that she will do what ever it takes to change. She basically begged us to be baptized. That's a first! So please pray for Michele. She has a date to be baptized on March 7. Her 10 year old daughter, Bella could also be baptized on this day.
We have had a lot of other cool experiences...so many miracles. I have to tell you though, missions aren't all hunky dory all the time. It's so hard. So, so hard. It's not even the rejections that are that hard, but it the always trying to do your best, even when it never seems to be enough. It's trying to balance all the rules which is so much stress and pressure. It's kind of funny how my mission has been one of the biggest blessings and one of the biggest trials in my life. Right now there are a lot of things I struggle with - like the fact that I am missing out so much of my little sisters' lives. I just pray that my service blesses them and that trying to be a good example is better than physically being present in their lives right now. I love them and my whole family so incredibly much. I love your emails and hearing about your lives even if I never respond, I do print them out and read them. Have a very happy and beautiful and loving Valentines Day! Les quiero muchisimo!
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard
PS. The Edmonds ward is full of older people, but super organized, super loving, super bomb! And you should google earth Edmonds, because it's very beautiful. :)
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