Miratejo: Week 29

Thanksgiving buffet! Sorry it's blurry!

Hey everyone! 

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Can't believe it's already December and Christmas is everywhere! I love it though. Our Thanksgiving here was great! The Adriano family is awesome and they took all six of us missionaries in our ward to a buffet restaurant. It was really fun! We had codfish (that's like all the Portuguese eat) and salad and pasta... lots of stuff! I even got a Portuguese version of mashed potatoes! Glad you guys had the Sisters over there. I can't believe that missionaries there get multiple meals in one day! Crazy. 

Anyway on Saturday we had our Mission Tour with Elder Timothy Dyches of the Seventy. He spoke in the October General Conference this year so you can look up his talk if you can't remember what he looks like! We woke up at 5 am and there was a big strike with the train workers so we had to take a boat to Lapa in Lisbon. It was super cold but super fun! 60 percent of the missionaries in my mission was there and I got to see a BUNCH of my friends from old transfers! I loved it. I even saw Sister Gibbs! I was so excited. The conference was great! We learned about obedience, happiness, working with members, retention, LOTS of stuff. Sister Dyches, President and Sister Fluckiger spoke as well. It was really fun! We all got to shake Elder Dyches hand and introduce ourselves, but we aren't allowed to take pictures so don't get too excited. :)

Well we found out that my roommate Sister Riveros is actually 39 and she lived in Lima, Peru for 19 years and Italy for 20 years. She's nice she's like our apartment mother and only speaks Spanish haha. We can understand what she's trying to say most of the time though. The other sister is Sister Duran from Fresno, California. She has only 2 more transfers so she will be staying in this area for the rest of her mission! She's cool too!

So we went to visit a less active member, Nichole, and her two cousins answered the door Faberisia (25) and Jessica (20). They are from Cabo Verde and are SO cool. We asked them if they'd go to church with us and they were totally down to go! (Rare!) We told them we'd be there at 9:30 to pick them up and when we buzzed their door they came right down and were already ready to go! That NEVER happens haha! We all walked to church together and thank goodness it was SUCH a good sacrament meeting. The spirit was strong and Jessica leaned over and said she loved it and wants us to bring her a Bible. They stayed all 3 hours and when it was over they said they loved it and can't wait to come back next week! WOOHOO! We are going to pass by tonight and try to mark them for baptism this weekend. They are so nice. 

Well, we found out today that our Christmas party isn't the whole mission all together like it was last year. It's going to be all seperate. We're a little bummed about it because we expected to see the whole mission but it's okay it will still be fun! I don't know where I'll be for it yet because transfers are this week so I'll let you know when I will get my package! 

Oh. Just a side note. Literally almost EVERY person here makes fun of me for how I hold my pen. I don't know how I got away with that in first grade but it's hilarious. 

Well, I want to mail off a Christmas package so if anyone wants anything specific for Christmas let me know! (PLEASE) This is the last week of this transfer. I am not sure yet but everyone thinks I'm leaving here. It will be really sad to leave because I've gotten SO attached to the people here and I love my companion but it's always fun to try new things! We'll find out on Sunday! Oh by the way I hit my 8th month mark TOMORROW! Gross! Time is going so fast. 

Everyone have a great week! Love you! 

Sister Carroll