Oh yeah…

I'm getting transferred to Fort Pierce! (AKA exile)

Here's a picture of the Orlando mission with where I am now and where I will be tomorrow marked.

Mom: Oh. My. Goodness. Being near the ocean is super-fabulous in hot weather. Do you know your new companion yet? 

Her name is Hermana Andrus. There's a 95% chance I'll 'kill' her. I'm excited to be close to the ocean; heck I'm even excited to be in the boonies! Just wait, my next email will be a lot of me realizing just what I've gotten myself into. 😄

Sweet Li’l Chocolate Surprises

Sis. Wade and I have discovered French toast sandwiches, with fruit and chocolate on the inside. Mmm. So good! So fat! (We'll be having Bologna sandwiches, but... No bread.) 

The best part of my week was by far painting a member's "house". Our regularly scheduled service fell through, but then one of the Elders got a phone call from a brother in his ward. Now, the quotation marks should have alerted you to the fact that this wasn't any ol' paint job. We were definitely unprepared for emergency service that day, so some kind elders brought work clothes for us. This kind brother had been renting out his... house to a blind veteran with 5 dogs. Also, this house is in a sketchy part of town. Usually you'd be pretty worried about getting... "in trouble"... but he worked at the jail for a long time, so no one touches his property; they all know not to. But the best part of this service was when I got to squat on the rickety handrail leaning precariously far trying to hammer a tin roof back out of a tree while 4 other missionaries tried not to drop said roof and all its accompanying dirt on their heads. So Fun! Blurry (and unattractive) evidence following. But the owner was really appreciative as he was an older gentleman with cerebral palsy. He's been working on this house for a long time, poor guy. It was really nice just to feel like anything I do will be better than if I hadn't done it. Sure I might have done a terrible paint job and sure I may have painted a couple ladybugs in... but at least it got painted. Sometimes I feel pressure in missionary work not to mess up; I feel like I should give more, like my best isn't good enough. To go somewhere where your good is heaven-sent... yeah, that felt good. Also, the Elders were there to make it fun. So that was a plus.

We also met with a super golden family but they have crazy work schedules. We were really hoping the daughter could make it to church - we got a ride for her and everything - but Sunday morning she canceled with us :( So Prayers for Jean Paul and his beautiful family!!

Thanks for all yinz do! I 'preciate it! I hope y'all enjoyed the 1st presidency meeting; I know we sure did! Prayers for you and for our new presidency!

Hermana Baer

Finally a house my size.

Ogre hunting. (In the swamps.)

If you could only take 3 things with you . . .

Hm, this week. I know! Story time.

So there I was. Sleeping like a log in my bed. The time? Midnight. The sugar plum fairies are dancing, and so are the Lamanite daughters. (Wow what fun in my brain!) Suddenly, a really loud sound jolts me from my death-like slumber. It takes sister Wade and I a good 3 min. To put together the sound with its name: the fire alarm. We evacuate, like slugs in peanut butter. There's probably about 20 people outside, and there's a guy on his balcony on the 3rd floor. After about 20 min, the fire truck and a cop car come, lights cutting through the dark mists of night. A out this time, Im thinking clearly enough to realize what I grabbed to save from the fire: a pony-tail holder and a jacket that's been left here from missionaries long dead. The tablet didn't make it out, neither did my watch, or heck, even the keys. (Luckily, Sis. Wade grabbed those.) After about 10 more min, they tell us we can go back in; someone on the fourth floor pulled the alarm. We slink back in, and put things away, and return to the blessed sleep.

3 hours later.
I wake to blood running from my ears as the fire alarm pays a personal visit to my pillow. Not really but, wowsers, that's loud! This time, about 7 people evacuate, the fire truck comes alone with sirens off, obviously disgusted with our complex. We party it up outside by the fountains. Us and a lady with her dog. BUT! This time, I take my tablet and watch, and I even get my missionary tag on my jacket! I was so ready to preach the gospel! Woo! When we finally get back in, we both just collapse in bed nothing gets put away or even taken off.

The End.
Pictures following.

We had a week of people not answering and "te aviso!"-ing us. (I'll let you know) There was quite a bit of door knocking.
:)
Um...
The End.

PS I may or may not be addicted to veggie straws now.

I guess I'll add a spiritual thought to my letter.
While I was waiting to fall back asleep at midnight, I felt so bad that I didn't thank the firemen who came at a ridiculous time at night to turn off the world's most annoying alarm clock. I promised the Lord that if I ever got another experience like this, I'd go out of my way to thank them. Right before I fell asleep, I heard a little angel laughing. 3 hours later, they gave me that chance. I made Sis Wade wait while I found someone and thanked them. All those guilty thoughts of 10 lepers faded way, and I felt great! Maybe because it was 3 am, and I was super tired, but I choose to think the Lord taught me a great lesson in a moment I would listen the most. That was cool to see. And then I got to sleep!
Ok, now:
THE END!

I Love Firemen! They're super cool! But really. Take a moment to thank them. And that does mean you! Yes you!

Meet me at the drop spot tonight at 8:30 and I'll give ya' the goods!

 

Hermana Wade being cautious at English class.

 

Back in Black

Here's a picture to sum this week:

Also this one:

It was cold. Yes, yes, laugh it up fuzzball! I realize you could take my temperature and divide it by 4.5 and it still wouldn't quite be yours.

But, you could also take my humidity and divide it by 9000 and it would still be more than yours! ,':]

Uuuuuummmmmm..... things happened? But only sometimes?? We had a day or two where all of our scheduled plans fell through, but then God was like "Here have this super prepared family. They even speak a dialect of Spanish you can understand." So that was pretty cool. Except we didn't ever catch the name of the family. And then they fell off the face of the earth. So don't tell, but we lost God's elect. 😁

One of our investigators (we'll call her Carol) recently lost their dad. Mom is visiting, but dad was still in Venezuela, so it must've been sudden. We took her flowers, chocolate, and a note, but haven't seen her since. We hope she can find solace in the Book of Mormon. I can't help but feel like this is the final straw between her and joining the church though. If she can look to God and draw close to Him by reading and praying, she'll feel His love and know for herself that the BoM is true. Or she will collapse on the inside and we won't keep visiting her. I hope she's ok.

Our other investigator's (we'll call her Sharol) brother is currently in the hospital with a brain tumor. She said she'd read the Book of Mormon while sitting with him. Again, if she can feel of God's love in this hard time, she's going to pull through and be fine. We know this family will come to the gospel, as they're just so great, but when... We don't know. We're just hoping she's reading.

Everyone else in Florida is sick due to the cold. We've had so many cute Spanish ladies, barely visible through a mostly closed door, explain in detail how cold it is outside and how they couldn't possibly talk any longer and how sick they are and how sick all their friends are and how we must be positively freezing and oh how cold it is. Then they repeat themselves at least once or twice more then close the door, letting us run back to our car. Cute! Also, So grateful for a car. BLESSINGS!!

That's about all that happened this week. So... see you next week?

Same Bat-time,
Same Bat-channel.

P.S. This is a dessert called Plátanos. And oh! It's so good! It's just sliced and fried plantains. They were served at Zone Conference, and all the Hermanas had doubles because the English missionaries didn't realize what they're missing put on. Silly English missionaries!

Other photo: brigaderos. Sweet and condensed milk mixed with chocolate and butter. |:》

