Ecuadorean stretchy pants

Hey! So, first things first, I am still in Paterson and Hna Bushman is still my companion! Woohoo! That's exciting. Maria Del Valle was really happy too. She told us she prayed every day that we wouldn't get transferred out. (Oh and sorry I keep referring to her by her full name but when you're teaching 6 Maria's, that's kind of what it comes down to.) :) She came to church yesterday on her own because her husband is pretty sick right now so that means she didn't have a translator so guess what? I ended up translating Sacrament meeting for her. I had no idea what I was doing! Haha, but it was good and everything turned out ok. Selena was sitting behind me and she said she was listening to what I was saying and I didn't do too bad so hey life is good. Ok, and Maria's mother-in-law is this way awesome lady in the branch from Ecuador who comes out on visits with us all the time. Anyway, she came with us on Thursday for a couple hours and it was freezing cold, rainy, and even a little snowy at times, and she gave us these stretchy pants/capri things to wear under our skirts that her husband brought back for us from Ecuador! Oh man, they were a lifesaver! And quite fashionable, I must say! They especially helped us out when we drove to Newark that afternoon to do the "Fearbuster" with all the new missionaries just arriving from the MTC! Yep, I was just in their place 6 weeks ago and it was way fun but we were completely drenched afterward...and cold. We were each paired up with a newbie straight from the airport to take them around downtown Newark contacting anybody and everybody for an hour. It was fun, to say the least. :)

Probably our coolest news this week was with one of our investigators, Rafael. He is a media referral we started teaching a couple weeks ago but we can only meet with him once a week because he is crazy busy. But he had requested a Libro de Mormon so we went over to deliver it to him and started teaching him. That was 3 weeks ago. Then he came to a session of General Conference and came to church the last 2 Sundays and when we met with him just this last Friday we asked him how his LdM reading is going and he had read from the beginning all the way to Mosiah 8! So then we asked if we could set him with a date for baptism and he told us, "Whenever you think I'll be ready, I will prepare myself for that day." So we're shooting for November 1. Woohoo! He is awesome! :)

We are also teaching a whole family, Raymondo and Lupita and their 3 daughters. They have accepted the invitation to be baptized but are kind of hesitant about setting a date. Everything for this family depends on Raymondo, I think. Lupita is really sick and can't get out of the house much and they all just look to him so basically, if we can get him to commit, I think they all will because they all feel it. Pray for them! :)

Hmm, what else? OH! Be careful when you eat soup...you may find chicken toes...

Hermana Bushman has been really sick this week. I feel so bad for her. All the ladies in the branch are trying to insist that she go to the doctor or take their home remedy or something but she is getting better just fine. The weather here has been horrible though...pretty drizzly and cold all day every day. I think I have put off buying my winter clothes long enough. :)

Well, I think that's about it for today. Thank you for all your love and support. I love the pictures I've gotten from Michael and Cari and Chris and Megan. Thank you for those! And Mom, I think I will probably get your package tomorrow. Remember, I always write my letters on Monday and then get my letters and packages on Tuesday so...yeah. This is the best thing I can be doing right now. I miss you tons but I love you more.

Love,
Hermana Jackson