Letter- August 20, 2012

Hi my wonderful family!
 
How are you all doing?? It's been so fun getting all of your letters and pictures and things and seeing what's going on at home! I laughed so hard when I turned to the picture of Royce getting ready for bed. Oh my studly, little brother. Mom, I can't believe you need surgery!! Are you going to follow through with it? Dang, I am so sorry! I will be praying hard for you! That is no fun. :/ Tell me if there is anything I can do for you from here.
 
Kim! I don't know if you got my letter I sent home yet, but I DID finally see the banana that you wrote on with eyeliner! Haha that is so funny. It was dark when I picked everything up off the porch to bring upstairs, and to be honest, I didn't really look at it very hard til the next day after I had sent that email saying I didn't know who it was from. I remembered seeing a banana laying on top of the bags and thought it looked old, because of the black stuff on it hahaha. I should've looked a little harder! The gatorade and the granola bars and sandwiches have been pretty much all I've been feeding myself all week! You know me too well! I I have been saving the one banana to eat last, because I don't want to not see your message on it! But it is starting to get pretty old, so soon I won't be able to see that writing anyway haha. Oh and to update you on the shoes...no. I never got new shoes haha. I didn't have time! So I wear the sparkly ones all the time! I'm probably the only missionary with sparkly shoes haha. But they are getting pretty old, too, and don't look so shiny and sparkly anymore. I have to go shoe shopping soon. Oh and tell Kate that I LOVE the pictures she draws me! I miss that sweet, little girl. Kimmi, are you pregnant again yet? I would love to have another little niece or nephew. :)
 
The baptism went well! The father chickened out on baptizing his own daughter, though. So we found a last minute replacement. It's crazy seeing a whole nation being introduced to the Gospel and trying to learn all the responsibilities that come with it in the church. I guess they have come a LONG way since they first began the branch. The white people in the branch tell me, "you would not believe what it was like 2 years ago." I finally am starting to feel completely immersed in God's work, now that I feel more comfortable with the people and the branch and have built some close friendships. These people are truly amazing. I know that they were led to this country by the Lord. 2 Nephi 1 or 2 talks about that. It is remarkable to see how the Lord has prepared them for the Gospel. They would not be as humble and willing to listen I think if they didn't go through all the things they go through.
 
Mom, that case you were talking about...the guy who kidnapped and murdered a child in the community...that happened a couple years ago. They named a community center in South Parc after the little girl. (South Parc is a neighborhood where a lot of our people live, along with Nepali refugees and Swahilis.) In fact, we are in the process of teaching the family of the girl. The Dad's name is Carton. Sister Matteson and her companion before me have taught them a few times, but stopped for some reason. And now we really feel like they are ready to have the missionaries come again. They need to know about the healing powers of the Atonement.
 
So you were also wondering what I do exactly here. Well...I am very lucky, because we get to teach A LOT. We have 30-40 lessons a week. And I just love it. We are working on really {focusing} on only 5 families right now, though, because I think we are getting lost in a huge pool of people to teach. We need people to progress towards baptism more.
 
Oh guess what! I also was given a dress! It's hot pink! And so fun! Because it has tassles! :) I am thinking about wearing it this Saturday to the Karen Friendship party. It is a HUGE deal. All of the Karen community that came here will be there. In OUR stake center! Missionary work, holla!
 
Okay, so I love you, but I have to go. I feel like there is so much I am forgetting to tell you, so I will just send home a written letter with more. And it'll be more personalized. :) Tay la thah la kee!
 
Loves,
Sister Candy Cane LeSueur