Email from Kaitlyn to Mom : Monday, April 12, 2021

From: Kaitlyn.garcia@missionary.org
To: Mom
Subject Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Whatta week! Thanks for your email too :) I really do like getting them and staying up to date on what's going on ;) I've been super busy so I haven't had a ton of time to take many pictures to put in the drive but I promise I'll be better this week. Transfers felt a little different too! I honestly feel like a just got here, but I've already been here for 6 weeks?! How crazy is that?! Sister Pearson is awesome and we get along really well. It's a little weird right now because we both are used to having 4 sisters in an apartment instead of just 2, but we're getting there. Not having the page is already so nice! Haha! I loved the organization part of it, but I'm glad to be done ;) We just have to make posts now and it's not terrible. Why did Josh put his 2 weeks in? And why didn't Tracie just address his concerns so Tyler didn't have to? The screen team had always been a bunch of bums let's be honest. The amount of times Tyler would and still does go down there is ridiculous. Sorry he was in one of those moods too, those always make everyone just go 'okay and I won't be talking to you today' I'm sad Les Miserables wasn't good! I actually had those songs in my head a few times this week, I guess Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman can't be topped ;) Utah weather is the worst! It kind of does that here but it's been really nice and sunny, the wind is just the kicker. That girl and swimming! She's gonna turn into a fish by the time I come home haha! I'm glad she's having a good time though. Sometimes I worry about her just because she doesn't talk to Chrish like she does to me. I always have loved the D&C and all the connections that are made. There's a movie called Emma and Jane that I'm pretty sure talks about that girl you read about. I'm sure you could find it at Deseret Book ;) People say it's a good one! I can't imagine the faith people had back then, the good Lord knew I couldn't make it and saved me for now because wowza! My love for the scriptures has 100000% grown these past few months and especially these past few days. I've found myself finding so much more comfort in them then I have before. The lockdown here is a little bit less intense but still intense. We have to wear masks, we can't knock, we can't eat with members, really the only thing is that if the member lives close we can walk with them to church. Our church building is really just a warehouse too so that's kind of cool haha! But it's right next door to the apartment complex so who knows. We try to get out of the apartment as much as we can, but it's still all online. Liya is still around?? I thought for sure that would break off sooner than later? But I guess she's getting paid so, haha! How did the Braves do? Do you think they'll have a good season? What the heck Christian?! What is he even buying?! I actually really liked temple prep, maybe that will humble him a little bit? The Davey's are awesome! I love them! How are you feeling about Prom? The whole Aliana situation is a little weird not gonna lie, but how are you feeling about it? I'm glad I had one good suggestion haha! You'll have to send me pictures of prom! I love my mission! Not gonna lie it feels a little weird to not be home, but it also feels like this is exactly where I'm supposed to be right now. It's been hard too, even though it's only been 3 months (ish) but I'm trying to just throw myself into the work and make everyday count. There's a quote that says something about 'Are you counting the days or making the days count?' There have definitely been some times that I just wanna sleep in or not call certain people but then I remember that quote and that I'm a literal representative of Jesus Christ. He wouldn't take a day off, He wouldn't just sit around and not talk to people. It's different than anything I could have ever expected from my mission, but I'm so grateful to be here and to do this :) And for the record, I think you'd make a STELLAR missionary! ;) That's my little testimonial haha! Anyways, 12 pounds?! Parabéns mom! Woot woot! You're absolutely killing it!! I still can't get over Tyler haha! He's going to be a totally different human this time next year. I'm glad he's doing it and feels good about it. 30 days left?! I feel like they kinda just started school, but also that they didn't haha! How do the kids really feel about it? I imagine Brooklyn just wants to be done, but what about Chrish? Is he getting nervous or anything, especially since he's leaving pretty soon after that? I actually really liked my graduation, maybe even more people will come to his who knows. That'd be way fun if you guys could do stuff in the backyard. I was just thinking back to when we did that for me and just how different our house is haha! It's come a long way! ;) You need to enjoy the treadmill and all your TV show watching for me ;) I miss the bike and Friends so much some days (well really most days ;) I love you so so much! Okay okay, now onto this week :) 

