Get Fit!

The snow storm on Tuesday was quite the deal!!  It wasn't the blizzard as advertised but it did drop a good 7-8 inches of snow followed by rain which then froze.  With temperatures in the 20's, the snow turned to solid ice.  I didn't go out on Tuesday and neither did the missionaries so no snow was shoveled.  Wednesday morning I decided I should at least clear off the steps in front of my door.  How foolish was I!  I would have needed a jack hammer to clear away the snow.  I sprinkled some snow melt on the ice but it had little effect on the thick ice layer.

Tuesday evening after the storm

Spending the day shut in was fun.  The sisters chose to spend much of the day with me too.  I did get a few things done like the first aid packets I give to the missionaries at the trainer/trainee meeting.  In fact I put together 30 kits so I will be prepared for a couple of months.

In each kit the new missionaries receive is an elastic wrap, Hand sanitizer, tooth flossers, hand wipes,
disposable thermometer, antibiotic ointment, and band-aids. My box of 30 kits.

Sisters Panoussi, Bush, Persinger and Steninger. My "shut-in" partners.

Wednesday evening, I went somewhere, I can't remember where, but when I got home about 8:30, someone had cleared off the steps and even shoveled the walk up to the church.  I don't know how in the world they did it but it was miraculous.  I asked the elders and one pair denied it outright, but the second pair I asked suggested that it was a ghost in the night.  I invited them to dinner on Sunday.

My car was frozen in the driveway so I rode to the mega-zone conferences this week with the Williams.  Thursday and Friday it warmed to the high 30's and some of the snow melted.  In the street at the end of the driveway there is still a large pile of frozen snow/ice pushed there by the snow plow.  Saturday, I decided that enough of the hill had melted so I braved the ice/snow/pile and got a running, sliding jump out of the driveway.  I was able to go grocery shopping and run a few other errands.

There are some cars though, that are still stuck behind mountains of snow.  Another warm day tomorrow is predicted so by Monday, maybe most people will be able to get their cars unburied.  Good thing public transportation is so good here.

We had some snow on Wednesday to add to Tuesday's storm. This picture shows how the cars are buried.
Imagine trying to dig you car out of this pile of ice!! (Today, Sunday, I saw people still unburying their cars.
Most are out though.)

The zone conference scheduled for Tuesday was postponed so all would be safe in the storm.  Wednesday the conference was in Flushing.  There was a bit of a storm that day too but the William's have a four wheel drive so they were able to get out of the driveway with no difficulty.

Thursday the conference was in Woodside and Friday it was in Plainview.  This conference cycle I decided to do a presentation on the importance of exercise.  This is what I based my presentation on:

The senior couples help with the lunches at the conferences. We were ahead of schedule so here
you see us catching up. Elder Williams, Sister Adams, me, Elder Johnson and Elder Adams.

Lunch

My posters

When many people decide to "get fit," they assume it involves rigorous activity. But you don't have to spend hours in a gym to be physically active. You can get in shape by performing everyday activities in the home. Every time you climb a flight of stairs, walk to the store, or carry packages, your health and fitness levels are improving.

When someone is physically fit, they feel and look better, and stay healthier. The earlier a person starts getting in shape, the more they'll reduce their risk of numerous illnesses. Here are some of the benefits that physical activity offers you:

1. It strengthens the heart. The heart is a muscle. Like other muscles, its performance improves when it's regularly challenged by exercise. The heart responds to exercise by becoming stronger and more efficient. Strengthening the heart muscle can help ward off heart disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services -- even in early childhood.

2. It helps keep arteries and veins clear. Exercise reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol and fats in a person's blood. It increases the flexibility of the walls of blood vessels, and helps to lower blood pressure. This can reduce a person's risk for heart attack and stroke.

3. It strengthens the lungs. Working hard increases lung capacity, and their efficiency in moving air in and out of the body. As a result, more oxygen is drawn into the body and more carbon dioxide and other waste gases are expelled. Regular exercise helps prevent the decline in oxygen intake that occurs naturally with age or as a result of inactivity.

