We have been put right to work in our branch. We sort of love it. (note use of litote.) Already we feel so much more welcome than we ever did in our ward back in Utah. We were in the ward for almost seven months, never got callings, never spoke in church, made like two friends. Probably we could've been more social, but we just weren't feeling it. Here, within two weeks we've been called as the new Gospel Doctrine teachers (ahhh!!!! I never took the second half of New Testament at BYU! And...maybe I have never even read the entire second half of the New Testament!) and we spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday. And, Aaron went teaching with the missionaries last week, and we're going on the branch temple trip this Saturday. It is nice to feel needed.
Temple trip = day trip to Washington, DC so my friends who have spent some time in the glorious capital, what should we do with ourselves? Good places to eat, must-see museums/monuments? What would you do if you had, say 2 PM to 8 PM free in the city?
Also, today I ordered a new book from Amazon (my free Amazon Prime membership ends next week, so I have to use it while I can!). It's this year's Pulitzer Prize winner in nonfiction, and it's called The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. I think medical nonfiction is fascinating (if you haven't read Better or Complications by Atul Gawande, you should!), so I'm quite excited for this book to arrive.
Tips for DC? Books you've been reading lately? You love your ward too?
Tell me about it. :)
7 comments:
You're getting a taste of life "far from the flag pole" (Utah) and it's good, isn't it?!?
Things to see in DC: Union Station, National Cathedral, Julia Child's kitchen at the Smithsonian.
Enjoy!
that's awesome! you know, we loved being in our ward in DC (not so much in CT, so you never know). BUT we have the same calling!! I love being a sunday school teacher. And I'm super excited for the second half!!
Oh, jealous. have fun in DC! The DC temple is beautiful. I think you know what is great there...eat a burger at good stuff or some pizza at we the pizza!
I could go on for a very long time about DC stuff, but one lesser-known gem is the Albert Einstein memorial by the National Academy of Sciences. I think you guys, being science-y and all, would appreciate it. It's huge! And my favorite place to eat in the district is Amsterdam Falafelshop in the Adams Morgan neighborhood (.5 mi from the Woodley Park metro station on the red line). It's this cheap little place that only sells falafel and fries, but they have a wicked sweet topping bar. So delicious. Have fun!
Somehow the past 3 books I've been wanting to read have all had something to do with France. I'm halfway through Suite Francaise (which is fantastic). I'm also halfway through A Homemade Life, a food memoir (imagine it, what could be better than a food memoir with recipes?) by the writer of the blog Orangette, which if you haven't already drooled over, do it now: http://orangette.blogspot.com/.
And I bought myself a used unabridged copy of Les Miserables, and by golly, before the end of this year (or sometime in my lifetime), I will read it cover to cover. All 1500 some pages of it.
Have fun in D.C.!
When are you coming down to DC? Maybe we can meet up for a bit!!
I so know what you mean... I LOVED our ward in Paris!
When you come back you should definitely stop by Eastern Market for some blueberry pancakes and other goodness. And let me know and I can give you millions of tips! I did work at a travel magazine here last summer...
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