Sister Stephani Rodriguez: Oh Heck Yeah

Seriously best week ever! I can't even explain how blessed I feel (and also how tired I feel haha). Monday and Tuesday were crazy saying goodbye to everyone and getting ready for transfers. On Tuesday Sister Hall and I drove to Greenwich where I spent the night being Sister Reintjes's companion while the two Sister Hall's drove to Utica so they could get their trainees the next day. Being in Greenwich was SO fun! I seriously just love Sister Reintjes. We've served around each other for a lot of the time we've been out here so it really felt like a sleepover with an old friend. While I was in Greenwich we were able to go teach this Mexican family! They spoke mostly Spanish and luckily we had someone from the Greenwich branch come and translate! As I was sitting in the lesson, I knew I was called to speak English for a reason! Honestly props to everyone who has to learn a language, I know Heavenly Father knew I couldn't do that. I was so lost in the lesson and they kept asking me why I was from Utah and why I don't speak Spanish with a last name of Rodriguez

It was pretty funny and an awesome experience! They are an awesome family.

Wednesday was transfers and we spent the day in Albany where I got to see Sister Folkman! Wednesday night as we were coming home we got a phone call from the AP's giving us our travel plans for MLC. We had no idea it was this week! So everything was thrown off schedule as we had to leave Thursday night and got into Utica. We spent the night in the room that the Apostles stay in when they come to the mission! So that was sweet. Friday was MLC and that was almost all day. We didn't get back into our area until about 6:30 pm. It was long but so awesome cause I really learned a lot. It got Sister Park and I so pumped for this transfer! We have so much going on in Saratoga it is AWESOME! I feel so blessed to be here. I really look up to Sister Park. She has taught me so much already and has really pushed me to be better which I need. It's also so cool to have so many houses and neighborhoods that we can tract!!! It gets me so pumped!!! I haven't seen neighborhoods with this many houses in literally a year. We are so blessed to be here. I love it. I couldn't think of a more perfect place for me to be. We also have a couple of really cool people on date to be baptized in the coming months and I'm excited to see them continue to progress!

On Saturday we went to a wedding for the elders investigators. They got married on Saturday and next week they're getting baptized! The girl bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting yesterday and wow, she is so prepared it really strengthened my faith! The wedding was super cool because there were so many non members there that we got a lot of their phone numbers and they said they'd be interested in learning more! Sadly they all live outside of our area, but we're giving their info to the sisters that live near them so that's sweet! Sister Park is so good at talking to people. She has so much faith that as long as she opens her mouth, the Lord will fill it. And He does, every single time. She makes it so easy to transition to the gospel, I've already learned so much from her!

I've had my faith built a lot this week which is all I could ask for. I'm seriously just loving Saratoga and my new companion so so much! I definitely know I am where I'm supposed to be. It makes me so sad to think this week is my year mark. Time has gone by so much faster than I ever wanted it to! I wish I could stay forever!! So it's good I still have a while. Definitely gonna live it up! :)

Thanks for all the love and support!

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

Funny quotes:

So Sister Hall would ALWAYS say "oh heck yeah" and that got me in the habit of saying it... so last night we were at a members house and they asked me where I'm from and then go "I knew you were from Utah. I could tell by the way you said 'heck'" hahahah! I didn't even notice that I had used that word, so that was pretty funny.

S Park: "I don't know how people can starve themselves... I tried to go one day without cheez its once, and oh man..."

pics:

1. Sister Folkman