A white day AFTER Christmas....

Hello from the very snowy New York City-
Talk about a snow storm! Sunday we got hit with a huge storm and it was an adventure indeed. We came home after church to eat lunch and dinner and then had some appointments. Let me tell ya, we were pretty sure that if we slipped and fell we would have fallen into a snow bank and been left there till spring when the snow melted away. We had to hike up this GIANT hill to go visit someone in the hospital and it was an experience indeed. I will include a picture but I must have forgotten what the winters were like. Luckily I have my snow boots and lots of warm clothes to keep me going. Monday morning we went out for District Meeting in Harlem and the city had transformed into a winter wonderland. It was actually quiet for once.
This last week was so wonderful seeing as how it was Christmas time. The best gift ever was being able to talk to my family and my brother in Argentina! Oh man, it was so great to hear everyone and to be able to just talk. Sometimes you just miss doing that so it was wonderful. I think one of my favorite parts was being put on speaker phone while my family ate Christmas dinner.... I felt like I was there. And I even had my dads raviolis to join in the yummy food! (Thanks dad for sending me a piece of home!) Let me tell you, after all this Dominican food I've been eating, that was a more than welcome treat in my day!!!
Christmas with all the missionaries was wonderful. It for sure was a lot better than last year. Last year, I had been in the field for about 3 days and then we were brought into this giant gathering of missionaries, where it seemed that everyone knew each other and were best friends. I missed my family and I missed real life. It was the beginning of some of the most challenging times in my life. I never knew that I would learn so much and fall in love with this mission so much. As I was sitting in the chapel for this years Christmas gathering I couldn't help but be filled with so much love for my Savior and for all the experiences, challenges and joys that I have felt over the past year. I looked around and saw people that have become my best friends. Although I am far from home, I felt the love of my mission family. I love my mission, I love all the people I have the opportunity to serve, I love everything about what I am doing. Although it is hard at times, it is the most rewarding thing I have every done. I am so grateful for this past year, every part of it. I know that my Heavenly Father knows me for who I am. He knows what I need, what companions I needed to be with, what miracles I needed to see, and what challenges I needed to go through to become the person he wants me to be.
Well, as the new year comes around I can't help but wonder what the Lord has in store for me. I am so grateful I get to start it out being a missionary still! What better way to start a new year? Transfers are next week so who knows, maybe a change will be coming... only time will tell.
Thanks to all of you for your love and support throughout this last year. I am so grateful for the prayers and letters. This has been the best year ever and I have high hopes for 2011! CRAZY! Happy New Year!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Feliz Navidad!

I can not believe it is almost Christmas, and let me tell you, it's the most wonderful time of the year! Ha ha, I love this time, especially as a missionary. It just makes you want to get out there even more and tell people about Jesus Christ. I have been reflecting a lot on what I have learned the past year. As I woke up this morning, I realized it was exactly one year ago that I was flying to New York City, I found out I was going to the Bronx and I was put in a van and driven to my area. The missionaries there all greeted me at the chapel with the other new missionaries and I remember meeting Bishop Zamora. He welcomed me and then asked me about my Spanish, I am pretty sure that is when the panic set in, ha ha. But I still can not believe that was one year ago today. Time has flown by and I am so grateful for this last year that I have had. I feel as if I have grown closer to my Savior in every way possible. I am so grateful for the miracle of his birth and for his ministry here on the earth. I know that he lives and that because of him, we are all able to receive ALL the blessings of eternal life and exaltation.
This week has been a very busy one but a WONDERFUL one! Let's see, where to even begin....oh I know. Thursday we came to the church to eat lunch and an episode of Law and Order was being filmed right outside. They were using the church as a place where the actors can go and use the bathroom or just a warm place to stay. I have never watched Law and Order but I want to find that episode one day and say that I watched them film it outside the church. It is one of the first like "new yorker filming" things I've seen here so I acted excited, although it would be cooler if I knew who the people were!
On Friday we did a zone blitz in our area. I am pretty sure it went great. Hna. Anderson and I did a little training on "finding by the spirit" so that we could all work hard and find new investigators. It seems that we find a lot of people but no one that really wants to do anything. But it was fun and a good blitz. We made hot chocolate for everyone afterwards. I am pretty sure every burned their tongues on it though... woops.
Saturday was Mildreds baptism and it was AMAZING! I was so happy to see her baptized. The spirit was very strong and I just knew that this decision is was going to bless her so much! I got to see Maribel and that was awesome as well. It was just amazing to see the gospel bring families together. I can't believe it was almost a year ago that I met Maribel and started teaching her and then I got to help with her mom. I love the mission, we are allowed to have the COOLEST experiences... it is just wonderful! Her confirmation was also great and the spirit was strong. I love her so much and I was just overfilled with joy at her baptism. The church is true!!!!
I am getting excited for Christmas. Christmas eve there is going to be a baptism in the ward! This man just showed up at church and had been investigating the church for 10 years and wants to get baptized this week! We actually thought he lived in our area but after his baptismal interview yesterday we found out it is in the elders area, but it's a Christmas miracle nonetheless so we are excited. We are also going to bake cookies and bring them around to different people we visit. Then that night we are going to be Christmas caroling so I am so excited! Then on Christmas we will be traveling to Scarsdale to have a big Christmas dinner and program. I got put in charge of the musical number our zone is doing (why they put me in charge I will never know) We are singing "What Child is This) and it actually sounds pretty good so I am excited! And then I get to talk to my family! I can not wait! This is going to be an amazing week! I love Christmas and I love all of you! Thanks for all the love I feel from you every day! Have a very Merry Christmas and don't forget to remember Christ in it! He's the whole reason I'm out here :) Love you all!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Mildred and I in front of a beautiful Christmas Tree

Our Christmas Tree-His Name is Mr. Brown

After singing Christmas Carols in Central Park

Our Ugly Sweater District Meeting!

Hermana Anderson and I gearing up for a Cold day!

