April 25, 2011

Hello Everyone!
   Tomorrow is my three-month mission birthday! Weird! I can't believe I have been in Florida for four weeks already, and then at the same time, I can't believe I have ever been anywhere else! Mission life is the greatest thing in the world! We are working with a lot of people, but particularly members of our branch here. We are working with a Spanish branch here in the Largo area. They are the only Spanish option for people in the peninsula of St Petersburg. We have an incredible ward and wonderful people, but it is very small too. We struggle with having enough priesthood and people to fill all of the necessary callings. We are kind of stuck in a conundrum where we really need more people, but we don't have enough strong members to support the new ones when they come. Very interesting. Because this is the situation, Hermana Dollahite and I are currently trying to chase down and work with all of the inactive and part-member families. (Of course we have our investigators as well.)
   I feel bad sometimes, we have twenty-four missionaries in our Zone and only two are Spanish speaking; they happen to be the sisters! Because we are the only Spanish missionaries, we literally go from one lesson to the next all day every single day. In the meantime, the English Elders go tracting. It is such a bummer! I mean, some of them love tracting but every missionary would rather be teaching. I am really lucky to be where I am; I have tracted for maybe twenty minutes in the entire four weeks I have been here.
   Have I mentioned that I live in the most beautiful place on Earth? EVERYTHING is green, and if it isn't green then it is pink or purple or red or some other incredible hue. I see cranes and wild peacocks and every other kind of wild bird. There are really cool lizards everywhere just soaking up the sun, and of course I am right next to them saying GIVE ME THE SUN!!!! I love it. Still not a huge fan of the humidity, especially since my hair has decided it is a little bit curly here and I have no idea how to work with it! I just throw it in a bun or pony-tail and get to work.
Hermana Dollahite is awesome. We laugh all the time, even when it is not appropriate, i.e. during prayers and hymns (a lot actually). It is so funny and I literally love every second. The people here are amazing and you simply can't help but love them. They are so pure and kind and welcoming. I love the Hispanic culture and I love being a part of it everyday. It has gotten to the point now where we are almost afraid to run into white people because they are mean! Every Hispanic you ever meet is nice and welcoming and is able to recognize the light of Christ in people. Now don't get me wrong, it is still really hard to help people see the changes they need to make to follow Christ, but it is almost like they are remembering it, rather than learning it. So cool!
I might have incredibly exciting news next week, but I will keep the details to myself until then! I can't wait to hear from you all. Good luck this week, and remember who you are: sons and daughters of God.
Love,
Hermana Levanger
 
SIDENOTE: Because I don't actually live at my mailing address, anything sent to me has to be through the US Post Office, either first class or priority mail, because if it is delivered from a company or sent UPS or FedEx they can't forward it to me. Sorry for the inconvenience, but thank you for the packages!