Sister Selk: Trains, planes and automobiles

Oh my goodness.....where do I even begin!!!

This has probably been the craziest week of my mission. Absolutely nonstop and packed with lots of excited news and new adventures!

We will start with last Monday.

We didn´t have much of Pday last week because we were preparing everything for Toni´s baptism!!! Everything worked out according to plans, and Toni was baptized on Monday evening! It was definitely the best way that Sister Andrew and I could have ended our time together. We were so happy. We met up with Toni in Setubal because he works near Setubal, so we figured why not just make it easier for him and have the baptism there. It was pretty strange to be there in the church that I knew I would be serving in the next day. The baptismal service was really beautiful. We had a decent amount of members there who all bore their testimonies about what baptism meant to them. I think Toni was really touched by it. He wasn´t sure if he was going to have to work on Sunday or not when we last talked to him, but we really emphasized the importance of getting the holy ghost, and after the baptism he told us that he would be at church on Sunday whether he had work or not. I called him and Sister Andrew yesterday and sure enough he went to church in a nice white shirt with the tie Sister Andrew and I gave hime and some spanky white shoes......He´s so cool!

It was the best way to end our transfer.

On Tuesday I finished up packing, because I really hadn´t had any time to do it earlier, and then we headed to Lisbon......I am SO happy that this was the last time I had to haul all my luggage around Lisbon....just saying.

There I met up with Sister Bird and said goodbye to Sister Andrew. I was quite touched saying goodbye to Sister Andrew, because I wasn´t sure how much of an impact I have made on her during our last 5 months together, but it was REALLY difficult for her to say goodbye, even though we are still serving pretty close to each other and will still see each other pretty frequently. She cried a few times, and looked extremely stressed to be leaving me, but I know she is going to grow so much this transfer. She has already called me about every night this week......hahah she is cute.

Sister Bird is in her third Transfer, just one transfer behind sister Andrew. She is from Salem Utah, and is super nice! She already speaks really good portuguese, and is super on top of things for just getting done training, so it is going to be a solid transfer together.

As for driving....

I couldn´t believe that on Tuesday, they just stuck me in my car and left me to figure out how to drive in portugal all by myself! Before I knew it I was taking round about after round about, driving amongst tons of crazy portuguese drivers, and crossing the lisbon bridge.

BUT.

We made it.

All is well in zion.

I haven´t gone down any stairs like the last sister who was driving this car.

I have only had a few people honk their horns at me.

I still have managed to get away with not parallel parking.

And overall it hasn´t been as bad as I thought.

The hardest part is coming into an area that I have never been to before, because I still am just relying on Sister Bird to tell me where to go. Luckily I feel like I have a pretty good sense of direction. I can get to the church and back without her telling me, so now it is just getting to know all of Setubal!

It has been SO fun living in a 4 sister house! I have absolutely loved it so far. I was excited to find out Sister Vanequer would be living in the same house. She was sister Andrew´s companion in the MTC, and from the little things I had heard about her, I knew I would get along super well with her. She is actually from France, and is one of the coolest sisters I have met on the mission. She has been helping me remember what little french I know, and we have already decided that we will have french class in our house every thursday. I´m pretty stoked about it. I haven´t got as much sleep as I probably could use, because her and I just talk at night. She is so interesting and we have a lot in common, so it has already been determined that I am going to have to go visit her after the mission.

I am loving Setubal so far! It has been fun working with other missionaries for a change. In our ward alone we have 3 sets of missionaries, and then the other ward has 2 sets. I haven´t never been in areas with other missionaries, so I feel like I am starting a whole new mission!

We had to go back to Lisbon on Thursday for mission counsel, and we also had our zone meeting this week, so I haven´t had a ton of time in our area itself and with the people, so I will give you an update about that next week!

I hope you all have a marvelous week! Love you lots!

Paz e Bênçãos!!

-Sister Selk