MONDAY 

And just like that, my last pday here in Bridgeport is gone. It was actually so fun to go see that lighthouse and the ocean. I miss adventures! I already told you this so I won't bore you again but still haha! Tonight was a pretty low-key night. Its been a little hard during prime pros because Sister Wo has totally checked out. It's fine, it's just a little frustrating. We did have a really awkward pass off lesson with Leona and the other sisters tonight. We had to tell her we're leaving and she was super sad. It seriously doesn't get any easier haha! It was a superrrrr late night though. We had to write in Tchau Tchau books that the other sisters in our district dropped off tonight. I started most of them but I had to finish them later because it was seriously 11pm last I looked at the clock. I hope you had a great rest of the day! I loved getting to talk to you today, it's always a highlight of my week :) hopefully you didn't freeze at the little pool party! You'll have to tell me how it went with everyone! I love you and hope you have the best week!

TUESDAY 

Today was probably the slowest day of my mission by far, but at the same time not. Such a weird feeling! We finished writing in everyone's Tchau Tchau Books this morning so the Elders could come and get them and finish them up. We also started really packing this morning, well Sister Wo did haha! I mostly had everything I just had a few things left. Today we had to do all our last minute stuff before transfers tomorrow. We got new page admins, figured out the SIM card situation, and figured out our ads we make. It was a productive day, but also felt like I did nothing. Julie's package came today too. She's was super sweet and sent some lotion and a cute necklace and notebook. You'd be so proud too mom!  We also went and fed some birds apples today haha! Sister Farnsworth and I have a goal to catch a bird, but we don't know how so we thought this would work. It didn't haha! We just ended up throwing bits of apples at the birds, but we were unsuccessful. I had my last lesson with Elisangela tonight too. It really never gets any easier let me just tell you. She was super sweet when we told her though and just thanked us for all our help. The rest of the night was just making sure we all had everything that we needed. Let me just say, Sister Wo has SO much stuff! Haha! Like I thought Sister G had a lot of stuff, but I was so wrong. We also had our last Charleston Cult door chat while the Elders gave us our Tchau Tchau books back. It was actually kinda sad not gonna lie. We ended up going to bed a little later than expected but it was worth it just to talk and hangout with these sisters ;) 

WEDNESDAY 

Transfer day! And guess what? I'm not even a newbie anymore, well I am but I'm not haha! I really tried hard today to not cry but transfers suck! I was doing so well too. Okay so we had transfers today and it started EARLY! We all got ready and loaded up the car. We actually go straight through Hartford Connecticut on the way to transfers so I got to see that temple! It was so pretty with all the flowers and everything. It did make me really miss temples though haha! We had a nice little photo shoot and then got back in the car to keep on driving. When I saw that we had 30 minutes left I started to get little butterflies not gonna lie. I was just nervous and it was all hitting me that I was leaving and my comfort zone from the past 6 weeks was gonna be shot down and out the window. When we had 5 minutes left, Sister Farnsworth started to play a sing that we listened to one of the very first times we got in car together. That's really when the butterflies started to really make themselves known and I had a few tears in my eyes. I just sucked them back in because I didn't want to be a baby! Haha! But it was sad for a minute. Sister Wo had to go to the bathroom when we got there (and we were one of the first ones so it was a little awkward) but while I waited for her my hands started to shake and go numb and I just prayed right there. I felt like such a baby honestly. But when we got out of the church, the amount of missionaries had doubled so we were able to talk and mingle for a minute. We took our last fee pictures and then we all went our separate ways. Muito triste! I got to meet my new companion, Sister Pearson! She's super cool! We talked the whole 45 minute car ride and got to know eachother a little better and honestly it carried over too so that's good :) We also live in a super boujee apartment now! It used to be an old cotton mill and then a bowling alley and now it's apartments haha! It is a little weird though because it's just the two of us. The other sisters that were here left because their area got absorbed by us now. That also means that I have a SIM card so that's pretty cool. I'm super excited for this and to really practice my português :) It's hard and a little awkward and I don't have other sisters as a buffer but I'm gonna make it work! I did get to meet some members tonight! That's a super cool thing here, they have an entire branch of Português! The only thing is that it's a Creole/Centennial Português not Brazilian, but it's super similar so I get it, I think haha! The ward members seem super sweet though and they were excited that I'm here :) The language makes me really nervous, but I want to know it so bad so I'm really gonna try my hardest. It was a crazy day and I still don't know how I feel but I'm excited :) I hope you had the best day! I can't wait to hear all about your week! I love and miss you! and your picture in the drive made my whole day! 

