Tonight is transfers and we're all in a state of trying not to speculate what will happen, to downright analyzing each person's personality and current life circumstance as to better guess where they will be. I would have to say that if this is my last day with Sister Petricek, then this transfer has ended up being a smashing success. We are friends now. She tenderly calls me Roz, her tender oozing blossom (from Monster's Inc.), and when she nicknames you, you know you're in. She says I've turned her into a softie. Yay! I know there will be lots of things I miss about her when we're not together because she's very real, and likes to have fun and be chill with people (as compared to attacking them on the spot when they enter the VC).
The earlier part of this week has had some really great moments (the week being Thursday to Thursday). On Sunday, we were actually assigned to be outside of the temple to talk to anybody who was out there looking around with interest, a la Temple Square. There wasn't too much out there, but towards the end of our time, there was a couple taking pictures, and it is quite convenient to be there and offer to take a picture of whoever is there. We joke that that's what we learned our last week in the MTC--picture taking. And learning how to answer "Where are you from?" in exciting new ways. Let me tell you, there is nothing I literally want to walk away from more than when someone asks a big group of us where we're from. (Ok, that was an exaggeration.) Why does it matter?? Will you remember? No, no you won't.
So anyways, there's this couple and they are not members, and it turns out that they have a websitge -- gypsynesters.com, I think, that is all about empty nesters who travel. And they travel all around for the purposes of their website. We didn't get to telling them too much about our specific beliefs, but I feel like it was a very spiritually led conversation. They had to leave and I felt prompted to ask them if they'd been to Croatia--yes, of all the places, and that got them going on a whole other topic. They are seriously the coolest, nicest people--I do not know them, but I love them dearly. The man had been in this band when he was younger--something like fishheads and rice--does this sound familiar dad? I guess he said they played mostly in Europe. Ugh, they were so awesome and you could tell they had a lot of the values and priorities that we do. I gave them a guest card and Sister Petricek gave them a temple pamphlet. I don't really know what the significance of that whole experience was about but I do know it was, in a different way than normally perceived, full of the Spirit.
On Monday, we were working in Land and Records for the first time, and it was like the best day of my life. Land and Records is where people go when they have ancestors who came through here and they can see files on them with historical information and different stories (if they exist) and where they lived if they owned property. I actually learned some hardcore stuff about historical documentation and whatnot. It was so fun. And, I don't know what it is about Land and Records that makes it such a relaxed environment that people just want to talk to you, but I had two very real conversations we these girls--both from BYU-I that went fairly deep. They were both my age and we talked about missions and spiritual decisions (they were totally separate convos too). Very interesting.
Our Sociable is this week! Everyone treats it like the biggest deal ever. I'm just excited to be a (non-star) star. Just kidding sort of. You know, the seniors love us, and when we do stuff (likeanything), they love us even more. For example, in last week's training (with all of the non-temple missionaries), I played a nine-year old in the role play about giving tours to the youngest person in the group. I put my hair in pigtails and I had a big flower thing. Ever since then, I am always greeted by different seniors as "You make a great 8 year old," "You were such a cute 12 year old," etc. (Guaranteed it's a different age every time.) It was a brilliant move on President/Sister Gilliland's part to have me play that role to allow the other seniors to get to know me better. Now I think I remind them even more of their grandchildren, and they feel natural inclinations towards loving me, which I accept.
Also, if you want to cause a real riot here, where different colored socks to District Meeting. (I still don't get the Zone-District thing quite because it's different here, but our district meeting has seniors in it and SP and I are the only young sister missionaries (and the best is when they call us young single missionaries--"you don't know that!")). I took off my boots and had on one black sock and one white and it was the talk of the meeting. I've worn much more mismatched socks before. That was nothing.
Anyways, this week will bring lots of change no matter what happens so I may be emailing next week in a state of agony. Actually I seriously doubt that. Of what I know, I pretty much love every single sister here. Some I know more than others, but I really get along with them all (and very well, I would say).
Ok, I love you!
Love, Rachel
PS I found the female version of Kaden Taylor. Her name is Sister Openshaw and she's in her 70s. She's quite a dear.
***Rachel's favorite band is now The Lower Lights, and she wanted me to post her favorite song from them, I Saw the Light (be warned, it's more folk-y than one could anticipate):
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