Sister Bain in the Big Apple: 2017 1/2 "I MISS CONNECTICUT, BUT!! I love the city!"

HI FAM

I MISS CONNECTICUT. Seriously. I didn't realize just how much I loved it until I came to Manhattan. I miss Rob & Liz, I miss the trees (even though they don't have leaves right now haha), I miss my nice heated car, and all the luxuries of upstate living

BUT!! I love the city!! I was transferred to the Manhattan 1st Ward. Our ward meets in the chapel below the Manhattan Temple so it's pretty coooooooooooool. The other day about 10 missionaries asked me "Sister Bain, have you seen your aunt and uncle yet? They're looking for you!"

word travels fast here in NYC so all the missionaries are on the look out for Aunt Kim and Uncle Kevin

I saw someone riding a Segway on 81st Street and it made me think of dad

send me one for my birthday?

My area is from 86th Street to 42nd Street (Time Square is in my area hahaha but we're not allowed to go there)

Mi compañera is Sister Soto from COSTA RICA! She's so sweet. Some Elder taught her the word "lit" which is a dumb words kids use now

so now she says it alllllllll the time hahaha she's so humble and willing to learn. She says the cutest things because she's learning English so she always has me correct her English--fun fact: Sister Bain doesn't know English either so I learn a lot during language study

ENGLISH IS HARD. But there's a super cool story that Sister Soto shared with me our first day. We were eating lunch last Tuesday and she asked if she could see pictures of my family. I showed her a ton of cute pictures of you all and she FREAKED. OUT. when I showed her a picture of Makail. She said that a year ago when she was in the MTC she was having a really hard time. She was learning English and her Taiwanese companion was also learning English. Sister Soto was having a hard time communicating with her companion and was super frustrated. After a lesson in the MTC she saw a teacher sitting in a classroom by herself and Sister Soto asked if she could sit. The teacher said of course and Sister Soto just started crying because she was so frustrated. The teacher gave her advice that Sister Soto still remembers today--"A happy heart is a grateful heart". That teacher in the MTC that Sister Soto said changed her mission was Makail! I'm grateful that my companion loves Makail almost as much as I do.

THANK YOU for sending me some of her wedding pictures!! I'm glad you all had a fun day. Makail looked BEAUTIFUL (as always)!! KC looked really nice too hahaha

Could you send me that video one more time? It said I had to download it and when I tried, it wouldn't work because it's blocked on my iPad. Boo.

How in the world is it already 2017???? That is so crazy to me. Time goes by way too fast. 2016 was a good year. I finished my first year of college, went through the temple, STARTED MY MISSION, my sister got married, mom got a new job, I've changed and grown and learned so many new things, I've met new friends and forgiven old ones, and I've come to know Jesus Christ in a very personal way. I'm grateful for 2016 and all the miracles and experiences I've had. God is good. I'm so excited for 2017. One year in New York City. (Maybe Connecticut again?? Hahaha) A lot can happen in 365 days so make sure every day is better than the last. I always love January 1st. It reminds me a lot of what the Atonement can do. It's a brand new year--a fresh start. A time for us to begin again and become better--become better through Jesus Christ and His Atonement. Happy New Year!!