Valentines, road trip, Brasil, peanut butter and transfers! February 18, 2014

I just want to start off with saying thank you to every one who sent me happy Valentine's things! (: I cannot tell you how much of a difference it makes when I get something in the mail or delivered to me. It really just made my week, which I really needed cause I was feeling somewhat crappy.. So yay! Thank you! It was a nice surprise to get something from the Englands and Tina Westlund! Thank you so much! So sweet. And Mom and Dad! I am totally loving the Hawaiian gifts! Sister White and I loved them! We were SO excited about that! (: And Lucy! You are so great. Thank you for your packages. They're always a fun surprise. I have the best family and friends, and I am so grateful for you all.

Last week Sister White and I got to go on a roadtrip! WOOT WOOT! Roadtrip to Cincinnati! Sister White had a doctor's appointment there and we made it all exciting and super fun! We're only 30 minutes from Cincinnati but we left in the morning, so we hit traffic.. Cool! Ha. It took about 45 minutes and it was exciting! Going to the big city! Well we went to her doctor's appointment, then I tried convincing her to "accidently" drive to the zoo, but we missed the turn (; Then we treated ourselves to breakfast. At IHOP. Delicious! In case any of you want to know, I got cinnamon pancakes with icing in between, hashbrowns, 2 fried eggs, and 2 sausage links. SO MUCH FOOD! But it was so good (: We hurt. But it was worth it. It was an exciting little roadtrip.

Then it was Valentine's Day! Sister White and I were in such a happy mood, it was hilarious, we decided to point out EVERY red thing we saw. It got super hilarious. And we realized that Ohio was so prepared for Valentine's Day because they had so much red! I mean red stop signs, red fire hydrants, red business signs, red stop lights, red flags. It was great. Way to go Ohio (; Then it snowed 5 inches.... Haha! Suck. But it was really pretty. I've always dreamed of a white Valentine's Day (not really).

I had a dream that I got a visa! A year into my mission... Ah! But who knows. Maybe that was Heavenly Father giving me a sign. We'll see! How exciting.

We had dinner at Sister Green's! She's the lady that grew up in the state that I will be serving in down in Brasil! It was so much fun. She is so sweet! She made us a Brasilian dinner, and oh my gosh, it was delicious! It was rice and beans, asparagus and fried yucca (I'm not sure what that is exactly, or how to spell it, but it was good!). And of course, Guarana and some Brasilian desserts. It was fantastic! And super happy. We were talking in Portuguese, and I was doing okay. It felt good to know that I could understand her. Talking back however was more difficult. I said the closing prayer in Portuguese, she said it was good. So I haven't lost all hope on my language! Let me say, I am grateful for grace. Cause I am trying to study the best I can and I know the Lord will make up the rest when needed (:

I had a terrible day a couple days ago. And it all started when I got peanut butter in my hair.. AH! Suck. Peanut butter is sticky and greasey and after that it was all downhill from there! Hahah. Seriously, at the end of the day, I just went into my room and knelt down and just talked with my Father in Heaven. I was so upset and not wanting to be on my mission, and I just let it all out. Well it ended with me just bawling my eyeballs out while laying on the ground (but even better, I was laying in like a 1 1/2' wide space between my bed and dresser, so I was tucked away crying), and Sister White just comes in and sits on her bed and waits for me, and then just says, "Sister Dunn... What's wrong?" It was the cutest and sweetest thing ever. Sister White and I are supposed to be together. Well I ended up just getting up and telling her that it's what it always is, that this darn mission is so hard and I'm still just waiting for my visa. But after I talked it out with Heavenly Father and then cried it out, I felt a whole lot better. I'm working back up. I've kind of gotten into this darn hole that I digged myself into, but I'm slowly getting back out with the help of my Savior. And my family. Mom, I got your letter right before coming to the library. I read it in the car on the way here, and I just started crying. It was perfect. And exactly what I needed to hear. Really. It couldn't have been any more better. Thank you. You help me want to keep going, to just push through. I can do this! I can serve this mission! Whether I'm in Brasil or Ohio! The work is the same no matter what, and like you said, as long as I'm doing my best and working my hardest, that's all that matters! So thank you (:

So transfers were today. And!....... Sister White and I are staying here in Milford! Yay! Meant to be (: However, like half our zone is being transferred, so we'll be all different! Transfers are always so exciting (: I had an elder sign my transfer journal (which is just a book where missionaries sign it, like a yearbook), and an elder said that Oregon is pretty hipster, but that I seem like I was indie before my mission. Haha! That was basically it. Elders are funny.

Well that was about it for this week! Another transfer here in Milford! But my guess is that I'll leave after this one. Only because that's the pattern of my mission. I stay in an area for 1 transfer (MTC), then 2 transfers (Miamisburg), then 1 transfer (Lebanon), and then 2 transfers (Mildford). 1, 2, 1, 2, etc. Hahah! Has anyone noticed how Mildford, OH is super very a lot close to looking like Medford, OR. Cause I notice! It's strange. But fun.

Familia. I love ya. A whole lot of a bunch! I don't know what I would do without you. I honestly couldn't do this. Thank you for everything (:

Sending all my love to all of you! Wherever you are!
Sister Clara Kay Dunn.

P.S. Um... I noticed that all of my belongings are under the house in Oregon.. So what happens when I get off my mission and go to Hawaii?.. Am I seriously going to have to be wearing the exact same 7 skirts that I am now for awhile?! NOOO! I can't wait to burn a lot of my clothing (; hahah. But I just noticed that. So who knows what will happen. I'll just steal Sydney's clothes (; Hah!

Love you all!

1. I sent so many Valentine's cards! I'm the best missionary ever! I seriously think I send more letters than I get.. Ha!

2. ROADTRIP! Cincinnati, here we come!

3. We be so excited!

4. In the elevator at the doctors office! Fancy.

5.Cincinnati!

6. IHOP delicious breakfast!

7. Valentine's Day outfits! I think I put on all the red and pink stuff I had. Haha!

8. Language study!Conjugating verbs!... yuck.

9. Decorated my planner for this transfer! This is equivalent to setting a picture as your lock or homescreen on your phone, or perhaps a profile or cover picture. But I have to actually cut out pictures, unspiral the whole planner and then use packing tape to homemade lamanate it. Then use a metal hanger and heat it up over the stove and poke the holes and then respiral it all again (: Oh the things we do as misisonaries. Ha!
Well I decorated it wil the cute Hawai'i sticky notes that momma got me and with this funny guinea pig in a birthday hat, cause it's my birthday transfer! It's the best planner ever. I'm pretty proud of it (:

I sure do love you family! (: MUAH!