Baptisms, Baptisms!

Hey fam!

Sorry about yesterday. We thought the library was closed and later on during proselyting we noticed it was open! We had already scheduled emailing into our day today so hopefully you weren't waiting yesterday Mom.

Ha ha I think that's so sad that after my email you want more. I'm so sorry. I love being here but I hate to think of the other end of it. It was so bad when Jeff was gone. I'm sorry I had to leave, but I can't imagine not being here now. People need the gospel so much here. Their lives are SO BAD. Our family is so blessed. Every day I am reminded of how good my life is. Aside from the gospel, people don't have husbands, cars, food, homes, money, jobs. It's really sad. I feel so good sharing my testimony with them. I always tell them that the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring happiness to any situation. My favorite thing though is their eyes. When I look into several people's eyes throughout the day, I can honestly tell when the spirit hits them. The holy ghost is amazing and makes my simple words to intelligent Cornell students seem of some worth. ha ha.

There is a huge variety of people here; brilliant college students (since Cornell is an Ivey league school) and Ithaca college (also being in our area), a lot of apartment complexes with poorer single parents and elderly people, small homes with really yucky (sorry) parents. I wish I could multiply my companion and I by 100 and so we could change the whole downtown Ithaca people. SO MANY NEED GUIDANCE.

Where I am serving is the only walking area in the mission. I am beginning to like it, because we can talk to more people that way and build our teaching pool. We have been blessed with 37 in our teaching pool. We are busy with teaching appointments which means, WARM HOUSES. It's an added incentive. But the only way to teach is to find, and that is out on the streets, people walking everywhere. No one has cars around here. It blows my mind. A lot of older people stay inside most of their week (if they don't have school or a job). I love the college students. The city has really picked up since the college kids are back. It's more crowded. It's so fun having a college campus closeby. People say they're busy but I promise them that I was a college student once and reading even a few verses the Book of Mormon and praying made my day go smoother and feel stress-free.

The Book of Mormon is the converter. President loves scriptures and insists we share scriptures with people even when street contacting. So my pages get wet but it has helped bring the spirit fast in a quick approach. I've been studying a lot in the BOM in the morning because I know I have to know it well to teach from it. In D&C 11:21 it says, "Seek not to declare my word but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed...even unto the convincing of men." I wish I knew the BOM better so I could convince more people of it's truthfulness. The Lord will make up the difference for the time being.

Well, we set three more people for baptism this past week. Tyesha (a 26 year old single mom of 5), and her son Davion (12 yrs. old), and Kris Santos (Megan Santos' younger brother--also 12 yrs. old). February 6th is Tyesha and Davion's date, and February 13th is Kris's date. Pray for all three of them please. Satan will work on them pretty hard before baptism. We pray so hard for them, and they want it, so I'll keep you informed.

Dan (the 19 year old I told you about last email) is all set for his baptism this weekend. It's on Friday night now, instead of Saturday. Wow, I wish you could all see how happy he is now. He used to NEVER smile. He looked depressed when I first met him. I guess the sisters had met with him once, then said he disappeared and was never home etc. And then we came across him a couple weeks ago at the bus stop (refer to last email). He's been on fire and the Lord prepared him so fast. He's so funny too. He told Sister Stewart and I "After I get confirmed I will take you two outside the church and we'll have a moment." We were like, "ummm...." Then he said, "I will give you both big hugs and yell thank you to heavenly father." We laughed and told him he can just give us a hearty handshake. Ha ha.

I'm having SUCH a better time now that I'm adjusted. Sorry if I sounded all negative and like a wuss about the cold in my last email. Also, I realized I left part of President's email on the bottom of the one I sent you. Sorry. Ha ha, I did a little copy and pasting part of the same story I sent him, to you. It saved time.

Matty, congrats on making Madrigals! I wish we could listen to music so I could hear your choir. Way to go!

Ash, Matt Boarden... ooo la la. Remember our laugh attack in the YW/YM chess fireside?

Mom, they advised us to have your letters sent to the P.O. box so just stick with that address. As far as packages go, send it to the address on my blog for packages, I don't have that one memorized. My address of my apt. for google earth ha ha or if you want you can send letters here is...

111 Ferris Place
Ithaca NY 14850

It was built in 1844 and is soooo ghetto. I'm warmer now. I've got my layering all figured out.

I'll answer your bedding question....
I got the sheets and pillows, no comforter was in there. I called the mission office and told her the story. She's going to call you about the details tomorrow with the tracking number etc. I'll give her (sister hansen, the secretary) all the info you'll need to try to find it. The reciept said it should be in there but it wasn't. Don't worry, I'm warm at night using one from the apartment. We have a lot of blankets.

Dad, I sent you a long letter about mission stuff for your talk. Good luck! You'll do awesome!! Please tell Andrew to come hear you and Jordan. Or you tell him mom. He might be interested in what I told dad to share. More about my mission.

Em, I'm sending parker a late card. I hope he had a fun birthday. And thanks for your email! Refer to my blog to the package address... send it there or my apartment address, not the P.O. box.

I love each and every one of you! Thanks for your prayers.
Until next time!

Sister Zwick