4. It reduces blood sugar levels. Exercise prevents sugar from accumulating in the blood by triggering muscles to take up more glucose from the bloodstream and use it for energy. This can reduce a person's risk of developing diabetes.

5. It controls weight. When a person is sedentary, he tends to be taking in more calories than are needed. These unused calories accumulate as fat. A person who is physically active may have a deficit of calories, which takes fat away and lowers weight. Lowered weight is good for the heart and can be beneficial in people with diabetes.

6. It strengthens bones. Just as muscles grow stronger when physically stressed, bones also respond by getting stronger. Exercise increases bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose density, weaken, and become porous and fragile.

7. It improves energy levels. Regular exercise often makes people feel more energetic, allows them to be more active, and reduces the likelihood that they'll tire during the day.

8. It enhances emotional well-being. Most people report that they feel calm and have a sense of well-being after they exercise. Exercise, according to one theory, releases beta-endorphin, a natural substance in the body that is hundreds of times more potent than morphine. Another theory points to serotonin as the cause of the exercise high. Increased levels of serotonin in the central nervous system are associated with feelings of well-being, heightening of appetite, and lessening of mental depression. The weight loss that accompanies exercise can also cause people to feel better about themselves.

The Human Body: A Gift and a Responsibility

Larry Tucker BYU professor of exercise sciences when this devotional address was given 28 May 2013.

The Lord understands everything about the human body. He created it. He knows how to make it healthy and what causes it to weaken and die. As He demonstrated with the Three Nephites and with John the Beloved, if He desires He can modify the physical tabernacle so that it will not get sick or die. Science is a long way from those discoveries, but, gradually, through research and the Lord's inspiration, we are learning how to best nourish, exercise, and repair the body.

In Doctrine and Covenants 130 we learn that if we want the blessings of good health, we have to obey certain laws. I love verses 20 and 21:

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-

And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

Notice that all blessings are predicated on obedience to certain laws. Blessings-and, for that matter, negative consequences-do not occur randomly. Natural laws govern all aspects of the universe, including how the human body functions. These laws are eternal and unchanging. They are "truths." I find it fascinating to watch as new discoveries are made regularly, helping us better understand the eternal truths that govern all that we as humans know and have yet to learn.

We now know that much of good health and disease is determined by living or not living certain laws.

I love to get up in the morning and go to work to study the laws that govern human health and disease. These laws are intriguing to me. As Church members we are greatly blessed to have some of the most important and basic laws of health in the Word of Wisdom. I fear that many Church members underestimate the value of the Word of Wisdom. These truths are not all-inclusive, but there are many wonderful laws of health contained within the twenty-one verses of Doctrine and Covenants 89. Given that these truths were revealed in the early 1800s, they are remarkable in their coverage and accuracy. However, there is a catch. We must obey the laws to receive the blessings.

The effects of abiding by spiritual laws are typically gradual, line upon line. If we miss our morning prayer or skip our daily scripture study, there are consequences. We may not notice any change, but we will be different, ever so slightly. Fortunately we do not lose our testimonies in a day. If we miss another day, the effects are more significant, but we still may not notice any difference. Slowly but surely our testimonies grow or deteriorate based on the extent to which we nourish them. Over time the consequences of what seem to be insignificant choices accumulate, and we become who we now are.

The same is true regarding our lifestyle decisions and the health of our bodies. Line upon line, day by day, our bodies change ever so slightly based on what we eat, the extent to which we exercise, and other important choices. The daily consequences appear insignificant, but when summed together the effects are amazing-often dictating the diseases we develop, how long we live, and the quality of our lives.

On Thursday after zone conference, I went into Manhattan and had dinner with my niece, Alica and her husband, Matt, and their daughters, Aspen, Brooke, and Callie.  They came from Phoenix to NYC for spring break-just in time for the blizzard.  I enjoyed my dinner with them and appreciated the place they chose.  Max Brenner:  Chocolate by the Bald Guy.   You can read about it here.

Matt, Aspen, Brooke, Alicia and Callie

They couldn't get an available taxi so they arrived in a white limo!!!

