Surprisingly not Hick Country

I don't even know where to begin with this email. This week has been absolutely INSANE, and already been such an adventure. First and foremost, my new companion is Sister Nelson and she is from Utah! We decided that our combined named is "Yo-son" She is hilarious and we honestly have way too much fun together, but she is also a super hard worker and a great missionary. Which is good, because we really have our work cut out for us in this area hahaha. Being doubled into an area is always exciting because you basically just have no idea what's going on for like the first week. It's mostly just meeting lots of new people, getting as much information as you can, and slowly figuring out what the flip is going on.

FUN FACTS ABOUT FARDALE:
- Although last week I thought that this would be hick country, it is actually quite the opposite. We live about 45 minutes from Manhattan so a lot of people here work in the city and commute. There are a toooon of super huge houses and a lot of wealthy people. Also we live around a bunch of lakes and there are trees everywhere and it's really pretty and I'm so excited for the spring time! If it ever stops snowing here hahah
- Our area is made up of 23 different towns. Or Burroughs? Cities? Communities? I honestly still don't know what they're called but there are lots of different areas. And it will take me a while to figure them all out
- This is the first time that Sister missionaries have been here in 4 years, so the members are REALLY excited to have us here. We have already gotten so spoiled, and have meal appointments like you wouldn't believe.

FUN FACTS ABOUT MY FIRST WEEK:
- Our second day in Fardale we had a huge storm, got 26 inches of snow, and lost power for a few hours. So we were basically barricaded inside with our flashlights trying to be productive and set up appointments with people.

- One of the women in my ward is personal friends of Donny Osmond and is on a first name basis with Nick Jonas?? I will update later is I can meet either of them through my newly found connections


- There is another woman in my ward who legally changed her name to Banana. No last name. Her name is literally just..... Banana. My companion and I think it is the absolute funniest thing ever. When she saw us at church she literally screamed "WE HAVE SISTER MISSIONARIES!!!" and ran up to hug us

- I was doing online proselytizing, asking people would searching questions. I asked this one guy (named Jack Forman "if you could change anything about your life right now, what it would be?" and he said "I want to rebrand myself as Forman the Mormon" and just about died. Oh the wonders of online pros

Anyways, sorry this letter is a mess, but I am excited to be here and I can't wait to see what kinds of exciting things happen. God is good! The work is progressing!


Sister Yocum


This is the only picture for this week, taken the night it snowed a ton. Naturally while our power was out we trotted around in the snow, and whooped with the other people in the street.

I will send more next week!