It's Begining to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Well Hello From Cold NYC!
I realize that I talk about the weather in every email that I send, that must mean I am getting old or something... oh well, it really is the topic of many of our conversations just because it is so chilly. As you can see, one of the pictures I am sending with this email is how Hna. Anderson and I had to dress us yesterday because we were so cold! I really don't remember it being this cold last year, but I was a greenie and kind of shocked with a lot of things so I guess it's not that strange for me not to remember. But we are surviving and having fun with the Arctic winds (ok, that last part may or may not be a lie :)
This week has been a very good but busy one. We continue to search for new investigators that are wanting to progress. Our finding methods are kind of getting exhausted but we enjoying tracting and actually get let into a lot of doors that way. We found this one lady who is awesome and really interested but she is going to the Dominican Republic for a month, so hopefully we can get her when we get back. We continue to work hard and laugh a lot so life is good!
Mildred has had her baptismal interview and is ready to go for Saturday. We have made plans and made sure to talk to her kids to make sure they are coming. Everything is going smoothly so we are excited. Yesterday, she showed us how to make this pork roast, I think it is called Pernil. Well, we really just made all the spices for it so it can marinate for a couple days. But now I smell like pork meat and garlic. She had me shoving the spices into holes in the meat and I kept waking up in the middle of the night because my hands smelled so gross. But I am sure the meat will be worth it. I wrote everything down so I can try to make it one day. On Saturday, she is showing us how to make her rice, I am so excited for that! I really like Puerta Rican food!
On Sunday we had the coolest opportunity to go to a concert put on by the Stake of Handels Messiah. The cool part about it, was that every time there was a part for the choir to sing, the whole audience got to sing a long. The room was filled with the spirit, especially while singing my two favorite songs: For Unto Us A Child is Born and The Hallelujah Chorus. I couldn't help but be grateful for my Savior and for his ministry here on this earth, for all that he did. I also has many found memories of home with my mom singing those songs during Christmas time... I love it! It was such a great way to bring us all into the Christmas spirit. Mildred came with us and LOVED it as well, it was great!
This week for District meeting Hna. Anderson taught and it was just wonderful. Can I just say that this girl doesn't even need to be trained, she is amazing. Which makes me a little nervous because they might transfer me away from her next cycle, just because she is so blasted great. Anyway, her district meeting was on Personal Revelation, something that we work on a lot as missionaries. It was great and I learned so much. I think that we all receive personal revelation A LOT more than we think, we just need to learn how to recognize it better!
We had a cool little companionship unity moment the other day. We were visiting Luz, Lewis' grandmas, and while I was talking to her, I just had the thought that although she isn't accepting the gospel right now (she kind of has some mental issues from age) she will accept it in the life to come. As we were walking out of the apartment, Hna. Anderson turned to me and said that she felt the exact same thing while we were in there. It was just one of those fun tender mercies that you receive sometimes. We didn't need to know that but Heavenly Father lets us know that our work doesn't go unnoticed I guess, it was really cool!
Speaking more about companionship unity, last night and this morning we have grown even closer. Last night, I guess I was talking in my sleep and really having a conversation with Hna. Anderson. She was asking me questions and stuff and I guess I was answering her, but her asking me questions woke me up and I was so confused as to what we were talking about because I woke up to the question, "Do you like grumpy people?" I was like, what in the world are you talking about? Ha ha, I guess I was talking about a grumpy chef on the subway or something, so random! Then this morning, as I am sitting at my desk eating cereal, I hear this loud bang in the bathroom, I come running in only to find Hna. Anderson has slipped and fallen in the shower. Ha ha, it was so funny (don't worry, she wasn't hurt) We both laughed really hard and she may have a bruise on her hip. We are both so random but we get along so well!
Well, I guess I'll end this really long email. I hope everyone is doing well and remembering the real reason for this season. I have found it is a good time to reflect on your personal relationship with our Savior. Have a wonderful week!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Just hanging out at a lifegaurd stand in CT :)

When I met my daughter Sis Anderson :) She is six feet tall!!!

One of our Thanksgiving dinners... very interesting, they didn't use butter in the whole meal... hmmmm

- All the Sisters at the sisters lunch

Sis. Baxter and I at the sisters lunch

I Heart New York!

We found him yesterday while tracting... I call him Donald the

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Winter has FOR SURE hit New York and I am just turning into a little icicle! I forgot all about the weather here in the winter, for some reason I feel like it is even colder here on Manhattan Island but I could just be a little bit crazy... yeah, that is probably it! Ha ha, but life is good besides the weather. I am still loving every moment of my mission, even the hard parts, that is where you learn the most anyway!
Hna. Anderson and I have had a good week. We have been doing A LOT of contacting and have ventured into some areas of the area that I have never really been before. That turned out to be an interesting experience and let's just say, we are probably not going to go back over there again. I now understand why they don't go there, it was mainly full of english people anyway. I even found a door with a sticker that said, "No Jehovah's Witnesses please" I took that to mean that they were fine with me knocking... but they weren't home. We have been coming home so tired and just ready to sleep (which I have been doing very well lately thank you very much!)
We have had some disappointments as we are out teaching and having people be so cold to the message that we bring. I have found that it is not so much people being grumpy about it but mainly them just NOT caring about it at all. The general attitude is that as long as we are seeking God we are fine, you can imagine how frustrating that can be but that is probably the biggest thing I struggle with. I continue to try to find ways to help them feel of the urgency but it is the spirit that is going to touch them. It is true that we really need to find those that are prepared to hear the gospel. It is so important and yet so many people don't know that. I am grateful I get to have the chance to let them know, even if they do reject me. The other day I was talking with one of the elders about loving the people. I am so grateful for the chance I have to serve around these people because I really do love each of them. I want to so badly for them to accept this message and I want to bring it to them in the best way I can. So, I continue to work and try the best I can, luckily the spirit does the teaching!!
We got to go to a Christmas concert down in the Lincoln Center Chapel on Saturday night put on by the stake. I am always amazed at this stake and the talent that is here. It was so good! There was all different types of musical performances and it was just great! It was different being in an "english" type of church service but it was great and Mildred came along with us.
The Christmas Devotional was also amazing! We watched it in spanish and I just kept thinking back to how last year I would have had NO clue what was going on, but I actually took notes... not too shabby. Ha ha, but it was wonderful! It always puts me in the Christmas mood.
Yesterday we had another mission training with President Smith. It was of course wonderful and once again got me pumped to go try all the new things we learn. President asked me to speak at this mission training so I was really nervous but I guess it went ok. He asked me to speak about happiness that comes from obedience. I hope I didn't offend any of the missionaries that are not obedient but I said what I felt like I needed to. It has been something on my mind a lot lately, just as far as the happiness and miracles we could see if we were obedient. It's pretty cool. We ask our investigators to show a little faith and hold off of that instant gratification so that they can see blessings, but we are asked to do the same thing! Anyway, it was good and a cool experience.
I hope all are doing well. Things are great here! Thanks for all your love and support! Have an amazing week!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Why does New York break all of my umbrellas?

