September 20, 2014

This week actually went by really fast! each day felt long but it's already saturday! 

We have a new elder in our district as of Thursday afternoon. His name is elder christensen and he is from the bountiful bubble as he calls it. ha. he was in the advanced group somehow and didn't feel ready to go or something bc it was too hard for the first week so he moved into our class. So the dynamic has kind of changed. we will no longer teach all 4 of us. I will teach with two other eldders. most likely elder osgood and smith bc they say they need my spanish mre hahaa. so yeah We will each have to talk a lot more in the lessons and fallentine talked the most so it will be different. I don't think he was thrilled to have a new comp either bc we all got along super well... BUt it's getting better. he doesn't talk or laugh as much but we have gotten him to open up some more. He has a twin that is gay and hates the church and his family pretty much so that's hard. we all had a really deep convo yesterday afternoon about our families and church activity and lots of good stuff hah. more in common than we would have thought! 

So I feel like I have learned a ton this week, esp spanish and abt teaching but I still feel really slow speaking. But when I journal at night and talk more spanish comes out haha. so it's def becoming more natural I have also been able to help my companions with their phrases and spanish and teaching which has been really cool and good. It's weird that they see each other all day and so they have a lot jokes and such from their awesome teacher and the other two girls in their class (one of tehm is absolutely hilarious and from north chicago by wisconsin but said Illinois with an S when she introduced herself in front of the whole group...) not sure what that's all about. I was like WHAT??? you even live there but yeah she is hilarious. (shes in the toilet picture with hermaman albach) 

We finished teaching ana Maria our investigator this week. She accepted our invitation to be baptized! we didn't get to teach her everything but we have 3 new investigators starting monday. one of them will be at TRC which is volunteers taht come... members, less actives or non members and we aren't told beforehand so that will be more real and scary! but it's shorter too so hopefully it goes ok. Hermano Draut (teacher) is going to be Ariel a 25 yo atheist guy that we will start teaching. that should be tough. and Hermana Martinez will be another investigator that we know nothing about until we meet her (more realistic).  What's cool is that Her. Martinez told us that twice while we taught her as Ana Maria she had questions answered or worries addressed for her own personal life (as her. martinez not our investigator) she said she honestly gfelt the Spirit and felt strengthened by our convos. that made us all smile and it was super cool to hear. 

So as you can see in the pic we are all in one room now. pres said I cant be alone I guess hahaa... saw that coming. but it's ok .didn't even change beds and my noise machine helps. My companions are great. so sweet and uplifting and above all, normal. I hope since I started out with great comps that It doesn't mean I will have bad ones in the field haha. it's such a small but huge blessing. 

So we discovered the greatness of the "sack lunches". we can finish gym time (started playing some volleyball with the elders and other hermanas which is really fun) and then go over and get a sandwhich or salad or bagel or peanut butter sammy and chips cookies and milk/juice/soda and take it to go back home. then we shower and eat and have much more time to get ready and it's great. we can eat at home or outside at tables and not at cafeteria for a change and it's not rushed and it's a really good break during the day before hours of more studying. It's the same food that BYU has in their to- go section in the cougar eat -- ot a ton of selection but healthier optinos and prettty darn good :) and then we eat less too so that we are actually somewhat hungry for a 4:30 dinner! 

ELDER SCOTT CAME! there were rumors and sure enough he walked in the door Tuesday night at main campus for devo! SOO good. spirit was so strong and I couldnt' help but keep smiling, despite my headache. He looked out at us (from his literally tiny short body) and was just so smily and happy looking. He talked on prayer and communcating with father in heaven.one of my fav parts was "your character and faith grow together" sp true! and also to pray in gratitidue and be grateful for the gift of prayer. also so much else but no time. I truly felt that he knows God when he walked in. he prays and he knows him. really neat expereince. also I sang in choir for the opening hymn be still my soul for that devo. LOL. it was fun though. also maybe sing in conference (ahhhh) but I will do what my comps want and it might not happen anyway. 

Also sunday night after Brother Callister spoke for devo we watched an AWESOME life changing video that Elder Bednar gave as a talk in 2009 at MTC at xmas time, it was on the character of Christ and how we need to turn outward in our greatest moments of agony as christ always did. look in the scriptures, it's there. when he was being taken away by soldiers after suffering he didn't worry about himself but worried about the guards ear. He is a powerful speaker. I wish you could all watch it! SOOO good, just what we all needed. 

Had a great scripture spanish study with class yesterday. MOSiah 24:14 we all have a responsibilty to witness of God just like alma and our investigators also can witness of HIm as they commit to be baptized! I taught SOLO Thurs to the other SOLO missionary sister in the other intermediate group. it was HARD. we had 5 mins to prepare and we introduced ourselves as investigators ( took on a friends personality) and then taught for 20 mins alone in spanish. I got stuck in the middle and got kind of stressed and I think that showed and hurt my teaching. smiling is better. but I made it through in spanish. and it was super disorganized. but she is leaving next week and I think our spanish was about the same  so hopefully i will feel better by the time I leave here. But yeah it drains you to think and listen hard all the time. But I have only fought off sleepiness really twice this week, which isn't too bad. and not for too long. we have been better about getting to bed on time this week and that has helped a lot and more time to wind down.

There's so much more I want to tell you! but I LOVE you all and I loook forward to your many dear elders this week (hint hint) hehe. even if they are short., I know youre busy. but I miss you guys. it's weird to me to realize now that our goodbyes were for 18 months ya know. thinking back to the MTC i was distracted and should have hugged you tighter and memorized your faces haha. but it's ok. pictures are a good thing and I am doing well. 

T


hanks for your love and support! keep on keeping on and I am sending you hugs and kisses RIGHt now!