THURSDAY 

Not gonna lie, it was really weird to sleep here and with just one sister too. The morning was actually a little awkward because I didn't know what to really say and I don't think Sister Pearson did either. We both slowly came around but it definitely took a minute. I'm learning too that Sister Wo did not train me very well because we didn't do half the stuff we did this morning in comp study. It's okay though, I'm gonna figure it out :) It's so weird too mom, I'm like shy right now because I don't really know how to interact with her yet. The apartment is sooooo quiet too, I'm just hoping that with time we'll get closer and it'll work out good. Today was weekly planning day too. It's not my most favorite thing ever, but it's definitely needed. We also got the other sisters area book so there's a lot of friends to plan for. It's easily triple my old area. I'm in a Português and English area though so that's cool :) It was so nice today so we did weekly planning outside. It was 67 degrees and oh my gosh it felt so good! I miss just sitting outside. Anyways, we did our weekly planning and I realized just how much I love this work. Português is hard, but I love that I get to talk to people. They had a few friends close to baptism too so I could potentially be apart of that before the transfer is over!  Anyways, as the day went on it was less and less quiet so that was a true miracle! Sister Pearson is a little quiet but she opened up a little bit more as the day went one. We did a lot of contacting because of the whole area book situation with the absorbing. We are always busy I'm learning so that's good! It just is gonna take a minute I think because before we were not this busy. It's good though! I'm super excited to get to meet everyone and put a face to the names that I've been hearing haha! It honestly felt like a long day but when I looked at the clock, it was already 3pm. Mission time is super weird haha! ;) I'm not gonna lie to you, it's been tough and I've only been here for like 2 days haha! But it's weird and hard to not be sad sometimes, but it gets better as the day goes on.  I know I'm still pretty fresh, but I'm starting to understand the whole thing when people say the mission is hard. I'm hoping that with time this will start to become easier or go away. But this is not time for a sob story ;) How are you?! How are the kids and Tyler? What do you have planned for the rest of the week and weekend? I love and miss you so much! 🥰

FRIDAY 

Woot woot! It's Friday! Actually this doesn't really mean anything to me anymore but Fridays are always great:) I got your email too! I always love getting them honestly haha! I just like to be in the know of what's happening and u can already tell you that when I get to Brazil it's gonna be weird to not have a phone to just read them haha! Today was actually a really good and I'm so thankful! The morning was so pretty and I even started my studies on Lilies today :) I didn't have time to get very far because we have so many friends we're teaching and need material. Nonetheless it was a good study:) The morning was a little slow but it was still fairly busy. I love that we don't just sit here with our thumbs up our butts haha! I had my first district counsel too! Our district is about the same as it was before in Bridgeport but its small for here. It was actually a good district counsel but there is one elder that is just like Elder Philips from the CTM haha! We had a handful of lessons planned tonight but unfortunately a lot of them fell through. We had 2 memeber visits though and they both worked out! The members here are so nice and really sweet. Honestly before I knew it, it was already 9pm. I will say that I am more tired because we just go go go haha! There's this lady named Sandra that I guess has been calling the sisters here for 2 months every single night. While she was calling us the ZL's called us and we had to tell them to wait because man this lady can talk! It's sad though because she's been taught everything but she won't read the Book of Mormon and she doesn't want to go to our church. We know we have to drop her but she seriously calls every single night and I guess if we don't answer she calls like 3 times and leaves us a voice-mail. We'll have to see how that one plays out haha! Okay kind of a funny story but like not really too. Sister Pearson and I are totally beat okay? We both crawl into bed and we're out for the count. All of a sudden both of our phones go OFF! We both wake up but there isn't anything on our phones and we're both so confused. I genuinely thought it was an alarm but when I looked at my phone it was 12:47am! We both were just sitting  there looking at our watches and eachother like 'what the heck?' Needless to say we both took a minute to try to figure out what was going on and then we both went back to sleep. We found out that the member we called last night, Odete, called us on Facebook and that's what it was but it just didn't show up. We were both a little upset to be woken up to early but now it's kinda funny haha! I love you!

