Blue Island Letter #2

Well, I don't have biking stats now that I'm in a car. However, I do have some interesting experiences to share. I visited a Subway which was covered in bullet-proof glass. We had to order through little speaking slots, and receive our food through a strange contraption. The following day, I witnessed a theft at a Walgreen's... Interesing neighborhood welcoming party for Hermana Hoer.

Also welcoming was the new apartment...My first morning was an adventure. Showering.

I turn on hot, followed by cold, until I arrive at my desired temperature. Twist the knob to turn on the shower part. As I look up, waiting for the water to ermerge from the showerhead, I hear a metal clank. My attention diverts to the shower knob. It is lying on the bottom of the tub, under the rushing water that I had been expecting from the showerhead.

I finally get the knob back on and twist and twist and twist. Nada. So, I push really hard and twist. VICTORY! I now have about 30% of the water coming from teh showerhead. Good enough.

I kept trying to turn on more water, because it just wasn't working so well. About the hair-conditioner stage of my shower, I get a Stan Hoer idea. I remove the shower knob and figure out how to work it manually. Success! I now have about 70% of the water. This is enough water for yet another discovery: the showerhead has a mind of its own. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold. Sometimes, both, but not combined. Hot parts and cold parts all at once. Marvelous.

One of the many adventures in the last week. But, it has been a great week! I love the people here. The members of the Church in my new area have tons of kids, and I LOVE it! I didn't have interaction with many kids in my last area. I am in heaven here, with all these awesome kids. They are so cool. Whenever I am around them, I experience a little bit of heaven. I laugh and play. I relax. I enjoy every minute.

I was flipping through some letters and writing Laurie Hoer back. I came across a letter from Taraleigh. She and Laurie had a similar analogy about climbing mountains. It's been on my mind a lot lately.

Sometimes we climb some really tough slopes. But, God knows we can do it. Everyday is a different path. Every week, month, or year is a different mountain. Often, we get really hard ones. We get so tired and frustrated that we just want to quit. However, if we press forward and keep climbing, we hit a vista point. Or, we may even hit the top - the peak of the mountain. Heavenly Father gives us these views, or glimpses, of something so incredible! They cannot be described. They cannot be captured in photographs. They cannot be contained because of the magnitude of their beauty.

Tough climbs are worth it. God has so much in store for each of us, just waiting up the mountain. Keep climbing! Keep looking forward. Know that you can do hard things. Look back at how you've grown after the tough climbs in life. It is so worth it. Every minute. From the moment we embark, to the moment we reach the peak, we are growing - we are becoming someone.

Keep climbing! That's my new motto. (Thank you Taraleigh and Laurie!)

Lots of love,
Hermana Hoer