(me in front of the CCM sign)
Where do I even begin... there has
been a lot going on this past week. So for starters my P day is Thursday...yeah
so we didn't get one the second day we were here. So it has been a long, long
week. But I'm so excited its p day FINALLY! Also, we have almost the entire day
to email, so I don't know if ill keep the same time on Thursday but just know
it is Thursday when you can hear from me. So I think the easiest thing for me
to do to sum everything up would be the do the highlight of each day...
Wednesday 22
1] saying bye to my family was the hardest thing ever. 2] I made it to Detroit,
but our gate ramp thing was frozen so I sat on the plane for 45 min and by the
time I got to the gate where my next flight was I had missed my plane. My heart
sank. I called home on a pay phone and just sobbed. The one thing my dad said
was to NOT MISS MY FLIGHT…and that’s the one thing I did. So get on the next
flight and I had the whole row to myself. It was wonderful. I read all the
advice cards [thank you to all of you who wrote those. they were perfect!] and
I cried for like all of them. So I made it to Mexico, got my luggage and made
it to customs to then find out that no one was there from the CCM [MTC in MEX].
So I stood there for a little bit and then found someone at the info desk that
spoke English and called the CCM and they said someone just left but they will
be back in 45 min. So I sat there and sat there and sat there and 3 hrs. later,
in tears found someone who spoke English in the Hertz place and called again,
and when I got back outside there was someone there. Honestly I thought I was
going to have to sleep in the airport. It was horrible NO ONE SPEAKS ENLIGH AND I DONT SPEAK
SPANISH. But on the car ride to the CCM I just cried. Got to my casa and just
went to bed.
(Left: me on the phone with my family after missing my flight. Right: The whole row to myself on the plane flying to Mexico)
(my official name tag!!)
Thursday 23 1] Met my companion. Her name is Hermana Usher, she is
from Indiana and is 21, and coming to Bakersfield with me!! And the other two
are Hermana Larsen from St. George and Hermana Nimmer from Orem Utah and those
two are going to Santa Rosa CA. 2] my district is a blast! They are so fun, 3
of the elders are coming to Bakersfield too and the two other elders are going
to Roseville CA so we are all going to CA! 3] Sat it meetings all day, good
thing they are all in English haha.... this Spanish thing....
(Left: My companion, Hermana Usher, and I. Right: My room in the CCM)
Friday 24 1] food
here is pretty good, not tooo weird stuff, but GUESS WHAT!! They have NUTELLA
at breakfast and dinner YAY! 2] Met our teacher his name is Hermano Hernendez,
and had our first class in Spanish. I didn't understand ANYTHING... haha. But
it was good. 3] Later that day we found out that we were teaching our first
lesson in SPANISH.. oh boy I was freaking out the rest of the day. 4] Hermana
usher and I said like 5 prayers and the lesson actually went pretty well.
Didn't understand much and it was hard to answer his questions back. But it
went better than I thought.
(Left: All my books! They weigh about 10 lbs. combined! Center: Hermana Usher and I at devotional. Right: My best attempt at a "selfie")
Saturday 25 1] Our schedules are pretty good get up at
630, breakfast at 715, then study time from 745 to 845, then we have class
until lunch at 1215, and then Spanish computer time, and then more study time
until 345 and then GYM TIME. This is my favorite time cause I DONT have to wear
a skirt hahaha. Then after gym is planning and then dinner is at 530. After
dinner, depending on the day, it is either our lesson with our investigator, or
devotional, or something else. 2] We had COSTCO cookies for dessert and they
were so good! haha. 3] our second lesson went pretty well, talked a bit more
and committed him to read and pray.
Sunday 26 1] Sunday is really busy. We had
relief society in English then sacrament meeting in Spanish. And each week
besides fast Sunday we have to prepare a 5 min talk and they just randomly pick
6 people to talk. LUCKILY I didn't have to speak. Then the rest of the day we
had meetings, then a really good devotional and then on Sunday nights we get to
watch church movies! So, so, so, so nice to just sit and not think haha. My
brain has been hurting a lot these past days from everything. 2] I MADE
IT TO SUNDAY. This statement is so true when missionaries tell you it. I don't
know why but once I got to Sunday I was doing a lot better.
Monday 27 1] normal
class day and just preparing for our third lesson with Luis. 2] Hermana usher
and I went in feeling confident and ready and we got in there and half way
through all my Spanish and confidence was shattered. The instant I stepped
outside of the room I burst into tears…It was just hard…And I was feeling very
inadequate.
Tuesday 28 1] Normal class day, but instead we had devotional instead
of teaching Luis. The devo was all in Spanish though, but we got DORK DOTS!
haha they let the others know that we get head phones with the translation
haha. But seriously these headphones were really big and didn't fit in my ears,
so by the end of it my ears were hurting really bad.
Wednesday 29 1] normal class, my
Spanish is getting better. Definitely better than last week hahah, and I’m
starting to understand my teacher better. 2] Taught Luis the 4th
lesson and it went okay, kind of went off our plan cause he had questions. But
it went okay. This is hard cause I get attached to these investigators but they
are all fake ones. What am I going to really feel when they are actual investigators?
3] I’ve been out a week!! It’s incredible how fast and slow that has gone. It
feels like I’ve been gone for months... haha. This is going to be a long 18
months.
Well I love you guys so much! I’m doing great and feeling good in
this 75 degree weather hahahaha..! Cant wait to email you guys again
soon!
Con Amor, Hermana Aase
