4th Week!

Hey ya'll! Como estan?!

This week was awesome, still going great :) The days are counting down to go to Argentina and I'm pumped. I'm feeling more and more ready each day. The lessons are going a lot better and we're getting good feedback on what we teach. I feel like the gears are slowin' down in my head during those lessons, so that's good! Pero, there are still some really tough things that investigators say or really tough things we try to answer. It made my companion throw up after a lesson once, and she's genius. Everything will be okay. We don't need to worry because if we try hard, the Lord will shape and mold our hearts. I think it's safe to say that applies to everything. But it just helps us grow, and we're learning so much cada day. We had a language assessment (they would ask us questions and we would talk in a mic to reply) the other day and I got a good grade, so that made me happy! I'm still not sick thank goodness, but unfortunately the second wave of sickness is coming around. Bronchitis has hit our room now...

District 21B (10 Elders) left a couple days ago to Argentina. They grew so much here, they were a crazy group, but it's amazing to see the growth. Had our last intense 4 square tournament....wahh, but it's still fun. Typically on Sundays we have the opportunity to watch a movie after devotional. But since it was their last Sunday we all just went into a room and had a testimony meeting, it was way cool. A couple people said that our zone is more of a family than their own family. That really got me thinking....I'm grateful for all the support I have...love you all. 

We had another "English Fast", this time we had a sticky note on our tags that said, "No hablo ingles hoy. Lo siento", so people would understand I was latina that day. There are lots of people here that don't speak English (mostly from China), so I figured I could be like them for a day haha. It turned out alright, just is really mentally draining to think super hard about what you're saying all day hahah. 

We have a new district coming in today, 4 hermanas and 4 elderes. I'm really excited to train them tonight and get to know them! Hope they like 4 square ;)

It seems like I've been here forever, but yet the days all blend together and fly by. Doesn't make sense, right?! Most of our neighbors on our floor are only staying here for 2 weeks so we see Sisters come and go every week, like sisters come in after us and leave the MTC before us. So we're like the grandmas of the floor who have been here for generations lol. Oh but hey, I'M GOING IN A CAR TOMORROW....they're taking most of our district to get fingerprints done (that's what the district before us had to do, it just takes forever to get a visa...). But it seems like forever since I've been in a car because we just walk everywhere. The only time I step off campus is to walk to the temple. So that'll be an adventure even though it's at a police station. 

I love seeing the new missionaries that are coming in. Quite honestly I feel really bad because I know the first day is scary! So my companion and I try to talk to as many as we can and try to welcome. Many don't really talk though, because it's shocking the first day. But they'll love it here. It's like one of the most happiest places on earth haha. Everyone is so happy and friendly, like over the top happy...so that must say something! Somewhere were you can have 1800 other friends; ya make friends quick! 

1 hour definitely is not enough time to e-mail. I just want to tell ya'll that I love you all and I love this gospel. It brings so much happiness. The definition of gospel=good news...cool, right? I can't wait to share with others something that brings me happiness. I love you all and have a wonderful week!!! :D 

                                             Picture of our zone before the district left.

                                          These are the missionaries from Utah in my zone.

 And a pretty amazing photobomb! :)

                                                            Hermanas in my district.

HOLA!!

First of all, P-days are so awesome. So I'll start by talking about last week's P-day. When I was doing laundry, there were like 10 Elders next to me trying to do their laundry...they had so little knowledge of how to do laundry. Sadly, I had to teach them how to do laundry, then when my companion and I went back to our room, and we found men's underwear in our laundry bags? Haha...it's been on her desk for a week and we don't know exactly what to do with it...perhaps put it in the Narnia hole....idk. I only add that because I'm still laughing over it for some reason haha. 

We got a new district in our zone; 4 Hermanas and 4 Elders. One of the Elder's went to Lehi High School, apparently knows my cousin (Whitley, that's you!!), both my bros, my old dog and has been to my house a couple times to hang with my bros. And I had no clue who this kid was, but just thought that was kinda funny. Whenever I see people here that I have seen before, or went to high school with, it's like automatic best friends. JK, but it is exciting seeing people I know every once in awhile...because I know that won't happen in another country. 

