Monday, July 30, 2012

Arrived in Newfoundland on Saturday


Hello from Newfoundland!!!
Oh goodness, It has been a crazy week! I just got to my new area (Bay Roberts) on Saturday. The ferry was very long, but I got to sleep for most of it. It was like a very small cruise ship. Sister Rust and I got a cabin to sleep in...the poor elders had to sleep in what they call "air chairs" they are like chairs that you might find in first class on an airplane. Not fun to sleep in for 15 hours! My new companion is Sister Bentley. She is amazing. She is teaching me everything I need to know. She has been out for about 8 months and has been serving I think the past 3 months in Newfoundland. I have only had one real day of work in the field. Yesterday was a great day. Church is at 10 am, and sacrament meeting is only 50 min long haha. There are only about 20 people (including us and the senior couple) that attend the branch. after church we went out Knocking. SCARY!! I learned so much. The first door that I knocked on (after Sis. Bentley showed me how a few times) a young man answered the door his name is Frank. He invited us in, but as he was the only one home we gave him a very quick lesson at the entry way of his home. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and he seems interested, but the only problem is that he was at his parents house. He is waiting for a job to return out to sea..working on an oil ship or something. So he does not plan to be here for more than a couple of days. We plan on stopping by sometime soon, and see if he is still there. 
My mission president and his wife are amazing people! President is very loving, and has a great sense of humor. I think it has been hard for some of the missionaries here, because they do not know him very well. They just said goodbye to the old president and are trying to gain a relationship with the new one. I was blessed to be able to get to know them, I got to stay 3 nights in their home. They took us to the temple on Wednesday. That was so neat. The temple is very small here. 
On Thursday we had transfers, most of the missionaries that I came in with left that day. 3 of us however had to wait and take the 15 hour farry to Newfoundland. President said that he tried to get us a flight over here, but it would have cost over $5000 for the three of us. The farry only cost about $600. He said it is some weird holiday or celibration right now. All of the missionaries here are very jealous that we got to take the ferry. They say that never happens. 
This week is going to be a great week. We are going knocking again tonight, and we are hoping to be able to teach Sheela (who we knocked into last night) sometime tonight. On Wednesday we are walking in a parade. Passing out flyers for a carnival (held on saturday) that the curch puts on every year here in Bay Roberts. We also have a zone meeting on wednesday. The Elders in St John's and the Sisters in Mt Pearl will be coming down to Bay Roberts for that. We also have Elders out in Corner Brook, but they wont be able to come down, it is a 8 hour drive. 
The apartment that we live in is said to be the nicest in the mission. It is the basement of a house that the senior couple lives in. The Romneys. They are amazing. Elder Romney kinda reminds me of Grandpa Robert. 
Oh yesterday at church..I dont think I have ever heard so much false doctrine being taught in a lesson!!! hahaha I guess if you only have about 11 adults attending, and most have only been members for no more than 8 years, I guess its what to expect. The Branch president pulled out some scripture out of Job, and decided to liken it to the spirit world. Elder Romney tried to set him straight, but he thinks a scripture in any context can give light on any subject. haha
I dont know what else I should say. I hope this is more information than Elder Riddle has given you :) Oh can you forward his emails to me? 
my address is 

PO Box # 1046
Bay Roberts, NL
AoA-1G0

Sometime soon if you get the chance mom will you send me those jackets, and my blanket? I guess it takes a while for mail to get here (and canada post service often goes on strike) so better start sending me my warm stuff before it gets too cold.
Forgot to tell you how crazy it is here. The spead and distence you travel is not done in miles, it is in kilometers I guess. The temperature is around 15 Celsius... I have no idea what that means in Fahrenheit! President Young (branch president) is going to make us Seal Fin sometime :S not sure how to think about that!! It is hard to understand the people sometime. they talk very fast and have crazy terms for different things. In canada I no longer use the restroom...I go to the washroom...thats hard to remember!! I will try to make a list of things that people say as they say them to me so I can tell you about it!

I love you all so much!!! Cant wait to write again next week!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE
Sister Riddle

Pss
I am in the middle of unpacking and could not locate my camera cord this morning. I will find it by next week so I can send some pics to you. It is breath taking here!! it is so green!! The air is so heavy..so humid! We live only seconds from the bay. I will take lots more pictures and get them to you as soon as I can!! LOVE YOU!!
Sister Riddle

one more....just in case you wanted to know another crazy thing about Newfoundland..there is a half hour time difference between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. HALF HOUR... I never knew you could be a half hour ahead of someone! so I guess that makes me three and a half hours ahead of you..not three. 



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