Happy
Thanksgiving!!
So
this week has been amazing! On Friday afternoons we walk down to the university
(which is only like 2 blocks away) and practice talking to people. I was smart
enough to realize that there was probably an English building there so me and
Hermana Gardner decided to make our way over there. We found a lot of people
who were kind enough to listen to us and even wanted to practice their English
with us, so we would teach in Spanish and they would respond in English. We
placed two Books of Mormons last Friday and I'm pumped to go again tomorrow! ON
Monday I had a really cool experience. Mondays are TRC (basically FHE with our MTC grandparents) and the lesson we had to teach was how we receive answers to
prayer. Up until this point I haven't really understood how the gift of tongues
really works. I thought that I was struggling to speak the language as some
sort of trial. As I was teaching sister Nelsen I felt an overwhelming
impression that I needed to tell her that prayers are not answered right away.
Sometimes we have to wait to receive answers as a trial of our faith and that
often times our prayers are answered through other people. I took a leap of
faith and my mouth was filled with the exact words that I needed to say. The
Lord provided me with the words that I had already studied. I now know that as
I study and apply myself, the Lord will help me to recall what I have called
when I need to be an instrument in teaching others.
On
Sunday I sang in church (have stranger things happened in this world???) with
the other three Hermanas in my district and it actually sounded amazing!! We
rearranged Abide with me. I seriously love Hermana Anderson, she reminds me a
lot of my friend Brittany. We're both hoping that we get to be companions like
a year into being out in the field. Anyway, she and I sang alto and were able
to stay on key while Hermanas Gardner and Robinson sang soprano. I started a
trend here. I've got my whole district saying "I just saw my brain"
when they want to roll their eyes. Most of the time it's directed at the other
district who has some very immature elders. Oh! I have a calling...I've been
called as the music leader which just means I have to find people to sing
musical numbers, lead songs, and play the piano. It doesn't seem like that big
of a deal, but we sing A LOT of hymns. It's one of only two leadership
positions that the Hermanas can have here so I feel pretty important.
On
Tuesday I also had a really cool teaching experience. My teacher (Hermano Eve)
pretends to be "Ricki", our fake investigator. Each night we have to
teach "Ricki" a lesson according to his needs. This particular night
me and my companion felt as though we needed to teach about faith. Usually
during our lessons Hermana Gardner has a tendency to dominate the lesson and I
just try to add in a couple of thoughts here and there whenever I can. We had
talked about it, and decided that I was going to speak for most of the lesson
and she would only cut in if she felt strongly as though she needed to say
something. This would allow me to gain more experience with speaking the
language. I was really awkward at the beginning of the lesson, but as I started
relying on the spirit it got easier. I have never felt the spirit so strongly
during a fake lesson. I didn't have to look at any of my notes!! The
words I wanted to say came to my mind (in spanish) and I didn't stutter or have
to stop and try to translate my thoughts into Spanish! After we were done
teaching and had gone back to the classroom, my teacher came in a slyly slipped
me a note saying "you did soooo good!" with a piece of chocolate. It
was a huge confidence booster.
Yesterday
there was a couple mini earthquakes which was fun. I was teaching
"Ricki" when all of the sudden it felt like someone was kicking my
chair! I looked over at the Haitian(he teaches the two elders from Haiti who
speak french) teacher who was also in the room, because no one else could feel
what was going on. It happened 3 other times last night.
Today we went to the temple as we always do on Thursday mornings and afterwards I had my first emotional break down since being here. Up until this point I have missed home but I haven't cried. The people that work in the kitchen knew how sad all the missionaries were to be away from their families on Thanksgiving, so that put together a Thanksgiving lunch for us. I didn't cry because I miss home today (which I do), but because of the love and the charity that these people have for us. They must have had to slave away for hours putting everything together and it must have been hard trying to find everything needed to put together a Thanksgiving feast, but they did it because they care about us. I'm sending you some pictures of how the decorated the cafeteria and me holding a "Happy Thanksgiving" sign with this email.
I
love you all and I pray for my family multiple times a day! enjoy your dinner
and eat an extra slice of pie for me!!
te
amo,
