60th B-Day.... Okay so I guess her mother jumped the gun... Or it could just be Brooklyn's roller coaster life...

Hey! Hi! Hello! What's up!

my beautiful mishunmerry as her brother Brandon calls her..

Another week has gone by. How fast it flies. The days, at times, are slow, but the weeks are really fast.

A bird totally popped on my scriptures this week. We were sitting in a park and plop... Hello bird crap! I was so disgusted. Thank goodness I had a tissue in my bag and spit in my mouth. How gross is that!? But no worries I washed them off when I got to a members house. :)

I got your package, Mom. It's for my birthday right? Do I have to wait to open it? ;) Okay, I decided to wait to open it... It will make August 27th a little more special; I am hoping the package from Dad and the boys comes in time too! What a surprise that will be!

Happy Birthday parcel all the way from Banggeerr, Maine

I had popusas and orchata this past week. They are both from El Salvador. Popusas are tortillas with cheese on the inside with a combination of cabbage, carrots, and vinegar on top. Orchata is a rice and cinnamon powder that you put in milk, water, ice, and sugar. It was a treat to say the least. Hermana Tax made the popusas from corn flour that they also use in Guatemala and another Hermana sent us the orchata powder upon the request of Hermana Tax. :)

must be P-day (preparation day) or she'd be wearin' a dress...

So I think, Mom, that you spilled the beans about me probably staying longer in the mission. It's not official yet! Haha. I have to talk to President Wright about it. But being that people are emailing me about me extending, here's a little bit more information for you all. I told you all that there's a new "nurse" coming to the mission. Well... Hermana Wright called me the other day and said that she now knows the missionary is coming in November. I leave in December right? Meaning that gives me 6 weeks to train her in Spanish, missionary teaching, the sector we teach in, the missionary lessons, and nursing. Supperrrrr hard. I thought she was coming in December; hence I said to Hermana Wright, "ya I'm going home then cause she won't get here in time for me to train her". Until... Her phone call about her coming in November and Hermana Wright asked me if I'd thought about extending further and I honestly told her that no I hadn't. I know the decision I need to make is simple. Stay longer or not. I wrote out a list of pros and cons because I was fighting within myself as to if I was willing to stay longer or not. I know ill be supported either way by you all, but still...... I told President last week that I am willing to stay another change; however, it still needs to be approved by him and by the church headquarters. Anyway, If I extended more to come home on the next change date, I will be coming home in the beginning of February (the change is the 9th); however, I could leave before the change... It doesn't have to be a whole 6 weeks. It all just depends on President Wright and the church offices say. I'll let you know when I know. :D

what every mother wants to see her mishunmerry daughter's selfie with a toilet in the background... LOL

I have been putting together a mission nurse binder. It's been an interesting project. I had never thought of it before until this past week as I was thinking of the new nurse. I've written a letter for the binder and realized it was more for me than for her. One of encouragement and a reminder of who I am, here in the mission... a servant of the Lord as a missionary and mission nurse. How many people can say that? :)

Hermana Tax and Talbot

Hermana Tax and I were reminiscing this past week about our first moments together. Well, our friendship began with quite a story. (Backstory: as missionaries, we are not allowed to leave our companion alone. We're practically hitched at the hip. And if we are ever left alone, we are to call the mission president immediately.) Anyway, we got to our apartment building (I'm following like a lost puppy dog.) and were waiting for the elevator. Hermana Tax said to me, "We live on floor 14." I thought oh ya that's great, but didn't think it was important. So the elevator comes, Hermana Tax goes in with one of my bags, and I'm getting ready to walk inside the door and the door shuts right in front of my face. Hermana Tax's shock and I am gonna be in trouble face was hilarious! So I'm thinking at this point, it's okay, she'll open the door in a few seconds and I'll get on. Nope. Didn't happen. I just watched the numbers go up and up and up. I shook my head and pressed the button for the other elevator to come get me. :) I jumped in the other one and went up to floor 14 by my lonesome without an idea of if she'd be there in the end. I thought, now what if she's coming back down and I'm going up at the same time? ... at least we have 2 cellphones (only because I have my own phone as the mission nurse) and I can call her. So when I got to then 14th floor, Hermana Tax was waiting right there. She saw me and immediately started laughing like a hyena from the Lion King. Hahaha. We laughed so hard together and shrugged the moment off. She said to me this past week: first impression of you... you're pretty quick and take initiative. And my first impression of her: she had no idea how to work the elevator door open button and she laughed at the instant she saw me after abandoning me. The first memory in this companionship: in the first 20 minutes as companions in a completely new place for me, Hermana Tax abandoned me!!! Hahaha.

Sunday dressin up. Hermana's Tax. Mabel. Vania. Me

I was reading about 'gratitude' this week and came across many things that helped me realize all that I have. "The Lord has promises, 'He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious' (D&C 78:19). Gratitude is an uplifting, exalting attitude. You can probably say from experience that you are happier when you have gratitude in your heart. You cannot be bitter, resentful, or mean-spirited when you are grateful. Be thankful for the wonderful blessings that are yours. Be grateful for the tremendous opportunities you have. Be thankful to your parents. Let them know of your gratitude. Thank your friends and your teachers. Express appreciation to everyone who does you a favor or assists you in any way. Thank your Heavenly Father for His goodness to you. Let the spirit of thanksgiving guide and bless your days and nights. Work at being grateful. You will find that it yields wonderful results." I always try to work on having a 'positive attitude', but i think its time to work on having a 'grateful attitude'. Once again to all of you: thank-you for all you do for me to support and uplift me here on the mission. Love you Mom and Dad; thanks for all you two do for me. Bryan, Brandon, Brett: I guess I love you guys too. ;) Thanks always for the letters, packages, and emails. To all those friends and leaders: thank-you for your support and emails. :) I truly am very blessed and very grateful. Oh and I guess I'll be grateful that the bird only pooped on my scripture case and not the actual paper. Haha.

With a mountain of LOVE,
Hermana Talbot