The restaurant is in the area of Union Square Park.  There is a statue there of George Washington.  It is the oldest statue in the NYC Parks collection.  It is a very nice park.  I think I will go back on a more spring-like day and explore it more thoroughly.

You may read about the statue here

Across the street from the George Washington statue is a large creation on the sides of two adjacent buildings.  It apparently has caused quite a ruckus in the city.  I think it is interesting but many object to it.  The work is called the Metronome.  The digital clock is most interesting.  I encourage you to read about this.  The part about the clock is nearer the end of the article.

You may read about it here.

This city is full of amazing things.  Around every corner I find something that catches my eye or piques my interest.

This week I had occasion to study about feeling and recognizing the Spirit in our lives. The gift of the Holy Ghost I received at baptism blesses me in every way. I rely on and can count on that guidance as long as I am trying to do my part.  One of the talks I read was given by Sister Linda K Burton at a CES devotional at BYU-Idaho.  You may read it here.

I pray that you will enjoy the guidance and peace that the Holy Ghost can bring to you.

I love you my family and friends.

Before each conference the missionaries may have yogurt with granola. Sister Reynolds brings boxes
that each contain blueberry, strawberry and peach yogurt. The strawberry goes first and then the peach.
At the end there is ALWAYS a lot of blueberry and a few peach left over. On Friday I decided to
tackle the problem. We actually had a few strawberry left and much fewer cartons of blueberry!

You may remember Laura from previous blogs. She is a convert from Colombia. She desperately
wanted to attend the temple. She obtained her recommend the day before she left to return to her home
because her visa expired. I received pictures this week. She made it to the temple.
She is one happy young woman!

I love the blue skies and Jake, my hiking son. I appreciate the pictures he sends of the mountains I miss.

On my walk Saturday, there was a flock of birds around two houses. They were chirping noisily.
I only captured a picture of a small portion of the number.

Sunday dinner. Tula, me, Elder Wilkins, Sisters Persinger, Bush, Steninger, Panoussi,
Elders Winters, Aguilera, and Menden

Tula. My 92 year old friend from my ward. She is from Peru originally but has lived here for many years.
She said that when she moved here the only place to go to church was on Long Island. She has seen
the church grow and change in Queens and Brooklyn. She was the first Relief Society President in
the Rego Park 1st Ward. She is full of stories.

DARE TO DO RIGHT!

For singing time today, I borrowed an idea from Katie.  We are going to learn a medley of Stand for the Right and Dare to do Right.  The children know Stand for the Right so to help them learn Dare to do Right I began with a story from The Friend by Elder Rex Pinegar:

"I dare you!" are words boys and girls often hear from friends who want you to prove to them that you are brave or strong or daring. They may ask you to do something that your parents or teachers have told you not to do-something that you know is wrong to do. I have learned that when we do something we know is wrong, we show weakness rather than strength. A person shows true bravery and strength only when he has the courage to do right.

Once, when I was about seven years old, I had a pal whom I liked very much. We often walked home from school together. We talked about such things as what happened at school that day or what we were going to be when we grew up. We talked of being brave and of being able to do many things.

Sometimes we would dare each other to jump across a ditch or to climb a tree just to prove that we were brave or that we could do things we had seen older boys and girls do.

As we came to my home one day we stood out by the road and talked about who was the fastest runner in the school. The discussion got a little louder as both of us began boasting. When I strongly insisted that I could run faster than my friend, he turned to me and said, "If you're so fast, I dare you to run across the road before that car gets here!"

I looked up the road and saw a car a short distance away. Without another word I dashed into the road to prove that I was fast and brave. A moment later the car's brakes squealed! Its bumper hit me, and I landed in an unconscious heap.

When I opened my eyes, my aching body, a hurt pride, and my mother's anxious face made me realize that I had been neither fast nor brave. I had only been foolish. I had brought sadness to myself and to others.

Fortunately, my injuries healed quickly. Of greater importance was the lesson I learned that has been valuable to me throughout my life. I learned that the only dare a person should ever accept is the DARE TO DO RIGHT.

