This week was amazing!  We were able to set up a lot of appointments
for this week, and we finally had a week full of teaching!  It was
also my companions birthday on Saturday, so it was full of fun
surprises too.  :)

Monday, we had a surprise birthday party for Sister Hawkins with the
ASL Sisters and the Park Slope Sisters.  It was perfect!  She didn't
suspect a thing.  Sister Hawkins and I hurried and finished out
errands and headed out to the ASL sisters apartment to "go shopping"
with them.  When we got to their apartment, they had made a delicious
spaghetti and meatball lunch with a brownie cake.  It was so good!
After lunch we all walked across the street to the nail salon and got
manicures and pedicures.  Sister Hawkins loves to have her nails
painted, so that was a fun surprise.  It was the first time Sister
Hawkins and I had ever had a pedicure, it tickled... It was a great
day and we had a lot of fun.  The ASL Sisters are amazing!

We met with a lot of members this week, it was great!  We met a few
more of the less actives in the branch, and were able to find some
more people to teach.  We got Sister Lovaglio going on Personal
Progress and she is loving it so far!  It is perfect for her and
exactly what she needs.  We also met with a lady named Sis. Rodriguez
who is a genealogy wiz!  She has had to figure out so much of her
ancestry and is a great detective!  We are going back over to see them
this week as well.

On Friday we went and did some service for a pastor.  He is renovating
a old church all by himself and the Elders have been helping him for
months.  But now we get to go help too!  :)  when we got there Pastor
Loflin looked at us Sisters and said "Did they tell you this was hard
work?  Are you going to be okay?"  Haha we told him yes.  It was
funny.  I'm pretty sure I can carry wood and tie bundles just as well
as the Elders.  There was a shed that the roof had fallen in and we
had to carry all the broken pieces out of it and then tie them up.   I
was tying a knot and one of the Elders asked jokingly if I was a boy
scout.  I told him no, but I did work at a Boy Scout camp.  Haha I'm
not sure if he believed me.  It was really fun and a lot of work.  But
we look forward to going back this week!

Saturday was an adventure!  It was finally the day of her birthday and
I had a few tricks up my sleeve.  In the morning while she was in the
shower, I recruited the Spanish Sisters from next door to help me make
pumpkin pancakes, banana pancakes, and turkey bacon for breakfast.
Also to help decorate the apartment with streamers and balloons :)  it
was perfect.   Then we went to deliver a Bible to someone in the
afternoon.  They were not home, but the Elders asked if we could pick
up a key from the Spanish branch president a few blocks away.  So we
ended up spending the whole afternoon hanging out with the Spanish
branch at their branch BBQ waiting for the branch President.  But it's
okay, because we ate some delicious food!  We met up with the Elders
after and went to go get Bubble smoothies to celebrate Sister Hawkins
birthday.  Then we ran back to the church to have Corrilation meeting
with Bro. Wynder.  It was a super hectic, crazy day.  But I think it
turned out great and there were plenty of surprises for Sister
Hawkins. :)

If you haven't had a chance, you should watch the new Mormon Messages!
 There are two.  They are amazing and definitely some of my favorites!
 :)  I know that things that seem to be a burden can really be the
thing that is helping to heal us and make it through our trials in
life.

Well I'm off to a Mets game!  Happy Memorial Day everyone!
Love,
Sister Beecher