Sister Gardner is a Cool Cat

Sister Gardner (my companion), Sister Smith, President Smith, me

Sharing the Good News! 

We LOVE clean elevators! 

I have been looking so forward to writing you all and for my first p-day out here! Sister Gardner and I have made it a good one, White Plains style. I LOVE SCARSDALE and I love Sister Gardner!!! I am just so blessed to have her as my trainer because she is so loving, happy and patient. We are both working on patience this cycle. Patience with ourselves and Heavenly Fathers plan for us in his own timing. She is so amazing at sharing the gospel and she does it with LOVE. A little bit about my trainer...Sister Gardner is from Riverton Utah. She came on her mission right out of high school and is such a COOL CAT. That's what she loves people to say about her & she has an obsession with cats and ice cream. So of course we have our stash of ice cream in the freezer for those blah days, thanks to the Elders. She is a powerful missionary and I will learn lots from her. What I love about her is she is bold and talks to everyone. We are going to work hard! We have been finding a lot lately and one day this week we taught 9 lessons! My area has very wealthy houses and also the complete other end. That's why New York is so great. Most people living in the nice houses are Jewish and we give them family history cards.

Since being here in Scarsdale I have realized a few things:

-New York is filled with the most unique individuals
-I have never seen so many different churches before in my life!! A new one on every corner 
-I am actually grateful and appreciate clean elevators. That seems like a weird thing to be thankful for, but spending a good amount of time in the Projects makes me squeal. 
(picture above) 
-I better start learning Espanol and Creole. Sister Gardner is going teach me. She just whips it out sometimes  
-Sister Gardner compared the Gospel to Cafe Rio the other day. There is a crowded Chipotle right by us and she said people flock to it because they don't known where to find the good stuff. NY needs the gospel and Cafe Rio, I guess. 
-Jesus loves everyone!!! Everyone needs Jesus!! 

This weekend we did a lot of service! We helped a girl that is moving to Brooklyn, served food at the community center with the old folks and on Saturday we helped the Morgan's clean their house for the Smiths! We were so lucky to see them in their home and in church for the last time. Also, we got the amazing Scarsdale bagels with sister Morgan's famous (cookies and cream) cream cheese. SO GOOD! Service is great! My apartment here in White Plains is so perfect, much better than the MTC beds. Right next to us is a Nordstrom Rack and Target. All we need :) There are two other Hermanas that live with us. Ah, I love them. 

Another cool thing, Mom you will die, last night we were suppose to have dinner with the Mortensen family, (aka your TWIN). Her and her husband are famous in the LDS world. Think the temple & who everyone says you look like...crazy!! Hopefully they have us over soon. Haha They are in my ward and just a picture perfect family with three little girls. The people you meet in New York...

We got invited after church on Sunday to go to this Inter-Faith meeting at an old Baptist church to support racial equality. I'm out of it with the news right now, but I guess there is a lot  going on. We went to get the churchs' name out and be friendly to others of other faiths. It was quite a unique experience. Afterwards, I just felt grateful for the peace the gospel brings and how we just know who we are and Heavenly Father's plan. 

Now let me just tell you how much I love President Smith and his family. They are such a great family. I am in awe of them and the love they have for each other and this new journey ahead. Their excitement and zest for life will be amazing in the NYNYN mission. It wore off on me yesterday after we met them in the chapel, I was just so happy. Each of them spoke and told a little bit about themselves. The kids have such a good attitude about being here and have so much faith. President Smith kept saying how marrying Sister Smith was the best decision he ever made and serving a mission was the second best thing. They lived by each other in high school and both went to Olympus. Later they both happened to serve their missions in Hawaii. After the meeting, I got to finally hug them all! They invited Sister Gardner and I and a few others serving in this area over for pizza. We are so BLESSED!!! Loved talking to them a little more. Of course they brought up all the people and connections we have because there were so many. They met the Reynolds last week in the MTC. I'm going to get annoying with how much I say I love them. 

So many good things said this week I want to share. We often times look back on experiences and love them. We don't remember the bad days, the hard nights. We remember the high points and who we became. So the true test is going through hard times with the end in mind and  enjoying them. Switch your minds to look at all things as the greatest opportunity. YOU have the power going forward in your own life to make those decisions and choose what you will make out of your life and who you will follow. Be followers of Jesus Christ!! We all made the commitment back when we were baptized to follow Him, now it's about being honest with ourselves. We have to stay fully committed to serve God and be faithful everyday. 

Keep serving and loving people!! I love you guys. 

Love, 
Sister Vassau