If you accept a dare to do something that is not right, something that Heavenly Father or your parents would not want you to do, you will be left with a sad and disappointed feeling. When you dare to do right you will have a good feeling about yourself."

Next I introduced the words of the song with another story.  The bold letters are the lines of the song which I sang and then the children repeated after me.

Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, told a story about when he was in the Navy. I would like to tell it to you now in his words.

"Navy boot camp was not an easy experience for me...I shall ever remember when Sunday rolled around after the first week. We received welcome news from the chief petty officer. Standing at attention on the drill ground in a brisk California breeze, we heard his command: "Today everybody goes to church!"  Then he shouted, "All of you Catholics, you meet in Camp Decatur-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"

Dare to do right! Dare to be true!

Then he barked out his next command: "Those of you who are Jewish, you meet in Camp Henry-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!" Then he said, "The rest of you Protestants, you meet in the theaters at Camp Farragut-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"

You have a work that no other can do;

Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought, "Monson, you are not a Catholic; you are not a Jew; you are not a Protestant. You are a Mormon, so you just stand here!" I can assure you that I felt completely alone. Courageous and determined, yes-but alone.

Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well,

Then the chief petty officer looked in my direction and asked, "And just what do you guys call yourselves?" Until that very moment I had not realized that anyone was standing beside me or behind me on the drill ground. Almost in unison, each of us replied, "Mormons Sir!" It is difficult to describe the joy that filled my heart as I turned around and saw a handful of other sailors.

Angels will hasten the story to tell.

The chief petty officer thought for a moment and finally said, "Well, you guys go find somewhere to meet. And don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"

Dare, dare, dare to do right;

As we marched away, I thought of the words of a rhyme I had learned in Primary years before:

Dare to be a Mormon;
Dare to stand alone.
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.
Dare, dare, dare to be true,

Since that day, there have been times when there was no one standing behind me and so I did stand alone. How grateful I am that I made the decision long ago to remain strong and true. May we always be prepared to stand for what we believe and if we must stand alone, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge the we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven.

Dare to be true, dare to be true.

My oldest granddaughter, Cicilee, joined the Navy and is now in boot camp in Chicago.  This story about President Monson reminded me of Cicilee.  It has been really hard for her but I am so proud of her for her commitment and dedication to serving our country.  She passed a test last week and had the highest score of all of the women in the camp. She will graduate boot camp on April 7th (I'll be going there to see it.) and then she will go to Monterrey CA for language training.  She will be learning Russian and Arabic and other languages for 2 years before she begins her work as a CTI-cryptologic technician interpretive.  She will be translating classified documents and interrogating prisoners as I understand it.  She certainly is daring to choose the right!"

Tuesday was transfer day here in the mission.  We received 13 new missionaries and 7 completed their missions and returned home on Wednesday.  I was again privileged to go to the mission home to hear and feel their departing testimonies.

Departing missionaries with Sister and President Reynolds

The sisters leaving the church for the mission home.

Sisters Bugingo snd Morales. Elder Garza and Sister Johnson

Sisters Dos Santos, Tarnasky, Fitt

Thursday I went to Brooklyn to pick up some glasses at Costco for a missionary who was transferred out on Long Island.  The Costco is located in a large industrial area called Industry City.  It is probably the largest Costco I have been in and it was packed.  The parking lot was full and it wasn't even Saturday!

Rows of warehouses in Industry City

Costco and parking lot

The area is large and full of huge buildings.  If you would like to read about Industry City (here), it is quite interesting.

After I picked up the glasses I drove out to Hicksville.  I got to have an early dinner with the elders.  They chose Chick-fil-a.

Elder Nielson in his new glasses with Elder Rhodes

It was a beautiful warm day.  I had to turn on the air conditioner in my car it was so warm. 

