Our Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs

September 4, 2012

So this whole week I have been thinking that our hand towel was super dirty because it smelled bad every time I washed my hands but nope, it's actually the water. Huh. Imagine that. :)

Everyone failed. No one told me what a resaca was. O well. More points to keep to myself.

This week has been a great week of ups and downs. It is such a great experience to start a new area, but it has so many challenges too. We have done a lot of exploring, a lot of walking around, a lot of "where is that street?......yup, just passed it", and a lot of trying to find formers. Our area doesn't have a lot of members, and only 1/3 of them are active members. That is just 6 familes. In two wards. We have a lot of GREAT work ahead of us! Our area actually is doing quite well. We are always busy and I have just been thinking of even more ways to involve the less active members. A lot of it is trying to find them now. The wards down here are great though and have given us focus families of less actives to go see so we have a great place to start.

I really like Brownsville. We are even closer to the border here. Our apartment is 1.5 miles from the border. :) but that is to the side. The closest bridge is 3 miles away. I got a map for you guys that I am sending so you can see where it is. Super cool. Next p-day we are probably going over to Port Isabel to see the ocean and a lighthouse! I LOVE LIGHTHOUSES! Seriously, I am very excited. Then we might go to the zoo. All I really want to do is go see the wall. (aka, the border) I will take a picture. Don't worry. It is so weird because we only work in our small little area so it is hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that Mexico is literally less than 2 miles away...I love my mission.

We are currently working with 4 people to get baptized. We didn't have any when we got here so I would say that 4 is pretty good!

The Joven- He is 17 and actually was a former that we didn't have record of that we knocked. He is really cool and wants to change his life. He is going to get baptized on 9/23. Funny experiences we have had there is that I fell off a chair because it only had three legs which was HYSTERICAL and I got bit by his dog one morning when we were trying to find him. I am happy it has only taken 11 months to get my first dog bite in the great deep south. :) It wasn't bad though so nothing had to happen. Aka, didn't break the skin.

The Husband- He is married to a less active member. He knows it's all true but has a drinking problem. Pobrecito. We are working with him towards 9/30.

The Husband's Friend- This is the Husband's friend. He wants more direction in his life and has the same baptismal date.

The Referral-We found the referral last night. We were contacting him from a member and he wasn't home so we were walking to the member’s house and ran into a guy that happened to be him. He wanted to come with us to the member’s house so obviously we said yes! We taught him and committed him for baptism on 10/7. Very cool!

We also have the dad of a recent convert and a young single adult that come every week but haven't committed to anything. We'll just have to see with those two.

The work is coming along great! I love everything about it and I am so happy to be here! I love the people, food, and all the experiences God has blessed me with! Love you all and I will talk to you again soon!!!

Kate

Mom-can you send me dried fruit. It is expensive to buy so I was thinking you could dry some and send it to me. :) that kind of treat lasts better in the 100 degree weather. I like apples and pineapples. And my address in 2425 Barnard Street Brownsville, TX 78520. It's the Casa Grande apartments. Our area is farther north though next to the expressway. Morrison to Parades Line to 511 to the expressway to Morrison.