Monday, June 27, 2016

I'm in Graham!

Hellooooo, family and friends! I am now writing from Graham, Washington, in the southern portion of the mission! And I LOVE it here!

I am loving being in a trio. Sisters Zavala and Woolsey and I get along sooo well. It was a little odd settling into a trio, but we have really had unity, surprisingly. I loved them both immediately. We're all so alike, yet so different, in the best ways. Yaaay! My new area is pretty rural, but more city-rural. We live in a cute 3 bedroom house/trailer and it's on a horse ranch! So we have tons of horses behind the houses and lots of room to run around. Our land lady is the most hilarious older woman that teases us a lot. Love it! On the ranch, next door, they have a Raw Washington Honey shop, which means we get raw honey...oh my gosh...soooo good... We have different flavored honey based on what the bees ate, too! We have blackberry honey and wild mountain flower honey. I eat it like all the time. It's basically the best.

My new area is veeerrrrryyyy different from Maple Valley, but I love it. It's the other side of the tracks for sure. But there's actually people here. Haha. I really love it. It's a much smaller area. We're going to bike a lot soon because we don't have much miles. I'm chill with that. The ward is way different here, too, but I just need to get to know it more, that's all. I have an open mind. The few members I've met I have loved! Being in a trio is just fun, too. Tracting is so funny...three girls on a doorstep instead of two. We really work well together, though! 

We have investigators! One of them...is...GOLDEN. Her name is Sister Diamond and she is truly a gem. She was found by President Eaton at a garage sale and they just really hit it off and talked a ton about the gospel. She wanted to know more. And now she's getting baptized soon! She happened to fall within our ward boundaries so we are the lucky missionaries that get to teach the golden referral. She's so prepared it's not even funny. She readily accepts everything. She quit drinking coffee and is so strong! Literally all we have to do is teach. She's amaaaazing! President Eaton might baptize her too, how fun! 

Salina is another one and she has the CUTEST little boy named Zion. She's learning just for "knowledge for her son", but she is realizing more and more that it's really for her. She said her first prayer EVER the other day. It was so cute, she was like, "Dear Heavenly Father...this is a little weird....." Hehehehe. Love first prayers!

Sister Bizzard is another. She has like 7 kids and they are adorable. The youngest little one is a crazy MONKEY! He climbs over everything, pfft. Sister Bizzard has a crazy life, but such a willing heart. She has lots to work out in her life, but she likes learning. 

We have one other investigator named Sister Holland, but sadly, she is not progressing. :( It's frustrating, because they are such good people! But, they must choose to act as well. We as missionaries cannot do it all for them. We are to all be agents, not objects. 

Seriously, being in a trio is such a blastttt. Our beds are like 5 inches apart in the room we sleep in, but hey, we like each other so it's all good.. :) We have plenty of room in other parts of the house to spread out when we're not sleeping anyway. It all works out. Everyone thinks we're just on exchanges when they see me, but nope, I'm here to stay for 6 weeks! We are all curious as to what will happen in the next transfer, but we don't have to worry about that yet. 

I'm learning to pace myself, especially now that I am in a new area. I can't expect myself to know everything and everyone all at once. It's going to take time -- little by little; here a little, there a little. That used to be so hard for me, but I am really getting the hang out it, figuring out, through the spirit, what needs focusing on right now and what doesn't. I am being patient with myself and the learning process of it all. My companions are super patient with me, too. It's relieving to realize I don't have to know everything all at one. Prayer plays such a huge role, too. I have to pray for help constantly. I came up with a acronym for "pace": P: Ponder A: Accept C: Careful E:explore (or examine). I remember these things when I try to get ahead of myself. I have adjusted surprisingly quickly to my new area. I miss the Cedar River ward, but I know I'll see them all again sometime! For sure! I'm where Heavenly Father wants me to be right now, in the Elk Plain ward! We also have a KILLER view of Mt. Rainier in this area, too. It's magnificent. I only wish I could get a good picture.

Heres's to a new transfer as a trio! The power of three. 

Love,
Sister Eldridge

PS:
Pictures!
There's lots of fresh strawberries here. We got these from a member. :)
We saw the most EPIC rainbow the other day! Ahhh!
Cute trio pictures. :)
The little girls at the bottom are the Phillips' daughters, and the taller one loves us. :) She has a "Future Missionary" tag and sat with us in Sacrament. Precious!
 
 PPS: Today is my 5 month mark! What! I'm almost to 6 months!!!



 

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