Hello from the VERY rainy and windy day in New York City. As you can tell from my subject line, the NY weather has broken yet another umbrella of dear old Hna. Passantino... what gives? The umbrella that I was using today was a really nice expensive one that a member in the Bronx gave me... why does the weather hate missionaries? But it's ok... today is just a chill P-day so I am taking my time in everything I do, which usually doesn't happen here. This last week has been just great in so many different ways.
It has been so fun working with Sis. Anderson. She is an amazing missionary. She works hard and her Spanish rocks. She is so fun, happy and positive. It for sure makes my job a lot less stressful. We pretty much think the same and act the same so we are just two peas in a pod. I love her. I have no clue why I have been so blessed with companions. But I don't want to speak too soon. I still have a while left so I will just continue to be grateful for what I have because trust me, she is AMAZING! Our favorite past time together is rating doorbells as we tract (something I learned from my mommy in the mission) We rate it with the following criteria: 1) Can it be pushed easily? 2) What is the appearance like? Shiny, painted over, etc? 3) What kind of sound does it make? 4) Do the owners match their doorbell
It is a fun time and keeps us upbeat as we get doors slammed in our faces.
So I had my first thanksgiving in New York City. I reflected a lot on the Thanksgiving before and how different it is now. I was in the MTC last thanksgiving and had a ham sandwich in my bedroom, for sure different than now. This thanksgiving was great and full of surprises. The first meal we had was with a lady in the ward who is from Spain. She has lived here forever so she is pretty Americanized. She made everything WITHOUT butter... like, it was the healthiest meal I've ever eaten. We started with some sort of celery soup and then continued to eat brussell sprouts, mushrooms, green beans, and "mashed potatoes" and to top it all off we had some sort of tofu turkey... very interesting indeed. But it was nice to be in with some members and enjoy of their company. Our second dinner was with some investigators and was a big Dominican meal. It was Hna. Andrsons first Dominican meal so that was some good times for sure. Hilda, the grandma of the house was showing us what we could drink and brought out this stuff saying (in Spanish of course) "This is lemonade, you get me? Lemonade" She had a big grin and a twinkle in her eye. All of us "seasoned" missionaries took it to mean that there was alcohol in it so we left it alone. I didn't see my poor Hna. Anderson go for a big swig of it... soon to find out what we all had figured out a little bit before her. She is such a trooper let me tell you. She leaned over to me and said, "Hermana, I think this is spiked lemonade" Ha ha, yes, it was hija! Ha ha. She is a trooper and we just drank egg nog (with NO alcohol). It was a great thanksgiving and we enjoyed ourselves very much. I do look forward to next year when I can have my families food again, oh how I miss it!
The day after thanksgiving we had interviews with President. We only have them every other cycle now so we realized that it was my second to last interview with him. SO WEIRD! But interviews with him are always so great. He asked me to speak to the missionaries at the mission training we are having next week. I am a little nervous but it's only about 5 minutes long. I'm going to be sharing some thoughts that I shared with President in our interview about obedience. It should be good! I love having interviews with him, he is an amazing man and leader.
Sunday I gave my first talk in Spanish! Ha ha, I like how my brother gave HIS first talk in Spanish and he's only been out a month, I've been out over a year. But hey, I guess that just shows the difference in missions. I spoke on the gift of the holy ghost. I was only supposed to take about 5 minutes but I think I went for ten... woops. It's ok, I actually enjoyed realizing that I can give a talk in Spanish. Before I went up I leaned over to the Bishop and told him I was going to vomit... he laughed at me and said "good luck!" Little did he know I was not kidding! But it went well, I'm just glad to have it over with :)
Monday was an interesting day as well. I gave a training on Miracles and how we can qualify ourselves for miracles. I used dads story about his eye as an example and then had a bunch of quotes and stuff put together. I discussed how there are certain things that we need to have to prepare us for miracles. 1. Faith 2. Desire 3. Obedience 4. Concentrated Thoughts 5. Prayer and 6. Realizing your faith will be tried. It went really well and our district is pumped to see miracles. We are each fasting a different day this week and then all together on Sunday. We have already seen some of the miracles come. And not just little ones, very specific ones. For example, we are all fasting that Mildred would set a baptismal date for December 18. As we went to tech her yesterday we wanted HER to choose the date so that she didn't feel stressed out. She started out with a date in January but then went over again and she picked the 18th! Woo hoo! The elders have also been looking for someone who is prepared for the gospel and they not only found someone... they found a family! This stuff works and I know that it can work in our every day lives as well, not just with missionary work. Heavenly Father is ready and willing to bless us, we just need to be prepared first! What an amazing concept to learn!
On Monday night we were doing some tracting after having some appointments fall through and we get a phone call from one of the sisters in our zone. She asked where we were and that President was looking for us. I said, "What in the world are you talking about? We are in our area, where is President?" She continued to tell me that they were down at the temple handing out hot chocolate and that I was supposed to be there (nice of someone to tell me!) So, Hna. Anderson and I went into a sprint to the subway and made it down to the temple. There is an event down by the temple every winter called "Winters Eve" where businesses there hand out free stuff and there are Christmas lights everywhere. So we go outside the temple and hand out church material and free hot chocolate. It was a blast! It was so fun to talk to so many people! There were a good amount of missionaries invited to go and I just loved it! I have come to LOVE talking to anyone and everyone about the gospel, it has become second nature to me. Sure, we get rejected A LOT but everyone needs the chance to hear!
I hope all is going well back in the real world :) Hna. Anderson and I talk about how wierd it is that we live in world but we are just not concerned with what is going on. We are more concerned about others. It is an awesome thing. I love this work, I love these people, I love New York! Ha Ha!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Tengo una HIJA!

Hello from the new mom of the family!
Ha ha, that could be so awkward, but in mission lingo, whenever you train someone, you are their mom, and I AM TRAINING! Pretty crazy right? I am so excited about it but nervous at the same time, I just hope that I can do well. I met my hija yesterday and she is just so great! Her name is Hna. Anderson and she is from Utah. She went to BYU-Idaho and we already get along so well, I love her! Her Spanish is really good for being just out and she is so willing to do all she can! She is great and I am excited to work with her.
This last week has been so good. It was hard to say goodbye to Sis. McMillan and I miss her SO much. But after I said goodbye to Sis. McMillan I got to go be with Sis. Baxter. It was so much fun. We went to Connecticut for about three days and I FELL IN LOVE with that place. There are not really any Dominicans there so everyone speaks very clearly and I could understand them all. Sadly, they all say I speak like a Dominican, I'm going to have to work on that. But I want to serve there so bad one day! I had everyone I met pray that I can come there after here... that's my goal. Not like I get to choose but it is fun to think about. I would love, love, love to serve there. Plus, it is in Glenn Becks stake which is always a plus :) After we were there for a couple days we came back down into the City and got some work done here. It was just so fun to be with Sis. Baxter. I really feel like it was a tender mercy to be with her for a week.
While Sis. Baxter was here we did a "street meeting" and we sang on the street while we had people signing up for free DVD's. It was pretty fun. I will have to send you some pictures, I was standing on a crate and everything, it was pretty funny! Who knew I would ever stand on a crate and sing in the middle of New York City... I guess I'm becoming even more crazy than I used to be.
So yesterday, we went to our first appointment of the day (Hna. Andersons first appt ever). It was with an investigator named Ramon. He is paralyzed and we are working on getting him progressing so that he can get baptized. He is a great guy but was telling us that his week has been pretty hard because his mom had a stroke. As we were discussing some things, he got a phone call and found out that his mother had died, while we were there with him. It was so hard to be there while he found that out. Hna. Anderson and I searched for some scriptures to share but he didn't really want to talk about it so we bore our testimony and left. I've been thinking about it a lot since then. It made me so grateful for the plan of salvation and for the knowledge that we have. I am so grateful that I know that I get to see everyone I love again. It makes me want to work even harder here on this earth so I am worthy to live with my family again. I love sharing the plan of salvation with others and I hope to help Roman feel the spirit and know that this is the way to be able to see his mother again.
So, P-Day is changed again and we actually don't get to have it on Thanksgiving which is really sad because I was looking forward to going to the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Instead, we are going to a museum to celebrate Elder Maxfields birthday! Tomorrow we have a couple of appointments planned to go visit some people so it should be a good day. We have 2 dinner appointments so that should be interesting! I am so excited to spend the holidays here with the members. Although I miss my family so much, I feel a lot of love from the people here! I am loving my mission more and more every day. I am feeling the stress of training but it is good for me.
Other random transfer news... the rest of my district stayed the same. Sis. Child got moved upstate to be with Sis. Adjei in a Zebra companionship (half Spanish and half English) Sis. Baxter is also training (this is her last cycle) and hmmm... yeah, that's about it. We have A LOT of greenies in our zone so that is exciting!
I hope you all know how grateful I am for this gospel. I am so grateful I have the chance to serve around these amazing people and to share the good word. I know this church is true. I am thankful for parents who have worked to hard to raise me the way Heavenly Father wants them to. They are what got me out here and who continue to support me in every way I can think of. I am thankful for my brothers and sister who are my best friends. I am thankful for all of you that haven't forgotten about me and write me letters, it is always so nice to hear from everyone. I am thankful that I am serving a mission and that Heavenly Father has given me this chance to grow in my testimony. I love this work! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Hurray Lewis's Baptism

My McMillan is leaving me!!!!!

