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