TRANSFERRED?!?!

Sister Alex Solomon:

What the heck?! Totally did not see this coming AT ALL. I got the news this morning and I have a day to pack. I will be leaving fancy pantsy north Phoenix and will be heading to Spanish-land. What is even going on?! Anyway, I will be in an all-biking area again in the West Maricopa stake. I will be covering one Ward: Villa de Paz. When I got the news this morning, President called and said, "Is this Sister Solomon? I just called to see if you were hyperventilating." Yes, President. Yes, I was. I was mid-freak out while trying to get ready, pack, and talk to Ward members who want to see me before I go.

Anyway, I'm super sad to be going. I have grown so much in this area and I will miss these people like a lot. Seriously, a ridiculous amount of missing is going to be happening. I will also miss Sister Percival a ton! It has been a great month with her! BUT, President told me I will have a chance to see what it's like on the other side of the mission. Apparently, the side that baptizes a hecka lot more. So that's good? Maybe he was just telling me that to get me pumped. ALSO, I do not really know where Sister Bauer is in Spanish-land but somehow I will FIND her. She's over there somewhere and I will find a way to connect with her. I don't care what it takes!

Other than that, nothing too crazy has happened this week. I'm just going to be running around saying goodbye to everyone before I go tomorrow. I feel like I'm forgetting to say something so if I remember more later, I'll send more. Oh yeah, women's conference was good. Okay I think I got it all now.

LOVES ️

Somebody gave us "church hats"

Fall is sort of (?) here... 🍁🍂

Sister Alex Solomon:

We went to the temple this week! As a zone, last transfer we got 16 baptisms out of our goal of 9 so we all got to go together and it was pretty great. Sister Bauer got to come back too so it was pretty much an awesome day all around.

There was a giant spider on my pew in sacrament this week and it scared me so bad! It was seriously like the size of my palm.

We also ran into Sister ZALDIVAR from the District 2 (our missionary training videos) so I got to meet a missionary celebrity!

I went on exchanges with Sister Gunderson, ran a lot, and was super excited about all of the pumpkin things I saw this week. 

Overall, it went well and I have no idea what else to say. I'm feeling old because I'm getting to the point where I don't email you even half the things that happen because I feel like I can just tell you soon.

Love you all and hope you have a good week! ️

I'M A BORING ADULT

Sister Alex Solomon:

Quick update:

We just have one investigator, Fernando, who has been investigating for like 2 years....still looking for more though!

Sister Percival and I are doing well. We like being together but I think both of us are totally fine not being together next transfer. She had just already moved on from me and this Ward so it's super weird for her to be back. I have no idea who will be going but I think one of us will for sure.

Nothing too crazy has happened...I went on exchanges with Sister Arnold down in the Bethany Home Ward (which I love!) and it was super awesome. She is one of my soul sisters! I have been telling president for a year that I want to be in that Ward so if I get transferred, I hope its there!

Overall, I'm alive and doing okay. I really don't think anything else happened. Oh well.

LOVES ️

E.T. and I really wish I could phone home

Sister Alex Solomon:

Hello hello!

First off, my birthday was amazing! We went to Sedona, felt a vortex, visited a bunch of shops, checked out some crystals, got lunch with a fantastic view, and even watched this Indian guy jam out on his flute on the street. It was a pretty stellar day but very busy so sorry I couldn't really write.

Last Saturday, we moved! The mission office randomly called us and said we would be moving in with Ward members. I was a little nervous about that but we actually live in their guest house in the backyard and it's pretty awesome. It has nice tile and hardwood floors and has a full kitchen and bathroom with double sinks and all that jazz. Plus it doesn't have a couch that's loaded with scorpions so I'm fine with that. The only thing that I was sad about is that I don't have a gym to go to every morning now. But that's okay, I just run outside and the mornings are starting to cool off a bit so it's not that bad. 

THE DRAMA: on Tuesday, I remembered I hadn't written the mission president the day before so I wrote him a really long email explaining all of my thoughts regarding our area and my companion. It was another day that Sister Carroll was supposed to be leading and she wasn't. She didn't talk AT ALL and I was SO frustrated. Anyway, as we were leaving our last lesson for the night, we get a phone call from president. Basically, he told us that Sister Carroll was getting emergency transferred (E.T.'d) and that she needed to go home and pack so we could transfer as soon as possible. She was very upset and I was kind of guilty but relieved then feeling guilty because I felt relieved. We were to a point where I just didn't know how to help her anymore. I've been gentle, I've been bold, I've hinted at things, and I've also just told her straight up to her face what is expected of her and she just didn't do it. President Griffin interviewed her at the mission home last week and when they came out (she was crying), president got this big goofy grin on his face and said, "Sister Solomon, you're a nazi!" Oooooh my gads.....I could tell that he was proud though of how much I pushed her and how much I got out of her. I've been hoping this week that I didn't let him down by not making it the full two transfers with Sister Carroll. I just don't have time or room to put it all down here but someday when I get home, I'll tell you all about this last transfer and a half. 

Well, my new companion is Sister Percival! She came into the mission in February when I got transferred and I lived with her here for 4.5 months. I was in North Valley and she was in Daisy Mountain and now we are together over both and it's awesome! She is a crazy redhead from Spokane and I just love her to death. We have had so much fun together already and we have done so much more work than I'm used to accomplishing just by myself. I'm so happy with this but as far as we know, it's only lasting until the end of the transfer, Sep. 28th. After that, our companionship and sister Carroll's new companionship will be meeting all together with the president to help Sis Carroll decide if she's going to stay here or not....#awkward.

Things are going well. We don't have any investigators right now but we are always out looking! Our one Ward mission leader still seems to have problems with me so the mission president will be coming to speak to him soon...I can't wait! Oh yeah, and I got stung by a scorpion this week! It hurt pretty bad but we were in the middle of teaching an inactive member so I didn't say anything until we got out and it was burning! Now you know how hardcore I am. PFT. Trying to run 3 miles? I'll teach you the restoration while running beside you. A scorpion stung me? Oh don't worry, I'll finish teaching you about the atonement. Haha 

I'm looking forward to the next three weeks and I love you all!

Alex and her companion doing service in a member's yard.