Turn That Frown Upside Down :)

Hello Family!

 

 

We had one investigator come to church! She is slowly progressing.

Something really funny I haven't told you guys yet is about a sister in our ward. When I first got here she was not interested in helping us and all of that. Slowly we convinced her to drive us to her less active daughter's family.

 

HOWEVER, she was supposed to pick us up in the plaza and we were walking there when some other kind of investigator started talking to us and would not stop talking. (this was in Sept. or something) so this member was waiting forever for us and when she found us we got in the car and she was so mad and chewing us out. I didn't really understand what she was saying but I could tell she was unhappy and I didn't know what to do. I was in the back seat and she looked in the rearview mirror at me and my very first reaction was to smile really big and sweetly at her.

 

She gave me a funny look then said to my companion, "She doesn't understand what I'm saying does she?" and Hna. Gawrych said, "No she doesn't really understand spanish yet." That made the member laugh. Then we had a super spiritual lesson with her daughter and family.

Since then she has warmed up a LOT to us and is more willing to help us. It has been neat seeing her change and she absolutely loves me. Whenever she says something to me and I don't know what's going on I just smile. Then she laughs REALLY hard and grabs my shoulder and shakes me around and says "'OH, HARDY!!! HAHAHAHAHA.''

This happens a lot. She is also in Primary and was super happy to have me play the piano. At one point in our saludos she took my face in her hands and squished and wiggled my cheeks together and said something in Spanish and hugged me.

 

This past week we were visiting with her and before we went to go see her daughter she would see people in their houses or on the street and would stop the car and have us contact them, haha. She also likes to bring us taco maker and juice and treats when she visits with us and it is just so neat to see how much she has changed over the past few months where before she didn't want anything to do with us and now she treats us like her children.

 

She just thinks I am super funny with my smiles and not knowing what's going on. I think she thinks I am a bit of a ditz... but she loves me anyways. I told her the story in Spanish of how when I was little I thought Jonny ate the moon. She thought it was really funny and just says, ÖH HARDY! My favorite part is how she just laughs and laughs at me. I don't really know why, but as long as she is happy and willing to help us out I am happy!

 

 

Apparently I have a really expressive face now... Which is good and bad. One bad funny story is how one woman (who only speaks English) was going on about bills and whatnot and I was TRYING to make a concerned face and she thought I was judging her and called me out on it and I had to explain that I was just worried for her and not judging at all. Hna. Gawrych and all the sisters think that it's really funny haha.

I am going to practice my "concerned" face in the mirror this week.

 

Relief Society is in Spanish. They all talk at once. I am naughty and zone out sometimes but I will try to be better. The past four weeks I have been in Primary anyways to play piano and practice for their program, but now that's all over and we are back in Relief Society. Here Relief society is first and then sunday school then Sacrament. I will tell you more once I start understanding more. We did have our service project on Saturday, the men and young adults served in a school, cleaning out all this old stuff and whatnot abandoned whatnot. Women served in el hogar de ancianos, and we sang and shared scriptures. Older people are even harder to understand in Spanish and they didn't understand me either so that was fun. There was one old man who LOVED the Spanish Christmas songs they sang. He was tapping his feet and waving his hands and he was so excited.

 

 

They do not really have carpet here at all. Some people have rugs, but I haven't seen that very often. Pretty much every place in the pueblo has the exact same laminate flooring, haha. As far as funny manerisms I cannot think of any right now. I think it's because I've gotten used to them. They really do talk a whole awful lot here. It's hard sometimes to teach and get stuff done. They are very dramatic here. they exxagerate a lot haha. If someone waits for you for 5 minutes, they say they've been there for half an hour or more.

 

That makes me laugh that Hermana Boucher thought I was talking about Dad. I sent them a text saying that the package was from my AUNT, I didn't say anything about dad or uncles haha, we have a zone conference this week so I will clarify then:)

I did receive the medicine! Thank you so much! I also found gummy vitamins in Walgreens. I didn't buy them because they seemed expensive but I might today because it is probably the same price that you guys would have to pay to send it down here!
 

Penelope looks like Perry! Is she a black cayuga too? she even has white feathers! Is she cuddly?

The Rhapsody of Hymns is my favorite and I would LOVE those other ones you mentioned. The yellow christmas book should be in the bench, it is a skinny one, really simple songs. I used it for What Child is This and Silent Night (they are the last two songs.) The very first song is Have yourself a very merry christmas or whatever it's called.

 

 

I loved the Puerto Rican pumpkin!! Beautiful work! Good luck with your test this week Jonny and with the job you want! You will ROCK it! There should be a bulletin with all the music performances going on at the U and in the community. Right now is a great time to find a Jazz performance because I bet everyone is doing their senior recitals around this time. It shouldn't be too hard to find one to go

to.

 

 

I am carving a ring out of a coconut shell! I had my first real coconut this week and the elders opened it with a machete for me.

This week someone gave us 100% juice! MIRACLE!

I love you all! Take care and remember to SMILE!

 

 

xoxo Hermana Hardy