Heather was transferred to Brooklyn on December 8th. Her new companion is Sister Tauteoli who is a greenie. They are working hard to update the area records and build a new investigator pool.
Heather with Bishop and Sister Urbanowski, who put on the Thanksgiving Dinner for the missionaries (German Style!)
This is Heather with the "Mystery Meat" (like in the movie "Errand of Angels." Heather said, "She made it to tease me.") Looks to me (Dad) like the head cheese that Grandpa Ferguson was so fond of. And I have to admit, it's delicious! But Heather said she actually ate it... wow. Good for you, Heather!
And this is the main course; roast pork, dumplings, potatoes, YUMMMMMM!!!!
Well, it was transfer time again in Jamaica, and Heather's new companion is Sister Gonzalez (who was in the MTC with Heather). They are working hard and their personalities match up pretty well, so things are going good. Heather said in her letter that she thinks this will be her last transfer in Jamaica, so we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, the work goes on!
Well, it doesn't seem possible that Heather is halfway through her mission... but she is. One of the perks that missionaries in NYNYS get is a trip to the Manhattan Temple at their halfway point. The Temple is just up the street from Central Park, so there are also some pics from the park and one of Elder Merrill (another half-way-er) just because of the goofy look on his face...:-).
Trump Tower is also in that neighborhood, so there's a picture of the front of it. Heather had a wonderful, spiritual day at the Temple and had fun in Columbus Circle, which is at the southwest corner of Central Park and where most of the pictures were taken.
This week's district activity was a visit to the Queens Zoo. Apparently one of New York's cultural endeavors was to see that each of its boroughs has its own zoo, and the Queens version is located in Flushing, on the site of the old World's Fair (all you Men in Black fans will remember that's where the giant cockroach climbed up to the flying saucer that was on a tower... well, anyway). Heather and her comp, Sister Crandell, apparently had a good time.
Heather says...We caught a mouse this week... Like we do everyday! But this time it wasn't dead. It's little arm was caught and us having the hearts that we do, we decided to set it free into the hallway... Well as we did this, he decided to run back into our pad! I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth in my underwear when it came at me! So, I jumped up on the Sink! (my butt was soaked) Then, Gonzalez got the dust pan and swept him into it and put him in the hall again... When we went out the next morning... There he was DEAD on our door mat! Sister Johnson almost cried when she said, "He just was trying to come back home"... It was funny, but I still HATE them! Even though I thought it was a little sad too... Especially when it squeeled....
Well, it's transfer week in NYNYS! And Heather has a new companion, Sister Crandell from Heber, Arizona. Heather says "She has the softest little voice and is so innocent... So, you know how well we balance each other out! :)"
No pictures, yet, but as soon as I get them I'll post them.
This is a picture of the district from last week, showing Elder Wiggins, who went home after successfully finishing his mission, and of course Sister Frodsham, who got transferred.
OK, I confess, I filched this picture off Sister Frodsham's weekly email, but I thought it was cool that she called it "...the first official pic of me and Burton..." They were both surprised to be put back together again, but Dad's humble opinion (ok, I don't have HUMBLE opinions, what can I say) is that they work really well together, their personalities are similar, and they can relate to and work with anyone. The Lord knows what He's doing when He inspires the Mission President with companionships, and these two (AKA The Dynamic Duo) will set Jamaica on its ear. Wait and see if they don't!
And this is the revised district. Well, maybe "revised" is a little harsh. It's the current makeup of the district. That sound better?
Well, it sure looks like the more things change the more they are the same. At transfers last week, the mission needed three sister missionaries to replace those going home (Sister Thomas, of course, was one of them) and they only got one new sister missionary. So they closed down one sister area temporarily and Heather's new comp is.... (drum roll, please...) THE FROD! Yep. Burton and Frodsham are back together again in Jamaica.
The highlight (lowlight?) of Heather's letter this week was the battle with the giant cockroach! Heather said that they went out into the kitchen and there was this huge cockroach, about as long as her middle finger and as thick as her two thumbs. Four sister missionaries were running around screaming (I wonder what the neighbors thought? ("Crazy Mormons...???") Heather said it "attacked her." Yep. I can see the movie... "Attack of the Giant Cockroach.... in theaters now!" Finally Sister Thomas offed it with a broom. I sure wish I had been there to see that. Heather's final comment? "We deep cleaned and Raid-ed like crazy." Yeah. Well, good luck, Sis. Now there's only 9,999,999,999,999,999,999,999....999 of 'em left.
Well, I guess it's really not for sale. But Heather's district went to see this world-famous landmark and took some GREAT pictures.
This is the plaque commenorating the building of the bridge back in 1869 and its reconstruction in 1954. It's amazing that people recognize this bridge right off, even if they've never been to New York.
