Hermana Coolio Funky

Hola!

I know what you are thinking, what the heck?! she was not supposed to write until Wednesday! I know that and I am sorry, so do not feel bad if you have not emailed me because I guess our Pday changes every week, so just to be safe, always email me on Sunday or before. I really am sorry though, but I got emails enough to keep me going throughout this week! so it is totally fine!

Wow! What a week. It is always the hardest typing because I have no idea what you guys want to hear, but I think I am just going to go throughout my week and tell you some different points!

1. I have never worked so hard in my life. I really have made an effort to put my whole might mind and strength into this whole ordeal and it is paying off but it has also been some of the hardest times I have ever had. But I know that if I did not have hard times, I would not grow so it is okay. I get through them though! And being a missionary, you have bad hours and good hours, instead of good days and bad days. So one hour you are down, then the next you are up, so it all evens out in the end. :)

2. We are now teaching a new investigator... who is our teacher. And our teacher is no Mrs. nice. She looooooves to push us and she how hard we can work. She has the profile of Marta, a lady who has four kids and wants the gospel but is not married and her husband is not good to her, and just a lot of things. AND ALSO. she will take no English! The second you say something in English, she will no "no entiendo". ummm alright, let me just get out my Spanish dictionary. it is so hard. and our first lesson with her was pretty bad, we just felt like we were not working in unity and were focusing on the lesson rather than her. BUT I want to tell you what I learned from this. After our lesson, we were feeling pretty down on ourselves. And we just wanted to know how we could improve. Throughout the next couple of classes we had that day, it became very apparent how we could improve. STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE SPANISH AND FOCUS ON THE PERSON. That truly is what it comes down too. Take the time to listen to to what they are saying, without thinking in your mind what you are going to say next and then let the spirit tell you what to say. And stick to the doctrine and the things you know. We are just to focused on the Spanish rather than the person. So my companera and I are excited for tonight to really try to put that into practice. I know that it will make all the difference!

3. Everyone is sick. You don't really realize how many sicknesses there are on this planet until you come to the CCM. But lucky for them, we have something called a Botequin. A first aid kit that has just about every medicine a person could need. The leaders have to carry it around, so I even have one of my own... pretty cool huh? But seriously, there are so many people who are sick, but I have been greatly blessed and have not been sick once while I have been here, I cant even believe how lucky I am!

4. i have made a goal to read all my scriptures and predicad me evangelio in spanish. And guess what? It works! it truly makes so much of a difference! I am understanding everything my teacher is saying, what preach my gospel is saying, and even sometimes what the LAtino missioneros are saying.¨I still cannot speak it very well, but I am just trying my very hardest and best and I know that it will come!
NOW. I just have to share with you some hilarious things from the CCM this past week., Literally, this place is Hilarious. HILARIOUS.

1. The Latina hermanas love to learn English words. So sometimes I will go into their rooms at night and point at things and tell them the English words for them. But they have the hardest time understanding how to say it. For instance, I was trying to teach them how to say "hair". THEY CANNOT SAY HAIR! they say "hayyer." "hayyyyyer". no, "HAir.", okay "Hayyyyer." It is hilarious, I do it mostly for my own enjoyment. :) And then they will tell you phrases they learned in english throughout the day. This one Hermana was sitting next to me at dinner and she tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear, "Am I beautiful?", mind you this hermana knows 0 English.. it was hilarious!

2. It was President nicolaysen (the MTC president) birthday this week. So during lunch, they suprised him with a marriachi band. They serendaded us all of lunch and it was just the best. They also had a cake... and well.. I love cake. So that was just the bomb.

3. Like I said last week, the hispanic elders LOVE nortes. They truly do. It is no lie. This one came up to me this week and said "give me your..... number... no.. give me your... mail... no...give me your....email. yes email." and I looked at him and I said, "I am sorry, I am a missionary!" and he didn't understand I guess.. because he is very persistent. But not instead of him, it is his companion.. so that is just a lot of fun. All the time. Also, the people working in the kitchen really love nortes too, so you just feel a lot of... love.. everywhere you go. :)

4. Like I said, yesterday we watched the Bachelor: Pioneer style. Would you like to know what this was? Legacy. Yes. Legacy. The movie mom and dad would always make us go to for family night at temple square. You would have thought we were watching Americas greatest love story. You get 100 missionaries who have not watched a movie for about a month and let them watch Legacy... man. They were hootin and hollerin and laughing at things like people dropping their hammers, crying, sighing, everything. IT WAS HILARIOUS! The elders wanted to watch the kissing moments over and over again. hahaha

5. So every night at 7:30 we have what is called refaccion, which is a break and snack time. we were having that last night, and they always give us candy on sundays. So we were all in line and they were giving us cholcoate bars with the name, St. Gerrund. I had mine in hand and this rather strict, rather obedient sister came up to me and said, "um, do you think we are allowed to eat catholic chocolate?" just saying. and then she didnt eat one. OKAY!

Truth be told, life is good here. They have us busy, and the moments that we are not busy, are the times I miss you all the most. I pray for each of you by name each night and thank my Heavenly Father that I have such an incredible family. I really have no idea how I ever got so lucky. I love my companion, my district is the best, and I am doing ym best to be the best missionary I can be. I have such a far ways to go, but I just try and keep my faith strong. Thank you all for helping me to do that!

So just a reminder, email me on Sundays, and do Dear Elders. When I dont have itme to write, I write you letters so please do not think that I have forgotten about you!!

I love each and every one of you!!

hermana coolio funky