Good Morning! I think this is the earliest I've emailed on my mission but we have to get things done because my dear Sis. McMillan is leaving me today to go home! I am so sad slash excited for her. I can't believe the time has already come. That also means that Sis. Walker, my trainer, is leaving as well. It feels so weird to have such important people to me leave but I know that when the mission ends, there are new and exciting things for them. (I know that is easier for me to say as I still have a good chunk left on my mission, ha ha)
Today I will be heading to Connecticut to be companions with Sister Baxter for about a week. I am so excited to go be in a CAR! With trees and stuff! It will be such a change from being in the city! We'll be in her area for about 3 days and then head back to my area for the end of it. Transfers are next Tuesday so we will be getting our companions that day and I'll be off again working in this area. We'll see what the future holds. Next week P-day will be on Thursday so we can go to the Thanksgiving Day Parade! Look for me on TV! Ha ha, it should be pretty cool. All I remember from it when we went a LONG time ago was sitting on my dads shoulders trying to see over the billions of people... I guess this time will be a little different but it should be good! I have no clue what else we'll be doing for thanksgiving but I assume that we'll eat some sort of Dominican meal... let's just say I can't wait for my family cooking next year! Ha ha!
This last week has been great! LEWIS WAS BAPTIZED! It was so awesome! He seemed so happy and I was so happy to see him make that convent with Heavenly Father. The blessings we receive when we make covenants and keep them just amaze me! Our Heavenly Father wants to bless us so bad.. we just have to take that step! Random funny note: A member wanted to sing at the baptism and asked me to sing with her... then she didn't show up... so I made the elders sing with me. Ha ha, as a missionary you really learn to improvise.
We had another mission training on Monday which was of course amazing. I just love those! We talked about extending commitments. I just love Pres. Smith and how he is directed by the spirit. I know without a doubt that he was called to be a mission president here by our Heavenly Father! I love him and the service he gives each of us missionaries. He has so much confidence in us!
I am continuing to love serving as a missionary. Sometimes I forget what life was like before the mission and I can't even imagine my life without this chance I have to serve. It is so wonderful! Thanks for all the prayers for me but remember to help the missionaries that are near you as well, they sure would love it! I love you all! Happy early thanksgiving!
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino
PS: family... have fun in SPAIN!

Hermana Passantino and Hermana McMillian enjoying fall in NYC!

I still Heart New York!

I am not doing well with creative subject lines, sorry about that. I think I am getting "less funny". Everything that I think is funny is missionary related... like quoting the Joseph Smith movie in spanish... wow, my sense of humor will be way out of wack by the time I get home. Ha ha!

Well, it has been a pretty good week here in Inwood. I am working hard at preparing myself to take over the area. It is kind of nice to know that I HAVE to have a new companion for the next cycle because my companion is going home. Next week will be interesting. Sis. McMillan leaves on Wednesday but they are not going to have transfers for another week. Which means I am companion-less for one week. But guess who else is going to be companion-less? Sister Baxter! That's right! I talked to President Smith about it yesterday and Sis. Baxter and I get to be companions! Woo hoo! I am so excited, even if it is just for one week. I think we will be spending half the time in her area in CT and the other half the time here in Inwood. We'll see. But just as a fair warning, it might be a little crazy next P-Day so I don't know if I will get to email or not.

So guess what? Lewis is getting baptized on Saturday! Woo hoo! He already has had his baptismal interview so now we just have to get the program together. I am so excited to have him take that step to baptism! Now let's just pray it goes through... baptisms in this area have been hard for some reason but I'm excited still!

We had a great show up at church this last Sunday. It was the best we've had so far. Lucinda came and LOVED it! She is so cool and I love teaching her. This last lesson she told us she knew Joseph Smith was a prophet and that she knows she needs to follow the Word of Wisdom and Tithing... woo hoo! She is great and I am excited to see what happens with her! It amazes me the blessings that come to those that are willing to keep the commandments of God. If only we could all be like that. Sometimes I think we are too quick to justify or bend the rules. If only we had enough faith to obey with exactness, the blessings would be poured out to us just like it is to our investigators.

So funny story of the week. The other night as I was falling asleep I could have SWORN that I heard a mouse running around our bedroom. I of course freaked out. I was NOT going to have a mouse running around while I was sleeping. So I spent the next hour or so lying in bed with my eyes wide open and every time I heard what I thought was the mouse I would grab the flashlight and try to spot it. I then took the liberty to pick up any sort of food that could even entice the little guy. I seriously think I was going crazy. Sis. McMillan just laughed at me as I turned the flashlight on every 25 seconds to find the mouse. Needless to say, we never found what was making that noise. But so help me if there is a mouse I WILL HUNT IT DOWN! Gross New York City and they mice everywhere... and pigeons. Gross pigeons. Why do people feed them?

Well, I hope everything is going well for everyone else. I am loving life here. We are doing some shopping today for Sis. McMillans last P-day... woo hoo! Shopping in New York :) I love you all!

Con amor- Hermana Passantino

PS: I just realized I say "woo hoo" way too much! Sorry about that!

Random crooked light pole here in NYC!

Hermana McMillan and I with Lizzy from Spain! She was so cool!

Temple Day! Elder Adams decided to jump in the picture.

On my split to the Bronx visiting Ramon, China and baby Gia!

This is me harcore train preaching! Well, no one was on the train..but don't I look fierce?

Sorry for the Late Letter!

Hello!
Well, sorry I am emailing a couple days late. Wednesday there was a big mess up at the Library so we didn't get to email. But don't worry, I have permission to be emailing today so everything is good! P-day was a blast and I'll talk more about it in a little bit!

This week has been a very busy one full of A LOT of things. We got back to teaching Lewis and we gave him another baptismal date of Nov. 13, the weekend before Sis. McMillan goes home. He is a great guy and has a strong testimony so we are praying that things follow through. Sis. McMillan and I have been a bit frustrated just because we have been working so hard but no one seems to want to progress. This area is for sure harder than the Bronx was as far as baptizing goes. We get a lot of lessons each week and we contact ALL the time but for some reason it has been tough. Luckily, we continue to go forward and do the best we can! We realize we are given trials to help us grow. I was reading a talk from Pres. Uchtdorf today and he talked about how it is the way that we react to our trials that define us, not the trials themselves. Boy have I learned that (and continue to learn that) on my mission! But it is so true. We have so many things thrown at us that we can't control. We have to do the best we can on the things we CAN control and leave the rest to the Lord. I am grateful I get to learn this lesson here on my mission because it is one that is applied to life in every aspect!

We had really good district meeting on Monday from Elder Shepherd. He asked us some questions about what are purpose is as a missionary. It was all stuff that we kind of got to ponder for ourselves. We have missionaries in all different stages of the work in our district so it was cool to see the different outlook from everyone and learn from everyone else. It was great!

Halloween was interesting! The night before we had a ward Halloween party that was a sight to be seen. For any of you who have been to a Spanish ward party I am sure you can only imagine! It was fun! We had a couple of investigators go and they enjoyed themselves. Then on Halloween we had to be in at 6. Before we got in the house we were walking around and saw all the kids in Halloween costumes. They all go trick-or-treating really early and they don't go to apartments, they go to the stores and bodegas... interesting. That night, Sis. McMillan and I did a puzzle and ate mango sticky rice! YUM!

This last P-Day was so fun! We had a district outing and went to central park. I just love that place! It is SOO pretty in the fall with all the leaves (of course I got some AWESOME pictures!) We walked around and just enjoyed the brisk fall day! We even found an ice skating rink that you can bet I will be asking for permission to go to! How fun would it be to go ice skating in central park! We ate at this place called "The Shack Shake" Oh yum it was so good and had amazing burgers, my favorite!! It was a great P-day!

The reason I didn't email yesterday was because we had the Sisters Lunch up in Scarsdale with President and Sister Smith. It was a great day! First off, we met the AP's in the Bronx and they drove us up to the mission home. It was such a beautiful drive! I am pretty sure I drove Elder Fox crazy because I wouldn't shut up about how beautiful it was! I hope I can serve upstate at some point in my mission. Being in the city for almost a year makes you miss the trees. I got to see so many sisters that I hadn't seen forever too! Sis. Baxter being one of them. It was so great to be gathered as sisters and be able to spend some time with President and Sister Smith. They talked to us for a bit and then we got to do a question and answer time with President Smith... it was wonderful in every way!

