3/22

Apologies for the missing letter last week. We got out to run our errands ok in the morning, but by noon the flooding had gotten really bad. Almost all the libraries had no internet--the only one up and running was near our apartment, which was across Passaic River from where we were shopping. Our apartment was fine, we're up on a hill and there were no power outages, so we were lucky. But it took 3 hours to get home Monday night! We had to double our travel time over the next few days as traffic from all over the surrounding area was funneled into one or two unaffected bridges. It was crazy! But, the rain stopped, the flooding began to subside (I discovered a bridge that no one else seemed to know was open, hehehee), and the rest of the week was glorious! Temperatures were in the 70's, flowers and blossoms exploded, and everyone started breaking out the flip flops. Just in time--it's rainy again today, and there's a flood watch. But it's not coming down too hard, so hopefully the river won't rise as much as last week.

Funny story. So the storm that started all this flooding really got bad the Saturday before. The Elders in our Branch had agreed to do a blitz with us (several companionships all work a particular area, knocking and contacting like crazy to try and find investigators for one of the companionships). It was raining like I've never seen it rain before, even at home! The wind was so strong that we were having trouble staying on our feet. It was pretty miserable, but we had hopes that it would make people feel sorry for us so they'd let us in. Sister Greenwood and I taught one former investigator family--they want us to come back!!!--and were on our way to track down some more formers and then attend the adult session of District Conference. It was really hard to see with the rain and glare from other cars' headlights. I was turning left, when all the sudden--BAM. Hit a curb. And popped the front passenger side tire. So I got to change a tire for the first time! In the heaviest rainstorm I think I've ever seen! The Zone Leaders came to help us and kindly told us that we looked like drowned rats. We considered skipping conference, but Elder Thaler said, "No way! Do you have any idea how many referrals you'll get? Everyone's going to say, 'Whoa, those sisters are intense!'" So off to conference we went. Little did I know that President and Sister Bahr would be there!

A certain seventy by the name of Matthew Eyring came for conference. He looks nothing like President Eyring--he's got flaming red hair. But he talks just like him. Very funny guy, got to shake his hand and chat a little bit before Sunday morning's session. And a very good speaker. He spoke a lot about the Atonement, something that any half-way decent missionary really comes to appreciate over the course of his mission. There's something about the work that we do that lets us have a glimpse of what the Savior feels for each of us. It can be overwhelming at times, but it's a wonderful thing to be able to work with the Lord in bringing salvation to our brothers and sisters, and see them the way He does.

Sister Greenwood and I are working. Hard. We got a lot of good potential investigators from the blitz and have been scouring our area book for other opportunities. There's a lot to be done! But it's good to be busy. We've been walking a lot, trying to hone our contacting skills. Discovered a bakery last week, Venice Bakery, that's out of this world--we could smell it all over the neighborhood we were tracting in, and eventually we couldn't stand it any longer and had to go find it. Amazing hand-made bread, and their pastries...we about died. I think we will be returning. :)