Fall in Maine

Did you notice that the Saturday and Sunday before I come home is going to be conference weekend most likely???  Well on my ministerial card it says that it is through March 26 to October 5 and on my picture at the mission office it says October 7 and one of the elders I am serving with is going home the same time as me.

Note:  I wasn’t so happy with this one.  I realize release dates are based on transfer dates, but I was still hoping for September.

By the way there are a ton of people with the last name of Collins here and some of the members are related or friends with people with the last name of Collins.  If we are related to any then I might be related to the bishop here... 

Note:  Looked up her Collins family history.  It only goes back a couple generations and we can only see links to Montana.  She has lots of opportunities to work on family history when she returns.

I think the ward members in Augusta like me, well at least the ones I have met. We haven't actually had a real Sunday yet because the first Sunday here we only had sacrament meeting because the wards had just combined with all new callings, and this week was General Conference. So hopefully I get to meet more and hopefully they like me...

Today while we were at Subway there were these two cute old ladies. They were sitting right in my view so I was kind of awkwardly watching them. Right before they ate, they both folded their arms and one said a quiet prayer over the food and then they started eating and talking quietly. I felt prompted to thank them for being a good example. So as we were leaving I went up to them and said "Hey I just wanted to let you know that I thought it was really cool and sweet that you said a prayer before you started eating. Thank you for being such a great example." They were surprised that I told them that and they looked at each other with big grins and said thank you and then I said no thank you and said goodbye and they said "Goodbye have a beautiful day!" It was kind of cool.

Believe it or not, my companion is pickier than I am.  She doesn't like Chinese, or Mexican, especially from restaurants because the meat is “weird”, she doesn't like some food that she's never tried because they sound weird, she doesn't like pineapple, she doesn't like garlic but she loves Italian food and garlic bread, she doesn't like pepperoni on pizza but she likes it plain or in pizza rolls... etc...   

Note:  Wow!  Who thought she would find someone pickier than her.  However, her companion does like vegetables…

We haven't really been able to area train, but I can navigate around without using my GPS unless it's to a place I haven't been to yet. S. Kimball seems surprised whenever a ward member looks me in the eyes and when they show that they like me because I guess that's not how they normally are with new sisters but I am kind of loud enough and talk enough that they can't really ignore me... This is also a really quiet district and sometimes there are long awkward silences. The other day there was one during lunch so I was blunt and sassy and spoke up and said "Okay it is way too awkwardly quiet someone should break that and tell an awkward story from their mission."

Sorry, I don’t have much time to write and not much to share.  Hopefully as I get settled in more, I will have more to share with you.  Enjoy the fall colors from Maine.  Leaves are just starting to change and it is beautiful. 

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!