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

I love the Bronx! 4th of July-I'm doing the X!

Mission Luau! President and Sister Smith are so cute!

Me, Hermana Child and Elder Garcia in Little Italy!

Raining in China Town on Me and Hermana Child!

The "Transformer" district for Cycle 5

Our Zone for Cycle 5

Our District with La Familia Medrano

Sister Strum is going home! She was such a big help to me!

On the Bronx...

Well, I feel like I just wrote an email, this week just went so fast. I don't have a lot of fun updates this week, we've just been working hard and getting stuff done. We are still trying hard to work us this area. It has been getting harder and harder to keep it going. Probably because I've been here for so long... ha ha. Transfers are next week. I chatted with President a bit yesterday about transfers. He is not sure if he is going to move me or not. I told him that I'll go wherever the Lord wants me. Leaving here would be bitter sweet I think. There are so many things that I want to see this next cycle but at the same time, change would be a good thing. So whatever happens, happens.

I was able to finish reading the Book of Mormon on Sunday. I am so grateful to have that book of scripture in my life. We can learn so much from it. I know without a doubt that it really is the word of God.

Funny story: The other day we were inside for lunch and I went to go sit on the balcony and read during our lunch break. Sis. Child was in our room taking a rest and I locked myself out on the balcony. I had to sit out there and wait for her to wake up because she couldn't hear me yelling or banging on the door. I am pretty sure my neighbors think I'm crazy but then again, I might just blend into the rest of the Bronx. So I was stuck out there forever because Sis. Child fell asleep and I was supposed to wake her up. Ok, so that story wasn't really funny now that I write it out but it was funny at the moment. Moving on...

I guess I am struggling for things to write this week. Nothing too exciting is happening. Last week for P-day we played Soccer and Sister Childs elbow went into Elder Spencers tooth. It was a pretty deep cut and it bled for like 6 hours... that was fun. It was bleeding all through the rest of the day... so that was exciting.

We are teaching some really cool people. This one Lady, Belkiz, is so cool. She actually had been to church before in the D.R. when she was really young. She has two young sons and we love teaching them. She loves the Book of Mormon already and she is progressing. She is so cool and we found her tracting... who knew? Ha ha

Well, I guess I will sign off for the week. I love you all! Thanks for your prayers and support! Remember to always help the missionaries in your area, they need the members love and help!

Fermin's baptism by Elder Torres.

I love being a Missionary!

Hello to all!
It has been a wonderful week full of spiritual experiences. I have loved it! Ok, first off, this last week we had to help the elders clean their old apartment that they moved out of. SICK! It was seriously the grossest thing. I cleaned like 500 dead cockroaches and a million pounds of rat poo. (Ok maybe I over exaggerated a bit) I can not believe they lived there for so long. I'm pretty sure Sis. Child and I were on the verge of throwing up the whole time. Ha ha, we are such girls. But I am glad that is over with. The apartments here in New York are.... welll, hmmmm.... pretty nasty. But the ones we live in are nice so I'm not even mad about it :)

This last Friday we had the best ward activity ever! We did a "Arbol de la Vida" activity. There was a rope that went through the church and everyone had to hold on to it while blindfolded and "not let go". They were tempted a lot and a lot of them did let go. Sis. Child and I got to be in the room with the Tree of Life and it was so cool. The spirit was so strong, I almost felt like we were in the temple. Being able to see everyone come in was just something I will never forget. It reminded me of how wonderful it will be to one day be in the Celestial Kingdom with all the people we love so much. I wish I was better at words to describe the things that I felt, but just know that it was amazing. I can not wait for that day and I want to see as many people as I can there. One of the coolest parts was seeing people I've been able to help teach walk in and make it, wow, it doesn't get much better than that. I just know that one day we'll all be there together and feel of a joy that is impossible to feel anywhere else.

This week we had a wonderful Zone Blitz (where our whole Zone gets together to do missionary work of some sort) We got to plan this one and I called it the "Contacting Extravaganza-za-za-za" It was a blast. We made a list of things people need to do to get points and the companionship with the most points won. For example "25 points if you teach a lesson and make a return appointment" "3 points if the use the word 'Lakers' in your contact" random stuff like that. It was fun and very successful!

One of the best parts of the last week, we got to go to the 3 day meeting for the mission! It was so wonderful! Not all missionaries were invited but for some reason Sis. Child and I got to go and it was such a learning experience. It almost felt like a MTC in the middle of the mission (sometimes I think they should do that). So here is the deal, they are changing the curriculum for the MTC (starting May 2011) really, they are just changing what they emphasize on. In the North America missions they are starting to implement it and do major training on it right in the missions. They are training the leaders of the mission so that they can help train all others. We are going to be having trainings once a month on it and I am just so excited! I learned SO much on how to be a better missionary. We got to watch the new Preach My Gospel DVDs and they were great. They pretty much just take a district and film them in all their lessons and stuff. It helps us a lot and means a lot more than when I watched them before. They are really cool. At the end of the third "episode" the spirit was so strong in that meeting. Everyone could feel it. There is something about being together in a room full of missionaries who are all trying to do their best and fulfill their purpose. Wow, I once again can not explain the feelings I had. President Smith changed the course of the meeting just so we could share our feelings because he knew how strong the spirit was for all of us. At that moment, I was just SO happy to be a missionary. Sometimes I get discouraged and feel like the old weird-o missionary who had nothing better to do than just serve a mission but wow, that couldn't be further from the truth. I know I am supposed to be here, at this time, in this mission. I have learned so much and I can't wait to learn more. I have met the most amazing people and know I will continue to do so. This truly is the Lords work. He loves his children so much. He is so aware of each of us and what we need in our lives. Wow, isn't that just the coolest thing ever?

We have found so many cool new investigators this week! I am excited to teach them and I actually hope I get to stay here one more cycle, just to put everything I learned to use and really leave this area better!

Well, This email is getting a bit long so I better go. I love you all! Thanks for all you do!!!! Please write soon!

Con Mucho Amor- Hermana Passantino