Letter #27: Zion.

So this week, I've acquired a new skill that I can add to my resume...the ability to read a map and actually use it to get myself where I need to be! The ancient GPS we were borrowing died on us, so we've been having to rely solely on maps and our own smarts to get ourselves where we're supposed to be. I've discovered that I actually do know my area really well, and I could get to a lot of places on my own without the GPS. But most of the people we teach are off of referrals from other missionaries...which means they could be anywhere in our rather massive proselyting area. So I've gotten really good at looking up obscure addresses of all these referrals and figuring out how to get there. Cool.

Also, this week we had a super sweet baptism! Okay, well, technically it wasn't "our" baptism, since Ellie isn't YSA. But Ellie was a woman that Sister Gordon and I found on our very first day together! She loved the blessing and accepted baptism, so we passed her to the assistants (she lives in their area) and didn't think much more about it. But the assistants kept us updated on her and how awesome she was...and then on Saturday, she got baptized! She was so happy and she got really excited to see us at her baptism. At the baptism, Ellie kept telling us how we were "her girls" and will "forever be her girls." She was telling everyone about how we knocked on her door and how it was an answer to prayers and that she really knew God sent us there. It was just a really special experience for all  of us. Ellie had even written a poem and I got to read it to everyone at her baptism. It was also cool to think back to that day and recognize how God truly did guide us to her. We had parked in her apartment complex with the intention to go harvest across the street, but when we got there I just felt like we really needed to knock her apartment building instead (even though I was fairly certain it had already been knocked by the sisters before me). But I followed that prompting and because of it, we were able to help Ellie find the gospel and get baptized! Yay!

Honestly....other than that, I can't think of too much to write about. There's this crazy huge ghetto mall/flea market here called "Swap Shop" and we went there on p-day last Monday. I found myself some sweet $4 shoes. I love them. Sister Gordon bought a $5 watch that stopped working an hour later. Swap Shop is the best! Family, if we ever come back to visit my mission, we are TOTES hitting up Swap Shop.

Oh! I can't believe I forgot. I got to go to MIAMI this week! Woot woot! I went on an exchange down to Miami Shores (north Miami). I was SUPER excited to go to Miami. It was sweet. The area I was in was even more ghetto than Ft. Laud! Awesome. Also, there was literally a church on every corner. It was pretty crazy. We were actually working in Liberty City, which I guess happens to be one of the top 5 worst crime cities in the country! Super cool! I wish I'd seen something wild go down while I was there, but I didn't. Just a lot of people telling us to "be careful, this is a bad neighborhood."It was also cool because the sister I was with on exchange is actually from Ft. Laud (crazy, I know!) and we baptized her cousin into Nova! So she got to hear all about that and she told me how emotional she got when she saw the pictures from the baptism. Pretty cool. 

My Spanish is also improving a lot. I had a couple of sweet blessings in Spanish this week and I even had some nice conversations with the people afterwards! I still can't talk about much more than church-y stuff, but hey. I'm getting there.

Okay, well that's the news from Ft. Laud today. Leaving the area for my exchange made me realize how much I love it here in my area. This place is Zion. Seriously.

xoxoxo

sis dougal