Friday morning I woke to a snow storm.  It wasn't bad though thank goodness.  I went into Manhattan twice to accompany two different missionaries for treatment.  After the last trip into the city, I was hungry so I coerced the missionary I was with to have dinner with me at NUR, a Thai restaurant close to my apartment.  I had Tom Kha soup and Thai salad.  She had drunken noodles. (This Thai dish features pad Thai rice noodles and crispy tofu. Roasted red chili paste and jalapeño add fiery spice to the sweet-and-savory sauce.)   For dessert we shared sticky rice and mangoes.  Delicious meal!!

Snow on the trees looking out of the window in Manhattan

Sign on the train:  One Book New York. People are to read one of five books
and vote on which one is best. Sort of a city wide read-a-thon.

Thai salad

Drunken noodles

Tom kha. This classic chicken and coconut soup gets its rich and dynamic flavor from
quintessential Thai ingredients: coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, lime juice, fish sauce,
chile paste, basil, and cilantro. It is really good!

Sticky rice and mangoes

We stopped in a .99 Store to get a hand mirror to use in the nursery at primary. I saw this
red sequined hat and had to try it on. My companion snapped my silliness so thought I'd share.

Saturday was the ward Relief Society birthday luncheon.  I only attended for a few minutes and then was called away for a conference call with our area medical doctor in Boston and an elder in Utah from our mission who is home recuperating with a knee injury.  Hopefully he will be able to return soon.

Saturday afternoon I took a sister to urgent care and did my grocery shopping at Stop & Shop (NY version of Smith's) next door to the UC while she was being treated.

Saturday night salad dinner

It has been a great week.  I have walked every day but today, Sunday.  I managed to get or exceed my 10,000 steps on 4 of the days.  I'm trying to get back into hiking condition after my winter of laziness. 

Life is good.  I love the Lord who has given me everything.  I am so grateful for my countless blessings.  I love my mission.  I love the missionaries.  I love the people of the New York.

I love you my family and friends.

Storm coming in on Tuesday

I got in on a skype with the sisters in Bermuda. Sisters Thompson and Wuthrich

No Effort is Ever Wasted!

Going to baptisms is a wonderful blessing of being here in the mission field.  I attended many baptisms at home before I came because I taught the 7, turning 8, year old children in Primary, so I attended each baptism.  They were special and spiritual but it is a little different to watch an older person be baptized.  They express such gratitude and happiness.  You can see it in their faces.  Yesterday we had four people baptized: two boys from our Primary and two convert baptisms.  The room was full with standing room only.  Afterward, refreshments were served in the cultural hall. What a treat to participate in such an event.

This has been a particularly busy week.  Many cases of stomach virus and colds with all of the ramifications:  sore throats, coughs, ear pain, etc.  The cold virus that is going around seems to be particularly bad for lingering coughs and body aches.  Not as bad as the influenza but close in some cases.

Monday morning on my walk through a park, I had a friend who followed me for a way running in and out through the daffodils.  He was about to run up to me but some passers-by scared him away.  I think people must feed the squirrels.  He was on his way to me for a handout.

Monday evening I went to Far Rockaway to a farewell dinner for Elder and Sister Lilly.  Their mission is over and they have left.  We had Thai food and I was bad and forgot to take pictures.  They are the best genealogy missionaries!!  They taught many people in our mission and also in the North mission how to find family names to take to the temple.  They taught the missionaries how to help their investigators and converts how to find names. They will be missed as missionaries but more as best of friends!!

Tuesday I had lunch with some great sisters and then more who came to my home while their companions were at the temple.  I fed them dinner and thoroughly enjoyed my day.

Sisters Figaro and Krause

I had a call so the sisters walked ahead. They went down a driveway to jump out a scare me.
I saw them do that so I foiled their attempt

Pork gyro. The sisters had never had baklava so I was duty bound to educate them

I provided blankets so the sisters waiting for their companions could keep warm in "Sister Petersen's ice castle"

Sisters Nelson, Reeve, Valverde, Lyu, Spackman, Taylor

Wednesday I went to Manhattan with some missionaries to an appointment.

Thursday I had a late lunch with two elders at The Cheesecake Factory.  I always forget how HUGE the "skinnylicious" salads are.

Friday I served dinner to the sister training leaders and the sisters they exchanged with.

