WOW WHAT A WEEK. Okay first off: MTC (CCM) wrap up-
Alrighty,
the first day in my new area, Alcorcon, was pretty tough. It´s because
I missed being so much in the MTC. I have heard numerous people say
that they didn´t really like the MTC. Well that is probably because
they did not have their experience at the Madrid MTC. Wow, what an
experience, those 6 weeks. It was INCREDIBLE. I can´t even explain how
much I loved it. Like who else wakes up everyday and looks out the
window and see the beautiful Madrid temple?? wow, so blessed. Of course
it was absolutely hard, but man, it was amazing. My companion, Hermana
Hansen, I love her so much!!! And I miss her already A TON. She is
serving in Malaga. I got so close with all of the Hermanas there. And
the Elders are so awesome!! We learned things every day and bonded so
much. Everyone´s testimony about this wonderful gospel is absolutely
incredible. I knew going in to the field would be hard, but I had no
IDEA how much I would miss these people that I had only known for only 6
weeks. President and Hermana Lovell are awesome. Like seriously
incredible. President Lovell is so great, and he really knew how to
handle a bunch of 18 and 19 year olds. I could go on and on. The
teachers helped me so much with learning the language and learning about
the gospel. I really hope that one of my areas in the future will be in
their area so I can see them again!!! Contacting people on the metro
and the park used to me something I dreaded, but now I am so grateful
that I got those little experiences of pushing myself out of my comfort
zone. Daily I think about my experiences in the MTC. But when I left, I
knew it was time, and I knew I would have to let things go and get
ready for the next chapter of the mission!!!
Well,
Alcorcon is my first area!!! Before we found out where we were going,
we heard that one of the Hermanas was going to go to The Canaries!!! I
totally thought it might be me, but I was pretty nervous. Hermana
Rossberg, whom I love dearly, ended up being sent there!! I am so
excited for her. So anyway, when I got here, it was kinda interesting I
guess. Of course I believed that where ever I go, I´m supposed to, but
it was definitely hard to feel like I was at home. The first day was so
hard. I was pretending to be happy as I was smiling, but seriously, I
was so freaked out. All I could see was the graffiti and cigarette
butts on the street. But as the week went on, I started looking and
the buildings and the people that live here. The days got a lot better
this week as I became closer with my AWESOME companions and met our
investigators. The people I have met are super amazing and so
welcoming!!! My companions are Hermana Finch and Marsh. They are so
darling, and I am so so happy that I get to have them as my trainers.
We have a lot of fun together but, they really do know how to be hard
working missionaries. I hope that I will be as awesome as they are real
soon! Being a trio can be hard sometimes. At first I was really
worried that I would not be able to develop a one on one relationship
with them, but seriously though, its great!!! 3´s a crowd, but a great
crowd!!!!
Wooh. Okay. So next, I will tell
you some things about learning Spanish and Spain culture. Spanish is
hard. Learning another language is really hard. But it if wasn´t for
such a good cause, I really wouldn´t have any desire to work so hard at
it. At first I was discouraged because both my companions are fluent,
but I have to keep telling myself that they have been out here a lot
longer than I have!! DUR. Anyway, so as all of you probably know,
Europeans greet each other with Besos. it´s kinda weird, but you get
used to it real fast. It definitely made me feel a lot more welcome when
I first meet people, going in their house. But sometimes it does seem
strange to kiss strangers, haha. We are only aloud to beso females,
obviously, but... funny story.. So like my 2nd time in the park this guy
(pretty cute Spaniard) besoed me and my companion, but it wasn´t until
afterward I was like, OH SHOOT THAT WASN´T ALLOWED !!! haha. So yeah, just
the women, and very firm handshakes to the men. Although I feel like I
don´t know any Spanish, there really is a lot that I can comprehend,
which is awesome!! It´s going to be so cool when I can speak fluent.
However, just like all of the teachers in the MTC told me.. 1. Don¨t
worry about the language it will come... 2.The language doesn't matter
because the spirit speaks all language. I believed that but it wasn´t
until I bore my testimony with investigators with my very broken Spanish
that I knew that was true. All of the people I have met are so sweet,
and are so patient with my Spanish, and they tell me they can understand
the things I do say. And they do feel the spirit. YES!!!! SO AWESOME. I
love it. The church is true guys. MISSIONS ARE FANTASTIC.
Funny things/happy thoughts that happened this week...
1.
So like the subject heading of this letter.. Last night, instead of
saying, ¨In life we will sin (pecados) a lot¨, I said ¨pescados¨, which
is fish. BAHAHA I know right. But don´t worry, anyone who is preaching
the gospel in Spanish, this is just inevitable. We all had a good laugh
about it though.
2. I survived my first day at church which
means I survived my first week. HOORAY. We have a small branch, not a
ward and the people there are great. It was awesome, but after trying so
hard to understand what people were saying, I thought my brain was
going to EXPLODE.
3.I ate chicken at somebody´s house. I
know, yay go me. Just kidding, its only a big deal in my head. I know
I´m going to have to try fish soon, but I´m still so scared!!! The food
that the give is great, but sometimes, I get super sick from just
eating pain rice and bread... AND I NEED SO VEGGIES IN MY LIFE.
But
at our piso, (cute little apartment) we eat healthy so that makes me
happy! Also we walk a ton.. it makes me tired, but I can´t wait until I
feel like I´m in shape.
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