Answering More Questions

Note from Sister Cluff's Mom:  Sister Cluff has been faithfully sending emails on her prep days, but I have been negligent in my posting.  Our family has been a little distracted with a wedding and travel during the past few weeks.  I hope to catch up soon. 

Sister Cluff says:

Thanks for all of your awesome letters!  I am so thankful for my great family!  I don't have much time, so I guess I will just answer your questions. I love you all!

Tell about your apartment.  My apartment has 2 bedrooms (one for sleeping and the other for exercise) and one bathroom (it had a black shower when we got there that was supposed to be white).  There is a kitchen with a dishwasher and disposal. (YES!!)  We don't have a TV.  We have about 4 desks in our front room/kitchen to do all of our studying and we have a couple of old couches.  Our beds are a little creaky, especially when you get up in the night to use the commode.  So I try to jump out instead of getting on the creaky side (I feel like the middle is not quite so creaky).  6:29AM comes way too fast.  Happy day-light savings time!

What kind of food do you eat?  I have had imitation crab in Alfredo sauce.  It was interesting and I tried not to make a big deal out of it.  (I didn't mention that it was my first almost crab until I got out to the car with my companion).  It was actually not bad.  I have had elk sausage, turkey spaghetti, lots of lasagna, spaghetti, Chinese food, etc.  For lunch, we have leftovers, frozen dinners, quesadillas, etc. - stuff that is super easy and quick so we can get a nap in.

What do you do for your service hours?  We have hair shampooing and setting for our service this week.  There is someone in our ward who knows someone in cosmetology school.  It should be interesting.  At the MTC mostly we mopped stairs.  They had all the missionaries cleaning up after themselves (which cuts down a lot on custodial bills).  We need to do more service in the upcoming weeks.  We have just been super busy and we are trying to work it in.

What's the ward (congregation) like?  The wards we work in are super nice.  There are a lot of older people and there are quite a few young families.  There are also no singles branches in our area so there are a few young single adults.  It is interesting the people you meet here.  I have met more people on their second or third marriage, or divorced than I thought was possible.  It makes learning the families more complicated.

What gospel topics are you studying?  I have been reading the Book of Mormon a lot.  I have been skipping around on various topics. 

What have you learned about yourself so far?  I am pretty quiet.  I like a clean environment.  I have been trying to be cleaner since I started on my mission and my companion thinks I am a “neat phreak.”  I have learned that I love to laugh. (Okay, I already knew that!)  I have learned that I take a while doing things (like writing letters and getting ready in the mornings) sometimes.  I am trying to be quicker.  It is hard to follow so many rules, but it is totally worth it to do so.  As missionaries, you meet the humblest and most interesting people, who are often having super hard trials in their lives.  I just want to shake people and say, "Don't you understand how much the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can bless your life?"  People all have their own agency.  They are going to be kicking themselves when they learn about it in the spirit world, I think.  I have learned how blessed I am to have the gospel in my life.