SATURDAY 

I can't believe it's almost Monday! That also means I get to talk to you soon woot woot! I'm so excited to hear all about your week :) Not gonna lie this morning was a little rough haha! After the whole incident with Odete, I kept waking up because I thought I was going to miss an alarm. Let's just say my eyes were very sleepy during studies this morning ;) One thing I really appreciate about being here and having Sister Pearson is that I actually feel productive and we get everything done we're supposed to. I was actually able to do a little bit more language study today which I desperately need haha! It was such a beautiful day here too mom! I just love spring! We're able to go on the roof here so we headed up there today to make some contacts. Because I have a SIM it goes by super quick and we're able to get a lot done because I can call and text. Our areabook seriously has so many dots now because the other sisters left and we took over. There is so many people too that I'm slowly starting to get the hang of who is who. It also helps a ton that a lot of them have Facebook haha! Mom guess what?! We had some really good lessons, but my most favorite one is by far our lesson with Elba. She's from the other sisters but tonight we were able to extend her a baptism date! Woot woot! Obviously it's not like 'my' baptism but I get to help prepare her! I'm so so so excited for her and to see her grow and progress until May 1st ;) I also got to use my own life to help her too amor. Her whole family is catholic and she's the only one that is taking lessons and has the desire to be baptized. She felt like she was being knocked down by them and she doesn't really feel the support from them. Not gonna lie I was really nervous to even bring it up but somehow I knew exactly what to tell her and how to help her. She responded really well and actually seemed more at ease with all of it. I don't know if I really helped a ton but I just told her that this is her faith, not theirs and she needs to grow her faith for herself. It was a super rad experience:) I'm even more motivated now to find someone for myself and teach them from the beginning! Also, my language skills are growing by the daily I feel like haha! Sister Pearson is seriously a huge blessing in my life :)  I'm excited for these next 6 weeks! 

SUNDAY 

My first Sunday here in Pawtucket! Woot woot! After meeting another member last night and having Elba's super rad lesson I was pumped to go to church today! It was so great! I just love church and feeling the spirit there :) I knew right as I walked in though that they would want me to bear my testimony... sure enough that's exactly what happened! I was sitting there and just so nervous haha! I've never done that before! I walked up there and just said what I could. Fake it til you make it right?;) The other thing that's super rad about this branch is there's us and a set of Português elders AND the bishop is American but served in Brazil. We had a meeting with him this morning and he's just as white as me haha! He also extended to me and Sister Pearson callings in the ward. So your daughter is now the Relief Society secretary in the Central Falls PO ward haha! I don't really know what the means yet, but I'll keep you posted ;) We had a lot of lessons this afternoon but they all fell through so that was sad but we're hopeful that our lessons tonight are good! Update: all of our lessons fell through so we did a lot of Facebook finding haha! Sister Pearson and I actually had a little dance party and tried to make the most of our time haha! She's actually so cool and already such a blessing in my life :) I'm so so excited to talk to you tomorrow! I love you!!