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