Galveston!

Yup! I have been transferred to Galveston Island. And boy is it an island. People here are always in their swim suits and chill on the beach. I cant actually go on the beach but I can walk on the sea wall. Which is close enough. Our apartment is 1 block away from the ocean. Which is super cool! The water is pretty brown though. Oh and yes we do have bikes. We have a car also but we are supposed to work on bike when we can. I have yet to ride it yet. I dont think Hna. Gibson likes bikes much.

As you all probably know hurricane ike hit here about a year and a half ago. It looks like it hit here recently cause a lot of houses are still vacant, tore up, or still being re-built. Everything is referred to as "before or after the hurricane". On Sat. we helped a lady in our ward finally get her house ready to move in. She has been living in an apartment since the hurricane. We only have a Spanish branch that we work with but the members are really nice and supportive. We meet in a normal meeting house--its a little smaller than normal ones. There is no one in the ward that plays piano so we listen to the cds and sing to them in sacrament meeting(weird).

I took some pictures and am sending them today. It has been super foggy and rainy so you cant see very well. There are tons and tons of historic sites here. Cemetaries that have the old old old dates. Do you remember the southern houses they have at disneyland?? like the ones kinda by pirates ride....the houses look like that. I have heard some interesting accents too.

There are tons and tons of Hispanics here. Like I feel like I am in some weird tourist town in mexico. I have had a hard time adjusting thats for sure. I am used to being so close to many missionaries. Here we are like exiled. Hermana Gibson is my new companion. She is from Orem Utah and goes to UVU. She is really nice and only has about 2 transferrs left till she goes home. I sometimes do feel like I am the senior companion. Her Spanish is good but with about everything else I feel like I have to take charge. I am having a hard tiem adjusting to her. I LOVE LOVE Hermana Hammar. I know her and I will be good friends when we get home, Her and I both bawled during the transfer meeting. And of course during the transfer meeting President asks me to share my testimony. Why is he always picking on me? haha. I will send mom an email with more details of Hermana Gibson. I am definitely adjusting!

Thanks again for the awesome package mom!!! I LOVED it! Send me mail to my Galveston address...otherwise I dont get mail really form the mission office. Maybe once every 2 weeks. Hermana Gibson said our apartment complex mail is pretty reliable and the office workers are awesome! Just let me know when you send a package so I can look out for it.

I love you all! Thanks for the letter and emails.

My Galveston address: 6424 Central City Blvd. apt#326 Galveston, TX 77551

I love you

Sarah