Greetings!

Okay everyone hello!

Lo siento because this will be short!

Most notable thing: we cleaned a VERY messy house and it was scary! Made me so grateful for cleanliness🙏

The only picture I took this week was of a mangy cat. Enjoy.

I reccomend D&C 127:2 if you need a pick me up:) it is really good to ponder about.

So sorry for this minuscule email.

Don't forget to pray and love one another!

Hna Eastman

Hello parents! 

Well let me be honest. Being in Victoria hasn't gotten any easier. It's gotten harder. The reality that I'll be here for another six weeks in the same situation was really hard. It was a hard week. It's hard because I don't have all my old coping methods. I can't walk away from my companion. I can't put headphones in. I can't just go on a run or a drive. Its really hard. For the past few days I haven't really even been able to talk to my companion. Sometimes it gets better and feels a little more normal, but sometimes neither of us talk unless we're with other people. Not necessarily because we're mad. Just because we have nothing to say. But I will tell you some notable things from this week.

Hermana Erickson made us lunch one day. This is when I realized we have very different tastes. Let me tell you what her lunch consisted of:

Cooked spinach

Zucchini

Shrimp

Vinegar

Mushrooms

She loves all these things. Now I don't know if you know me... but none of these things would I ever choose to eat on my own accord. It was a test of faith.

Also one time we visited this member family (a mom and a 14 year old daughter) and my companion and they were all bonding over 80s music and anime. And I didnt voice my opinion because I was trying to be respectful but i just need to tell SOMEONE. I don't like 80s music. Or anime. And everyone here does! Being here is like culture shock but not in a cool way. Just like everyone likes 80s music and anime and pokemon...

I would like to thank yall from the bottom of my heart for providing a good life for me and raising me in a nice, clean, safe home. This past week we were asked by a member to help them move some old books. They live out in Bloomington which is a really rundown sketchy place. We thought no big deal! What happened next was unimaginable.. they were hoarders. Living in a little shack. The first red flag was the smell that penetrated through the front door AND my mask as we went up to knock. Actually... the first red flag was the fact that there was a giant pig roaming around the abandoned lot across the street. Anyway, then a mangy cat with yellow slime dripping from its mouth sauntered on up to us.🤢 I wanted to die. Then we went inside. There were spiderwebs in the kitchen and it kind of smelled like a zoo. We went back into their bedroom where the lady said she needed things moved. There were piles of garbage everywhere! Turns out she didn't want us to move books. We just threw away all of the piles. She asked us if we wanted gloves but I said it was okay because I didnt want to be rude and basically tell her her house was disgusting. But then. The things I picked up from that floor🤢 I had Hna Erickson hold the bag open and I touched all the trash because I figured I would take one for the team. There was old mail, old DVDs, socks, wrappers, pill bottles, razors, USED qtips, etc etc🤮 eventually we asked her for gloves. Apparently she had broken her back last year so she could really bend down. She was really grateful! We were just really scarred afterwards. 

Yeah that's kind of how the week has gone for me. President Guthrie came to church down here yesterday but that was my worst day this week so he saw me at a low. He sat in on a little lesson we had and I was being really quiet, trying to keep hold of myself. But he asked me a question and I had to choke on my words to not start sobbing. It just wasn't a good day.

But Jaira will be baptized this saturday! She had her baptismal interview and all went well. She's getting baptized in between sessions on the 3rd, and I think I can send yall the zoom link if you'd like to watch!

Also, my thread wallet is practically destroyed. Can you keep a look out for any sales they have going on? 

Love you guys!

❤