First Week With Just 2

Well this week was transfers so it's down to just Sister Layton and I! It's kinda weird and I miss Sister Ewell's funny remarks all the time. She got transferred out to the Hamptons (far rich end of Long Island) and we're sure she's doing great. Transfer meeting was really cool. There were 3 or 4 musical numbers from missionaries throughout the mission and one by the leaving missionaries. We sang called to serve in English and Spanish and said our purpose in every language in the mission. Then Sister and President Calderwood addressed us. Sister Calderwood talked about how short our time is here and how important planning every minute of time is so we can be efficient and good disciples and missionaries of Christ. President Calderwood talked about 3 principles for life. 1. Learn to rely on God. Say "Thy Will Be Done" and MEAN it. Don't try to counsel him as to how your life should go, but take counsel from him for how to follow his perfect plan for you. 2. The little things matter. If you take care of all the little things the big things will fall into place. 3. Don't underestimate the importance of your attitude. Either way it will be a self fulfilling prophecy. Then we heard aaallll the transfers for all over the mission. It was cool!
This transfer we're trying to focus on not wasting time with people who aren't progressing, so we can spend the needed time to find those that have been prepared and will listen and then work with them. 3 of the days this week were filled with cancelled appointments, tracting, and look ups to no avail. The other two were mostly that as well, bbbuuutttt with a miracle or two thrown in of super cool new investigators! There were two lessons this week that went like I imagined they might before I came out, it was awesome :) just hoping and praying now that they will continue to desire to understand, and that they will keep commitments. It's really hard to get people to church here because many of them don't have cars. And the members that live around them are less active. And I don't even know the members that are active. We don't ever have dinner appointments or really anything with the members besides church and then were with our investigators that came. Please be helpful to the missionaries! Be a member they could call up to come to a lesson or get someone to church, it may not be as much of a problem at home but still try.
Saturday morning we did service out on Fire Island. It was supposed to be a beach clean up, but here wasn't much to clean up so Sister Layton and I helped repaint lifeguard chair/stands. Haha I got a big splotch of white paint on my jeans...guess I'll remember that the rest of my mission! It's finally getting warm here :) now the flowers and trees are blooming! They weren't when I got here, it was pretty sad driving down the highways with just brown on either side.
Also at transfers, Hermana Zambito from the MTC and that I was talking to through Facebook before is in the Brentwood district! So she lives just below us here in the Loft with her comp who is new to the area too. It's pretty fun having them around!
Sunday is Mother's Day!!!! I get to see and talk to you!! :D
I love you all soo much and hope you're doing well!
Avèk lanmou,
Sè Amanda Hardman