Sister Act: Gulligans Island.... AKA THE ACORES!

LIsten up,

I have a few e-mails in my inbox that I have not yet read as I write this E~mail... The reason that I can´t seem to even stop shaking is because I just found out 5 minutes ago from the office Elders that I will be transfered this week to THE ACORES!!!!!!!! (pronouced ah-sores, more or less). My hands are shaking and I can´t even remember what I was going to tell you in this email. Ok listen, the Acores are the islands off the cost of Portugal....In the middle of the ocean, separate from the rest of the world (like most islands I suppose) Only two sister missionaries serve there at a time. This week we have a special sister conference in Lisboa, and after the conference I will be swept up in a plane and off to the acores with one bag and whole lot of nerves. The Acores. Wow. They don´t speak Portuguese there. At least thats what people from the continent say. The Accent is soooo wonky out there that it is supposedly extremely difficult to understand even for people who speak Portuguese... WOO HOO, just when I was starting to get the hang of the language with Irma De Almeida, they take me to the other side of the world (mission). I feel inadequate and underqualified to serve there. I remember my first transfer with Irma Brinkhoff (nicknamed the machine, remember?) and she served in the Acores, told me stories, the kind of stories that made me say, ok good thing Heavenly Father only sends the tough ones there...I´ll steer clear and kick it here on the continent.....well well well. Look who has a plan for me that I didn´t expect...

Isn´t that how it goes?

I love it.

Ok Listen before I forget, all packages should be sent to the mission office now:

Rua Jorge Barradas N 14-C

1500 Lisboa

Portugal

Speaking of packages... today right before we left the apartment to go to internet I recieved a package from CLINTON AND ELISBAETH!!!!!! WHAT A TREAT!!!!!!!!! Irma De Almeida about had a fit with her excitement for the american goodies found within. We scarfed down a huge cookie before we came here. Thank you soooo much! Also now I have the recipe for Irma De Almeida.

Oh Irma De Almeida.... We will be separated. I can´t even explain in this email how much I will miss her. We learned so much. We worked so hard. The best part is that we became friends. True blue friends. I think the ultimate lesson I learned with Irma De Almeida was repentance, and humility. We are so weak, we had to kneel down and ask for forgiveness so often, start over, work harder and seek the will of the Lord every single day. I learned a lot about how to say sorry and mean it. I learned about patience. I learned how to trust the Lord a little more everyday. Now I will serve with Irma Morrison! She is from Colorada I think. So thats gonna be weird. WOO HOO!

Ok Bil and Stepper, I need your address or the address that I can call ``home`` so that the mission office has it on file. Maybe it is already in the email from Stepper that I have not yet read.

Ok I will read them now and write more after I read...

ok read the emails, sounds like everything is still good and right in the world.

I am going to try to attach some photos.

Isabel was Baptized this Saterday night. She is the wife and mom of a (former)part member family. How incredible.

Ok pictures are of our trip to belem.

only have this card with me, but i will print pictures and send them later.