28 Sep 2010

Clare wrote me and said that you probably told me about your birthday. What happened? Oh HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I was meaning to send you a letter, but it never happened because it's been still oh so crazy! We've got people on date and we're planning baptisms and things are really picking up in the area! I'm so excited to be here! I just love it. We have transfer calls coming this week and so I'll be letting you know what's happening next week. I really want to stay to see things progress and move forward, but as always, I'll do whatever the Lord wants and go wherever He needs me.

So, last week. Ugh, this story. Haha. So E. Ahart and I were kind of playing soccer/keep away with some other missionaries. And I cornered him and stole the ball away from him. I passed it to Sister Ulrich and he steals it from her...again. So, I go and I try to kick it away and I end up kicking his shin. Which, no big deal, except I just fall down because of the PAIN that is coming from my ankle/foot. Anyways, there's a HUGE dent where I kicked his shin and I'm like dang. Instant bruise. Well, an hour later, the dent swells and like half of my foot is just engulfed in this bruise/swollen red painful spot. Let's just say it was really pretty and it's only continued to get prettier. The bruise has spread to almost all my foot and ankle and it's really funny because everything asks what happened to me. Anyways, Ahart feels bad, but it's really cool. Probably the coolest bruise I've ever gotten. I'll send you a picture next week!

That's quite the flood! We haven't had a really good rain here for a while. But those are some fun pictures!!! I really enjoyed looking at them...even if they were small. but that's okay. I hope you enjoyed the pictures I sent last week...hope you got them.

Well, things are pretty nuts around here and I wow. The whole thing with Matt....that's nuts. Creep. I just, whatever. That's old news and I'm done with it. Bigger and better things, right? Sheesh. Is he still living at home?

I'll send you the address for the Beltrans next week when I remember it. I know the address, but not the zip code. And...can you send me some more contacts? Things have randomly happened [like when Hna. Dunoskovic threw mine away, etc] and so now I'm down to one pair and the ones in my eyes and the ones I have in are hurting like a mother. I have a box that I'll need to send home...especially if I get transferred. I don't need to cart that stuff around with me. But, that's that.

Anyways, I love you all so much! Sorry this is short, but things are going well here. I'll let you know what all happens with transfers. I love you!! And I miss you!

Love,
Hna. Pleshek

21 Sep 2010

Man, I'm so lucky. I just have an awesome family and this email is EXACTLY what I needed this week!

Well, sounds like you guys are all keeping yourselves busy. My companion and I are too! We had an awesome week and oh man, it was so great! On Sunday, we had 4 investigators at church and it was so awesome! We've got a baptism coming up and I am so stoked! We had at least 25 lessons this past week and it was so great. I also tried to construct a play set without instructions or pictures. I called it the apostosy. Haha. Funny how the gospel goes into whatever you're doing.

Who else had a wedding on the same day as Ethan's? Sure does sound like Kellie will fit right in with that family. Haha. But, all the better. Oh man, Mom. Speaking of temples. Can I get that beaded temple of the SLC sent out? I really want it before I leave because I'm about 90% sure that I am leaving. Actually, there's nothing in me that says I'm staying. Just that 10% [which is my heart] that longs to stay in Vancouver and just to be here with my family. But, I think that the Lord needs me somewhere else. And...weddings. Haha. So, yesterday, we were at the Hibbard's and I said goodbye to them. Don't know if I'm leaving or not, but I just figured since I was there, I should say goodbye. Anyways, they're such amazing people!! I sure do love them a lot! And it makes me sad that I have to leave them. =( but, we do what we have to, right?

Aww, man. Andrew. Makes me cry. For real, that's amazing! I just...wow. I have no words. And you know me. I ALWAYS have words!! But, that's awesome. I can't tell him how much I really do appreciate all he does for me. I'm sorry I'm such a slacker writer and that I haven't written him since I'm been on my mission, but I'll do better with that.

Dang, I feel so gross! I've been sick since like Saturday night and I just can't shake it. And the thing is, I HATE being sick when I'm not home. It doesn't feel good at all! And I just...ugh. Well, enough complaining. It's been an interesting week, to say the least and I sure am ready for the transfer. It's been nuts and I'm ready for a new start and just...the whole shabang!

Well, I take it that Brett's not married, then? I kind of stopped writing him. Because I wrote him about every month until I got to Vancouver and then I just, I don't have enough time to write to people who don't write me back. I don't even have enough time to write back to people who do write me. But, that's cool that he should be starting classes soon.

