I'm in Chicago!

Hi family,
I'm in Chicago, gave away my first Book of Mormon, and two pass along cards.  We went on the l-train and a black guy sat behind me, and so I started to talk to him, and he seemed interested in the church, or maybe he was just being polite.  But he had to get off, so he asked if I had a card or something.  I gave him the BOM, and the pass along card.  Then Sister Woodward gave a pass along card to this other guy, black as well, and then him and I started to talk, and he talked on and on about his family.  So I gave him the little eternal families low down.  Elder Gage...i think, "interviewed" me while we were walking in Chicago.  They say they're going to send some stuff to you.  Then on another train I talked to a lady about books and movies, and gave her a card.  I don't have long to type, so that's why I'm not going into much detail.  But the pizza wasn't amazing.  I thought it was going to be soooooo good, but it was okay.  Sister Doll's dinner was WAY better.  Best I've had for a long time.  There were seven sisters in one room, and it was pretty fun.  Chicago is so pretty, we went to downtown Chicago and looked around and stuff.  Yeah, so pretty.

Today we got our companions and mine is Sister Chen.  She's from Taiwan, and English is her second language.  She's been out three months, and went to the MTC for two months to learn English and how to teach.  She's super nice, but it's so hard to understand her sometimes, and to communicate with her.  Like when we were coming to the library I was driving, yeah, I have to drive because she's only ever driven in Taiwan, and doesn't have a US drivers license.  But anyways, we were approaching the library and she said, go straight, then find a way to turn left.  What she meant was, "Go straight, then turn left up there."  "Find a way to turn left" threw me off of what she was trying to say.

Also I have no idea what my missionary debit card pin number is, and she was trying to explain to me how to get it at the office.  I just nodded my head, because honestly she made no sense.  But I think it will be good.  And guess how old she is?  When I saw her I thought 21, 22.  But no, 30!  She joined the church when she was 22 or 23.  Then she prepared financially to go on a mission.  Now she's here!  We'll probably be together for 2 transfers, so I better get used to it!

I'm sending home my memory card today.  I just wrote down what the pictures were of, nothing else, because we're super busy today.  One of our appointments for tonight fell through, so she's taking me out to dinner, and then we're going to teach a less active member.  She doesn't come to church all three hours I guess.  We're teaching about prayer and obedience.  So yeah, I'm super scared,. because I'm just used to teaching with Sister Daley.  Oh, and Sister Woodward went up to Wisconsin with the cows!  She so wanted to go there!  Yeah, you should have seen her when President Doll told her where she was going.

I'm in Weaton.  I don't know the address, so just send stuff to the mission office.  Yeah, I think it might be easier just to do that.  And we're going to go pick up a box for me at the office.  It's probably from you, so thank you!  And um...I forgot.  Oh, our apartment.  Wow, it's the most run down place I've ever lived in!  It's not bad.  But when you walk down the halls it smells like an old hotel.  And I want to do some serious cleaning next Wednesday!  It's not gross, just yeah, I'll take pictures.  Weaton is a "college" town.  Okay, so it's just a community college, but it's right down the road from where we live, so there are alot of college kids around.  They seem nice.  Not the party type.  But it's a small pretty town, like Richland, except prettier and cleaner.

The Dolls are really nice.  Sister Doll failed to tell us that we had to wear blazers today.  so twenty minutes before we were supposed to be down for breakfast we were scrambling to find our blazers, iron them and put them on, along with repacking some stuff, and doing our chore.  Mine was vacuum, but I helped some of the other girls too who were a little late getting ready.  I just threw my hair up and called it good.  Yeah, breakfast was amazing too!

So I'm a little nervous to be driving all the time, especially since I don't know where anything is.  I hate driving.  We have a small ford car.  I forgot what kind it is.  But it's not nothing big.

Sister Chen says the wards are awesome and in one of them we have an awesome mission leader.  Oh yeah, it just hit me, we're over two wards.  Sweet!  6 hours of church on Sunday!  And Elder Frome was complaining one time because he had to be over two wards for ONE STINKING WEEK!  And last transfer there were FOUR missionaries covering ONE ward in Jackson's mission!  Really!!!  I have TWO wards!  Oh well!  Better bring some snacks on Sunday.

Oh, and Sister Chen found out I liked to cook, so now I'm going to be doing some cooking!  Do you have any good ideas for short quick meals?  If so I'd love to know!  Also I didn't get to write ANYONE this week...again!  I really wanted to write Saydi, but never got the chance to.  Tell her that those two Elders just found out I had an 18 year old sister and wanted to write her.  Although Elder Thomas wrote EVERYONEs sister...well the girls sisters anyways.  Elder Wagner was asking me everyday if Saydi had gotten his letter.  It was funny.  Yeah, I miss my MTC district.  Elder Wagner, Chinn, Jankiewicz, and Adams came to Chicago, but Elder Oberg and Thomas when to Canada and England.  They were awesome missionaries.  Okay, gotta go!
Love you!!
Sister Ostler