Welcome To Florida!

I made it safe and sound! Tuesday morning we left nice and early from the MTC. Our planes were all right on schedule so we got to Florida at 2:30. We stepped off the plane and went to get our luggage and found President and Sister Garns along with Elders Lewis, Demaan and Durrant. They are all super great. Elder Durrant went home last week though. After being picked up we went to President's house to have our first interviews so he could get to know us. There were 8 of us on our flight and 8 more that were coming from the Mexico MTC so 16 of us total.  After interviews we had dinner and then had a little training and went out knocking! During dinner I had an awesome conversation with Elder Lewis about St. George and the people we know. He played Rugby for Snow Canyon so it was nice to talk. I went out knocking with Sister Thurgood and we got let in to our first house and talked about temples and the importance of church and got a return appointment. They are in the AP's district so I hope all is well for them. 

We slept in a hotel down the street that night and went to the chapel in the morning to meet our trainers. I met Elder Lantor! He is training. My companion's name is Sister Bingham. She has been in the mission for 7 months and is from Sandy Utah. She is a Spanish missionary so I will start learning Spanish tomorrow. We are in the Miami Lakes YSA Branch in Hialeah. I have learned so much from her the last week. Everyone says I came at just the right time because President Garns is switching the way we teach from how President Richardson did it so we are both kind of on the same page. But it's everything I learned at the MTC so I have helped her as much as she helps me. We went back to our little house after. It is so cute! We share a house with the STL's Sister Diamond and Sister Murdock. We got to go knocking and OYMing (Open Your Mouth) that night and taught a couple lessons. I learned really quick that most everyone here is Catholic or Baptist and loves Jesus so it's nice to have common ground. 

We have a super awesome member that comes out with us and teaches us soo much! He served in Mexico so that's nice cause he can help Sister Bingham teach in Spanish. I just nod and act like I know what is going on. I got to give a talk on Faith in Sacrament meeting yesterday. The members in the branch are so awesome and love to come out with us so that's really nice. I got to know everyone pretty quick. Knocking isn't super effective for us because we are just YSA but school starts this week so we will go walk around campus at FIU (Florida International University in Miami) a lot this week and MDC (Miami Dade College) starts up next week. 

My first impressions flying into Ft. Lauderdale: It is so green. It is soo beautiful. And it is soo flat. The sky just goes on forever and ever without being interrupted by mountains. The sunrises are so pretty especially through all the palm trees. I found my first palmetto bug in our house the first night. And woke up to 3 more. We found out that our hose is leaking so some guy brought some fans to hopefully dry it all out so the plumber can come fix it. There are iguanas everywhere!! And they are huge!!! I am in Hialeah so it's not super likely I will see any gators while I am here. But we are looking for investi-gators! Cheesy, I know. The missionaries here are awesome. I miss my MTC district but love hearing from them and seeing how they are doing. 

Miracles happen! People always told me to be exactly obedient on my mission and now I know why. When you are exactly obedient it gives the Lord room to bless you. We have seen so many blessings this week. We don't have any gators yet but we are following up with a guy named Frank tomorrow so hopefully he will be baptized. Here in the Fort Lauderdale mission we teach repentance and baptize converts. I was reading about Samuel the Lamanite the other day. He didn't know any of the people he was preaching to but he knew what was right and cried repentance unto the Nephites. When he was done many were baptized but they never heard from him again. That's just like a mission. I wont be here for long but I can talk to everyone I come in contact with because they will probably never see me again. 

I love this Gospel. I love this work. I love all of you and feel your love everyday!! I hope all is well and that everyone is doing well in school!

All my love,

Sister Beckstrand

p.s.  

I'm gonna do this thing called "My Florida Sunshine" every week. Basically it will be something about Florida that has made me happy. My Florida Sunshine for this week is the ducks! They are all over and just own the place! It is so awesome! I will be sure to take a picture of them today so you can see them next week!

Also, I advise none of you to lose weight on your mission. None of my pants fit anymore. But its cool. Belts are my best friend.

Also, I am in a car. Sister Soto left me a box of clothes as well so that is super great.
1: My cute little district!  In our mission we DAB. (Date and Baptize)
2: My room. It's not hard to figure out which bed is mine. (neat freak that likes elephants)