HOLLLAAA!!! Que pasa familia?? I'm going to apologize ahead of time for grammar/spelling mistakes (and forgiveness for making fun of the brothers in the past--I'm just going to try and get as much info out as I can in 16 min.)
SO CHRISTMAS sounded great! holy smokes! I'm glad you're all enjoying the imac--isn't it amazing?? wow. you better learn all the tricks so you can teach me when I get home (that includes you mom :) and an ipod. wow! I can't thank you enough for all of the letters and packages that you all sent me! It was SOsoSo great to hear from you all. The support from home makes everything so much better. I really can't tell you enough how much I love you.
This Christmas was a little different, but, honestly, such a great way to focus on the Savior and really build my testimony of Him. I count my lucky stars that I am able to learn so much about Christ--who I am going to be "inviting others" to come to know as well for the rest of my life. It's really such a blessing. You should be getting a package/pics/letter this week with more details on what we did. But Elder Nelson came and spoke to us on Christmas day, and gave us some really practical advice. Also, the next day, we were able to have Sister Nelson come to speak to us in Relief Society (a meeting where all of the sisters meet together) and Sheri Dew was in the congregation with us (but had sworn herself to silence...bummer! But she gave a really great talk on focusing on fulfilling our commitments that we made before we came to this earth--and knowing how to do these things by reading the Book of Mormon- since it really can answer ALL of our problems/questions! It was really neat.
This week we learned more how to contact - - exactly what Mitch did on the streets of Peru-- WO!!! Holy Smokes. It was so great to read that, since it makes it seem so much more real.. like we're not going to be talking to other missionaries for the next 18 months, but teaching and talking to "real" people who don't have the gospel and who need it in their lives! We're really trying to learn how to get to know someone and establish a relationship of trust and love with them, find out their needs, and then teach the parts of the gospel that will help them the most. I had a break through moment this week when one of our subsitute teachers was talking to us about teaching. We had just finished teaching a "first lesson" in Spanish- about prayer! It went pretty well, I really felt the spirit when I was testifying about prayer and how it's really something that I believe can be so powerful. But, I still don't know how to really connect with someone in Spanish. So after this lesson the teacher just said the thing that most of us remember about a class or a teacher is not the specific words they use about a subject, but how much love you feel that they have for you. And the same thing applies to teaching in missionary work- how we really need to let our personalities show, and just really be their friend, and help them feel that love, so that they'll want to show. No more missionary robot!! haha
You might be wondering how the language is coming- it's good! I feel like I've really been blessed to be in the intermediate class and help the rest of my district out. I'm working on coming more comfortable with speaking conversationally...but I feel like I can usually get my point across. Some are really struggling. I think Hna. Rios in particular gets really frusterated, and so I've been trying to help her just be patient with herself and feeling more comfortable in making mistakes - because really, that's what we've all got to do to learn the language! Now, understanding native speakers is another story. We'll cross that bridge when we get there tho. Just like Mitch says/does: it's all about taking the initiative and working hard to feel the spirit and have confidence in the Lord.
Sorry this doesn't say much, but I'd love to hear about how Relief Society is going, and how the New Year plays out (see if Mom or Dad will be able to stay up and watch the ball drop with out me there to bang pots or pans-- even though it sounds like we've got plenty of "whipped" boys in the house who'll be doing that this year!!! hahaha) and how b-ball is going and how work is and what the new predictions are for the year! I love you and miss you in a good way! You all mean so much to me and this missionary work just keeps on reminding me of how BLESSED I am to really have such a great family!
I love you all SO much! THE CHURCH IS TRUE! Hna. Child!! xoxox
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