She's been assigned to the Inwood Neighborhood, New York City, NY.

Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood on the island of Manhattan,  Inwood has a predominantly Dominican population in the majority areas east of Broadway. A few elderly Irish remain in the blocks near the Church of the Good Shepherd at Isham Street, though even its Mass services are now offered in Spanish nearly as often as in English. Other than the aforementioned historically dominant groups, the remaining population of Inwood is diverse, similar in makeup to the rest of New York City.
Inwood is very large in area for a Manhattan neighborhood, and its real estate rents and values are sharply bifurcated between east and west. According to the US Census, the districts east of Broadway are predominantly lower-income and Spanish-speaking. This area is also more industrial and commercial and has few parks and trees.

Mom, thank you so much for your letter! I was afraid I was going to get on the computer and not have any mail. THANK YOU!  my package hasn't made it yet, so I will probably be getting it within the next few days.

I'm in Inwood! Which is a really small area with a lot of spanish speakers right at the top of manhattan island! It will be a really great first area!

My companion is Hna. Taylor. She is from Georgia and I am her third trainee and everyone I have spoken to tells me how wonderful she is! I am excited!

It is really really cold here. I need to find more hats and scarfs because it was snowing hard when I walked to the church. And also when we were carrying my suitcases from the bronx to Inwood. We had to get on 2 subways....that was hard.

I am a little overwhelmed.... a lot overwhelmed, but I think it will be okay. it is just completely different than anything I ever have known so it will be a change.

So I had my first "contact" on the airplane from Detroit to White Plains! There was a lady that told us what church she was from but I couldn't understand it. She asked us what we were doing and we told her we are missionaries.  (Whenever we say that, everyone just thinks we are coming out to help with the storm clean up.) Anywho, we got on the plane and she was sitting in front of me so I gave her the Ensign and showed her elder Nelsons talk about missionaries, and then she looked through all of the Ensign! She got off the plane quick and I didn't see her after that but I planted a seed! Holllaaa!

Then also we talked to a lady on the subway and gave her 2 pass along cards. It was awesome. I am excited and way scared, but all will be well.

Well everyone here in NY is pretty happy about Obama being president ultra vez. pero, not me. Soooo we will see what happens.

It still feels so surreal. Last night we stayed at the Mission President's house in Scarsdale, which is technically Sleepy Hallow, and there was no power. But, they had generators so really there was power. It asn't that cold yesterday. If it was today, I would be a bit more worried.

I'M A MISSIONARY! IN NEW YORK!

It still hasn't settled in, but I'm excited to get to work and I just hope that I can make it through winter. I need some new winter boots that are water resistant or I need to cut off part of my calves. sooo, either/or.

I love you all and am so so so SO thankful for all of your prayers. I know they are there. THANK YOU!

IF you are wondering about my hermanas, Hermana Richardson is in Harlem, Hermana Peterson is in Homestead, which is the Bronx. So we are all starting out in the City! And I heard an elder talking about going to see the Statue of Liberty on the 14th! HOLLLA! It is so weird. I just keep repeating that over and over I know but, it is VERY different than the MTC.

Well back I go into the snow. Even to meet with investigators maybe. Oh heavens this is weird. Continue writing and letting me know what is going on back at home now that I am out of the bubble.

Love you all!

con amor,

Hermana Lancaster