Nov 4

Dear Family,

 

Sorry about the email confusion last week - I was able to skim your email before I sent mine so it worked out just fine :) Thanks for the updates on everything!!

Sounded like you all had a great halloween :) I liked Tyler and Madeline's costume and hearing about the girls too. I want to see pictures of theirs! Did you get lots of kids at the house? To answer your question mom, we weren't allowed to be out proselyting on halloween after dinner unless we had an appointment. We did weekly planning for the evening, and we only got like 2 kids. We got all excited and I started taping gobstoppers to mormon.org cards, but then no one else came. I guess one of the next people we meet will get some candy with their mormon.org card :)

 

Oh and mom, I got Diane's email a few weeks ago and loved it. She is such a sweetheart. I didn't have time to reply to it then and planned on sending her a facebook message later - I sent her a quick reply today and then I'm going to talk a bit more with her over facebook later. Thank you! 

 

So here I am in Middletown! Well more like Clearlake, because that's where we spend most of our time. This place is definitely different than Napa, but I'm beginning to love it. Our area covers several towns and the people here love fishing and hunting, and a lot of them also like to smoke weed. It's pretty exciting. Not the ward members though! :)

I told a few ward members in ward council yesterday about Grandad and his bow and arrow adventures :) They thought it was great!! Perfect timing, Grandad. They also love to tease me that i'm from Canada. Apparently they had an Elder from Canada who wasn't very good, so I'm supposed to redeem the Canadian name. So we are in an English ward now, but we switch off each week translating for the Spanish members, which are few, but growing. This week we made the Elders do the translating, and then in language study afterwards we practiced with a conference talk. It was SO hard!! I've never translated before and I think I might just start giggling in the microphone. We're going to work on it though :)

 

I love Sister Tracy and we love our truck :) It is well needed, because we are often driving on dirt roads with lots of pot holes. She is hilarious because she thinks it's the greatest adventure in the world to be driving on dirt roads in the dark. She is great, and has tons of energy, and no fear with talking to everyone. It's great. She loves pink, she is super creative, and her dream is to work for Barbie for a career. I love her and we're having lots of fun.

 

The most wonderful part of being here is the AMAZING family who we are teaching - la familia Rivera. They are getting baptized on November 30th. A mom, dad, and two sons, ages 8 and 11, and they are seriously so amazing. I love them so much!!! He is seriously going to be the Spanish branch president one of these months/years. I am so excited about them!!

Ok, well I've got to go but I love you so much and love being here! I am so grateful for my wonderful family.

 

Love,

 

Hermana Vance

 

Pps. Christmas list time. I'm a tad chilly in the mornings - I don't know how possible this is, but could you send me one of my old pea coats per chance? I have back up options that I'm using, but I totally didn't believe them when they told me to bring a winter coat.

Also, for christmas could you send me a comfy hoodie to wear in the house, and a cheap earwarmer-headband thing? And...peppermint patties. :) And don't worry about sending me a whole bunch of other treats/snacks. We have plenty!

Love you all sooo much! Thank you so much for your prayers.

Pps. I locked us out of the apartment this morning. I also broke us back in :)