The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up, Albuquerque July 29, 2013

 my baby! Sister Smith from Boise ID

The monsoons are here! and did they hit with a vengeance! The other night Sister Smith and I were out contacting some former investigators and knocking on some doors and all that good stuff when out of nowhere it started to dump rain! We had an appointment in 30 minutes but called her to see if we could come over now to escape the torrential downpour. She said yes! and good thing we did too! The rain was horrid. Usually the bad rain lasts anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes and never more than an hour usually. but not this night. We got out of aour appointment at8:45- just enough time to get home on time for planning at 9. the rain was still coming down. the road we needed to turn down was blocked off by police cars so we were going to take the next one which was also blocked off by cops and then we ended up on the highway that leads over the rio grande river where there are no turn offs until the other side of our area so we crossed the river that night. We needed to turn around so we turned into the parking lot of an apartment complex that was completely flooded! the wateer was up to the floor boards (is that what they are called?) on a jeep cherokee! It was insane. We really thought we were going to flood the engine and be stranded. but we made it out of the parking lot and back over the river.. but the next road we needed to take to get home was yet again blocked. and we have no idea why! maybe they were flooded... but we finally made it home. in 45 minutes. when it should have only taken 10. oh it was an adventure. 

and the other exciting thing that happened this week wa the fire alarm going off in our apartment complex. Sister Smith was in the shower.. so as soon as she got out we went outside to see what was going on.. every alarm in every complex was goin off and no one was outside! theses people were going to burn!! then the fire trucks came and becasue we were the only ones outside they asked us what was going on.. we had no idea! anyway, the alarm finally turned off. there was no fire. and the firemen went to find out wher the alarm had been pulled or something.. and it did it again this morning- but only for 5 seconds. All is well.

I am learning to like onions. I know. weird. It is like I am growing up or something.. but we were at a less actives home and he is from equador and he had made this equadorian dish called selvichae (yeah don't quote me on spellling.. I am just sounding it out) and all it is is huge chunks of onions and tomatoes and shrimp in some dressing or broth thing and it was DELICIOUS! the onions even! 

This is a rally random email I am sorry.. my thoughts are all kinds of scattered today. I usually make a list of things I want to write home about during the week and I didn't do that this last week.. 

Kemp.. An elder who I was with in the MTC is from Battlesborough VT and is in your stake I think. He said his Stake center is in nashua... His neame is elder mark smith. Do you know his family?

Amy, did you know Jesse Kellogg is in a mormon message? She is in the one about temples.

Keni and Amy- I have to tell you about the water here. Everyone thinks that tap water is simply foul.. I don't get it. I think it tastes fine. I feel like you Amy. for this reason, everyone has bottled water but the crummy thing is, it is all purified! what the? they don't like tap water but like purified? strange. no bottled spring water here.. so Keni and Amy - when you come to New Mexico, bring your own water :)

And now a teaser for next week.. Sister Boyle, who I briefly mentioned last week gave Sister Brown and I a great pep talk about life and this work.. that is summed up in the line PEARLY GATES OR BUST! I will give you the rest next week..

Sister Stuart

Again sorry for how scattered it is. but it about sums up how I feel..