Hello Hudson! 8-25-14

That's right! I am now currently living within spitting distance of 
Sonnie and Jason... It is totally weirding me out, but I love it! I 
think President Cusick and Heavenly Father have a twisted sense of 
humor when they decided to put me so close to family. :P Saying 
goodbye to everyone in the U.P. Ward was way hard! I love everyone 
there! The Tadles made us the most delicious dinner! Ken made steaks 
better than any other steak I have ever had in my whole 20 years of 
life and Sister Tadle made this chocolate desert thing that was to die 
for. I love that family so much! I have some pictures, but it was so 
funny trying to get a picture with them. We were all trying to make 
sad faces, but Brother Tadle and I couldn't stop laughing! 
 
At the risk of being labeled a feminist...haha I also have come to the 
conclusion that most men see a twenty year old girl and think she is 
helpless. Remember that puddle in our dinning room that the repair man 
tried to say was just a spill? Well we lifted up the carpet ourselves 
and found 3 inchs of water! We had to drag them back down to look at 
it again and guess what they found? A broken pipe! Hmmmm wish I would 
have thought of that (oh wait, I did!) anyway so they came to fix it 
and said they would be there until 1am so we had to go stay with 
another set of missionaries and sleep on the floor. The best part was 
the next day we saw the original repair man and with a smug little 
smile he asked if our "spill" had dried up yet. I wanted to yell, "no 
ya big dummy it got bigger and now we have holes in our walls and 
sealing along with a splash pool in our dinning room! And a lot of the 
damage would have been avoided if you would have listened to me 3 days 
ago!" Instead I kindly told him the problem was bigger than we had 
originally thought. Blech those words tasted like vinegar coming out 
of my prideful mouth. There was another incident with a homeless man 
that I chose to sit next to at church, but I don't want Daddy flying 
out to Florida lecturing me on stranger danger so I will save that 
story for another day. Anyway the point is, I'm no dummy! I grew up in 
the hood and Daddy taught me well ;P haha 
 
I absolutely LOVE my new area! Sister Yellow is such a stellar 
companion! She is 24, has been out here for 6 weeks, has a wicked cool 
story about how she decided to serve a mission, and she works out like 
a boss! I'm going to lose those ten pounds I have gained in NO TIME! 
Haha seriously though I am way out of shape.... 
 
At church yesterday we talked a lot about Christlike love and the 
scripture "charity never faileth"  was brought up. We were talking 
about how we can be more charitable in our lives, but that scripture 
kept repeating in my mind. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's love 
never fails. They love us no matter what. They love us even on those 
days that we may feel we don't deserve it. It is simply always there. 
Strive to remember that and even emulate that love. It's that love 
that can help us have peace even when war is raging all around us. 
Without that love we will lack peace even when everything is calm and 
life seems to be in order. I have seen that love change lives out 
here! I love you all so so so very much. I hope you know that. 

-love always, 
your Floridian Sister Upshaw 

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BESTEST FRIEND THIS SISTER MISH COULD EVER 
ASK FOR!! Kelsey, I love you to the moon and back girlie! I hope you 
have a stellar birthday in Guat! Keep killing it sistah! 

                   Saying Good Bye to friends in Sarasota 

                                      Sleepover with other missionaries due to their flood

                          Playing with a members chicken

                         She was intrigued with the attic