Hello
Hello Hello!
Wow,
2 months out today! Crazy..! I am absolutely OVERJOYED to write to you all this
week. This past week has been one of hard work and determination. We are
preparing for another baptism this Thursday. Felipe is probably one of the
cutest 74-year-old men I have ever seen. He looks very much like the old and
criminal president of Mexico, dresses like a hipster, and says "mucho
gusto" every time he sees a missionary (even though we have have taught
him so many times).... In other words, he is precious and I am looking to
adopt. My companion, Hermana Bjork is one of the hardest working missionaries I
have ever met. Since becoming her companion I have never rested, and I wouldn't
change that for anything. I am so blessed to have her.
Alrighttyy..
Let's talk about food for a minute shall we? I must preface this by saying that
the only way I have avoided becoming a blimp is through hard exercise everyday.
This mission is actually nicknamed by all the missionaries as "the 20 lb
mission"..... Uhmm yes, I believe it. I had a couple meals this week that
caused me to consider waking up earlier to work out for longer. Haha! So quick
story here.. Every night we are fed by a member. Sometimes it is a full on
Mexican feast with rice, beans, salsa, tortillas, meats, and soups. Sometimes
it is just a quesadilla. This particular night we were blessed with just one
huge quesadilla and some veggies to eat. She also let us serve ourselves which
NEVER HAPPENS. The sweet Hermana feeding us asked us to serve ourselves some
pumpkin pie and we each took a tiny sliver. Phew, dessert was over. My buttons
weren't bursting yet and I was hoping that we would be able to share our little
lesson and leave before she fed us even more. However... after the lesson she
brought pan out of her fridge... it made a huge "thud" as she set it
on the table. My companion and I stared wide-eyed at the mystery before us. She
lifted the plastic wrap covering the pan and to our deep concern began scooping
up brick sized slices of cake. Now, this cake isn't just any old kind of cake.
Tres Leche or "three milk" cake is wet, sticky, and dense. The
generosity of the sister was so sweet and the members here serve the
missionaries so much but sometimes they forget that we cant always eat as much
as they want us to. Even though we try.. really hard. She proceeded to give us
each a brick of tres leche and looked at us expectantly as we eyed this
monstrous dessert. So we began. I made my way through about 1/3 of it before I
resigned to the fact that it was just not going to happen. My companion and I
grimaced as we both discreetly took a handful of napkins and placed them in our
laps. For the next five minutes we took turns distracting the darling Hermana
and scooping the cake into our napkins. What a nerve wracking chore! By the
time we finished we each had a sticky and wet wad of napkins and cake. This
probably won't be the first or last time we have to do this. :) I love the
members here, they are so so so kind and loving. They do so much and contribute
greatly to the success of the area.
Moreno
Valley is going through their "winter" and the best way to describe
it would be a "mild Utah fall". Celebrating the Christmas season with
palm trees and short sleeves feels a little weird to be honest. But I love it!
Most of the residential areas here in MO VAL are relatively nice and the people
are very sweet. However, there are also some pretty sketch spots and my
companion and I have had to make a run for the car a few times. There is a lot
of racial diversity and on one street we could meet people from 5 different
cultures. Wow! One thing about this area that causes the missionaries a little
bit of grief is the fact that we get mistaken for Jehovah's Witnesses ALL THE
TIME. As a result to this, people often respond in very rude and vulgar ways. I
have never had the F word screamed at me this much in my life, I suppose there
is a first time for everything! Haha!
San
Bernardino this week, as I am sure you all know, suffered a terrorist attack.
San Bernardino is about 30 minutes from where I am serving. I had the
opportunity to meet with people who work there and needed strength after a
traumatic day- What a great time to share the light and hope of the message of
Jesus Christ. This event has been the talk of the town down here and I am
grateful that we have the gospel to help comfort people.
Well
that is all for this week folks, thank you all so much for your love and
support. I am so grateful to be a part of your lives. Always remember how much
the Lord wants to be a part of our lives too!
Merry
Christmas and God Speed.
Xx.
Hermana
Tobler
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