Heather is just Heather (isn't that GREAT? :D) and she gets her comps to play right along. Sister Thomas is apparently just as wacko as her companion!
This is the gang outside Grimaldi's Under the Bridge, which is, according to some experts, THE BEST pizza in New York.
Incidentally, the guy in the middle with the cowboy hat is Elder Mendbayar from Mongolia, who just happens to know one of Jared's companions from Mongolia, Chinzo! Small world, no?
Heather took this picture of this lady's fingernails. You can see anything/everything in New York!
New York remembers the King of Pop, and Heather took the opportunity to add her comments.
Heather and Sister Thomas are working hard to catch up after the problem with Sister Fields. Heather says that Sister Thomas is "Awesome!" She was actually a Spanish-speaking missionary who was moved to be with Heather. The only bad part is that she goes home at the next transfer, so Heather will be getting a new companion. Again. Monday was a zone activity day, with soccer, frisbee, and that sort of thing. All the stuff that Heather hates to do; but they have food, so it's worth going to. As before, there are no new pictures to post, but I'm hoping.
Heather has a new companion, Sister Thomas. Sister Fields had a medical condition that worsened, and she had to go home. Heather and her companion are working hard, teaching people, and doing the work! I will post pictures as soon as I get them.
BTW, no car in this area, so the sisters use public transportation.
This is a shot of the New York Harbor fireworks show as seen from Queens. Unfortunately, Heather didn't get to see it, as she was in the ER all night with her companion, Sister Fields. Apparently Fields had had some kind of seizure, and the Mission President decided to send her back home to South Carolina. So Heather is now in a trio with the two Spanish-speaking sisters that are her pad-mates. She did say that the Richmond Hill elders had a bar-b-q on their roof that the district went to, and it was nice to watch the lights of the city and have some fellowship with the others in the district. Heather also said they don't have a car in this district, they use a Metro pass for buses and trains to get around. The next few weeks should be interesting in Queens.
Heather is in Jamaica, New York. Her companion is her MTC companion, Sister Fields. Heather says they walk a lot more than they did an Bay Shore, and her feet are KILLING her! Jamaica is very culturally varied; in fact, probably (according to Sister De Paula) the most culturally varied of any of the districts in the New York New York South Mission. Heather and Sis Fields are working hard, though, and are finding people to teach. More later... she was very busy what with the transfer. Hopefully there will be pictures...
Well, it's happened. Not only is the Dynamic Duo getting split up, but both Heather and Sister Frod are being transferred. I guess everyone in Bay Shore Ward was sad to hear that they are losing Burton and Frodsham, and so they are having a combined Farewell Dinner/Family Home Evening tonight (Monday, Jan 22) at Oscar's. Heather says she thinks she is being transferred to Jamaica, NY, and is nervous. Since we know little or nothing about Jamaica, Mom and Dad have no comment. Perhaps you Blog Followers who DO know could comment? And, of course, there is always the sadness about leaving investigators that are preparing for baptism.
But then, Heather's always disliked changes. We'll get the final word after she goes to the Mission Office tomorrow.
We had the opportunity today to go to Highland to the Canyon View Ward and hear Brother and Sister DePaula speak at their "not-welcome home." It was really wonderful. The chapel was filled to overflowing with family and friends, including several from the New York New York South Mission, including Bro. and Sis. Woodruff.
The pictures were taken at Bro. and Sis. DePaula's home. They very kindly invited us to join them and their friends and family for a "mingle and munchie" after Church. Both of them were very kind to us and expressed their love for 'Sister B' and Sister DePaula confided, "I miss her." They are wonderful, special people and it was an honor to meet them and share a little fellowship with them. We will never forget all their kindnesses to our missionary.
On Memorial Day (which is, of course, P-Day) one of the members, Bro. and Sis. Mercado, invited the missionaries to their house for barbeque. The guest of honor was this pig. As you can see, Sister B had a great time clowning for the camera and even faux-kissing Mr. Pig. She did admit that it tasted pretty good, too. Eating, not kissing. It's great to see the member support and, of course, that Heather gets to eat new foods. More on this later...
Heather has always had a soft spot in her heart for animals, and when she and Sister Frod were driving down the road and saw this box turtle trying to cross, she thought it would get killed and so decided to "rescue" it. They knew a member with a nice yard who would let the turtle live there, so they stopped and picked the critter up.
Well, turtles are fairly docile (but stubborn!) little amphibians, and Ned (his/her/its new name!) really didn't care to be handled. Apparently when Sister Frod took him for a picture, he did what animals do when they're frightened or startled.
Yep. You guessed it. Whizzed on poor, unsuspecting Sister Frod. Isn't nature wonderful?
Is that a look of satisfaction on little Neddie's turtlebeaky face? Looks like it to me...!