So I have an addiction now...FOUR SQUARE. I didn't play it the first couple weeks because I thought it was an elementary game, but no! It's super intense! Haha, sweatin' from 4 square...when I get back I'll start a four square tournament, be ready ;) Everyone we play with is so competitive, SO FUN! Me and another Hermana also go to workout classes like kickboxing and yoga in the morning, which are wayyy fun and very well needed.

We had a devotional on Tuesday, with M. Russell Ballard. It was broadcasted throughout all the MTCs, it was soooooo good! On Sunday we had a temple walk, which is always fun :) And watched the Joseph Smith movie at night..I've seen it 3 times and I still bawl during it! I'm forever grateful for him, that's for sure! Mondays are the toughest days, just because we teach so many people with hardly any preparation, and the lessons always go off on a tangent with the hard questions they ask. I just say they're hard because answering them in spanish is quite the puzzle. My gears in my brain are spinnin' so quick sometimes haha, but it's good for me to get out of my comfort zone. Sometimes is feels like I'm drinking from a fire hydrant here; most of the water hits my face and only a little actually gets in my mouth haha. Not really stressed, but we're definitely kept as busy as they can have us be! We did sealings this morning at the temple...really cool experience, I have never done that before...Loved it! Sorry I guess I should start putting my days in order haha. They just all blur together here. I have to think realllly hard to find out what the date is, most the time we don't even know. Time is just weird here. 

My companion and I decided to do an "English Fast" the other day...which means, NO ENGLISH. I was bummed thinking that we wouldn't be able to make each other laugh anymore. but NO, we could still crack jokes in Spanish aha, so it wasn't too bad. The conversations can be very slow at times though, when all I want to do is just spit it out!! We made it almost the whole day, got really tired of it though, we were drained haha.

My companion and I are still the lone survivors of sickness! (Thanks mama for the vitamins ;)) Idk what's going around, but it doesn't seem too great :/ One of our districts leave on Monday...kinda sad, but we're right pretty close behind them! I'm on week four, and I'm so excited already to go out and teach! I do love it here though :) Well...not sure what else to write because so much happens and there are so many stories I want to share! but the humor and emotion don't typically send with the e-mails hah. But know that I love you all! I love to hear from ya'll and I hope this week is amazing for you!!! 

LOVE YOU :) 

The first picture is of our zone...minus 2 Hermana...I don't know where they went.

The second picture is of our district. We rock!

The Hermanas, minus 2 other girls, it's hard to get a pic with everyone.

And the other pic is what happens when I study too much...

2nd Week!

Hola amigos!!! 

Everything is still going GREAT! I love it hear :D PLOT TWIST...Our first "investigator" is actually our second teacher...SOMEONE COULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT (all you returned missionaries ;)) My first week was a lie!!!! Jk, but really....what a plot twist! It was a lot to take in that this "rebellious man" was our now our teacher. His name is Hermano Harris. He acted out how we all did in our weeks worth of lessons with him. Pretty much making fun of some of the things we said, especially the Elders. Kinda embarrassing...and I don't get embarrassed lol. But hey...we don't know spanish too well yet haha. He would only speak to us in spanish...I thought he was from Uruguay (but that's just "Enrique" so I just assumed he didn't speak English. He'd just say "No hablo Ingles". 2 days later I found out he spoke English.....Seriously?! I tried sooo hard to talk to him in spanish for 2 days, just to find out he had always understood what I was saying haha. But I guess that was good for all of us, I suppose. 

Just a funny story...we were doing an activity where we went around the room saying what we wanted to eat in spanish, and i said "Quiero comer pecados" which translates as "I want to eat sin" hahah....I meant pescados which is fish, oops! Mi companion said she loves herself in spanish on accident. and someone said "I like to kill" instead of saying he likes to do javelin haha. We're learning....but there's definitely a lot of funny mistakes! Everyone in our zone has been sick EXCEPT for me and my companion, some have even been sick twice. WE'RE THE LONE SURVIVORS!! People say we won't have the "full MTC experience" if we don't get something, but whatever! I'll keep my force shield up ;) Just to clarify...Hermana moffitt is going to pheonix AZ and the rest of the Hermanas are going to ARG-BAN. I know there was some confusion about that. Just FYI, I know my e-mails are going to be super random, because that's just how I've always been. We decided to mix it up and go to the fitness center instead of the gym the other day; there were only like 5 elders in there (because they split up gym time). There's no music in there so everyone can hear everyone huffin' and puffin'...I mean, I don't care what people think, but it's just kinda weird! In front of the ellipticals and bikes there are some T.V.s with general conference talks/mormon messages, but with no sound unless you have headphones. So my companion and I made it fun...as we rode the stationary bikes watching the soundless T.V.s we would make up/narrate what they're doing...in spanish. Working out while practicing spanish made it way fun...if we were on real bikes I would have crashed because of how much I was laughing....still, always laughing :)

Something I realized lately.....I am ALWAYS singing/humming. I'm not sure if that's a way to cope with stress, but there is always a Hymn stuck in my head. The same goes for my companion. The hymn changes everyday, and it's sang throughout the whole day. We laugh and sing a lot...our teacher said that people have different ways of coping with stress, and I think that's mine...is just to laugh. Because honestly, I'm not stressed. Yeah, there's overwhelming or stressful times, but it's not like people have made it out to be. I tear up more about the spirit hitting me, and only once from being sad, but that was the first night so that doesn't count ;) 

We keep reallllll busy. We teach up to 5 lessons a day...and it's definitely a challenge when you want to express how you feel but you have to translate it in your head. We have investigators that are members, volunteers, and our teachers that role play. 

On Sunday we had a suppppper great devotional. We sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer", it was soooo beautiful! The whole devotional was broadcasted, but I have no idea where that would be found. But Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife spoke, it was amazing!!!! 

So I'm going to have to send like 3 emails of pics again...sorry. But thank you all again for the support, and for the emails/letters/packages...I'm like a little girl on Christmas jumping up and down from those things. I love you all!!!! Be happy and safe. 

The first pic is with the Hermanas, there will be more that I meet/train today! I'm pumped.

The second pic is at the Provo Temple on our Temple walk.

Our district and one of our Teachers.

The other pic is in some Pday clothes... I look like I'm about to mug someone, but that's okay....

Sooo...our room is pretty much a sty right now. And I'm a neat freak...but whatever. We literally don't have time to clean haha.

A pic of the me wearing the hat hat my Dad sent me that says "Utah's Auto Shop" .....hahaaa. It's an inside joke though. He used to put rocks or his old shoe in my bags when I would go camping/hiking. And he put a note on the hat that said "because I didn't have rocks or an old shoe"....hahah! Funny.

That's me....livin' the life.

And the other pic is our "Walgreens" .......that's mine and my companions vitamins and tons of food now from packages. I think we both sounded like we were starving. I mean....we were hungry....but her Mom was concerned and sent tons of food. Same with mine...so pretty much we could open a Walgreens now.

First Week!