All in all life is good! The work is hard but it is oh so worth it! I love being out here and I am pretty sure time is going WAY too fast! I can't believe my McMillan is leaving me so soon! Ahh! Oh and the little ciesta that Brian gets to have sounds wonderful, there are no ciestas in New York... haha! I love it!

Con amor- Hermana Passantino

Hello from the Humidity

Hello to all! It is a nice HUMID day here in the City.... and my hair is NOT enjoying it. Ha ha, we all know how poofy it gets, nothing seems to help, but I am starting to live with it :) You would think after a year I should be used to it right? Ha ha, got to love the weather in NY. It is kind of weird, like it has been chilly but now it is warming up again. I don't get it... it must be global warming or something :) Ha ha, just kidding! Speaking of politics, it is SO weird to not know what in the world is going on in the world! I feel so left out but it's kind of nice at the same time, I have a feeling I would be angry if I did know :)

Things here in Inwood are going well. Sadly, Lewis's baptism isn't going to go through this weekend. For some reason our baptisms just keep falling through, it is frustrating but we are trying to put our trust in the Lord. We will have a couple of REALLY good days and be way pumped and then the end of the week comes and everything seems to fall apart. But that's ok, this is the Lords work and we just keep doing our best and everything will come out the way it needs to!

On Saturday we had a district "hunt". To celebrate the opening of hunting season, Sis. McMillan and I put together a NYC hunting game for the elders and then went on a "people hunt" aka a district blitz to find new investigators. We bought little pop guns and rats and had the elders "hunt" the rats... the winner got a prize :) Then we went tracting and found a couple of potentials. It was fun, sometimes you just gotta make the mundane more fun and then people are happy and when you are happy you find success! Things are always better when you are happy!

We had Stake Conference this last weekend. It was so good! It was all about missionary work which of course I loved. They had a young man that just returned speak and they also had some moms speak. Pres and Sis Smith were there and also spoke. The spirit was so strong and it was so great to be there. I am happy that I have the chance to serve in the NY NY stake, it is great and the Stake Presidency is amazing! I really like it here!

Inwood continues to be an adventure every day! Sis. McMillan and I work so hard. By the end of the day my feet just throb but it's a good thing, because I sleep great and things just are good when you are working the hardest you can! I can see miracles in this area just right on the edge... they are coming as long as we do our part!

I don't have much more to update on. I miss you all a lot but I am happy to be here. I know without a doubt this is where the Lord wants me. Thanks for your prayers and please know I pray for all of you all the time!

The church is true! Never forget it! Remember to live it!

Con amor- Hermana Passantino

PS: Happy Halloween to everyone! We are going to have ward party and I am sure everyone will be happy to know that I will be going as Hermione Granger from Harry Potter... it is the only thing I could come up with that makes me still look like a missionary :) Pictures to come!

I Feel So Ritzy!

Hello to all! I am emailing from the Upper East Side of New York City today, not only that, but I am using our new cell phones to make all my "important" phone calls. You know, the new cell phones that missionaries got here :) They are like really really fancy phones, so I totally fit in in this New York City lifestyle, except for the fact that I am wearing a 5 dollar Old Navy skirt... haha, that doesn't fit in so much. HA HA HA! Ok totally kidding, I don't fit in in this crazy part of the city, but I am here... we found this library after a stroll in central park. And we DID get new cell phones and they are so fancy. I think I have been using the brick we call a cell phone for so long that I forgot what nice cell phones are. It even has a camera... high class, I know. Ha ha, but it was exciting. All the missionaries are enjoying them, it's like Christmas!

This week has been a whole bunch of ups and downs, but it has been wonderful. SIs. McMillan and I were so excited to start a new cycle off. We had all these plans and then woke up Thursday morning sick. Sis. McMillan had an AWFUL cold and I had the flu, we were a pair to be seen let me tell ya, we still worked and I'm pretty sure everyone thinks we are crazy, we were determined to make it a good start of the cycle. Luckily we are feeling much better and things are going great!

Lewis came to church on Sunday and LOVED IT! It was SOOO exciting. We had the Primary Program so I think he was a little confused at first but he felt the spirit so strong and told us that the spirit confirmed to him that this was right and that is where he needed to be! He is so excited to be baptized! I can't wait! This will be the first baptism I've seen from tracting! Crazy!

We have found a couple of really good new investigators that are so prepared! I love it! I feel like things are finally starting to come together in this area. Here is a fun story, the other night we had an open spot in our plans that we decided to do "inspired tracting" We got on our knees and prayed to know where to go. We both got the impression to go to a former investigators house. We went there and they were not home, but we both felt we needed to be there so we just started talking to everyone who walked in. We were still trying to figure out what we were doing there so we decided to pray again. As I started praying some guy started singing from his apartment building and Sis. McMillan said, "That's our answer, let's go to his door!" We knocked on that door and the 3 doors next to it and got return appointments from each one. Then as we were leaving we talked to a family who also gave us a return appointment. I don't know what will come of it but I know we were lead there. We may find someone prepared, or we may just be getting practice on following promptings of the spirit. Either way, we loved it and we were reminded that things like that SHOULD happen all the time as missionaries, we just need to listen. It was a great lesson for us both!

We had a wonderful training from President Smith yesterday. Each month we are receiving trainings for the new curriculum for missionary work. It is once again, amazing to be with so many missionaries (two different zones) and feel of the spirit there. I learn and I am taught so much. I love being a missionary. It is so weird to think that tomorrow is my one year mark. I am not sure where the time has gone! I am determined to work harder and to do my best. I can't think of life without my mission, every day I thank Heavenly Father for the opportunity I have to serve! How lucky I am!

Today we were able to go to the temple. It was wonderful! It was full of missionaries and of course the spirit was so strong. My thoughts were brought to my little brother who is flying to Argentina. I am so proud of him! I miss my family so much. Thinking of the fact that I haven't seen them for a year breaks my heart but I felt so close to each and every one of them today. I love the temple. I feel so close to family and it just feels like home :) I was able to be there with Sis. Child too which is just wonderful! We actually share an area (she covers a singles ward in English for my area) so that is a blast because I get to see her more!

I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for all your love and support. All my emails today made me so happy! I love you all!

Love, Hermana Passantino

The Bronx Got A Litte Taste of Passantino Again...

