Hiii!!
A few highlights of the week. First: Victoria and Alex made a surprise visit!!!!! Words can not express how happy I was to see them. Backtracking a little bit, earlier this week I was talking with the other sisters in my house about the things that we miss and the first things we will do when we get home. My campanion, of course said that she will be listening to rock for at least an entire week straight. One said sleep for a long, long time, and the other said she plans to find a boyfriend. (I resisted the urge to use JD´s favorite sports chant OVERRATED) She hasn´t had much dating experience and it is eating at her now. And I thought for a minute, and the biggest thing I long for is just YOU GUYS, my family. I miss talking and laughing and having adventures. I miss the wonderful feeling of being in a place I love with people I love and feeling entirely comfortable. I try hard to make the people here my family and sometimes it works better than others but nothing can take the place of you guys and I am just so very grateful for the wonderful family we have.
But a visit from Vica and Alex felt like a piece of home. It was so nice to talk to them about just everything. Missions, pregnancy, family, home, adjusting to Brazil. Just everything. I was as giddy as a school girl and I felt like we were back having one of our Cannon Center/Thai food dates. ANDDD they left me with chocolate cookies made from real butter, quality brown sugar, and all the love that a functioning kitchen can muster. You would not believe the difference this makes. All in all, it was so wonderful.
Victoria told me that she was planning on sending pictures of my area but decided against it because she thought they might scare mom. Ironic, because last night the other sisters in our area were assaulted and their cell phone was stolen. Luckily they did not have any money with them and so the two guys on motorcycles just left. But needless to say, I am pretty freaked out. People have told us it is not safe to be on the streets during nights but the sun goes down here around 6:30 and we work until 9:30 every night so I guess all we can do is not bring a lot of things with us, and pray for safety. Have I mentioned how grateful I am for my safe, surburban Alpine home?
And in honor of Dad´s birthday, I want to talk a little about a lesson I learned from him last summer during probably one of the worst days of our lives. This account could have easily made some reality TV show for just how horrible it was. He had been wanting to hike Lone Peak for quite some time, and he decided it was about time. John, Rachel and I reluctantly agreed to the challenge. John is automatically enlisted in all of dads adventures being the only boy. Rachel is a warrior and oh so incredible at this kind of stuff, and I decided it was a good opportunity to bond and experience something `hard`before my mission.
My dad planned and prepared. He bought a few maps, lots of snacks, a water purifier, a lot of gatorades and took off on our adventure at a whopping 4:00 in the morning. We felt entirely prepared. Butttt, things did not go quite as planned (I am learning that this happens often in life). We got lost, terribly lost, more than once. We ran out of water and ended up drinking out of the stream. We were absolutely exhausted physically and mentally. Due to an unexpected, off-trail mountain scale, we were cut up and bloody. But there really was no option but to keep going. And we prayed for strength. a lot. Finally, we found the trail and made it home. Granted it was almost midnight. Mom had decided that she was a widow and Jess started claiming our items as her own but we made it home safe and sound.
This experience taught me more than any sacrament meeting talk could about how hard life can be. At times I truly thought that we would never make it. But we just kept going. And along the way there were a lot of sweet moments too. Like when we reached the very top and saw one of the most incredible views ever. Or the bite of the snickers bar that dad found ot the bottom of his bag torwards the end of the night. Or the time Rachel rubbed my shoulders and gave me a pep talk because I was in shambles by this point. Or when we finally found the trail and knew that we could make it. Or the slurpy and burger from JCW as our reward.
Thank you dad for everything you taught me that day, and throughout my entire life about optomism, lofty goals, and hard work. I can not imagine a better husband to mom, or father to us. I want to be like you and I am hoping and praying that I can be worthy to find someone like you. Don´t let the family talk you out of the great Thai food dinner that you deserve. I love you very much!
In other news, we continue to teach a lot. If all goes as planned we have two more baptisms, Creuza and Terezinha this Saturday. Both are Senhoras and both seem really excited about the things they are learning. We are teaching some other individuals and families too. I will talk more about this next week.
Love you and think about you often,
Sister Lauren
p.s.
Hi mom! I am so glad that you found your ring! what a miracle. It was so good seeing Victoria. Like seriously, the best thing ever. I honestly needed that visit!
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