16 March 2009

(Apparently "I'm all set" is an East Coast phrase. Which I never knew because I always heard Dad say it...but it makes sense now seeing as Dad's from New Jersey...but no other missionaries out here had ever heard it before. :)

Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well

I am enjoying mission life out here in Windsor, Connecticut. Windsor is just north of Hartford. (Sisters don't serve in Hartford, it's too ghetto.) Windsor is also apparently Connecticut's oldest town. The sisters' area just covers Windsor and also the town of Windsor Locks. So not very big, land-wise, but things are hopping out here.

I'm riding in on the coattails of some awesome sister missionaries who got the ball rolling. My companion and her previous companion already had four baptismal dates set up for this transfer when I got out here. (And for all you South American returned missionaries four baptisms in one transfer is a LOT out here. ) We got another investigator committed to baptism this past week!

My companion is Sister Haueter (rhymes with power) from Smithfield (Elder Byington, she knew you, way back when) and she rocks. Really funny and friendly and outgoing, and very FUN which balances out my intense side so that's good. We have a great time AND we work hard.

The work is interesting out here is so much different than I thought it would be. EVERYONE I have met so far, almost, has been Catholic. Apparently Connecticut has a lot of Jews also, but I have yet to meet one. I'm told Windsor is not very diverse in comparison with the rest of the state. And of course I'm in complete culture shock because anywhere is diverse compared to Utah. There are also tons of Jamaicans here. They are AWESOME people they are very big into prayer and meditation. I had this picture in my mind of a state full of Yale atheists who are all super-intellectual. But as of this week (not very much time, I realize) mostly what I have seen is people with a strong Christian faith, who struggle with the idea of priesthood authority and the proper baptism and such. There are a few investigators who get way out there into the deeper intellectual doctrines and don't focus on what really matters, and struggle because of that. But I haven't seen nearly as much of that as I thought I would.

I have already had so many funny things happen to me out here, I can't even tell you. This place is so unique and missions are so unique, funny stuff just happens all the time. A lot of people want to pronounce my name Munson because Munson Chocolates are really big out here (yeah, I never heard of them either). Last night some investigators' kids called me Sister Monster and my companion Mister Haueter. Oh, and one of those kids, a little girl, told me, I can't go to Primary because there's BOYS.

Earlier this week a member told us, You can pawk [park] out here, and my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe people REALLY talk like that, like they're not just making it up. This member is from Massachusetts, I think. She says pawk and she works at Tawget. That accent is so common out here because people from RI and Massachusetts have it and natives of CT have it, to, but to a lesser degree.

Yesterday I met a member and I got the drill (this is starting to sound so familiar already) "Now, I know you must get asked this all the time and you're probably sick of hearing people ask you about it, but, are you related to the Prophet?" Of course I said no. Normally when people get this response they say "Oh," and act disappointed, or else they try and push it, "Are you SURE? Not even distantly?" This member happened to be shaking my hand when she asked me the question, and when I said no she dropped my hand and wiped it off on her dress and looked away from me, disgusted. I was super confused for about half a second, until I realized she was messing with me. It was HILARIOUS. Guess you had to be there, maybe.

There are not very many sisters here. Really, at any given time there are about 10 sisters and 100 elders in the mission. Really. No exaggeration. That's a lot of 19-year-old boys. It can be a little overwhelming. And I haven't even seen all the missionaries together in one place yet. Get excited for mission conference this summer!

My address is 6 Heritage Drive Apt. C, Windsor, CT 06095 if you want to send me mail (HINT HINT). I like mail. A lot. Oh, and MTC District 53, hi from your sister/grandma! (Yes I am old.) I probably won't be sending you individual emails. Sorry. But I hope you are all doing well and not freezing to death in Canada/Arkansas (yes, Arkansas! I didn't think about that when I first wrote it!). Don't forget about Elder Greenwell's kitten cups. I will remember that story until the day I die.

The Church is true! Until next Monday,
Sister Monson