Hello!
Well, I am here emailing hardly being able to keep my eyes open because I am so tired. I just got back from a split in the Bronx! That's right! I got to go back for 24 hours and it was WONDERFUL! There was a family that Sis. Child and I had taught but then some things happened in their personal lives that they didn't get to see them after I left. Anyway, President knew about them and felt really strongly that Sis. Child and I go and teach them one last time. So, I got to go to the Bronx and teach them with Sis. Child. It went really well and we had a blast! I also got to see the Zamoras AND China and Roman. Perfect timing too because China had her baby! Little Gia was born last Thursday and so I got to see her! It was so cool! It's weird to think that when I first met China she was not even a month prego and now little Gia is here. She is beautiful! The split was wonderful and it made me realize how much I miss the Bronx. At the same time, I know I am supposed to be here with things to do so I feel comfort in that. It was so fun to go back and talk to some of my recent converts and stuff. It was just great! Of course, Sis. Child and I had a BLAST together. I just love her so much! We stayed up too late talking but what's new... we love to talk. I am so glad I can make so many best friends here! Today we went to Target to switch back and we got to see Elder Hellberg and his comp which was just wonderful! I love seeing old friends! The mission is so awesome!
This last week has been good with the highlight being CONFERENCE! Oh man it was awesome! Mildred came to two sessions and loved it! How great it is to hear from servants of the Lord!!! Elder Hollands talk got me right from the start. The spirit was so strong and I couldn't help but feel an immense gratitude for my family, especially my parents! Wow, I am just so blessed. I was crying (along with the rest of my district) I guess that one just hit missionaries ya know! I also loved loved loved Elder Oaks talk on the personal line and the priesthood line. He put it so clearly, as a missionary who has to teach that sort of thing often, it was a great help. And I think my most favorite talk was President Monsons on gratitude. It was so awesome! I loved when he said, something to the effect of, "when we walk with gratitude, we touch heaven" Wow... I just love conference and was so sad when it ended.... I don't want to wait 6 more months! Ha ha!
It has been a rainy week for us and we actually have gotten cold... I guess fall is finally here! I am kind of excited since I was getting a little sick of being a gross ball of sweat everywhere I went... now I just get to look silly in a million different layers! But I love it! Transfers are coming up next week... AHHH! I can't even believe it. Sis. McMillan and I are pretty sure we will be staying. It will be her last cycle! I am so sad and don't want her to leave but she is not trunky at all and is such a hard worker!
We are still working on finding some solid new investigators. We have SO many people so close to baptism I can taste it! Oh man! I love it! I am happy and doing well! Thanks for all that you out there do for me and for the missionaries where you are! There is nothing better than a good friend while you are out in this unknown place serving. I love the members here! And I love you all! Have an amazing week!
Love, Hermana Passantino

It's a Beautiful Day!

Hello to all!
Today is a nice sunny day, much different than the last couple days, it has been raining non-stop. That is always fun as a missionary in the city because we just get to walk around in the rain... woo hoo! Ha ha, but don't worry, I have a good umbrella (and it's cute too!)
This last week has been a tough one. If I could describe it in one word.... frustration. This has been one of the hardest weeks of my mission as far as the work goes. Missionary work is so interesting, you put your whole heart into it and it takes all your energy to try and help these people progress and gain those blessings that Heavenly Father has just WAITING for them. But everyone has their free agency and needs to decide for themselves what to do. I am not going to go into details of what happened this week because they are not important but we'll just say, Mildred didn't get baptized. Her baptism was canceled 3 hours before it was supposed to happen. Her interview was a struggle as well last Wednesday night. It was raining that night and Sis. McMillan and I had no umbrellas with us. So after we dropped Mildred off we sat on a bench (while it was pouring rain) and just looked up at the sky. Sometimes, missionary work is hard. Ha ha. But it's ok... things will work out for the best. After we sat and stared into the dark NY sky while getting drenched we bought ice cream and cookies to make ourselves feel better. Nothing like emotional eating right? Ha ha... But everything will work out, I have faith in that. The good news is, I'm still happy and working hard! I know that the Lords hand is in everything we do here so He is in charge not me (as much as I want to be sometimes... ha ha)

Besides all of the frustrating things that have been going on (Mildred is just one of them) We have had some small miracles that are always so wonderful! We had interviews with President and that was just great. I love President Smith! He always has the right things to say! He is just wonderful and it's always a boost to have interviews. It's sad now that we only get to have them every other cycle, but always great to have them!

I also got to watch the Relief Society General Broadcast! It was amazing! It is so great to listen to a Prophet of the Lord! I loved the different talks and themes. Before the broadcast our stake had a mini conference and dinner. The conference was great and talked about Charity and the food was wonderful (You can imagine how nice it was since I am part of the New York New York stake... very ritzy) It was fun for a change since I live in the ghetto of Manhattan. But I loved it and the spirit was so strong. I am SO excited for conference this week! WOO HOO!

Well, sorry this is so short, time is running out. I am going to the Museum of Natural History today *(for the third time) so that should be fun! I love you all! Thanks for all you do! Can't wait to hear from you all!
Con amor- Hermana Passantino

P-day at Central Park! We found this cool place that was in the park and also showed some of the city!

Every Friday we play dominos with Don Frank. He is a member that can't leave his house but he's so nice!

The Botanical Gardens! This overlooked the Rose Gardens.

In the Botanical Garden you can plant and water things. It made me miss our garden at home. I helped by watering the squash!

Manhattan North Zone ALWAYS REPRESENTS!

Hello from yet another BEAUTIFUL day in New York City! I am getting excited for our P-day today because we are playing a football game against the Manhattan South Zone... it is obvious we are going to win :) Ha ha... it should be fun! I really like my zone here. It is totally different than when I was in the Bronx but it is still a blast. We don't see everyone as much so when we get to get together and have fun it is always enjoyable!

It has been a good week for Sis. McMillan and I! We have been doing A LOT of tracting! We did this thing called a "Zone Blitz" in the elders area and Sis. McMillan and I felt like we should tract in their area for them. So we said a prayer and I picked a building and a floor to tract. Out of 6 doors we got into 3 of them and taught 3 lessons! Let me tell you, that never happens. It was really cool and hopefully it will help the elders out with some investigators (now if only that would happen in our area). We are kind of revamping our area right now trying to find some solid people. It has been difficult but we are working hard. It seems that with every area and every companion, you kind of have to find your nitch and figure out what you are meant to do together in that area. Sis. McMillan and I are in the process of doing that right now. So we will continue to press forward and do our best! The good news... we have a baptism this Saturday! Woo hoo! Mildred (the Mom of Marible, my recent convert in the Bronx) is getting baptized. It is so exciting! Saturday will be a great day. We also have the Relief Society broadcast which I couldn't be more excited for. Speaking of conference...

Sis. McMillan and I are doing what we like to call "Conference Prep". We are writing down a couple questions/thoughts that we would love to have answered or gain some insight on during conference. We pray about them every night and we are also going to fast about them. I am looking forward to this and encourage all of you to do it as well. I know that each speaker is inspired and called of God and that we really will get all that we need to out of conference! Hello!!! It's a living prophet for our day speaking to us, how could you not learn something from it! (Ok, sorry, I get a little excited about conference :)

So fun story of the week. We have a district lunch every Thursday after extended weekly planning. This last week we decided to have a picnic in the park by our apartment. It was so fun! We sat next to the water and just chatted but then this nasty giant goose kept coming over to us. I believe I have gotten my very strong dislike for birds from my father so I was freaking out. I made the elders chase the goose away every time it got too close. Then all these pigeons came out of no where and were like swarming us! I couldn't take it! It reminded me of one time when Brian was little and he wouldn't eat his lunch because there were pigeons everywhere and he kept saying "I feel like I am eating them!" Ha ha, I hope my fam remembers that one! Anyway, I strongly dislike birds around me while I am eating and the elders got a nice workout chasing them away for me.... they are so kind. Ha ha!

This morning I was listening to some CD's that my fam just sent me and that one EFY song came on "Shine the Light" I couldn't help but giggle as I thought of some of my favorite women doing a girls camp music video to that song :) I was just laughing the whole time! I miss you guys! That song will never be the same!

I hope everyone is doing good! I am doing great and moving right along. Sometimes I think time is going WAY too fast for me! It needs to slow down so I can get more stuff done. Thanks for all the love you send me!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Greetings from New York City

Hello to all from a BEAUTIFUL day in New York City! I just got done sipping some hot chocolate in central park and it occurred to me, I live in this city, how cool is that? I just love it here. I am in downtown Manhattan right now because my companion is going to a Broadway play with some other sisters and I am going to be hanging out with Sis. Child! I am so excited! Last p-day was great because I had the chance to go to yet another Yankees game! It was a blast and a home run at the bottom of the 9th made it so the Yankees won so we had some excitement as well! It was wonderful! Thanks to Elder Hellbergs birthday, his mom got some tickets for us so we had great seats too! It was a blast!