Leg Prisons*

This week, I wore pants*. And not even just once. 3 days in a row. It was weird. It felt like one big, eternal wedgie. I miss home and all, but I don't actually miss the part where it's socially expected to wear pants. I bet you all are dying to ask me "Sister Baer, (at which point I'd correct you, pointing out the whole Hermana thing; you'd probably then say in a slightly less patient and caring tone "Hermana Baer," at which point I'd correct you and tell you the H is silent, at which point you'd probably just walk away;) what is a sister (/Hermana) of your stellar caliber doing wearing pants?" Here I say "The Lord is good." We ran out of Miles this week. Twice. Do you know what that means--BIKES!!! IT MEANS BIKES!!! Wow! Such fun! So joy! I have been waiting since day 2 of the MTC to ride my bike. We got to go 2 whole miles to knock some doors! Wheeee! I was so sore the next day! How embarrassing!! 😄 Mostly I just don't ever want to drive the car again! And I want a slightly thicker toothpick for a seat. But New Years Eve, we parked the car with 2.4 allotted miles left in the month, 15 left in the gas tank, and -30 minutes to get home on time. Oops. Oh well. Maybe the mission office will start realizing how terrible of a driver I am and release me from the burning confines of designated driver. /:"

 Um... ever since Sis. Bond went home, we haven't taken at least 2 selfies a day, so... I don't really remember what else happened this week...

> Christmas was food! (I tried to type good, but I missed and food just kinda happened. Thinking back, Christmas really was food. So I'm leaving it.)

> We accidentally stayed out until ... a really late hour caroling with the Relief Society. We had to get a member ride (‘cuz we ran out of Miles -- see above) and it was the same member who we were stuck with when we locked our keys and phone in the car. I'm going to keep this part a little vague in case President Clark finds and reads my blog. :) So... Sh!

 > Sis. Wade had a baptism in her old area, so we went on a road trip. Downtown Orlando is pretty cool! I took some really terrible pictures of it, which I will now share with you. Almost every Hermana in the mission was there. We were only missing Hermanas Kent and Robbins. I didn't want them to feel left out, so I drew them in.

Ok, I'm tired of typing/texting. You can make up your own great story and pretend like it happened to me. At this point, it probably either will or has happened.

Ok, BYYEEEEE!

I've decided to call our bike rack Jerry. Because it's rigged. If you look really hard, you might see the prayers and angels holding it on.

Cool story: I took this picture by my self. Look Mom, No Hands!!

Caroling 5 days after Christmas at a super late hour.

Bad pictures of D-T Orlando. You're welcome.

Hermanas at the baptism.

Hermana-land (you can't even tell Hna. Kent y Robbins WEREN'T there. Bob Ross would be proud)

What the Gladsome Tidings?!

25 December 2017 

Murry Chursmus! You did it. You made it through the crazy holiday season. I guess, not really. There's still new years. So... I guess not... this is awkward... :/

But Christmas! You got it all wrapped and presents under the tree and stocking filled and everything!! I'm so pa-roood!

We started out the week with transfers. Same area but a new companion. I'm now with Hermana Wade: 6 foot 2 with bright red hair. She's been out only one transfer more than I have, so we've had a couple moments of shaky Spanish, but... the Lord's got it. But she's great! She loves being a missionary and is super loving the area. I hope she's here for a long time! I think the members will really love her. :)

How to describe this week: Um... Phenomenal? We had a baptism on Saturday, a super cute and spiritually strong Peruvian couple. He's been searching for God for years, and in our first lesson (in which we said about 10 words) he told us that something about this church just feels right, that we've got something other churches don't. Already God was preparing him. But we planned out everything carefully for the baptism, so I was surprised when everything seemed to fail and fall through. I did my very best (in prep, on the piano, with technology, in Spanish, behind the scenes in the font, and with the food afterwards) but I just felt like I wasn't good enough. In the last prayer, I had a secret prayer of my own where I just begged God to accept my failure of a baptism, just asking for it to be enough for this couple. In that moment, He shared with me a lot about Grace. It was a really cool moment for me, and in the end, it was enough. The wonderful couple had so much joy! Mmm, God is good, and not just to me.

 I hope Christmas is going/ went well, and I hope you have a simply Marvelous New Year!


Picture time!

Florida's version of a white Christmas

Someone's mom got a little excited with wrapping paper.

Sis Robbins and I played (sang? performed? shared?) a musical number at the Christmas devo this week. Let's just say, she did really good, and His grace is sufficient.

I'm grateful I could hold the door open to God in their life. I really did nothing to help them; they practically jumped into the font! I just handed them a pamphlet on their way down.

Man, I miss the snow