Had a surprise visit from a former missionary, Oakley Patterson

Sisters Bush, Pew, Gourley, Eckhardt

Dinner with Sisters Bush, Pew, Eckhardt, Steninger

Because of the nature of my calling as nurse, I don't have many stories of converts and teaching the Gospel.  I receive copies of weekly letters from a few of the missionaries.  I thought I would like to share one with you.  I received permission Sister Fitt but first I would like to tell you about her.  She was called to teach Korean speaking people.  The Korean area of Queens is in Flushing.  I have known Sister Fitt her entire mission.  She has taught me a lot about Korean food and introduced me to The French Workshop Bakery and the "Duke."   She will be going home this Wednesday.  She is half Korean.  Her mother is Korean and her father served a mission to Korea. 

The Korean pool is small because Korean people are reluctant to listen to the missionaries. When a new Korean speaking missionary comes to the mission, in order to place them in the Korean speaking area, an older Korean speaking missionary often has to leave Flushing and go to an English speaking assignment.  This is what happened to Sister Fitt.

Now her letter:

Today is my departing temple trip and my departing interview so it will be a pretty big day. We get the opportunity to go to the temple with our Mission President and His wife. I have officially served an 18 month mission yesterday! I am so grateful to have some "bonus" days until I return home next week.

So when you think that your mission doesn't get much better....it somehow does.

Last Friday we had interviews with President Reynolds. At the end of my interview President looked at me and said, "Sister Fitt...you have 1 week left. Go find one more family to teach." I loved that he said that and somehow knew that we could. I really believed that in my last week Heavenly Father would continue to show His hand in the work and that we would find the prepared people. But something happened that exceeded any faith that I thought I even had...

Friday night we were on exchanges with Sister McDowell and Sister Spencer. We had a lesson planned for 6:30pm at the Huntington Library(about a 30min drive) so we last-minute decided to move up our dinner time from 4:30-5:30 so that we would have plenty of time to get there just in case we hit traffic. Sister Spencer and I had arrived early and wanted to do street contacting until our lesson. We walked down the Main Street and were talking to people. The weather has been so incredibly nice that I was wearing a lighter jacket than I have for the past few months. After talking to a few people I realized all our pass-along cards with our name and number were in the car. We had to run back to where we parked to get more cards. As we are walking I see this man. He is outside a dry cleaning shop with his son. Because we were in a rush to get the cards we almost walked past him...but something stopped me. I turned to him and introduced myself. He was Asian but I couldn't tell if he was Korean or Chinese. I asked and when he said Korean, of course I got excited. I started speaking to him...and I am not going to lie I thought, by the look on his face, that he was just going to say he goes to another church and that he wasn't interested, (like most Koreans we talk to) but I couldn't have been more wrong. He smiled and the first question he asked was where our church was. In awe and excitement I explained that we have a Korean Branch in Flushing and an English Branch here in Plainview. I asked him if he would be interested in learning and he said he wanted to talk to his wife. He invites us into the Dry cleaning shop where we met his wife, Jessica. Expecting her to be more fluent in Korean, like her husband, I excitedly introduced Sister Spencer and me in Korean. Shocked at the fact that I could speak Korean she stopped everything she was doing to talk to us. She has grown up in America so she was naturally more comfortable in English and she was very interested in learning. The more we talked the more excited she got.

She explained that she has two kids, a daughter in middle school and a son about to go into middle school. They were never raised up with any sort of religious background. She says she knows that there is a God and that she wants her children to know it to in order to grow up and have more of a purpose. She literally said she had been having this on her mind for the past few days and that it was almost like fate that we had shown up at her dry cleaning shop. She said it felt like it was meant to be. She said she wants her whole family to start going to church and getting closer to God and each other.

