Two words: BED BUGS!!!

Whitney is excited to be serving in her first area, Manchester, New Hampshire.  Her companion/trainer is Sister Morgan from Salt Lake City.  I was so excited to get her email today.

"Two words: BED BUGS!!!!!!!!!!!! >:( 

Yep we found bed bugs in our apartment. GROSS!! We caught one in a bag and gave in to our landlord and now the exterminators are coming out on Thursday to get rid of them. Just be grateful that we don't have to pay for them.

So anyways.... The trip to get here was crazy! At Salt Lake Airport they didn't have a ticket for Elder Thomas so we almost didn't get on that flight. Then we got to Minneapolis and had to run to the bathroom, get food, then get back on the plane. And the Lady I sat next to works for Maurices in corporate and was heading to New York to start picking out the styles and clothes for next year!!!! Then in New York Languardia airport they sold us tickets to seats that didn't exist. But Elder Cook and Sister Oliphant did have tickets so the Church Travel Services said to send them on ahead. The rest of us had to wait for several hours until the next flight. And because we had to wait they gave us all $600 vouchers to Delta that are nontransferable and expire in a year but we can use to book a flight in advance. After we got off the plane in Manchester, this guy who was on the same flight came and found us and told us that he got back from his mission a few years ago. He got our emails and emailed us this three paged email of advice. CRAZY!!!!!!! Then we got to the mission home, ate food, and went to sleep.

The next morning was transfer meeting. So now I am companions with Sister Morgan in Manchester (Sister Morgan knows Bug!!!). Also I tried spaghetti squash (gross), protein drink blended with bananas (eh), soy milk..., gluten free cupcakes, and some paleo peanut butter and other things. there is a lady in the ward here who eats a paleo diet which means she cooks things that cavemen would eat...

Right now we have seven investigators! I have met and taught four of them. two of them are survivors from a genicide, one is from Peru and is teaching Spanish at a Catholic school, and the other is named Sean. Sean is so ready for the gospel! So far we have taught him two lessons and he came to church on Sunday. One of the recent converts was talking to him and Sean told him that he is getting baptized!!!!!! We haven't even really issued the invite to him yet.

The people here are great!!!! A lot of them are converts. I met pretty much all of them on Sunday. Oh and one of the ladies in the ward does our laundry for us so we don't have to pay for it.

 

So this last Sunday was Fast Sunday and part of being new to the area is that you have to give your testimony first. Well the two elders who got transferred here went before me and they are super tall so of course when it was my turn, they had to lower the pulpit all the way down and I still had to lower the microphone and listen the ward whisper "Awh she's so cute".... And then after church one of the members of the bishopric came and asked me if I would give a talk this next Sunday..... Wish me luck....

Well that's all for right now. Love you!!!!!

-Sister Collins"

Glad I don't have to deal with bed bugs, but I would love someone to do my laundry for me.  We miss her so much, but know she will do great things.