I heart CT!

Hello from the Constitution State! I am just reporting after getting out of my 2011 Chevy Malibu... ha ha, that's right, that's what I roll around in these days. It's wonderful! We have a little GPS that tries to show me where to go but I think I get in more arguments with that thing that I should. It just frustrates me sometimes, always telling me to turn too late or what not. But I love it, it helps us get around here! I am IN LOVE with this area. It is for sure different than the city. Let me tell you! My second day here, Hna. Vander Does said we had a district blitz in "the projects". I am pretty sure these "projects" were like the Ritz Carlton compared to what I was in before. It was pretty funny. But there are some pretty ghetto parts around here. But I just love it. The work is done totally different than in the city. I am just so used to walking around and talking to people but here we are in the car all the time. I did have Hna. Vander Does and I walk around one day and just talk to people that were in their yards. It was fun and it was her first time doing it so we had a good ol time. We also have started contacting people from the car window when they look spanish... or just hanging around spanish grocery stores!

Hna. Vander Does is so great. We get a long just wonderfully and she is just so fun to be with. I know I am supposed to be her companion and I feel grateful to be able to work here. We have big plans for this area! Church was amazing on Sunday. I just love this ward. I was asked to give a talk AND sing in church on Sunday... thanks ward! But it went well I think. I still don't like talking in front of people in Spanish but I felt more like myself as I did it which was good. We also sang "Joseph Smiths First Prayer" It was me, Hna. Vander Does, and the elders (Elder Fox and Elder Anderson- the greenie) Luckily, the old Elder Anderson was there so we had him come up and sing with us. It went pretty well I think!

We also had a baptism on Saturday. This wonderful man named Ray. He has two little boys and his mom also wants to get baptized. Sadly, she has to work on Sundays so that is hard to work with. His baptism was great and I just can see how the gospel has blessed his life even though I have only been here for a couple of days. We were at his house the other night and I could just feel of the love the Savior has for that family. It brought tears to my eyes. I love moments like that as a missionary!

The members here are wonderful. I love them all so much. Not very many Dominicans which means I can understand what everyone is saying to me... ha ha. We eat A LOT here and the food is so good! I love it! So far I have eaten food from Peru, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras! On Sunday we ate at a members house from Mexico and they said I came here so that I could fix my Dominicana accent... Haha! I guess I talk fast like they do, who knew? But really, the members are amazing. I just feel so comfortable here and I feel the love of everyone so much, it's great!

I am doing great. I love the change that has come in the mission for me. I can see big miracles in this area but I am just excited to work hard! Upstate is VERY different and I am adjusting but I am doing good. I can see that Heavenly Father puts me where I need to be, and I am glad it is here! Life is wonderful! The church is true! I am so glad that I am doing His work here.

We are getting ready for Elder Bednar which I am really looking forward too. What a wonderful opportunity we have! I love you all! I hope all is well!

Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

PS: We found this new guy to teach names Ramon! He is so cool and guess what? He is Dominican! Ha ha! Of course! I am so excited to teach him. He recently got in a really bad car accident and almost died and he has been searching for the truth since then! SO LEGIT!

PPS: Today we went and played basketball at this gym a member owns. Let's just say I am a little rusty and very out of shape... woops. But it was fun!

Another Round in the City...

Well, our mission is very interesting. We have 4 zones in the city and 3 zones that are upstate. It seems that most missionaries tend to spend most of their time in the city given the names "city missionaries" and the rest in upstate given the names "upstate missionaries". (I know, you are all smart and got that, don't ask me why I spent time explaining it) Anyway, I am once again staying in the City for this transfer which REALLY makes me a "city missionary" although we already knew that. Transfer calls last night were actually some of the hardest that I have gone through... weird, I know. Here's the story...
So, I have wanted to serve in CT for a LONG time... and this transfer Hna. Baxter is leaving, perfect timing for me to go. But from some news that I heard on Saturday I was pretty positive that I would be staying in Inwood another cycle. I got my whining out and came to grips that I needed to stay. So, last night comes around and about 2 hours before transfer calls come in President Smith calls me. Now, when President Smith calls you on the night of transfers, you know he is thinking up something. So he starts to ask about my area and how my companion is doing with Spanish and all this stuff. He had read my email and knew that I wanted to go to CT. I, of course, am freaking out a bit just because I was so sure I was staying but then my hopes went up again that maybe I would be going! I asked him but President just told me to "sit tight" next to the phone and he'll let me know. So the rest of the night I was just so anxious to get transfer calls. They finally came in and well, I am staying here. In fact, nothing with the Sisters really changed that much. But for some reason, I was being a grumpy guss because a lot of my favorite people to serve around were all going upstate without me. Here is the city girl STAYING in the city again (with only two more cycles after this one)... I kind of was feeling sorry for myself while we walked to our last appointment of the night. We went to visit a member who was baptized earlier this year. We sang the song, "I'll go where you want me to go" and the whole time I was thinking of myself and how I just wished where I wanted to go could have been where the Lord wanted me to go. After the opening prayer our member told us that her mom and passed away. She said that song was perfect because she knows that each of us have a purpose to accept the will of the Lord. I felt so selfish. The whole time I was thinking about myself when I was missing the bigger picture of it all. We aren't here to serve around our friends and to go where we want to go. We do what the Lord wants, and every time we receive the better end of the deal. This mission isn't for me, it's so I can serve others. I am so grateful that the Lord is over this mission. I know that we are in the places where HE needs us most. The good news is... I GET TO BE WITH HNA. ANDERSON AGAIN and I just love her so I am sooo happy about that! The Lord always teaches us what we need and if staying in the city again is where I need to be, then I am ready and willing. (Although I still am NOT to happy about another winter in the city... I was hoping for a car so I didn't have to battle the snow much :)

So, there are a lot of changes in the mission and it is going to be an interesting cycle. We have some really good potentials for this coming cycle on baptisms and we continue to work hard. This area kind of wears at your body because of all the walking so we are tired A LOT... but it is nice to know that we are tired because we are working hard and doing the Lords work. I love it! We had the chance to go to the temple today and I was so grateful for that time to take a couple hours out of the busy city life and reflect on the things of the Lord. I am so blessed to have a temple in my mission. That may be the last time I get to go before I come home... weird. Time continues to fly by and I find myself getting more lost in the work. I just feel like I still have so much to learn and do! I continue to be grateful that the Lord knows what I need and how I will best grow. Although we have challenges, we sometimes need to take a step back and look at the blessings we have. They always outweigh the bad stuff.

It seems that my family seems to be having a rough time with the whole health situation... my goodness, everyone needs to get these sicknesses out of the way please! Ha ha, I know it's not your fault and I will keep you in my prayers! I hope everyone is having a great New Year! I love you all! Until next week....
Con Amor- Hermana Passantino

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!