Busy, Busy, Busy...

Hello! 

Wow, this was a crazy busy week! Let me explain...

On Monday, for FHE, we had games and root-beer floats. We played Scattergories, and I thought of you all. Sister Wolfe had never played, but she did a great job! It was fun. 

On Tuesday, we had District Meeting. At the beach. We went and sat on the beach and had District Meeting. We have a really tiny district, and Sister Wolfe and I are the only two sisters. It is kind of annoying, but also fun because we get to laugh at the ridiculous things the elders do. For example, we wanted to take a district picture, and the elders decided to take it on this cliff. So we did, and then Sister Wolfe and I stayed away from the edge, looking at the ocean. The elders went to the edge and got soaked! They complained that they were freezing, and we laughed. It is moments like that when I remember that the elders ARE 18 year old boys!!!!! That night, I had a fun experience at dinner. We ate with a family in Scotts Valley named the Doltons (Dole-tons). We were talking about school and when I mentioned that I wanted to study French, I found out that one of the boys in the family was learning French in school! I got to talk to him! It was awesome! :) 

On Wednesday, I hit my six month mark. It doesn't feel like I have been on my mission for six months. Not at all. We worked really hard that day, too! It was awesome. In the afternoon, we went and saw Juanita. She is an older, hispanic woman who lives in a nursing home. We take Trevor (a member of the YSA Branch we serve in) with us to interpret (he learned Spanish on his mission in Bolivia). We taught her about faith. We then went and saw another woman named June and set up an appointment with her. We then saw a less-active named Jen and taught her about the priesthood. That went well. We then had dinner (and dessert) with Lilian. She tries to feed us every week. She is so nice! We then went and visited a woman named Sister Crain. She has a lot of health challenges, which is why we have never seen her at Church. We then went on splits. I went with a sister in one of the wards to visit Brenda, who is less-active. She is really nice, but she had a lot going on in her life right now. Sister Wolfe went with a sister to visit a recent convert named Laura. It was good. 

It was hot on Thursday. It got up to almost 90. Is it getting really hot in Richland and Rexburg yet? On Thursday morning, we cleaned and then went to Cabrillo (the college where we have the table). The elders couldn't make it, so it was just us. We couldn't set up in our usual place because a bunch of students had really graphic signs up about abortion and were arguing with those passing by. We decided that we didn't want to be affiliated with that in any way, and set up somewhere else on campus. We did have people come and ask questions, but we also had Bible bashers. *sigh* I didn't get to talk to Chelsea either. Oh well. Next time. After Cabrillo, we went to Marianne's with Courtney. After that, we went to Courtney's house to make dinner. It was good. 

Friday was hard, but it was a good day too. I survived my birthday and being homesick. I opened presents first thing in the morning. Thank you so much! After studies, we went to the soup kitchen. This time, Sister Wolfe and I were in charge of greeting everyone as they came in. I also said the prayer before everyone came in to eat. It was a little intimidating! It is really fun volunteering there, though. :) After the soup kitchen, we went to go pick up a cake pan so I could make my birthday cake. We had an interesting conversation with Sister Martin, the woman we borrowed it from: 

Sister Martin: So, are you making a cake for someone?

Sister Wolfe: It is Sister Palmer's birthday

Sister Martin: Happy Birthday! Do you have a dinner? Who is it?

Sister Wolfe: The Judds

Sister Martin: Well, I will have to let them know that it is your birthday! :) 

Me: *laughs* Okay, thank you

Sister Palmer with Birthday Balloon and Cake

When we went to dinner, I found out that Sister Martin is true to her word. I walked into the Judds house to see a Happy Birthday banner and a balloon tied to the door! We talked to Brother Judd (one of the ward mission leaders) for a while and then Sister Judd came out with a present for me! We talked for a little bit and then had dinner. After dinner, we had cake, and Sister Judd put candles in it. They then sang Happy Birthday to me while Brother Judd played it on his accordion! It was awesome! After that, we went to the Church to meet with Ali (from my last area). She drove down to Santa Cruz to give me a present. She also played me a voice message Sister Bliss had sent, singing me Happy Birthday. :) All in all, it was a good day.

Saturday was great too. After Personal Study, we went with one of our wards to the temple! We went to the temple and had lunch at the Stake Center right next to the temple. We then went to the Visitor's Center and watched "Meet the Mormons". Do not watch it until after I get back. They talk to a woman who is a Misisonary Mom, and Sister Wolfe and I almost started crying. After the movie, a lot of people left, but Sister Wolfe and I stuck around, waiting for the husband of the woman who was giving us a ride home because he was inside the temple with the elders doing initiatories (we were a little jealous!). We waited in the Visitor's Center and I got to see people from my last area, along with listening to the message of the Christus in Spanish. (I want to hear it in French again, but I will probably wait until I go back to the Idaho Falls one). On the ride home, we watched a church movie. It was fun. We then had dinner with Trevor before going to frozen yogurt with the YSA. It was great. 

Sunday was crazy. We went to three of our five wards! Thankfully, they were all in the same building! At 7h30, we were at our first ward council. We then went to the first part of that ward's sacrament meeting at 9h00, before leaving for a missionary correlation meeting at 9h30 and our second ward council at 10h00. We then went to sacrament meeting in that second ward at11h00 and then to our YSA Branch's branch council at 12h00. We then went to the whole branch from 1h00 to 4h00. After that, we had Break the Fast from 4h00 to 5h00. By 5h00 I was so tired! I am beginning to understand how you feel on Sundays, Dad. >< After that, we had an appointment, but then we came home and planned. It was a much needed break.

Today has been a good day so far. We studied and did laundry. Now, we are emailing and will be off to run errands. Not sure yet if we will go to the Zone Activity, it depends on what they want to do. Tonight, we have dinner with Lillian and then FHE with our YSA. It will be great. 

Love, 

Sara