Kingsbridge #2

Hey family!!

How are you doing? So this week has been awesome! Miriam is being baptized this Saturday! We are so, so, so excited for her! She met with missionaries 2 years ago and she wanted to be baptized really bad but she hadn't quite met all the qualifications. She was so devastated and hurt that she stopped meeting with missionaries or going to church. She fell back into her old ways and habits. Then she was found again and started taking the lessons again from the sister missionaries. She has entirely changed her life around but this times he says she never ever wants to go back to her old life. She is willing to do anything she must to be baptized. She has a strong faith and although I've only known her for two weeks, my heart swells up with love, joy and pride as I look at all the obstacles she has overcome in her life with the help of the missionaries and most importantly, her Savior. She is a different person now and you can see it by the way her face just shines.

Well we've been having crazy weather here! People say it is the worst winter NY has had in over 20 years. We were hit with one big storm with about a foot of snow and then a few storms with 4 inches here and there. The worst thing ever is Walking through the slush.

Things I've learned from this crazy weather we have been having:

1. It's very difficult to walk a mile to the church in 6 inches of snow

2. It's even more difficult to walk in 6 inches of snow that has been rained on for a few hours....it's very, VERY slick! There was a young lady who was trying to walk down the stairs to the subway and she fell all the was down!

3. NEVER trust the snow/slush in front of you to be solid.... Especially the snow/slush in front of walkway to cross a street. It very likely is actually a foot deep of watery, muddy slush. My boots

are still wet from that one.

4. Always bring a hat, gloves and scarf. But if you are walking long distances with your NY speed walk... Be prepared to take some layers off! It gets toasty! (Minus your wet feet. Those will always be cold)

5. It's a great day if you don't fall and if you are able to catch lots of buses on the way!

Well as sister training leaders we have had interviews with all the sister companionships in Kingsbridge and Olmstead. We have been on one split so far with the Spanish sisters from Kingsbridge. The APs came this week to give us a little more training on how to fulfill our

calling because neither sister Crawford or I have any experience as an STL. We had women's conference yesterday with all of the sisters in the mission (about 122) sister Crawford and I were asked to speak on obedience. We focused our talk on how to be obedient by strictly using

the iPad and Facebook as an online proselyting tool. The other talks were all given were really great and it really inspired me to do a little better as a representative of Christ.

It was sooooo fun to see all the sisters in the mission! It is so great to catch up with past companions, past areas and to hear the updates on how people are progressing. I had so much fun! Sister Awerkamp is still a sister training leader (she has been a STL in south manhattan since she left me in Yonkers!!) so that means that I will get to see her at leadership meetings in Scarsdale. I am so happy!!! I love that girl so much and I am always so happy to see her and catch up with her.

Well we are on the train to the city right now! We were Going to go to the Empire State Building but it is really rainy and gross. I'm not sure what we will do. We are going down with the Spanish elders. I think we might do a little shopping and find somewhere yummy to eat.

Well that's all for now! I love you all so much and hope you have a

lovely week!

Love sister Lounsbury