9 Months Later!!! - COVID Mission - Saying Goodbye to Friends and Family Again

After waiting for 5 months to leave to Mexico and 4 months to leave for California...I have FINALLY made it to the mission field!  I live in the beautiful city of South San Francisco.  The mornings are VERY cold here.  It is strange that it is August and I freeze every morning when we go outside to workout or go for a walk.  I've already fallen in love with this place.  Let me tell you something about California.  The cost of living is CRAZY!  We went to the store today and everything is so expensive.  I feel pretty confident I didn't see a single thing on the shelf for less than $4.99.  I'm really hoping I learn really fast how to use my money wisely because I am not used to everything being so expensive 

I am in a trio! It is me, Hermana Finch (my trainer), and Hermana Lau. Hermana Lau is so cute. She was in Costa Rica San Jose West (my original assignment) when Corona hit. So I've been asking her all kinds of questions about it. It's been so nice for both of us to have someone to talk to about it  

Being a missionary during quarantine is weird. There's not many things we can do, so it's pretty much the exact same thing every single day. It gets pretty exhausting. We make lots of phone calls and 1/7 ish will actually answer. Then half of the ones that answer hang up when we say that we are missionaries. It's really an interesting experience

We got a referral from our bishop for his friend, Ricardo. So we have a new friend! Ricardo was actually diagnosed with COVID-19 so he's been very down and stuck at home alone for a while. We taught him a lesson and he seems very interested in what we have to say! We have another lesson with him tonight. We are super excited to have someone to teach. 

My Spanish will hopefully start coming soon. I still feel that I am at a very similar place that I was at in the CCM. That goodness for the gift of tongues!! I can't learn more and more Spanish!

It was emotional saying goodbye to friends and family for a second time. But I'm glad to be here. It's been hard but good. I know that this mission will bring blessings to me and to my family. I know that I am going to help people here in San Francisco. Just gotta find them

See you all next week!

Hermana Graves

Pictures

#1- the view from a short hike right by our apartment 

#2- me and Hermana Lau in the car while dropping off notes to our cute members 

#3- Hermana Lau again. #besties

#4- how cute is this view?! I wake up to that every single day (with the ocean on the other side hehe)!!

#5- we all started crying today at the same time so we decided it needed to be documented. 

#6- I told Hermana Lau that my best friend, Tifa, puts her pizza in the toaster when she need to reheat it...well we tried it and let me tell you all. It's a genius idea. I recommend 10/10!

Shauna was set apart as a full-time missionary for a second time (after a few months at home due to the Covid 19 global pandemic) on July  27, 2020.  We said goodbye on July 29, 2020 and she headed to San Francisco, California for part 2 of her mission.  

Here are some pictures: