Hermana Hudson!! (A veces little bean) hahaha! What a miracle, right? I got to see just about all the hermanas from the mission, which was very crazy! Being on the other side you only get to know about 1/3 of the missionaries. As soon as I got off the transfer van I was walking into the mission office for our transfer meeting and I was greeted by two giant hugs form Hermana Ponce and Hudson! It was surreal... I kept on looking at them like I was in a dream or something! I'd imagine that's what it's like going home from a mission, but intensified. I was sitting with the bean family and none of us were sure what was going to happen because this is big brother here, Expect the Unexpected!
But for Mo** 2, Hermana Hudson and her companion Hermana Madsen got called and it was actually a little embarrassing because we were both a little too excited and there may have been some screaming... Haha, it was funny! So I am now serving in Mo**, Arkansas, (so you can Google map that now:) it is just about the furthest south the mission goes.
It's really different here! We serve in a branch (more like a twig) with two other elders. It's in English but we are working on getting more Spanish peeps to church. Yesterday we actually had an investigator come who only spoke Spanish and so Hudson and I took turns translating... If you could call it that. I was surprised at how much I could translate, but I also have light-years to go! The Twig consists of a good handful of about fifty very faithful members. But fifty seems way too high of a number. But these members are awesome! One thing I learned this week was how different it is teaching in English! People just have such a different approach and different doubts. The English pool is harder to have them understand the need for this gospel because it's just common knowledge of the things of God, so anything we teach is just a different way to explain what their pastor tells them. I've gotten lots of head nods during gospel discussions than, "really?!" But also I learned that I don't know squat about the Bible. So that is what I fill my personal study time with. And I love it! The more I start to connect things the better my understanding of the scriptures becomes. It's a cool experience.
We were teaching Li** (SP) and she is due in October for her second baby and her sister Su** just had a baby last month. She was watching Su**'s baby while we were teaching her. She was saying that the baby is crying a lot and Su** didn't leave him any food. Then she said that he just wants "Chi-chi's" and me trying the learn Spanish and understand everything that she is saying I asked what Chi chi meant...... I wish I hadn't. She gave me kind of a weird look and pointed at her chest... Yeah I got pretty embarrassed and Hudson had a good laugh!
Yesterday at church Br** got confirmed. He is a 10 year old and is one of the best kids I have ever met. He just soaks up the gospel like a sponge. His family situation is crazy but he really is the light and example in the family. Also he remembers everything we say! So I get kinda nervous sometimes to teach him because if I am not all studied up and have firm doctrine to back up what I say, he is going to remember it. Haha, he is so great though!
Well I love y'all and hope that this week is good for each of ya.
Signing off from Arkansas,
Hermana Madsen
Graceland (September 21, 2015)
Southern Peeps (October 5, 2015)
