Hello Humidity!

Well, I can tell that spring time is here as my hair has decided to poof every day now, it's just so humid. I forgot what it is like till just now. Ha ha! But the last couple of days have been so nice and I have been LOVING it! I love seeing all the blossoms and having the sun out! Yesterday we walked around South Norwalk and talked to people on the street. It made me miss the city a lot but it was just so enjoyable. I am glad that the blossoms are out and that there is some color in the world again! The rain just starts to get depressing after a while.

This week was a good one. All three of us have been really sick so on Saturday we were inside ALL day which was just awful! At least we all got hit at the same time and we are doing better now. That night the assistants asked us to sing at mission conference that coming Monday. HAHAHAHA! We just laughed when we found out and then agreed. You can imagine how fun it was to practice for that as we all were blowing our noses and trying to sing with congestion filling us up... not the best of times. But the song turned out ok and we made it through. Thank goodness Hna. Vander Does has such an amazing voice, she carried us through!

Easter was great. It is always so nice to be able to reflect a little more on the Savior and what he did for us. We also got to sing in Sacrament Meeting which was, again, very interesting. The elders sang with us so I think it turned out pretty good. We ate dinner at a couple different houses and enjoyed our time with some members. I think next Easter will be weird without eating some sort of Spanish food for dinner!

So I had my final mission conference on Monday. It was a little weird, just feeling like I was one of "the old ones". We talked about the doctrine of finding people. It was really interesting and reminded me once again of how much people are searching for the gospel in their lives. President Smith reminded us that everyone knew the plan, everyone that is here accepted that, we need to go out and help them remember. It has put a different spirit into the way I look at people throughout my whole mission, it was great to be reminded of it again! I was also given the chance to bear my testimony at mission conference (along with all the other missionaries going home) It was interesting to reflect and bear testimony. I realize that my testimony hasn't changed at all, it has just grown stronger. My goals have become more specific and I have learned even more how the Lord guides me in all I do! What a great time!

Today is my last normal P-day. Next week we are going to the temple (all the missionaries going home) so today we are going to the beach to play some volleyball. I am very excited! I hope all is well in your part of the world! I love you all!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

Skirts + Knee Highs + Wind= Bad Idea

Hello Hello Hello!
What an AMAZING week it has been. I can even begin to explain what a fantastic week I have had. I guess I will start going through the days because really it was just a great week. So Thursday I had my first coco helado (coconut ice cream). They sell them all over the streets here and it is AWESOME! Oh man, it was so good and well, I just loved it. If I could live off of it I totally would. But anywho.... Firday was my birthday and I am pretty sure that it is one of the best birthdays I have ever had. I felt so loved! I got a jabawockez (however you spell it) shirt from Elder Hellberg. And Elder Jessen gave me a shirt that says "I Heart 'I heart shirts'" It is so funny and I love both of them! The sisters all got me something fun and it was awesome. We went to the Lopez Families house for lunch and it was wonderful. They are so sweet. Then we had a Zone Blitz. Pretty much everyone in our Zone went to a street corner and walked around contacting people, singing, and handing out different things. It was SO much fun. I haven't done anything like that before and I was able to do a lot of contacts in Spanish. I even got some potentials so it was awesome! We went to one of our investigators house after and when we got to the door she was like, "Hold on, I'm changing a diaper" so we waited a bit and when she opened the door she had this big cake with candles for me. It was SO nice and yummy too! We also had a couple really good lessons! Our recent convert Marlon came with us and got me a present too. Everyone is so generous and kind. It is cool because I have my real family, my mission family (like the other missionaries), my member family and my investigator family. That night I got a whole bunch of mail and packages and I was just overwhelmed with love. It was so nice. Thank you to all!

So then we had conference weekend! Who doesn't love conference???? Man, it was so uplifting and insightful. I loved how the theme really was strengthening families. I am so grateful for my family and the way I was raised. I love how the Prophet and Apostles are inspired to teach us what they are! I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God! I am so grateful that we have a Prophet today!

Easter was so fun as well. We woke up and put together Easter baskets for the elders. We put pictures of Christ in them and then delivered them while wearing the bunny ears that mom sent! They got a kick out of it when they saw all four of us sisters standing there with an Easter basket for them, it was a blast! The Whilites made all of us a wonderful Easter breakfast and they even had an Easter egg hunt! It was fantastic. Conference was of course amazing, (I think my favorite talk was Elder oh man, now I forget who it was, he talked about the youth... it was so good. I will write more about conference next week) My Easter dinner consisted of some strawberries and I made some deviled eggs. Ha ha, I had to get something eastery in there. Amazing.

So, then yesterday, the reason P-day was changed was because there was a special mission counsel because the head of the missionary department was visiting and so they had a special meeting. This meeting is for Zone leaders and District leaders but guess what? Sister Walker and I were invited to go! It was so cool! We got to sit in on this like 5 hour meeting with Bro. Allen, the head of the missionary department. I learned so much and felt the spirit so strong. What I learned will change the way I do missionary work and I am so excited about it. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it was. I feel so blessed to have been invited to this special meeting. I am going to type up my notes and send it to friends on a mission because it was "mission changing!" I got to eat lunch with Brother Allen and talked to him about Brian turning in his papers. He assured me that just because of conference, the process isn't slowed down... I put in a shot out for ya B so hopefully Spanish speaking here you come! Ha ha

The spirit is so strong among missionaries. I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful work. We are once again seeing the work pick up here in the Bronx. We have Luz who is getting baptized this Sunday and Antonio, a cousin of our member getting baptized on the 25th. We also have a lady Naty, who we are praying for a miracle because she has a date for the 9th of May. So many things happening here! Oh we also found Peter Pan and the lost boys, they are from Guatemala, who knew? More about them later. They will be baptized to!

Oh I almost forgot! Today we got to go to the temple with Maribel! IT WAS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING EVER! I can't even begin to explain the joy I felt to see her in the temple. She is so rock solid and I'll be here when she goes through in a year which I am SO pumped about. Wow, I love this work!

I love you all so much! Thanks for loving me! I can't wait to hear from you all!!!

Lover, Hermana Passantino

PS: The weather has been SO nice but the humidity does NOT agree with my hair.
PPS: Don't let crazy Dominican ladies you teach cut your hair... I made that mistake ;) Woops.