Safely in New York

Hello family!

Yeah yeah I'm in New York! Ugh so much to say. Good thing I'm a fast typer. So yeah, we left the MTC at 3:30 in the morning. Not cool. Then we got to Detroit, layover for an hour, got on some tiny airplane to go to New York which took an hour and right after we got off the plane our mission president and his wife met us and took us in the Lamb van for pizza! Then we did some training and stuff at the mission home until about 8ish...I was a zombie all night and was really struggling not to fall asleep during all of this. That morning we went over to the church to be welcomed and meet our trainers. My companion/trainer's name is Sister Whitworth. She's from Glendale CA and has been here a litte over a year I think...she's really cool. Oh and my first area is Corning! I think its next to Pennsylvania... We also have a car and have some sweet music. Its not Mo-tab but like country church music and acapella groups. I feel lame because I like it. Yes you guys were right, everyone here is a hillbilly and a hoarder. Some houses are nicer than others but most  of them are cute town houses but they are also pretty rundown. I went into one apartment complex and the entrance looked exactly like the Monster House. It was so cool. Also, everyone here has those giant circular pools you buy at costco. Oh and lets see, my first dinner appointment was a couple days ago. The Sherrod's invited us over. (No its not an Indian name. Idk if you even thought that but it sounded like an Indian name to me) They live in the countray countray in a trailer with a cute kitty named Smokey. They made us homemade pizza and then gave us ice cream. Yeah, its kind of hard to get used to being in houses that aren't super nice, or even decentely nice like ours but I'm getting used to it and the people that live in the trailer homes are so nice! And Ian, Brother Sherrod's voice sounded just like Merle's but a littler higher pitched. He's even from Atlanta! Oh! And the first thing they did when I walked in was give me some fresh milk. Yep, straight from the cow. It was good though, tasted just like normal milk...

So basically, we've done more service for the Catholic church and First Congregational Church of Christ since I've been here but its all good. You guys missed out, the First Congregational Church had a huge yard sale we helped at. The lady also gave us free hot dogs and lemonade. We also volunteer at a Catholic food pantry every week so yes, we are saints.

 

Oh I've also met the coolest people! After the Sherrods I think I met Sister Ambrozac. She is like in her 60's I think and she lives alone with her dog and has a motorcycle! She's the coolest most easy-going person too! I guess she went into the doctor's to have some operation or whatever and they accidentally nicked an artery (can't spell) and basically she could feel herself dying but after they fixed her she told them that she would come back! She's like the cool motorcycle grandma. Also, oh my gosh hahahahah her little doggy peed on my companions! Ah, so funny. She felt so bad! So yes, first missionary experience. After Sister Ambrozac we went to Sister Williams' house. She lives in a Monster House apartment with her husband. She is a spunky and not-all-the-way-there black lady and she is hilarious! I think she's probably in her 40's and she is just so funny! We have to draw out pictures of our lessons for her so she can understand them better. Oh and then yesterday we went to visit dear Sister Laura Burguess. Oh my heck. The cutest old lady I have met in my life (after grandma of course) she also lives alone with her kitties and has the cutest clutter-filled house and we actually caught her right in time because we pulled up to her house after she was getting dropped off after a one year old's birthday party. She is so cute and has a really strong testimony of faith so thats good and she is just the epitamy of grandmothers. We also went to the Brignone's house for dinner yesterday. Got some potatoes and I forgot what its called but its the meat dad likes to put ketchup on and carrots in butter and brown sugar which I usually don't eat cooked veggies but I decided to try them and they were good! Also everyone has given us cake for dessert so far...they made us ice cream cake! So good. Oh and they do pears wtih shredded cheddar cheese on top. They were really nice and super into the church.

 

We also have some cool elders that work within our boundaries. Elder King and Elder Jones. Me and Elder Jones were new for this transfer. Elder King is from Tennessee and Elder Jones is from Saratoga Springs. Elder Jones kind of reminds me of Mecham which is weird. Which reminds me, forward me the emails I get from him!

 

And oh! I think I know where dad's bad grammar comes from!! He got it off his mission! Everyone here says says instead of said too! I keep hearing people say "so I says to him" and its so annoying! Ugh, I will not pick up on that. Ha, also there is an amish town around here so we drove around and saw people in their suspenders and stuff and we went to an amish store. Although we think they are Mennenaites (still can't spell) because they have cars and use electricity. Yeah I bought some nuts from the amish store. Very tasty. Also, I'll have you know I have cooked more than my companion since I've been here! I made cheese eggs and muffins this morning! She made some barley something or other for breakfast but I made muffins. Yeah everyone I've met likes cracked wheat or cream of wheat and its weird.

 

Church here is so weird! They only have a branch and maybe 40 people come. The chapel is tiny and its so weird! The parking lot was empty after church because there wasn't another ward coming. But I liked it...at least everyone knows everyone. and this Sunday a nonmember came! Idk why she came but we met her and she's an old lady and her name is Beatrice and she was so nice! We asked her how she liked church and she said she loved it and everyone was so friendly! She's in the Elder's area so they got her info but they felt like she might be more comfortable around sisters (and they have like 6 investigators while we have none) so they gave her to us. I think we're going to visit her this Wednesday.

 

So yeah, thats all the stuff I wanted to write. I'll be sending some pictures. Send me some if ya'll want. Just some pictures you think I might like. Also, dad! Me and my companion like singing Joseph and the Techinicolor Dreamcoat so make a copy of your cd and send it to me! I don't have my address with me right now but find it and send it! Also mom, anytime you can would be nice to get  me some tights. Its getting cold. The warm ones, send the warm ones!

 

Ok so I'll email with more stories next week!

Love you,

Sister Nilsson