WEEK 22

Dear Family,

I just got transferred out of the Visitors' Center to "full pros" meaning "full proselyting" (or full time out- in-an-area tracting and street contacting and working with members, like "normal missionaries" do) in an assigned English area called Alamo. It is one of the more wealthy areas located further in-land (from the coast/San Fransisco Bay) where people live in mansions and big houses. I personally have not been there yet, but I've heard a lot about it and I know that it will be a totally new experience for me, having served in downtown Oakland with the poorer Chinese people. There are still some Chinese who live in the area I will be serving, so I will probably still teach some Chinese people.

My new companion's name is Sister Khanakham. She's from Thailand! So excited! =) She just came to the mission last transfer and served in the Alamo 1st and 2nd Ward. I will be her new companion starting tomorrow. I will be the senior companion and the "designated driver," but I have never been to Alamo before, so we will have some fun together getting lost on the road..hehehe =) Don't worry, as long as I have a map with me, I can get around just fine....it'll just take longer to get to places for the first week or so, that's all ;-)

My previous companion, Sister Hsiao, will be my roommate this new transfer. She's serving in a neighboring area called Danville which is also a filthy rich area. But the members in these wards (Alamo and Danville) are awesome and they ABSOLUTELY LOVE the sister missionaries. That's what I've been told =D They used to have Elders assigned to these wards, but when President Beck put sisters in the wards instad, the members went crazy and showered the sisters with love, food, and some even made out-of-the-way Costco runs just to buy the sisters food etc. WOW.

I am excited to go out to a new area and experience new things. But at the same time I am also very sad that I am missing Temple Pageant this summer....I saw that one coming though...so it's not a total surprise to me...funny how Heavenly Father always warns me before hand so I can prepare for what's coming (like being a 2nd transfer trainer back in April) Sigh...when you are the most excited missionary about Pageant and all hyper about it, that's when they send you away..heh heh..Well, thus is the mission life, and I'll go wherever the Lord wants me to go. I'll sure miss the Visitors' Center A LOT...but I'll be back soon!