Dressman: Sweet sweet sue

BIG week.

First of all something amazing happened this week....IT WAS WARM! It was 60 degrees!! On Wednesday I came out of the apartment and howled out of sheer happiness. We walked everywhere Wednesday so it was absolutely perfect. I was so happy. I've practically been in the clouds ever since even though it snowed on Thursday. This week it's supposed to be back in the 60s and everything is good.

I start with that because something really very serious happened this week as well. We've been teaching this older couple- Paul and Rita- and they didn't show up to church on Sunday and immediately Sister Fetuli and I knew something was wrong. The thing that really made me nervous was that Sister Fetuli had a dream that we were alone at church and then people rushed by with someone on a stretcher and then we were at the hospital. Rita's birthday is today (86) so we stopped by last night to check on them. Their car was there, but no one answered the door. The little girl from the apartment above theirs was sitting on the stairs and just said, "Paul's dead." Paul was NOT dead, and I could hit her for scaring me so bad for nothing! Paul was in the hospital. He has a pretty bad lung problem and it hit a low point so an ambulance came and got him. He's still in pretty bad condition. Last night we went and stayed with Rita for awhile in the emergency room. We got her something to eat since she hadn't eaten all day and just held her hands as she cried. It was heartbreaking, really. I thought about all the people I love so much and how sad it is that this is part of life. Even if Paul pulls through, it's hard to watch him be in pain, especially hooked up to all of these machines and in a sense humiliated in front of total strangers. We are listed as the emergency contact since none of their children are on good terms with them, so the hospital has been calling us for information and updates and whatnot. We just met them a month ago and we are the closest friends they have because Rita has a pretty bad temper and she burned bridges with her children years ago. No one thinks about being 85 when being rude or abusive.

Something else that happened this week that might seem small to some- we went to a birthday party for 4 year old Zach whose mom we've been teaching, and we spent the time split between his grandmother and an 8 year old cousin. Sister Fetuli walked away from the party with a teeny plastic water gun...when I asked her why in the world she had it she shrugged and said, referring to the 8 year old: "She gave it to me and said 'have this- you're my very best friend.'" Ok so that might not be a big deal on first thought, but it hit me- why can't we be more like that? Here this little girl appreciated Sister Fetuli listening and talking to her. She felt it of the utmost importance that she give something- anything- of hers to her because she cared. Isn't that interesting? And yet how many times have I been stubborn or selfish with the things that I have, even with people who I know and care about a lot? Do I walk around and give all my things away because I care about people so much? Obviously there's a line because we still need to sustain ourselves, but for a minute I witnessed pure unfailing charity, and it took an 8 year old with nothing to give to teach me.

Another lesson I learned was taught to me by flowers! I'm sending the picture. My reasoning will make more sense if you're looking at the picture. I noticed that the flower closest to the light flourished, and the third flower for some reason shrunk from the light- it looks like it's running away!- and it was the first to die. It made SO MUCH SENSE in the middle of my life as a missionary walking around trying to help people help themselves. Those who refuse to take refuge are the first to fall. It's tragic, and it doesn't have to be that way. We don't have to be so miserable all the time! I am thoroughly convinced that our own poor choices are the only things that can make us truly unhappy. It was even like that with the flowers. When I put the pot on the table, all were aligned with contact with sunshine. I thought about times that maybe I esteemed myself to be not good enough or something and hid behind those who were healthy. It just can't work like that.

Funny experience! We went to visit Maria, my Puerto Rican investigator :), and she had just made some flan. For any who are not acquainted with flan...try it at your own risk. Most people seem to like it, but I'm not a fan of caramel jello. No thanks. Anyways she offered (in Spanish) and I figured since Sister Fetuli is crazy about anything with sugar, she would like some. I made the mistake of not translating because I forgot the conversation was in Spanish. Sister Fetuli promptly reminded me after the appointment haha. Anyways Maria brought out a bowl with some of the flan in it for Sister Fetuli to have. Her face was one of the funniest things I have seen since being in New York! She couldn't really do anything because she's learned that it's rude to refuse food in those circumstances, and it's even more rude to say that you don't like it. All the poor thing could get out was, "so yummy." She was spitting all the way down the road hahaha I won't be offering any Latin deserts from now on!

I wrote a new song during a shift at the Peter Whitmer farm the other day! I'm sending the lyrics. I really like the music for this one, but I'm pretty satisfied with the lyrics, too. I wasn't going to send them because they really portray my state of being about two weeks ago, but here they are.

On an island in the sea

There's a spot of sand for me

Where I built a tiny house

Where I thought I could be free

But the waves came crashing down

And I know I should have known

But there's no point being free

If you'll always be alone

In an unfamiliar land

I am hanging up to dry

I am wistful and nostalgic

As the days go slowly by

On the street as people pass me

I close up the place and hide

I thought it better to refuse to love

Than let them come inside

Now you turn to me and ask

How you can make it every day

How to let the flowers grow

Without the weeds and the decay

Well the truth is you will not avoid

The pain of death and strife

Because the flowers use the ashes

As they grow and give new life

One of the Senior couples found out that I write songs a few weeks ago when I stole away to play for a bit, and so now I'm assigned to play at a site meeting in the beginning of May. This is why you don't tell people play. Yeesh.

Anyways that's pretty much it for the week. I've gotten letters from various people this week that have really helped buoy me up, which I'm really thankful for. I have some really good people in my life, you know? No one deserves to be supported by such beautiful people. At least not me!

A couple random things rill quick:

-Everyone is crazy about apple pie, applesauce and real maple syrup here. I'm still not a fan of applesauce, but I've come to really like apple pie! Soon I will obtain a good recipe and then it's ALL over.

-Transfers are next week! President is toying with the idea of moving me to a more Spanish speaking area even though I'm not done training. Honestly two weeks ago I would have been thrilled but now Sister Fetuli and I have really become best friends and I love this area. I'm praying that I'll be here for a long time.

-We went to this little breakfast place before district meeting this week and President Christianson came because we challenged him to the pancake challenge! What it is is three MASSIVE pancakes. If you finish it (I've never seen anyone finish) they give you a free tshirt. Turns out President isn't competitive enough hahaha. If you're wondering, I didn't even try. My stomach is nowhere big enough. I couldn't even finish one normal sized pancake. I didn't hear the end of that one from the Elders that's for sure.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Cheerio till next week from Hermana Ray