SISTER MELISSA
RICHARDSON’S WEEKLY LETTER
DECEMBER 23, 2013
True
Business is an ASL phrase meaning totally or definitely or for sure.
Pretty fun!
So
we had a great week! This past P-day (a week ago) we went to the Alligator Farm
here in St. Augustine. Wow, I have never before seen and probably never
will again see so many alligators in one place. And they are HUGE! There
were hundreds and hundreds there. As well as lots of different species of
crocodiles, tropical birds, and alligators. There were these creepy
looking albino alligators. And baby alligators! There was also a komodo
dragon. We put in our quarters and got some food to feed the alligators
so they got up out of the water and were fun. There was a spot where we
got to hold a baby alligator and a python. Of course I did that..I'll
send pictures :)
Here
in Florida, all the constellations are sideways from the way I learned them in
Utah. Orion is laying down taking a nap here rather than standing up like
a warrior like in Utah.
It's
been 80 degrees and sunny all week. We are playing beach volleyball today
at the beach for P-day fun.
Deaf
people drive with their car light always on. So that they can still talk
even when it's dark at night.
I'm
getting more comfortable interpreting for the deaf people. It more just
comes out of feeling bad for them that they can't understand what people are
saying to them or what is going on. So it just comes out of my hands what
people are saying. On Saturday, we had a lunch picnic party with all of
the deaf members in the ward. It was good to see them all outside of
church and become better friends with them. My signing is definitely
getting better. But they ALWAYS pick me to say the prayer. Trying
to build my confidence I guess. But it gets annoying!! :)
Sister
Sullivan showed me how to teach a lesson on faith using a tea bag and a
lighter...it's called a faith rocket. You'll have to ask the missionaries
in Arkansas if they've ever heard of that.
The
youth in our ward put together these huge christmas gift bags for all of us
missionaries. So so nice of them!
Guess
what. They have a clinical psychologist at the Florida school for the
deaf and the blind (FSDB). Way cool! That'd be a cool job to end up
having! There is a huge need for psychologists in the deaf population!
We
get our iPads in January.
So
I've said before that the deaf member families are so cool. But I'll tell
you specifically about another one this week. So the Snow family.
The mom is hearing. The dad is deaf. They both work at
(FSDB). They have adopted two deaf boys--one from Thailand who is now 19
and a senior in high school and the other from Guatemala. He is 11 and is
obsessed with Michael Jackson for some reason..ha. But they are so great and I
just love them.
 |
| Steak n Shake: for Brian. And for Bryce...that really tall elder is the one that is your twin...he acts just like you. |
Another
family is the Hancock family. Both parents are deaf and they adopted two
deaf girls from China. Their oldest girl is from on orphanage in Suzhou!
I was telling them about how my family was moving to China and they were so
excited that it was to Suzhou! They said it is a really great orphanage there
so you'll have to go find it. It's called the Suzhou Welfare institute I
think. And Brother Hancock is learning to play the piano.
Ashley,
Kailey, and Morgan are still the best friends ever. They have known
exactly what I needed. Some fun presents from this week: stickers to
decorate my bike, coloring book, a globe!, christmas cards, notebooks, stickers
for my planner, a candy basket, erasers...they are so so great.
And
I got the christmas package from the family! It was great! Those christmas
socks are my new favorites. And I"m so excited to go to chick-fil-a!
And I was wanting some more church movies to watch! I had started to borrow
some more from the church library.
On
Sunday, I played organ for all the hymns, played the piano for the primary
musical number, played piano for a Young Woman who sang a solo...I was back and
forth from the piano to the organ the whole meeting!
 |
| My BYU ASL teacher after deaf sunday school class. |
We
were getting a ride home from a couple in our ward and they took us by this
house whose christmas lights are in sync with a radio station...always wanted
to see one of those instead of just on youtube! It was impressive. Also,
I think it is a Florida thing, but EVERYONE decorates with those blow-up inflated
Christmas decoration things. There is this one house that has about 200
of them in their yard....no joke. You can't even see the grass. It's
ridiculous.
We
visited a Sister Richardson in our ward...this sweet older woman...and she had
a cockatoo!! It was big and beautiful and she let me hold it. The
bird talks a lot! And repeats what you say. And when you say raise the
roof, it starts bouncing its head and dancing.
We
had dinner with a less-active lady in the ward. She has her grandmother's
BEAUTIFUL and WHITE baby grand piano. I brought my piano music and played
Clair de Lune for her as part of our spiritual message and then found a
scripture that went with it. I loved playing on a real piano again, on
something other than an upright. It was deeply satisfying :)
Last
night we went christmas caroling with the youth...it was fun! Kept up the
Richardson tradition of going caroling every year!
The
best part of this week has been getting referrals from our deaf members! Almost
all of them have a friend that they've told us about that they want us to
teach. We are teaching one of them tonight...scary but exciting!
 |
| Us Sisters about to brave the Alligator farm. |
Life
is good! You are your happiest when you are thinking of others before yourself!
President George Albert Smith said that sharing the gospel with someone is the
"ultimate kindness" you can show and give. Do it!
Merry
Christmas!
Sister
Richardson
No comments:
Post a Comment