August 5, 2014

Excerpts from our emails from Emily (she made Darren break the news to me that she hadn't taken any pictures this week... WHAT? Is she my child or not???)

When asked about how her clothes were holding up:
My clothes are good but you were right, they do not provide tide and etc. I have just been buying stuff from the tienda. One washer destroyed my companions sweater. It was so hot it bled her clothes into each other. It mostly came out but I felt sick to my stomach.  My aztec skirt I bought at BYU was in that load and it shrunk, but that has been the only blow to my clothes.  I am now just hand washing them in buckets or washing them under brights and hang drying. NOT risking any of that!!


When asked about is she ever figured out if Hermana Vidrio and Hermano Ortiz were married:
We saw HMO ORTIZ and HMA VIDRIO EATING TOGETHER.  We were like spying haha.  #CREEPIN.  So while my companion and I were waiting in the classroom for our extra guidance session I did MATCHMAKER for my hangman word and instead of drawing a noose I drew them as stick figures holding hands.  I wish I would have taken a picture because it was classic.  But we had to hurry and erase it hahah.  Anyways....


When asked about the food:
The food is amazing!!!! I have never eaten so much good fruit in my life!  But sometimes there is questionable stuff that I try once and then avoid.  They serve cold meat sandwiches for breakfast at least once a week.... weird..... but the nutella bar is my FAVORITE.  They have 12 grain bread that I LOVE.  I even love the crusts which is weird but I am converted.  


When asked about the language:
One project I am working on is reading the Libro de Mormon in Spanish.  My teacher Hermano Ortiz told us that if we would start reading the Libro de Mormon in spanish we would know spanish by the time we got to Alma.  I was like ¿QUE?.  So my companion and I started doing that every night for language study aaaaannnnddd it has taken us 3 days to get through the first chapter of Nefi.  haha see what you did there Hermano Ortiz?!  I am going to be done with my mission before I get to Alma!! But I really enjoy doing it so I will keep going!! It is fun to see all the rules I am trying to learn in action plus I am reading scriptures! Multi-tasking! 


One thing we are also working on is HSI.  (hablo su idioma) <google translate SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE>.  Every time we try to talk to Hermana Vidrio in english she says NO!!  Solo Español!!  Getting crazy.  But we ate lunch with Hermano Ortiz one day and I talked to him in espanol the whole time!!! I was so proud of myself.  I want to know what I am really saying though... because Hermano Ortiz speaks more English but he still says the funniest things.  He always tells us to “estudy” our scriptures and next lessons.  And he always says “remember who are you!!!” ha ha ha it's great!  In fast and testimony meeting this week, I got up to bear my testimony and all my spanish words flew out the window!  But I am glad I did it still.   


Its funny because my teacher told me she thought my sweater was ugly. I was wearing my whale sweater for some increased happiness in my day (who couldn't like the whale sweater?) and I was like, oh ya I love this too, whales are my favorite animal, I got it at Target, does Mexico have Target? before I realized ... oh.    #languagebarrier.  Sometimes its better not to know I guess.




When asked about how her gospel learning is going:
I am doing really good.  My compañero and I are getting along ok haha.  We just sometimes had little annoyance issues with our lessons.  But we finally figured it out.  We were focusing too much on the church. I think it is amazing and makes so much sense and helps me so much so I just want to tell everyone about Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith and living prophets and the Book of Mormon and God talking to all people but my teacher was like NOOOO.... YOU ARE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE.  If what you are saying does not apply and help them in their life they are never going to remember or care. I have been trying to really get to know my investigators so I really can help them (which is kind of a trial in spanish!).  

One of my favorite things I learned this week was about prayer.  Praying is so important! Seriously I have prayed so much in my time here... for everything it feels like. It has helped me feel calm. I learned that when you pray in the name of Christ, He is not just only being a mediator between you and God.  You should pray for things Jesus would want to be prayed for and then you are an instrument for him.  I loved that.


More from Emily:

Word of advice for anyone who might be coming here in the future, bring a mosquito net.  


OH and I got your PACKAGE AND LETTER!  So I have gotten one letter and one package but the mail is starting to catch up and more and more people are getting stuff.  We figured that normal stamps take 3 weeks and global take 2 so good call with those global stamps.  


I am going to be really sad to leave here.  I love it here so much.  I can't believe I am already halfway through!!! aaaaahhhhhh!! My spanish is NOT good enough!!!


I want to hear all about Juliana. I sent everyone a letter but it will probably take forever to get there!   I am sure she will love it. I cant even relate though she is one brave girl!!


Anyways got to go! Love you ALL!!


Emily