Spanish!

July 13, 3013

Hola!

 

This week has been amazing.  I have learned how to say a prayer, bear my testimony, and teach a lesson on the Restoration, Plan of Salvation, and Life of Jesus Christ without notes.  The gift of tongues is definitely real, and I am learning so much.  If you asked me for directions or how to order something on a menu, or any other life skill in Spanish....I could carry on in Spanglish, but not Spanish quite yet.  It´s coming, but at least I can bear my testimony!

 

I can´t believe you finished the mickey mouse puzzle...I remember that thing being a monster.  At least you are all staying occupied! And I can´t believe all of the accidents that happened at reunion...glad to hear you all made it out okay.  Was the 4-wheeler totaled? 

 

My first Sunday here was cool.  It was fast Sunday, which means missionaries go without food for 24 hours, and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be.  We had an MTC fireside, and listened to some amazing talks.  I just sat like a sponge trying to absorb it and write it all down.  Then we went to  sacrament meeting, and the MTC president was there!  Everyone was really excited about it until we realized that the branch president was being released.  Apparently in an interview with an Elder, the president told him that he seemed very feminine and that if he hadn't known him he would have thought he was gay.  The missionary is in our zone and he was sort of emotionally ruined for a few days.  He was so offended and seriously considered going home.  It's not even true, and it was really sad to watch him struggle so much.  Everyone tried to rally his spirits and he finally came around, but the president was still released. 

 

I run into Parker Dial all the time.  In fact one time he saw me in line for breakfast and yelled "Hermana Withers, how did you sleep?"  Ha it was sort of weird and lots of people heard it because I was a ways behind him in line.  My district gives me crap about it all the time saying, "Hey, how did you sleep?"  It was weird at the time I guess, but now it is funny to look back on.  (Make sure this doesn't go on the blog).

 

And did Sam really get through security with a knife?!?  Nice goin TSA.  Glad you made it through without getting arrested, but if Sam did it how many other creeps can do it?  Scary.....

 

I'm glad Chad is doing well.  He didn't send me his email.  I think I am sending mine to him, but if he says he isn't getting mine can you just forward them to him?  And forward his to me?  Cool to know he had a gospel conversation with a teenager on the way to Mexico.

 

I am staying at the "real" MTC.  There are about 4500 missionaries here, and roughly 1000 at the West Campus MTC.  We actually never interact.  They operate as 2 separate MTC's for class, sleep, and food.  The only time we are in the same place is for Tuesday night devotionals. 

 

My district has a total of 10 missionaries.  6 of us are going to Rosario, and the other 4 are scattered.  I'm glad I'm in a district with a majority.  There are some weirdies in the bunch (like an Elder who is deferred from mortician school) but we all get along and are very good friends.  Someone has already started to plan a reunion barbecue actually! (:

 

So when do I need to get my blood drawn.  I was in the health clinic with my companion so she could get a hep A shot and while I was there I asked about blood draws.  They said I need an order from my doctor for the blood draw, and then I can just go in whenever and they will be happy to do it.  You can call for more information too if you want, I was a little rushed when talking to them and might have missed something. 

 

You might be amused to know that out of the 6 elders in my district, and 5 of them can't roll their "R's"....I still can't believe it.  5?!?  What is this world coming to.  Teachers here have said that it helps to put a pen on the top of your lip and make a kissing face so the pen doesn't fall and to teach your tongue to roll....but I have never tried it.   Who knows.

 

On Wednesday I watched all of the new missionaries come in and it was crazy.  They get them in here so fast, and rumor has it that last Wednesday was the peak number of missionaries for the summer.  Is that true?

 

And crazy news.  Two hermanas in my zone left for Argentina last week.  They went directly to Argentina without a reassignment.  I have learned that if your visa status says it will take more than a month, then they reassign you.  If it says it will come in a week or two, then you extended to stay at the MTC.  And a rare few get their visa right on time.  I didn't even know that happened, but I'm glad to know its possible.  If I stay on schedule I could be out of the MTC in a month....say what??

 

There are a lot more elders here than sisters, and it has everything to do with the age change.  The MTC saw a surge in sister missionaries almost immediately, and now the surge in Elders is coming as high school graduations have come and gone.  There are so many missionaries here you would flip.  There are lines to almost everything, but somehow the MTC keeps up with everything.  One thing I have learned here is that the church knows how to be organized.  This place runs like a machine!

 

Every day before lunch our zone sings a hymn in Spanish, which is really cool.  There are only 4 hermanas (the ones in my district) and everyone else (about 30) are elders.  Its cool to hear songs like called to serve and battle hymn of the republic (our favorites!) in Spanish.  It also helps with learning Spanish.  My companion and I also read a chapter in The Book of Mormon every day in Spanish, its long and arduous but the book is starting to make more sense in Spanish.  Which is amazing!

 

The MTC food had been good.  It keeps me nourished, and that's all I care about.  The fruit here is guaranteed to be amazing (pineapple every meal!) and they pull strawberries out every once in a while.  And if any dinner turns out to be gross, makes you feel sick....they have the best cereal bar in the world.  So cereal is always the backup plan, and I'm staying healthy!  I haven't gained or lost any weight (ha - the other hermanas in my district have been gaining weight...yikes!) so I will just keep trying to eat good. 

 

In the morning, one of our teachers takes us on a walk around the MTC every 2 hours to stretch our legs and to take a break.  While walking we all take our little notebooks, and we write down vocab words that we see around us in Spanish.  Ha we look like we are all on a nature hike and trying to learn tree species or something...but we are really just trying to learn Spanish.  Its way fun to go outside though, and one of the days it was raining so we got to walk in the rain and it smelled amazing! 

 

The view of our classroom window is so great.  It is on the 4th floor, so its high up.  We can see the mountains, lots of trees, and through it all the Provo temple steeple peeps out and you can see angel Moroni and the temple.  It's perfect!

 

My bags made it here wonderfully.  All the zippers were zipped and everything accounted for.  The Dear elders are a pretty slick way to get mail.  You can just send your response to this email through dear elders, and I will respond as fast as I can with paper to keep in touch.  All left over and remaining questions, stories, and adventures I will include in the weekly email. 

 

Sad to hear you are all getting annihilated with mosquitoes....at least they will all die soon right?  And also glad to here you are leaving a substantial and noticeable dent in that little town.  No leaving until your stuff passes inspection is an excellent motto, no pain no gain right?  And who are the merry maids?  You had them clean our house?  I like the way you think!  The messages on fb are from that missionary group "Many are called but few are chosen"  To be honest, you can just exit that group.  It was sort of helpful when preparing for my mission, but now that I have left you can leave the group.  It really is just a bunch of high maintenance sisters asking for advice on how to say goodbye to their boyfriends and what to do because they are going through a lot of trials. 

 

I cant believe the water went down so much.  That's good to hear though!  And thanks for the talk in Spanish, muy (awesome? - haven't learned that word yet...)

 

And......because you went to all the work of putting that puzzle together....you should definitely glue it and frame it!  What else are you going to do there.  It could be a token of your undyin affliction for Minnesota....or something like that (:

 

This letter is all over the place....since my thoughts are all over the place, but I just tried to write as much as I could in an hour.  I hope you are all doing marvelously and have a good week!

 

I love you all more than the number of letters that come and go through the MTC,

 

con amor,

 

Hermana Withers

 

PS:  I am trying to figure out how to send pictures on this computer.  I will send them in a seperate email if I can figure it out...but if not know that I love you all!