Holding back tears of joy and excitement I testified of my own family and how because of this gospel, we have been able to grow closer to each other. I told her that because my parents always put the Lord as their priority in everything we did as a family we were blessed to find the happiness God wants for all his children. She and her husband looked at each other and smiled. You could see it in their eyes how bad they wanted this. We closed with a prayer, in Korean, and they thanked us for coming by. We have a return appointment this Friday and she said she would love to make this weekly and then asked if she would be able to join us for church sometime. :)

Walking out of the shop I was overcome with emotion. I turned to Sister Spencer and just cried...tears of joy. I hit exactly 18 months of my mission yesterday and it was always a dream of mine to be able to not only find prepared Korean people, but a Korean Family!! Not serving in Flushing I didn't think that I would ever be able to do it. Heavenly Father truly does bless us in the most unexpected, extraordinary ways. I am so grateful that I was able to meet this Korean family out here in Plainview. Heavenly Father really knows what he is doing...he really has a plan for us. I now know why I needed to be in Plainview for my last transfer. I love this Gospel and I am so grateful for the countless miracles I have seen each and every day of my mission.

Marko-This was also a huge moment where we saw how Heavenly Father really does love all his children. We were knocking a neighborhood to find people that were interested and there was a man sitting on his staircase outside and when we walked up to his house, he stood up to go inside in order to avoid talking to us. We called after him and asked him if we could talk for a second.

He turned to us with tears in his eyes and sat on the staircase and started crying. He explained to us that a few seconds before he had received a phone call with some of the worst news and that all he wanted to do was cry. He was without a job now. We listened to him because it was clear he needed someone to just listen to his problems. We stood there and tried to comfort him and asked if we could pray with him. He has such a pure heart but is just in a really bad place in life at this moment. He talked to us about his life and how many mistakes that he has made and that he wishes he could just start over. We reassured him that he could.

We testified that he could start over and have a clean slate through and only through Jesus Christ. We explained to him how the Book of Mormon truly brings the peace that we look for because we can get to know our Savior. We shared with him a verse and he cried even more. He said that he felt like God was more real than ever before because at the very moment that he needed strength the most, we walked up to his house to comfort him. We agreed to meet again...but before we had a chance to text him, we received a text from him saying,

"Hi sisters. It's Marko from yesterday. I want to thank the both of you for being there for me yesterday. Gods light shined so brightly through both of you that it brought me to tears. I believe he put you there at that exact moment because he knew that I was truly in need and I am truly grateful that we got to pray together.

I'm doing my best to get through these obstacles life has thrown my way. I did what you recommended and called out to Jesus in prayer and felt presence in my heart. I don't know what plans he has for my life but what you said about starting over with a clean slate sounded very comforting to me. I'm just tired and heartbroken and my tears yesterday meant more than the bad news. It was very comforting to have met you. Thank you!"

The next day...

"I've been reading the literature you left me with. I feel as if I'm labeled as "unworthy" in the eyes of your congregation. I have many bad labels but I'm only as innocent as the cards I was dealt. I'm sorry if I don't fit your mission. But I do want you to know that I am ever so grateful that you were there to share my grief yesterday. I'm certain everything will work out for me though I feel downtrodden so did Jesus. It was so nice to be reminded that Jesus isn't mad at me and is there to rejuvenate my strength. I guess all I can do is pray and hope....

I am honored that you would invite me to church and every inkling in my body is telling me to go and I want to go but I feel as if it's too soon to partake in the congregation partly because it's a little scary and I'm also a little insecure. Perhaps we can meet for a service in a week from Sunday so I can further study and better acclimate myself. Washington Ave in Plainview is very close to my house, so I'm all for it, but I'm not ready due to my apprehension.

From what I've read on the Church of LDS I found it very fascinating on how structured and disciplined your organization is. I became fond of the words of wisdom in the standards of worthiness. Please be patient with me because I feel like I won't fit in. My apprehension is primarily feeling like an outcast because I don't know what to wear and it's too sudden. I can pray on it and give you a sure answer tomorrow."

Thank you for your kind diligence, I will pray tonight so that I may have more clarity and security. I'll text you tomorrow. And thank you for responding. Enjoy the rest of your night - Marko."

The day after that....

"I prayed this afternoon for Christ to give me clarity and take away any insecurities and apprehension I may have had about attending church on Sunday; and I prayed for guidance and now I know my true path is to follow in his footsteps. I feel 100% confident and I'm actually looking forward to attending church on Sunday.