It has been a really good week for Sis. McMillan and I. We are enjoying our small area and trying to find new things to do to keep it interesting. Luckily, we both are kind of crazy and we keep ourselves laughing a lot. For example, the other day I was walking down some hard marble stairs and I fell down a flight of stairs. Ha ha! It hurt really bad and I think my bottom is bruised pretty bad ( I can't sit for long periods of time now) and I also pulled a muscle in my arm. But we had a very good and long laugh about it and now every time I sit, we just laugh... it makes it not hurt so bad. I looked SO funny when I fell. Luckily, no one else saw. And don't worry, I'm not the only one that has moments to laugh at... the other day we walk into a lesson with Lewis (who is so cool and told us he knows Joseph Smith is a prophet and the Book of Mormon is true! Woo Hoo) Anyway, we walk in and right before we sing, Sis. McMillan gets a horrible bloody nose. She just puts some napkins in her nose while I sing the opening song by myself (awkward!) So we continue to teach the lesson while poor Sis. McMillans nose is just leaking blood.... Lewis gave her some ice and she just taught along with ice and napkins holding the blood... yummy! Ha ha, it was a great adventure.

Mildred (Maribles mom) is getting baptized on the 25th and we are SO excited! We also have Lewis lined up for a date and a man named Ramon. He is bedridden (paralyzed from the head down) but we found out we can have him baptized. It will be a challenge but I am excited for him!

I thought September 11th would be a lot cooler but since I live in the Little DR no one really cared. But don't worry, I showed my American Pride and wore Red, White and Blue! We got to see the big spot lights they put in place of the towers from where we were so that was cool!

Yesterday we had yet another amazing Multi-Zone conference! It was so good! I wish everyone could feel what it is like to be in a room full of missionaries! The spirit is SO strong. It just makes me so happy to be a missionary and to be part of this work. Every zone conference the missionaries that are leaving give their testimonies. It was so weird to have Sis. Walker and Sis. McMillan up there. So many missionaries that I know will be going home soon. It is weird growing up in the mission. Our time here is SO short and I want to use every minute I can! Sometimes the days get long and things are frustrating but it is so great to get together with other missionaries and our Mission President and talk about how we can be better. Being a missionary is something I would never trade. I love this work! I am so grateful I can be out here.

I hope everyone is doing fantastic! I miss you all and can't wait to hear from you!

Love, Hermana Passantino

I Heart New York!

Hello to all!
I hope everyone is doing fantastic. Don't worry I survived the "hurricane" last week. Ha ha ha! Everyone was freaking out thinking we were going to be hit, but not to worry, I think it rained like two drops... but I kept my umbrella around just in case! It has been a very good week for Sis. McMillian and I. Can I just say that I love working with her!

Last week for P-day Sis. McMillian and I went to the New York Botanical Gardens! It was SO beautiful! I was in heaven with all the trees and stuff. I never realized how much I missed nature but man, when you live in a giant city, you really start to miss that stuff. I loved every part of it and I hope to go back again because we didn't get to see everything. I felt like I wasn't even in NY anymore. It was a wonderful change to the big city craziness we deal with every day.

We have been working hard trying to find new investigators. We do a lot of tracting still and we are doing a lot of look ups. Our area is so small but we have A LOT of former investigators which is good because we are trying to look all of them up. Our area is about 5 blocks by 10 blocks! Super small. If you look at a map of Manhattan and you find the street Dyckman (200th street) from that street to the top of Manhattan is our area. It is called Inwood which is part of Washington Heights in Manhattan. As most know, Manhattan is kind of broken up into smaller parts like, Washington Heights, Harlem, etc. So everyone living in the Washington Heights area goes to our ward.

Our ward is great and I really like the Bishop too! He is a teacher in the Bronx and he is so friendly and willing to help out. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is when the Bishop is willing to help so much with missionary work, everything goes smoother. He is very aware of the different people that have been baptized and what they need, it is great!

So here is a funny story. On Friday a member took all of us missionaries in the Washington Heights area out to dinner. As we were on the bus on the way to eat and there was this rather LARGE man sitting next to me. I was kind of just looking around the bus and all of the sudden he raises his hand and starts petting Elder Berry's head. Elder Berry turned around with a look on his face saying, "who in the world is touching me" Then this man continues and says, "Wow man, you have really soft hair, I like you Jehovah Witnesses" Ha ha ha, we were all trying to hold in our laughter! If you knew Elder Berry it would be that much funnier. I just love that random things like that happen here, they always make us smile. Luckily I contacted the guy and he's meeting with the missionaries. Ha ha!

We had a great training by Sis. McMillian at district meeting this last Monday that I loved. She talked about adapting our lives to the Saviors teachings. It was wonderful and really motivated me to do better. She gave us this quote that I really liked by Harlod B. Lee.
"This is your day and the only day that you have to be concerned about. Yesterday is gone, there is nothing you can do about yesterday except repent. There may be no tomorrow." Sometimes we worry too much about things that are out of our control, now is the time to deal with the now and we will be ok! I loved her training!

All in all things are going wonderful! I love the work! Nothing makes me happier. I hope all is well with everyone and that everyone had a safe Labor day! Love you!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

My new companion Hermana McMillian! My first day in Inwood on top of a project building.

My new area...Inwood. It's so small! Taken off the top of a project building.

George Washington Bridge over Hudson River! One of the borders of my new area.

5 of us on our way to new areas..we all had to get on a bus with our luggage...we were very annoyng!

This happens often! Thank you subway grates!

My last district in the Bronx with our tie dye shirts!

Saying goodbye to Bishop, Jefany, Betty & Juan

My last day in the Bronx...helping Ramon in his food truck.

Sis. Passantino Sang as she walked and walked and walked....

Ha Ha, ok so my subject line is really lame but I feel like ALL we do is walk here. Our area is small so we obviously don't take a bus or anything but my feet are starting to hurt, I am almost excited to wear my ugly sister missionary shoes again so my feet don't hurt so bad. I swear everyone we teach lives on the highest floor of every building with no elevators whish makes life fun as well. Gotta love it! But it is great because I'm keeping that missionary weight off which is always a good thing :) Especially with all the spanish food we eat! I am still not used to Dominican food but I am hanging in there and eating more than I used to!

This week has been a good one. Sis. McMillian and I are working on revamping our area so we are doing a lot of tracting but we have actually had some pretty good success. We are using this video called "Finding Happiness" and it is only 5 minutes long so we have people watch it and it gets them interested, then we set a return appt. It has worked out great. We like to tract in the projects because a lot of people there are receptive (although sometimes the smells drive us out... ha ha)

I got to do a training for district meeting this monday and it went really well. I was asked to do it on Miracles which is great because I had done that once before in my old district. I studied more and gained even more insight on miracles in our lives. We really have to be prepared for them and work for them. Our faith will be tried but if we really desire a true miracle and do all we can, it will happen! It was a good training for me since as missionaries we want to see miracles every day. It was also a good reminder to look for the small miracles in our lives because there are everywhere!

Want to hear something crazy? A small box of cheese-its here are SIX dollars... I know right? What a joke. I have been wanting cheese its but I am just tooo cheap to spend that much. Oh NY, it is so expensive!

