SEPTEMBER 28, 2016

LOVE DOCTORS AND MISSION DOCTORS!

Hola Familia!!! 

Wowwww I cannot believe that I’m actually writing my first email home right now... crazy. First I just want to thank you guys for the awesome journal that everyone wrote in at my farewell. It seriously helped a lot this week. If I could describe this week in one word it would be ROLLERCOASTER. Seriously so awesome though! 

My companion is so fun! Her name is Hermana Curtis and she reminds me exactly of Mette, my college roommate. She’s from Sandy Utah and the youngest of 5 and going to Fort Worth Texas. I wasn’t sure about her at first but now I really love her. It’s so awesome! We honestly laugh 24/7 and I couldn’t have asked for a better first companion. I live with the two other hermanas that are going to my mission and I completely love them!!! They are the best! Everyone here reminds me of someone from home. Hermana Noftle reminds me of Madalyn and Hermana Wertz reminds me of Jenny Duvall. It just feels like home. There is even a guy in my district that reminds me so much of Dad. It’s hilarious.  

This week we taught an investigator named Karren. She is 23 years old, married, and has a daughter that is 3. The lessons were a little rough but we pulled it off in the end and she’s getting BAPTIZED!!! It was such a cool experience and so awesome to be able to bring someone to the gospel. Oh my, this church is so true guys. My testimony has increased 10 fold since I’ve been here. Not going to lie, spanish is really hard. like REALLY hard. I feel like I just have so much to say but have no words to say it! it’s extremely frustrating. I know that as I continue to work and work and work that the language will come. Everyone keeps telling me just to keep praying for the gift of tongues, and BOY do I pray. I’ve honestly learned so much already though and every night when I go to journal, its actually hard to write in all english. I have super awesome teachers though who are truly inspired. 

Today we got to go to the temple and it was so incredible! Seriously I loved every minute. I had no idea what was going on since everything was in spanish but the spirit was so strong. I’ve learned that the spirit speaks so much louder than anyone ever could and as long as I am worthy to have the spirit as my third companion, I can never fail. 

OH! Hilarious side note, there is an elder in my district named Elder Turley and he is honestly one of the oddest people I have ever met. One day we were all sitting around preparing our lessons for the next day when he randomly just starts talking about how since the age of 14, he has been a Dating Doctor.... HAHAH. Like what?? People legit pay him for dating advice. The scary part is, his advice is so good!!!!...not like I’ll be needing any for the next 18 months. hahah. 

My district is so awesome though. I love all the Elders in it and it feels like they are my brothers, we all love each other so much. It’s so awesome that I get to also be in a district with the Hermanas that are going to Florida. 

Not so funny side note, this past week I was in and out of the doctor for two days straight but all is well now! The doctor said I had Tonsillitis but I woke up this morning and I’m feeling so much better!

The food here is pretty questionable and you never really know what you are eating, but that’s the fun part! There is ALWAYS watermelon though so that’s awesome. There are always crazy noises that sounds like bombs but I guess it’s just fireworks...That’s what the teachers tell us but I heard from a native that about 50% of them are gunshots.... But its Bueno. I love it here. Honestly everything is so cool. It’s so pretty!!! The CCM is so nice and you feel like you are in a little community. There are these cool houses that line all the way up the surrounding mountains that just stack up on top of another. I love it. It’s been raining every day at around the same time. Actually right now it’s raining pretty hard and there is lots of thunder. That is SOOOO Loud. I’ve never heard it this loud. 

I had two really awesome spiritual experiences this week. This past Sunday was fast Sunday and It was the best! At the start of sacrament meeting our branch president told us to write down a question that has been in our heart. And i wrote down "How can I have more faith in the gift of tongues?" And sure enough, I get to relief society and that was the exact lesson that they had planned and IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING. I’d just like to testify that the Lord hears and answers prayers. He knows you better than you know yourself. Also, since I’ve been pretty sick this past week, yesterday I asked my district leader if he would give me a blessing. It was such an amazing experience and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. The spirit was so strong!!!! Four 18yr Boys standing around me with such power and authority. I love my district. They are incredible. 

This week was very challenging and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy frustrated excited overwhelmed in a week before. It’s so up and down but I keep hearing that the first week is the hardest. I really missed you guys this week but I know that this is where I am supposed to be. It’s such a hard work but it’s the Lords work. I feel honored and blessed to be able to represent the lord and wear his name on my chest every day. The church is so true. In the CCM, it’s so easy to just recognize the lords hand in EVERYTHING. I challenge everyone to just try a little harder to recognize the lords hand in your life this week. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!