I have the same amount of time to write as i did in the MTC. So, hopefully i will be able to tell you mostly everything!
My companion´s name is Hermana Morales. I really like her a lot! She doesn´t speak a lick of English. It is very hard sometimes, but i know that i will learn very quickly. She says i will be fluent in one month. Wouldn´t that be nice?! She is very, very patient with me. Thank Goodness.
My spanish has improved mounds already! It truly is an amazing blessing from God. His work needs to be hastened, so he is helping me hasten my language. I thank Him in every single prayer.
My spanish is getting better, but it is still nowhere where i want it to be. Holy cow. The first day was pretty intense! My first visit was so scary at first, but i just opened my mouth (who knows what came out of it). Everyone was laughing at me. Especially when they would talk. My face said it all. I have no idea what you are saying. They would laugh and laugh. Esta bien, porque i would laugh with them.
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| Mexico City Temple |
My Mission President is great! He luckily knows some english. It was very helpful during our interview. He gave me a great blessing afterward. (at least i think it was great. it was in spanish)
My Mission mom is also very nice. However, she doesn´t speak any English, so it makes in difficult to have a good relationship with her. She mostly talks to the Native Hermanas.
There are only 5 Americana Hermanas in our whole mission. We are definitley the pioneers!
I have been told that i am a very tall, very white girl. haha infact, all the mirrors in our appartment are super short. I have to crouch to see myself.
Our house is very, very small. We have a mini fridge and one plug in stove for our kitchen. A small room that fits two desks to study, and another small room that fits two beds and one closet. When you sit on the toilet in the bathroom, your knees touch the wall. But i dont mind because i really dont need much, and we are harldy in our house.
We put stickey notes everywhere to help me remember spanish. They are on the door, the mirros, my bed. everywhere. It has been great. While we walk (which we are always walking) I point and ask her how to say certain things. I have learned quite a bit from doing that. The best way to learn is to read el Libro de Mormón in Español. It really has helped me a lot.
for the most part i can say what i want to say, but understanding is where it gets trickey. I can pick out some words and even phrases, but by the time i figure out what they are saying, i am ten sentences behind.
I wash my clothes in the same bucket i shower in. Yes, I shower with a bucket. We have a shower, but it doesn´t even have cold water. it is ice. So. in the morning we boil water with our little stove and keep pouring it in a bucket. Who knew Aguascalientes doesn´t have aguas calientes?? haha but it is fun. Really. It is all part of the experience. Heavenly Father doesn´t ask much at all compared to what he has given me.
The food is actually delicious. It isn´t spicey.. yet. Except the Doritos. Holy cow they are different. They make a lot of the food with liquid in big pans like soup. I am very grateful that i can eat the food. However, they give us sooo much food! I have the hardest time finishing it. The whole time i am praying for Heavenly Father to expand my stomach. It is very offensive if you don´t finish your whole plate.
I eat cereal in the morning. I know. i have really grown. I prayed to Heavenly Father that i could eat it. It has grown on me. We only eat breakfast and lunch. I dont have dinner. It is weird. My stomach always hurts before bedtime. It might be what i have eaten, or the lack thereof.
I am not sick though, which is a blessing.
By the end of the day, i am exhausted. I think it is mostly because of the spanish. My brain is trying to work so hard. It is really hard to stay awake past six. I am constantly praying.
I have only cried once. ok twice... It was super random too. On Sunday my companion, me and four other sisters were eating lunch. They were all talking so fast. I wasn´t in the conversation at all. It was a normal day. I felt fine. All of a sudden i felt like i was going to cry. I excused myself and went to the bathroom. I sat there and bawled. It was weird because i dont remember being sad, overwhelmed yes. I asked Heavenly Father to help me get a grip. I dried my face, and walked back to the table. No one had any idea.
After lunch we were in a choir performance for Navidad. It was fun! Everyone hear is very tone deaf. haha. it made things interesting. I got to see Hermana Carlsen. She is also in Aguascalientes, one stake over from me. I cried again just seeing her. It was a relief to speak English. Her compaion knows english. She told me not to worry. But my tears were really relief tears. When my companion saw me cry, she began to cry too. She is so sweet.
I am in Aguascalientes. I live very close to my Mission President. My ward is Colina. There are two sets of sisters in our ward, but we are in different areas. I swear one of the sisters is four feet tall. I am a giant here!
It is harder and easier than i thought. I know that sounds weird. But i really do love it. It seems like 18 months is forever, but once i get the hang of things it will go by very fast.
I love and miss you so much. I cant wait to talk to you again on Christmas. What a great gift! I am excited to open my gifts you sent me!
Every once in a while i get an aching pain. I just want a hug from my Mom and my Daddy. But whenever i feel that way, i can feel Heavenly Father hugging me for you. It is very great. ok.. i have cried three times now...
I love you so very much. I wouldn´t be here if i didn´t know it is the will of God. but, i know with all my heart it is.
Thank you for your prayers. I can feel them every single day.
Love, Hermana Anderson
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