That's awesome about the church tour! How did it go? I've been wanting to do one, but the thing is finding the time when the lady doesn't work. Well, all you can really do is just get the two married. Even if he doesn't want to be baptized. But, that's so exciting! I love the work of a missionary!

We sure do have a lot of missionaries from our ward. What the heck? I feel so old! Kaegan and Sam Fuller and Matt Rickert? These are all kids that Erin graduated with or younger. Sheesh. That sure does make me feel super old! Speaking of mission calls. Yesterday when we were at the Hibbards, their son Keith had received his mission call a few days earlier and opened it up. And he made us watch the video of where he was going. It was so exciting to see! He's going to New Zealand! And he's super stoked. Doesn't have to learn a new language. Haha. But it was fun just to watch the excitement of missions and opening mission calls all over again. I still remember holding mine in my hands, shaking as I was opening it. Wah!

Well, duty calls. I love you and I'm so glad all is well at home! I'll send some pictures along this week! Les quiero mucho!

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek

14 Sep 2010

OH MY GOSH!!! Mom! I'm super stoked about the whole Miracle of Forgiveness thing. It's a common trend in my fast and always a necessity at the temple. We got to go to the temple today and it was lovely! I learned more things, as always. Not quite the experience last time I went, but you know, we can't always have those kinds of things happen to us. But anyways, it was still great as ever and I've decided that I'm getting married in Portland because of the cool reflecting pool. Joke. But still, it's really pretty...especially when it's not raining.

I sure did get that message from Jocelyn and I screamed. I was pretty stoked and can't wait to come home and see it. It'll be great and I'm super stoked! I can't believe it! But, I'm excited. I'm going to have my Spanish lessons all ready so I can teach it to be bilingual. =)

I just have a message from Elder Bair. He says that he was Elder Bair once in the letter that you typed, but I told him not to make fun of my mamma. So, it's okay. Nah, he's funny. I sure do enjoy having him in my district. He's my sanity. Too bad he lives in Arizona.

I'm sitting next to Elder Pixton, too. He's a funny kid. He always asks me 'How art thou?' and it makes me feel all happy. He's a cool kid. He's writing a book. Not sure where he's from, but enough about the people that are sitting next to me.

Yeah, the whole GPS thing. That's nuts. But, you know, I'm sure I'll be fine. I've got Elder Bair to give me directions if I need to get up in his area, but other than that, I'm good. I've been here for almost 6 months and know the roads pretty well. Even the shortest distance. And who knows what'll be happening next transfer, but it'll be fun.

I can't believe that I've been in Vancouver for so long. It's been crazy and I really do think that I'm headed up to Yakima for a while. Which is alright with me...even though Yakima is NUTS! All sorts of gangs and craziness. But, oh well. I'll be good. I can't believe how fast this time flies. We're already halfway through the transfer and I'm pretty sure we just had them last week. Oh well, you know how it goes. They say that it goes even faster after the mission...not sure how excited I am about that.

Well, I'm glad Nichola and Corey are planning a temple wedding. I wrote her a letter last week and asked her about all of it and what not. But, I'm glad they're shoting for the temple. I'm so proud of her! I sure hope that everything works out for her and that she's happy. She deserves it and I just love her stinkin' guts!

Yesterday was awesome! We were teaching back to back appointments all day long. No one flaked on us [first time ever!] and we were just busy! I love it because I'm starting to see the fruits of my labors here. We're doing so well and the area is doing awesome! We're getting people to church and that's awesome! I just, I couldn't be more happier than to see things coming around after working so hard for 6 months. But, I hope I can stay around to see it continue to grow. Every day is finding and teaching and it's just...wow. It's intense and I love that I can see myself growing. Not only in the gospel, but teaching it to other people. I'm a lot more confident in my abilities to do it...especially in English. Speaking a different language definitely brings out the first language confidence. Haha. If that makes sense.

I couldn't be more happier to hear things are going well at home. Things just keep getting more and more busy and maybe one day they'll slow down and I'll have time to breathe. I had an interview with the Greers on Friday. I fell apart in Sister Greer's hands. I've been feeling the last couple of weeks like just kind of as a failure as a missionary. Like it would be more beneficial to come home. ANd I know that's not true, but Satan was kicking me while I was down. That I'm positive of! But, things have turned around and maybe all I needed was a good cry to my mission mom. I didn't have you, so I had to go somewhere. But, anyways, things have been a lot better this week and I'm feeling back in the game!

Well, I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me and I couldn't be more happy to be a missionary! The Lord is truly mindful of us and all that we do. I love seeing His hand in the work every day and looking for those baby miracles.