I believe that your timing on Tuesday was a sign of divine intervention and I can't ignore it, the timing was too perfect. While I prayed I felt the dark illusions of insecurity and apprehension leave my body. When I closed my eyes it was cloudy all morning and about 15 minutes later the sun was breaking through the clouds and about a dozen finches were singing around the bird feeder.

All of yesterday and this morning I couldn't shake off the anxiety, then when I prayed it all disappeared and I felt all my depression fade away. My apprehension turned to confidence and I feel happy right now and the only way I can explain this happiness is that I was invited to church by you both and I'm happy about attending. I'm dropping off my suit at the cleaners :)
Thank you both for this new chance at life... "

And he came to church:) Everyone loved him! He got a haircut, wore a suit, and looked like a whole new person. He stayed for all 3 hours, participated, and seemed to enjoy every second, The members came up to us and told us this is the most prepared investigator they had ever met. After church he went around to everyone and thanked them for being so welcoming and said "See ya next week!" to literally everyone. He even signed up to bring something for our "munch and mingle"! After church he said he loved it and said, "I want to be a member of this church. I haven't felt so good in my whole life."

And THEN....

We had a lesson with him last night and he had read the whole Restoration Pamphlet, researched our church online, and expressed his desire to give up all his bad habits in life and become more like Christ. We set a baptismal date with him for March 18. After we talked about baptism...he smiled and said, "I am a little ahead of the game...I had secretly hoped you would ask me that because I want to do everything I can to prepare myself to be baptized and feel the Spirit more abundantly....like I did at church."

He might be the most PREPARED guy I have met on my mission. So grateful that we were AGAIN in the right place at the right time.

And last but not least- Hannah!

Also on exchanges Sister Snow and I met this girl named Hannah who had previously met with missionaries in France. She use to have a baptismal date but never chose to be baptized because she wasn't quite ready to give up the lifestyle she was living. She seemed very much like a free spirit but she agreed to meet with us.

On Sunday night we met up for the second time and she said that ever since I told her on the street, "Hey God must be trying to show you a sign...meeting missionaries in 2011 in France and then again here. Maybe you should take this chance to try learning more about it!" that my words were ringing in her head. She felt like that was true and that she needed to come and try again because she feels ready to commit to the things she remembered learning about.

We taught her about the Book of Mormon and as we kept talking she expressed her desire to be baptized and get work off to come to church. She still is friends with her previous missionaries and we were able to get in contact with them to let them hear of the good news! Just like I have seen throughout my mission. NO EFFORT IS EVER WASTED:) Sometimes it just takes the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th try....or even more. Heavenly Father truly guides us to his prepared children!

I so enjoy hearing the stories and experiences of the missionaries.  I ask them often about what they are doing and who they are teaching.  It builds my testimony and I love to feel the spirit that comes with them.

I love the Lord.  I love my mission.  I love studying the scriptures and learning about the things the Lord would have me do.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way!

I love you my family and friends.

I've thought a lot about the people of New York. Most of the time it seems they are "cold" or
they have that "don't bother me" attitude but I have found that many times if I say "hello" or a greeting
of some kind, I get a smile or a verbal response back. In my walks in the mornings I
always try to present a cheerful greeting.

A few blocks from my apartment was a grocery store. Sister Prince introduced me to it because
it is within walking distance if you don't have too much to carry home. It was the Silver Barn.
(It has always looked red to me!) About 6 months ago it was renamed the Village Barn.
Then a month or so ago I noticed it was closed but that there was something going on in there.

This week one of the bay doors was open. I stopped to look in and saw it had been gutted and is
now being refurbished. I thought I'd take a picture to send to Sister Prince.

This man came out and informed me I needed a better subject than an empty building. Quite the jokester.

I am finding more and more that New Yorkers are just like everyone else if they have the chance.

I was shopping at Stop & Shop this week. I saw these poblano peppers and decided it was a taste of home.
I bought some and made Chili Verde for dinner on Sunday