Living the Dream: Surprise!

Yesterday, Hermana Henrie and I went to the travel office to pick up her flight plans for her re-assignment while she waits for her Visa. We walk in and they start asking her where she is going. Another lady comes over to me and says, "You are Sis. Thomas?" so I said yes... then she says, "Taylor Adeline Thomas?" Whoa, I haven't been called that in a while..haha but I said "yes". So she says, "Oh perfect. We just stuck a little note in your mailbox to have you come here. We have a new assignment for you". WHAT!? A NEW ASSIGNMENT!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I was freaking out and saying all these things in my head. Why do I have a new assignment? I am going to Sacramento. I don't need a Visa, I wasn't supposed to be reassigned! After a few minutes she comes back and notices the TERRIFIED look on my face. She then says, "Oh no, no, no, Sister. I just meant we have new flight plans for you". Relief. You can't just start a sentence with that. I was freaking out. But don't worry. Everything is o.k. and I'm still going to Sacramento but SURPRISE!! I get to leave earlier now. My flight is now at 8:41 on Delta, Tuesday (the 26th) morning. So I will do my best to call between 7-7:45 so Tori can talk to me too! I hope you don't have any plans that morning! :) Hermana Henrie got reassigned to Richmond Virginia! She leaves Monday morning. We hope it's still Spanish speaking but not sure yet. The Elders got reassigned to Houston South (E. Reynolds), Charlotte, North Carolina (E.Decker) and Carlsbad with the 2 sisters already going there (E. Pickle).

It was the greatest thing ever to see my cousin Karissa at temple this morning. Such a tender mercy. She is so beautiful and happy. I want to look like that when I get home!! Elder Decker loved the donuts from Debbie so make sure to thank her. He is getting really suspicious so it's probably good he leaves Monday haha. I hope you had fun with the Meier's while they were here. I hope everything is going well!

The oldest district and our dear friends left last week, it was like saying goodbye to your family all over again. It was weird being here without them this past week. Elder Trusty and Elder Earl are serving in the Provo Mission (Spanish speaking of course) so you could see them and have them over for dinner haha. Hermana Sheffield and I are going to visit them when we get home in a year and a half. It will be so fun!

On Sunday in RS Linda Reeves came (2nd counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency). She talked about the importance of trying our hardest to role play. She said, "It can be real. If you truly prepare, the very words will be put in your mouth so never fear". This has been a challenge for me. Sometimes it's hard to role play because you know you are just really teaching your teacher, companion, or another missionary. But Hermana Henrie and I decided to take the challenge. We prepared as hard as we could for our lesson with Jonathan. The lesson was amazing. It didn't feel like we were teaching Hermano Wood, it felt like we were teaching Jonathan. The spirit was so strong and we had fun in the lesson! We wrote down all the blessings of being baptized and now he truly understands. It was great. I can do this!

So on Tuesday for our service project we got to set up the flags around the MTC outside. 32. It was SOO much fun. We got to choose which countries and everything. Then Hermana Sheffield and I were dusting inside and we ran into Elder Murray from the district. We got to talk to him for a few minutes about everything and it was so cool. He was very nice.

Thank you again for the bread. I loved it. It is my favorite thing in the world. Sis. Donakey also sent me some of her amazing bread. "Man cannot live by bread alone..." Well I'm not so sure about that haha. I did this week :) The Weenigs are so great. Polly sent me a dear elder and package this week with cute "golden" stuff since I'm going to the golden state. I love seeing Hermana Weening everywhere I go. She is amazing. She just radiates and is such a great example to me.

I was so sad to hear about Louie's accident. (Her friend Lauren Richardson was skiing and fractured her collar bone.) Tell her I love her and that she is in my prayers. I know this is a hard trial for her before she leaves, but she will be an even stronger missionary now. She can just sit in bed for the next month and memorize all the lessons, role play and invite people to be baptized. Of course, this will all need to be in French... Bro. Richardson can take her to the General offices to practice. Perfect! Her teachers will love how prepared she will be! :)

So being a HOST this week for the incoming missionaries was probably my favorite thing ever. We got to show them around, (I know I have been here almost 6 weeks but remember how I'm not good with directions? haha.) Well I took my sister to the 5th floor in 17M. Wait, there isn't a 5th floor. Wrong building..haha. It was great though. Usually on Wednesdays we are in class watching out our window when all the new missionaries come. Its like a movie and Christmas. We act it out, watch the tears and hugs and get so excited for their new adventure. Its like watching a real life movie kind of haha.

We had in-field orientation yesterday for 9 and a half hours. It was SO long but I learned SOO much. I am so excited to get out into the field. I truly know that inviting people is the key. It is so simple but yet we neglect to think about how powerful it is. They had Elder Murray and Elder Christensen from the district come. Elder Christensen was in this play thing they did. It was like a celebrity walked in the room. Everyone got so giddy and hung on his every word he said. We watch parts of the district in class all the time for teaching methods. Grandpa and Grandma would love it. But really, some girls were like going to cry they were so excited. I played it cool, don't worry.

It's going to be hard to say goodbye to Sis. Donakey Monday :( If you send me an dear elders past Monday at 12 (noon) I won't get them, so make sure to send them before noon on Monday. Thanks! Esperso que todos tienen una buena semana! I can't wait to talk to you Tuesday morning. Te quiero muchisimo!! I will send pics later today when we do laundry. You will love them! :)

Con amor,

Hermana Thomas