Shaelyn in Chicago: The week was spent saying goodbye to EVERYONE

2-13-2012
Familia,

Buenos dias! Things are going well here. I do have some news about transfers for you all though. Manana I am getting to tranferred to Westchester- but I think the area that we work in the most is Cicero. Al Capone's final resting place. :) My new companion is Hermana Veliz, from California. I am way way sad to be moving from here, Hermana Maughan and I have been the basically the best companionship ever, but I'm sure everything will be awesome in Cicero.

My trip to the city last week was SO fun. The best. We visited the mag mile, the water tower, the John Hancock building, navy pier, rode the the ferris wheel at navy pier, millennium park, the bean. Everything. It was exhausting. :) Unfortunately by the end of it something crazy had happened to my foot- apparently I have plantar fasciitis according to one of the members in the English ward. Yay, I'm so glad my body functions so well.

This past week has been good. I went on exchanges to Westchester actually, and spent the day with Hermana Veliz there on Wednesday. We also put Ana, la esposa de Alejandro, on date to be baptized the beginning of April! She is so legit, I am so sad I am leaving her. We had another AWESOME lesson with her on Thursday that was just like the last one we had, where she told us about her reading and had all sorts of good questions and input. Oh man. She is awesome. She is going to Texas for a little bit again to visit her son, and she asked us if she can find our church there, and if the missionaries can come teach her son. So cool.

Another MIRACLE that happened this week is that Roberto, one of the Sarmientos, came to church! We thought that would be next to impossible, because even though he wants to be baptized he has been refusing to try to get work off, he just doesn't seem to think church is important. But he came! and it was so exciting to see him walk through the door. Just the best thing ever.

The rest of the week was spent saying goodbye to EVERYONE. We were pretty sure I was leaving so we started the goodbyes early so I could get everyone in. And yesterday at church the Bishop asked me to share my testimony before I leave, and afterward a lot of people who I didn't even know knew who I was came up and told me how they are going to miss me. I really felt a lot of love from the ward. I hope that I can find that in my next ward. And we have lots of offers for places to stay when we come back to visit. :) I even had to pinky swear some members that I would come back and visit, so I hope you are ready for an awesome trip to Chicagoland after I get home.

I think thats about all I've got for this week. But I do have A TON of pictures for you today. :) They are pictures from the city, I found Al Capone's grave when on exchanges, and saying goodbye to people. and some last pictures here in the best area ever.

I'm glad everything is going well at home! I love you all!

Les quiero,
Shaelyn

pictures: