Things I Learned This Week - of a Secular Nature

We have had some amazing experiences this week - the highlight being working in the Boston Temple.  There are some mostly-insignificant things I learned that I'm going to post about real quickly:

1.  My old life and new life intersect closer than I thought!

Sciarappa is the street on which we live; O'Brien (maiden name) is just a few blocks up!

2.  The GPS on our phone does NOT differentiate same-name streets in neighboring cities, which can cause one to walk four miles (after getting off the subway, then the train) in the wrong direction when trying to get to a Branch picnic.

Poor Craig - that cooler had all the heavy stuff!!!

3.  Missionaries have to wear missionary clothes even when at a Branch picnic.

Here with our dear Sisters Melo and Goncalves

4.  Garbage pickup is different here than what I'm used to!  (Hey - I said these were insignificant!!!)

So is it creepy to take pictures from your kitchen window of garbage men?

5.  The Boston Hay Market has great produce prices - you have to pick through a bit, but it's a good way to shop, even if you have to do it in a dress!

Example:  Peppers are 4 for a dollar as opposed to grocery store $3 each!!!

 6.  The Boston Temple patron traffic is much different than we're used to with our Utah Temples!  Of the four sessions during our shift this week one was cancelled because nobody came, one had ONE couple, one had all temple workers as patrons, and one had three couples!  I think it gets busier as the day goes on, but not much.  (We leave our house at 4:50 to make the 1.5 hour 8-mile jaunt!!!)  We were called in this morning to help with Baptisms, as they were expecting a whopping 30 people to come between 8:00 and 10:00!!!  It makes pondering the need to "serve the one" quite significant!

No Pictures Available  :)

7.  After praying for 11 months for a visa, I had no idea how distraught I'd be when they came, which they did on Friday!!!  We have fallen in love with Boston; we have felt committed to the Branch, and we know we are so needed here.  We are torn (granted, one of us more than the other) and will find out Monday the timing of our fate!  

Lots of pictures to follow on this one!

Much love to all!