HOLY COW, WHERE DO I EVEN START?! At the beginning of this all, I thought I would just write most of my journal entries in my e-mails, nut now I'm realizing that"s unrealistic because I write pages everyday. There's so much that goes on and so I'll do my best to say what's been going on without blabbering on... we all know I do that. When my family dropped me off, I felt like I was walking in to Hogwarts or something as I was in tears walking around with my host. I couldn't believe I was there. Everyone that I would pass would say "Welcome to the MTC!" and I'm thinkin, do I really look that scared that they know I'm new?! Then I realized I had a orange dot on my name tag to show I'm a newbie. After dropping off my suitcases, they took me to the classroom where my teacher would just talk to me in Spanish. Way to overwhelm me some more! He's a super nice guy, but will rarely talk to us in English. I would just blank stare him an he still wouldn't talk to me in English...great! They loaded us with books and study materials. I met my companera and roomies, I love them all! Hermana Yancey (shan-see as you would say in Argentina) is my companera, she's form Cali! She is so funny, we laugh SO much, we feed off each other's humor, and get along real well. The other companionship are a trio because one of them is going to Arizona and her companion never showed up. Her name is Hermana Moffitt from Idaho, Hermana Chelson from Tennessee, and Hermana Holloway (how-sha-way, we say) is from Iowa. And I'm like....yeah, I live across the lake. But whatever, it's cool to teach the Utah ways like what fry sauce is and all....I guess. They say the days are long and hard before Sunday. I didn't think that was true...I mean abra ca dabra, I magically speak Spanish after Sunday?! No, but honestly they were never that hard, but it definitely got a lot better after Sunday! The first night I couldn't sleep, I could hear the other Hermanas crying and I just listened to the fireworks outside (New Year's Eve) and celebrated in my head haha. I didn't get to sleep until like 2, but I sleep like a baby now!! We have a lot of classroom time. We split it up into companionship study, personal study, and language study. It's in increments of like 3 hours, for 2-3 times a day...yeah that's a lot for someone who can't focus!! But we usually only have a teacher for like 2 hours for our district of 8 people. So we pretty much teach ourselves. We learned how to pray in Spanish very quickly, and don't pray in English anymore. The food here isn't that great, but there's A TON of it....all you want and a lot of variety. I'm not used to eating only 3 meals (I usually eat about every 2 hours haha), so that has been different for me! I go to bed hungry and cold. Our stomachs are a rumbling choir when we go to bed at night haha. We have like military beds, mine doesn't even have a ladder so I have to acrobat up there all the time while my companion sleeps below me. I had to go scavenge for another blanket because I would wake up freezing! But is's all good, I pass out once I hit the bed now. After 2 1/2 days of being there, we taught Enrique (from Uruguay) in Spanish......that was pretty interesting to say the least! They really push you quick! He just moved to the states like 2 months ago...so I'm sure it's hard for him to not laugh at our Spanish. A lot of the investigators here aren't members or some are but act like they aren't. Enrique had a lot of questions for us, that was difficult! He doesn't have friends here. I told him he would find amigos at church and he went lol. I was called to he a Sister Training Leader after being there for 2 days, I was like uhhhhh I don't know a whole lot but okay! It has been a lot of fun, and I've learned a lot. We all walked to the Provo Temple as a zone, reminded me of going with my Mom and Bethie :) At sacrament I went up and bore my testimony in Spanish, it just came out and I was able to express what I felt. The gift of tongues is true! It really is... it's crazy, I already find myself accidentally mixing up my English and Spanish. OH NO, almost out of time. So I'll be quick. We taught another investigator named Adrian, except for they recorded our session this time. I kept looking at the camera like idk what's going on haha, how silly. But it's getting easier to talk to them. We had mission conference on Sunday, it was so good. Tuesday, we had a devotional. I'm in the MTC choir, and we sang "A Child's Prayer". The MTC presidents are being released next week so their grand kids sang the first verse, it was so cute. Anyway, life is great, I"m soooooo happy. I know I'm just blabbering on because I'm honestly just nervous about my first e-mail sesh lol. But I hope you all know I love you. I'm so grateful for the support. Be safe and happy!!! I can only send 3 pics at a time so there will be a couple emails, and also, please send letters at dearelder.com!!!!! I love them and thanks for those of you that have done that!! I love you! Adios!!!

That's me having to jump on my bunk bed lol. It's not a big deal, but it's funny when I have to wiggle out of bed in the night or the morning and startle mi companera haha.

The second picture is me and my companion (she's the one in the yellow skirt), the other companionship, and the one in all black with long black hair was someone who was subbing that day for our teacher. 

Temple walk!

We have a lot of fun to say the least! ;)

And this is the food we found in the vent!! We found it after the heater had been on so it was all warm....but it was quite the treasure box I must say! It's left over from Elders that were there before (we're in the Elders building). Adios!