Con amor,
Hna. Pleshek

Handwritten on 8 Sep 2010

Mom,

Well, I just wanted to write you a letter...and let you know how things are going here. Well, everything is fine now. Yesterday was a pretty interesting day for us. For p-day, a majority of the zone went bowling. So we decided we were going to go too. So we follow the zone leaders to the alley. We all go inside and get our shoes and whatnot. Well, Elder Prawitt (my zone leader) figures out he has no socks. So Elder Bair gives him his and says he's going sockless. We had just done our shopping and so I had gotten som footie things for my hsoes. I gave my socks to Elder Air on the condition he would go out to my car and get my footie things. I toss him my keys, no big deal. He comes in like a minute later, not even...like 30 seconds and summons me to come with him outside. I don't have any shoes cause he was wearing my flip flops, but I go out by him and he tells me that my car got busted into. He asked me waht was in the center consile and it was my GPS. Yep, it was stolen. Elder Prawitt comes out too and I'm all like well...at least nothing else was stolen and I just kind of start laughing. I mean, you can laugh or cry. I chose to laugh. So. Elder Prawitt calls the cops and Elder Bair and I are just moving stuff from my car to his and fiuring out what we can do. There's no cameras and no one saw it. And it's a pretty main road. And they were busy. But we decide to go in and bowl. But then the cop comes so all 3 of us go back outside and takl to him. Turns out to be the same cop that helped E. Prawitt and E. Hortin when their car got broken into and E. Hortin's GPS got stolen. But we went inside and finished bowling. I lost. But that's okay. We all get done and it's pouring outside. Literally pouring. None of the glass is cleaned. But, I'm blessed that I have amazing elders in my zone! Elder Bair said we could go to his house and vacuum out the glass. E. Prawitt drove my car over there in the downpour. We got to the Elder's house and by that time I was just soaking wet. Elder Bair cleaned a majority of the glass out. Elder Ahart and I helped him We had fun cleaning the car. Especially when a tube of IcyHot exploded. Then the 3 of us got it all over ourselves. It was lovely. We got it cleaned the best we could.

Elder Bair gave me some dry clothes to wear. And the members they live with gave us brownies. Well, we had to go to dinner and it was raining again. The elders traded us cars which was fine, but then we got home and realized they had our apartment keys. So we were locked out. I went in by the manager and told her what had all happened. She gave us an extra key and then we got changed and went to dinner. Then we figured out that we left all our groceries at the church.

So anyway, we got our window fixed this morning. Still nuts we (I) got robbed and I'm not even in South America! But, oh well. It could be worse. I still can walk and the work wasn't hindered, so I can't complain. I'm not even mad about it. Usually I probably would be mad but I'm not. Like I'm sad that someone stole and roke the window of the mission vehicle. I don't know. I guess that's part of me that's grown up on the mission. I'm alive and kicking and that's what's important. There still are good people out there. So, all I can do is hope for the best.

Andyway, I love you. I hope things are going super great at home. The gospel is true. No doubt about it. We are teaching amazing people and it's awesome to see lives change! I still love being a missionary with every fiber of my being. Even if the little kids ask me if I'm pregnant. Haha. Oh well. I will write you again soon. Sorry for the slack on emails. I love you Mom. Thanks for everything you do for me! i appreciate it more than I can say!

Con amor de tu hija,

Hermana Pleshek :)

7 Sep 2010

Hola Mom.

Well, just another day in paradise! =) I sure do love the mission and the email is going to be short today since we've got all sorts of things going on and just...wow. Super busy! I can't even tell you what happened this week! It's just been nuts and I don't even know where to start.

Just good little miracles have been happening all the time. I know the Lord blesses us with all of this. I just know that 100 percent!

Sounds like things are going crazy at home. Things are going nuts here and they are just speeding up. I'm so behind on all things and I just...wah! I swear it'll never slow down and I just hope that I can deal with all the demands of it. It's nuts and I just, I can honestly say I never expected this.

But, I'm glad that everything is going well. And those kids are getting soooo big! I can't believe it! I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of things, but oh well. It's part of the mission and I can't ever re-do this so it's great!

The work is moving along and I'm looking forward to the potential baptism we'll have this transfer! I love the area and I can't believe I've almost been here for 6 months. I love this place and I love the people here. I'm so grateful every day for the opportunity I have to come here to Washington.

How's Papa doing? I haven't heard about him in a while and I'm just wondering.

I love you all and I just...wow. I'm tired and my brain isn't functioning. So, I'll end with that. Sorry it isn't longer and that I'm a semi-slacker. But, I love you. And I'll write you a better one next week. I'm just all sorts of distracted today. Take care and be good! =)

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek