Another transfer down.... 6 month mark is next week.... and I have a new companion again. Vida é assim. One thing I know is that the mission is making me a lot more resiliente to change. When I got here I was pretty shy and timid and terrified of everything, but now the prospect of travelling alone or working with someone I don't know in a foreign country doesn't even phase me. It's kind of weird when I think about some of the changes I've seen in myself, so I just try to avoid thinking about it. :)
Last week.... not much happened. Really. It was kind of a dead week. Sister Mills and I were both convinced that we were going to get white washed, so the OCD took over and I deep cleaned the apartment during mealtimes. It was actually really nice. Sister Mills was taking pictures of me and she kept telling me, "I don't understand the need for complete organization, but it helps you destress so you can keep going." We didn't get whitewashed though. We got the transfer calls Sunday night and Sister Mills has been transferred to Setubal and my new companion here in Miratejo is Sister McCall (she was actually up in Coimbra and she baptized a guy that Sister Donahoo and I contacted... and the ward up there was so excited to hear that she was my companion.... small world). I just love Sister McCall. She's 25, from Kentucky, has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology, is super clean (good thing I cleaned the apartment), and super happy. She's just about the nicest person I've met. We tried taking pictures to send to you but our selfie-taking skills are pretty poor. You'll have to wait until next week.
I had to go to Lisboa by myself to get her from the bus stop, so I left Sister Mills at the train station in Corroios and I got on the train to Lisboa. It was kind of funny and sad because she was still standing on the platform on the other side (because the train to Setubal is on a different line) and I was just waving to her from inside the train.... it was a lot like that part in Fiddler on the Roof where his daughter is on the train to Russia.... that's the sad part. It's always sad when you get a new companion, but the funny part is that as I was waving to her she pulled her camera out and took pictures of me in the train... it was kind of funny. People were giving us funny looks, but it was worth it. I went to Lisboa by myself, got Sister McCall from the bus stop, we came back and she unpacked... so far it's been a pretty good day. I really like Sister McCall. She's really nice.
Apparently where we are this transfer determines which mission we are in..... Missão Portugal Lisboa!!! Hooray! (I love the north, but I still want to go serve in the Algarve where Sister Hirschi served) It's kind of sad though because lots of my missionary friends are in the north. It's not a set in stone thing, but I like the south too. Actually, I just like Portugal. Portugal is good. The new mission president for the Lisboa mission is from Brasil. I'm excited. Vai ser divertido.
Mom, I don't say much about investigators because we didn't have any progressing investigators last transfer, but we are going to have some this transfer so you can hear all about the stories. We do go and visit a less-active member names Rosa every week. She's got lots of health problems and she can't go to church, but she's just about the sweetest person you could ever meet. Her husband isn't a member and he doesn't like us, but her granddaughter Kleidy lives with her. Kleidy sits in the room and listens to the lessons. She acts like she's ignoring us, but then she'll come and ask us questions so we know she actually is listening to what we're saying. We figured that out so we started teaching Rosa all the lessons, because in that sense we're teaching her granddaughter all the lessons. She just doesn't realize it yet. :)
Presidente Fluckiger told us that we can talk to our families on whatever day they celebrate Mother's Day (here in Portugal it's on May 3) so Sunday, May 10 we can talk. I just need to know what time you have church this year. It will be in the afternoon here and the morning over there. So we figure out all the details next week and make a plan.
I love you all. The Church is true and you're all just wonderful.
Love,
Sister Smith
P.S. The first picture is our district picture from last transfer.... quiet dignity definitely describes our elders. The other picture is me with Rosa. She's super nice.
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