We started an English class yesterday! I "borrowed" some of the materials we used in the Bronx and started it up here. It was SO fun and I really love teaching a class. I think it's the teacher coming out in me. The other missionaries just laugh at me because I get so excited. The people here love having a free english class and work hard because they really want to learn.

Well, my time is limited so I better go! Sis. McMillian and I are going to the Bronx to visit the Botanical Gardens today so I am excited. I hope all of you are doing fantastic! Thanks for being so wonderful! The church is sooo true right? I love it!

Love, Hermana Passantino

Oh the Joys of New York City!

Hello to all from the Island of Manhattan!
It is so weird to be in a different place emailing this week. I just got so used to the Bronx. Ha ha, it really did become like home to me. It feels so strange to be in a different place with all new missionaries to work with. In the Bronx, all the missionaries worked very close together but here we are all pretty spread out which makes things interesting. I am living in a two man pad so it is just me and Sis. McMillian. Luckily she is AMAZING and we have so much fun together. She is a blast! She only has this cycle left and then one more.... which is so sad! She goes home with Sis. Walker (my trainer). Sis. Walker is in my zone which is also fun, I get to hang out with her on P-days and stuff.

So, Inwood is similar to the Bronx in many ways. For example: It smells funny here, we have learned to "not inhale" and also to "look before you step" because of all the dog poo. Of course, I learned these things in the Bronx but it's nice to know I can use my previous education to help me out here. Ha ha. We continue to get hit on ALL the time. But here it's a little different because there are SO many spanish people, we get cat called at in spanish more than in the Bronx. The same "Bronx Juice" hangs out in the streets which makes for fun puddle jumping in the rain. The aroma of weed is everywhere, especially in the the projects.... good times.

Here's a fun story: On Saturday we were sitting in McDonald's waiting for a member to come meet us. We were sitting there for about 10 minutes and in that time I saw THREE that's right, THREE drug deals... ha ha. It was a shock for me let me tell ya. I never knew McDonald's was the place to buy drugs.... interesting.

The people we teach here are wonderful. Our area is really small so we walk everywhere but our teaching pool is huge! We have a lot of people to teach and they are all so great. I feel like my spanish is already improving because we speak it so much here. It's great! Oh guess what? We are teaching Maribles mom! Isn't that cool! Maribel is one of my converts in the Bronx who is AMAZING and her mom is getting baptized in September! Small world right? She is great and so fun to be around! We also are teaching this family who have been taught for a long time and they FINALLY came to church this last week! So cool! I love it! The work here is going strong! We keep VERY busy and have about 10 to 15 more lessons a week here than I did in the Bronx which is nuts. Sis. McMillian and I come home exhausted every night.

Oh one more funny story: On Sunday we went to this members house to eat. She is really nice but then she started kind of digging into the elders because they forgot an appointment they had with her the night before. Then she starts going off on a rant about how the missionaries can't speak spanish.... literally she went on FOREVER! She was like, "You don't even understand what I'm saying" when in reality we ALL understood her. We all left frustrated because she dug into us, the funny thing is that we understood her and answered her questions and everything. Usually people area really patient with us because we are learning spanish but I guess it wasn't good enough for her... Oh goodness, just when you think your spanish is getting better, someone shoves it in your face that you are still a "gringa" and have a horrible accent and can't express yourself. There are always challenges but it's ok!

Oh guess what? Sis. McMillians brother is going to be in the MTC with Brian! (Speaking of, will someone please forward Brian my emails until I get his email address? Gracias!) Her brother is going to Peru and will enter the MTC next week! They have to be friends! I am so excited for Brian and for him to be in the mission field with me! Woo hoo!!!!

All in all I am doing wonderful. The letters have been getting a lot fewer people! Ha ha!!! But really... here's my new address so feel free to write :)

678 Academy St #A5
New York, New York
10034

I love you all! I am so grateful for the blessings I have in my life. Being a missionary is the best thing ever. It is hard, almost every day, but the blessings I see in peoples lives amaze me. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

O-Zone, Cycle 6 Last Cycle in Olmstead, Bronx

Oh New York! On my way to Washington Heights!

Missionaries at the Zoo!

Hermana Child and I at the "Tree of Life"

Hermana Child and I after running through a crazy thunder and lightening storm!

Ozzie's Baptism-The first Cuban in the Ward

Goodbye Bronx!

Yes, it's true. I am leaving the Bronx. Who would have thought this day would ever come? Sis. Child and I had a feeling I might be leaving but we didn't find out till last night. So today we are trying to run around and get things taken care of and say goodbye to as many people as possible. I am so sad that I won't get to see very many people. Transfers is hard, they just rip you out of your area and throw you somewhere new. We all know I'm not good at stuff like that but I am sure I will do fine. I am going to Inwood (Washington Heights) which is the very northern tip on Manhattan. It's pretty cool that I'll get to be in the city. We don't use metro cards there so I'll be walking EVERYWHERE. That is going to be interesting. I will be with Sis. McMillin. I don't know her super well but she was Sis. Walkers MTC companion and every time I've met her she has been great. I am excited for that. She will be leaving right before Thanksgiving so yeah, it's gonna be a fun ride. I know that being there will help my spanish A LOT! They don't speak much spanish here but there is like the Little DR so I'll be getting very used to Dominican spanish.... it will be interesting. I am so sad to leave the Bronx, it really has become like a home to me, but it will be good for this area to get something new.

This last week has been just fine. We had a ward training that was really good. They invited the whole ward to come and we talked about different things like, how to prepare a talk, how to receive personal revelation, things like that. It was really good and something that really helps out the spanish wards here. Wow, I just love this ward, it will be so weird to leave it! I love the members and all the people that I have been able to meet. Yesterday there was a little party for the end of institute and I just cried through it, I didn't even know I was leaving yet, ha ha! I just feel so close to all these people. I kind of hope I don't spend 6 cycles somewhere else because I just became so attached to this place.

I am so sad to be leaving Sister Child. She has become my best friend and it will be so hard to not see her and talk to her every day. I can not believe what best friends I have created on my mission. It is amazing the relationships that form while working together for the Lord. All of the missionaries I serve around will always be remembered. I am so happy I have this chance to find the most amazing friends. Elder Hellberg and Sister Adjei are leaving this area too! (We all started our misssions here in the BX) I think we all feel the same way about leaving, sad to leave what we are familiar with but excited for a new adventure. Sis. Adjei is going upstate and Elder Hellberg is going to a different zone in the Bronx. Wow, change is so weird but it will be good. Like I've said before, I think one reason I have to serve a mission is to learn to enjoy change and learn how to handle it.

Speaking of change, there are a lot of changes going on at home too! I can't believe Brian is leaving on his mission next week. I am so excited for him! He is going to LOVE the MTC! There is a guy here, Juan Rosario, who will be in the MTC the same time as Brian. They have to be friends! Juan is going to Colorado spanish speaking. He helps the missionaries all the time and will be a great missionary! Oh man, I am SO excited for Brian! He is going to rock the missionary world! In other home changes, I can't believe Alaina is getting married. How weird! I've been thinking how it's probably good that I'll be going to Texas after the mish, because everything will be too different in Chico anyway... oh changes, bring them on I guess!!

Well, sorry this letter isn't super spiritual. Mainly me blabbing about transfers. Although there are so many changes going on in life, they can always be for our good. I like to think of it this way, if there were no way to change, there would be no way to be able to be forgiven for our sins and ultimately, live with our Father in Heaven again. We are given the chance to change and improve every day of our lives. What a blessing! Hard times come but because of our Saviors sacrifice, we can make it through anything. I am so grateful for the plan we have here. For the opportunity we have to change and become better every day!

I love you all! Thanks for all you do!!! You are the best!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino