I want to be a part of it . . . New York!

Yes, everyone, I have arrived in the big city!  Sorry about the week off of blog posts, last Wednesday was crazy.

New York is everything I expected it to be, and nothing I expected it to be at the same time.  Chinatown especially.  When I walk down the streets here, I feel like I am back in Taiwan, but then I remember that I am in the middle of a city in America and my brain gets super confused.  Except for the odd foreigner, everyone here is Asian.  Wow... by foreigner I actually mean American.  Sorry about that.  It's like a completely different culture and country here!  The weirdest part is that if you walk a couple of blocks one way or the other, there is this transition from Chinatown to the rest of New York and suddenly you are in America again.  It is rather jarring at times.

I have eaten lots of good food this week, and tried some new stuff that was pretty good too.  We eat a lot of noodles and this interesting rice-noodle-block thing called changfen (it is Cantonese food, according to my companion) that is super delicious.  I arrived just in time for Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, so we have been eating lots of moon cakes.  I think my favorite is the lotus filled cakes.  They are super good.  My first night here we went and got potstickers at the sisters' favorite place - super good.  The weirdest things I have eaten since getting here are chicken foot (not the worst thing I've eaten) and two small whole fish.  Sister Liu had to help me debone the fish so I could eat it.  I don't have her sweet chopstick skills yet.

Speaking of Sister Liu . . . I have two native companions!  I am the only non-native sister here right now, which is exciting.  My companions' names are Sister Liu (from China) and Sister Chueh (from Taiwan).  They are fantastic and have been super good to me this first week.  They are very patient with my Mandarin and do a good job of including me in contacting and in teaching.  I have actually been able to contribute to the last few lessons we have taught, which is super awesome.  I only understand about a third of what goes on most of the time, sometimes less, so I am happy when I can actually contribute.

Sorry this is a shorter letter, I don't have much time this week.  A quick thought before I go: I got to go to the General Relief Society Broadcast this week (down at the Manhattan Chapel, which is in the temple!  Half of the building is temple, half is chapel.  It's pretty cool.) and I loved how much of the meeting was about the Atonement.  It is through the Atonement of Christ that we are able to find peace in this world.  My favorite verses describing the Atonement are found in Alma 7:11-13.  Jesus Christ descended below all things so we could be lifted up and be happy with our families forever.  I know this is true.  We can access that Atonement through diligent prayer and communication with our Heavenly Father, and it is available to everyone.

I love you all! 

Sister Beer

With my cousin Micah--er, Elder Safsten.

This is from my window, but we actually moved to a new apartment that doesn't have quite as nice a view, but it does have a washer and dryer.  I think I'll take the washer and dryer.