6 days down!

Hello everyone!  It is hard to believe it has been 6 days!  Jon said we have 1, 800 and something left!  Can you tell we are overwhelmed?  It has been quite the weekend however.  We are still unpacking boxes whenever we have a minute, meeting missionaries, having a ton of meetings, getting aquainted with our surroundings and enjoying the beauty of New Jersey.  We went into Newark Saturday for a baptism in the Portugeuse area.  Elder Calderoni is from our Winder Stake.  Jon gave him his Patriarchal Blessing 3 years ago.  We were surprised to find out that he is in our mission.  He baptized the investigator there and it was really neat because when he received his blessing he was told he should go on a mission and he would see miracle occur.  He did not want to go on a mission because he really didn't have any family support and wasn't sure what he really wanted to do.  Well, he went because of his blessing and he was a changed man.  He was fantastic.  Of course I was dead tired and was trying to listen to the interpreter with my head down and eyes closed concentrating on listening to the interpreter.  Well that was a mistake...dozed off and the baptismal candidate started to invite me up to receive some flowers in behalf of all the women there!  Embarrassed!  Jon poked me and it startled me and I jumped up!  GREAT!  Oh well, it probably won't be the last time.  But it was great for Jon who was thrilled to be there.  It rained all day on Saturday.  A fine mist settles down into the trees and it is very pretty.  Driving into Newark was fun.  It was a different city, but not as bad as everyone has told us.  We weren't walking the streets however, but the city was not all that bad.  We saw New York but not as clear as the day we flew in.  Sunday we went to our ward and introduced ourselves.  Jon met with the area seventy who went to school we me at Highland.  I went to a dance with him!  Small world.  He has nine children and lives in Manhattan.  We then drove up to Sparta with the help of GPS! to another baptism.  Today we did more training for us and then went to a senior picnic.  Wierd to call in senior!!!  Eight couples who have come to serve in CES, MSL, office, apartment control, etc. list goes on and on what they do for the missionaries and members.  The stake president of our stake drove us around on Saturday to show us all the places we needed to go to if we needed it.  Tomorrow we start our first into zone conferences.  I am a little worried, but is that so unusual for me!  NOT!  Anyway we will be having one everyday this week meeting 150 missionaries.  I am sure they are anxious and concerned as well.  We were headed off to the fireworks in New York harbor but the AP's needed help so scratch that.  Maybe next year.  They say they are spectacular over the bay.  Iinstead I am listening to them explode out side the window and watching fireflys.  Incredible.  Never seen them before.  Little tiny sparks flying through the air.  Hope you all had a wonderful celebration on the 4th!  We did!  Love to all!