Week 5 - December/Thanksgiving

Sorry, I'm late in posting this from Ralph - it came in on December 4:


Hey everyone! I've somehow already been out for a month, still not sure how it's gone by so quickly! So last Wednesday I got to go to the Museum of Natural History (it rained most of the way there, and we passed by the Macy's Day Parade balloons!), I took LOADS of pictures.

Thanksgiving was really good, we went over to Bishop Yamada's house for lunch (aka dinner at lunchtime), had lots of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, rice, and pie! (I still like Oma's gravy best though). Went out to IHOP for dinner (they still have the cheesecake pancakes here, yaaaaaaaaaaaay), and then went and collapsed from too-much-foodness.

Friday I got to go on a split with Elder Longo since his companion (Elder Monson), the zone leaders (Elder Potter and Elder Higbee), and Elder Wang all had leadership training up in Scarsdale. Elder Longo is from Connecticut, is 6'6" or 6'7" (he's TALLLLL), and is really funny and great to be around. We visited Times Square (their apartment is really close by, we stopped back there to do studies and Elder Longo took a quick nap because he hasn't been feeling well, the other companionship in their apartment had the stomach flu as well), and I finally bought some ear muffs (they catch the wind too much). We got to know each other pretty well, we like a lot of the same things (which was nice, I had someone I could talk to about stuff), and we did a lot of online/look ups/missionary work in general until the others got back at around 5-6 (we'd been pigging out on Thanksgiving leftovers for about half an hour before they got back). Elder Wang and I did a little more work before we went back to our apartment.

Saturday I had ANOTHER split, this time with Elder Potter. He's a little more strict than Elder Longo was (what do you expect, he's a zone leader), but he's still very easy to get along with and very kind and helped to instruct me in some things I hadn't known before. We did pretty much the same stuff I did with Elder Longo, online, look ups, etc. We also had a lesson with Joseph (we taught him about member missionary work and what he can do to help his family/friends).

Sunday was alright, we had our ward conference so Bishop Yamada and our Stake President spoke. Apparently our ward has over 500 people in it, and we have a little under 25% in attendance, with even less having active temple recommends and home teachers. This probably explains why we have so many less active look ups to do!

I don't remember if this was Sunday or Monday, but we had an impromptu dinner with Bro. and Sis. Winder (Bro. Winder is the second counselor in the Bishopric), as they invited us over the day of. It was really good, we had chicken, delicious homemade rolls, and sweet potatoes (something I've actually never tried before, the way Sis. Winder made them, they tasted almost like pumpkin pie filling, it was sooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). We had a lesson about Christmas and what the true meaning of it is.

Monday and Tuesday have been pretty empty, not too much going on. Tuesday we had a lesson with Isaac (we taught him about Charity, Love, and Virtue). Oh, Monday we did have something big, whoops. We had what is known as an APF (Area Proselyting Focus), in which we were outside the temple during the New York Winter's Eve festival and were handing out Books of Mormon, pamphlets, Christmas music CDs, and (most importantly) hot chocolate. I was practically losing my voice from talking to so many people, and I handed out several Books of Mormon!

We've also been having choir practice (had it on Saturday/Tuesday) for a Christmas concert the Stake is holding on Saturday (all of the Manhattan Island missionaries are singing Joy to the World).

I've been experimenting a little with Subway sandwiches, and my most recent one had Ham, Bacon, American Cheese, Lettuce, Spinach, Mayonnaise, and Honey Mustard (see, I am eating vegetables, sort of). I also ate spare ribs for the first time yesterday (albeit from a Chinese restaurant, but hey, they were still good).

It's been really warm this week (50s-60s in the upcoming days), so it hasn't been too bad lately. Our room is mainly the problem (somehow it gets absurdly cold in Elder Wang's and my room and not in any of the others, it got into the 30s IN OUR ROOM WHYYYYYY), so at least this week it hasn't been so bad. We're having our landlord check it out tomorrow.

Today we're planning on just going down to Times Square (Elder Wang has some Christmas shopping to do), and then we have a lesson with Joseph tonight. We have the mission Christmas party on Friday, so we're headed up to Ossining for that (we're taking the Metro North line that the derailment happened on, so hopefully 1) the line will be up and running and 2) we won't derail, though from what I've heard it was the fault of the conductor and not a problem with the track, so we should be ok), then Saturday is the concert.

That's pretty much our week, happy December! I've been eating away at the advent calendar, and have been doing the inspirational thoughts/quotes one as well (gotten 2 of Petra's and 2 of Oma's so far).

Hope you all are doing well, that work for Papa is going well, Mama is still holding up with all the things she has to do, Teddy with school and his health, Antonia with her jobs and supporting Eric, Eric with getting a job and his test results, Oma and Opa with not having killed themselves over Thanksgiving and that they're doing well in general, and the dogs that they're alright and not too lonely!

Have a great week everyone, hope you had a fun Adventsbasteln (if that's how you spell it) on Sunday, and that you'll have a great Nikolaus (if that's how you spell it as well)!

Love, Elder Ralph Smith