This week was not an easy one for me. Last Sunday night I went to a fireside for the singles of this stake. President Martinez was the speaker, he is the dad of the family I am staying with and I almost always know what he is saying. But as I sat and listened to him speak I found that there were many times I didn't know exactly what was being said. About half way through I was wondering why I was having such a difficult time and all the sudden I remembered my previous stake presidents. As I remembered their talks I remembered the moments when they would say a word and all the congregation would look at one another because we didn't know what it meant. When I thought of those moments, and how I've been speaking english for 26 years and I still don't know it all, that's when it hit me--I am going to be studying and speaking spanish for a very long time and even then I will not know it all. I determined I was ok with this, and moved on to keep learning. But something else settled deep in my heart that night--no one hear knows me. They don't understand all I want to say, and I don't understand all they say to me. And for the first time in a long while I felt very much alone. The family I am with is wonderful, and kind, and funny. I enjoy their company very much. But it takes a lot of time to explain my thoughts, it's not easy like it is with my friends at home, and we don't laugh till our stomachs hurt. I think Anne of Green Gables coined the term "Bosom Buddies", and I was missing mine. I missed talking to my friends in english, I missed easy communication. That night when I knelt to pray I decided to start praying in english again, so at least I could have an easy time talking to God.
Monday morning I woke up at 5 in the morning for seminary (it hit my that night watch at Anasazi has prepared me for going to seminary again! ha) and I wanted so badly to stay in bed. I got up we waited for the teacher, but she never came. Andrés decided he wanted to go to her house, and so I accompanied him. On the walk over my heart was still weighed with the thought of missing dear friends. When we arrived he started talking to her about a scripture mastery he had memorized. As I listened to him I thought "Hey, I should memorize some more scriptures while I'm here, I've got the time!" And immediately the words from a conference address a couple years ago of Elder Richard G. Scott came into my mind that knowing and memorizing scriptures is like gaining a new life long friend. With that my mind shouted "Great idea! You need those right now! Start memorizing today!" And then the words "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thee for good." I got very emotional as I sat there and realized I HAD already memorized many scriptures, and thus I HAD many friends with me. As more scriptures came to mind I felt overwhelming gratitude that all these years after I had memorized them, here they were when I felt so alone in a country far from home.
Also on Monday I got to skype for the first time with my nephew! Which I was very excited about, and the conversation was pretty funny. His face when he saw me was priceless! His mouth popped open and he immediately requested that I come to his house. When I told him I couldn't because I was far, far away he paused, then asked "Oh...were you chased by monsters?" Hahaha, I replied in the affirmative but that I ran fast like him, and that was satisfactory enough of an answer. Now when I leave the house Andrés Felipe (the 16 year old) warns me to watch out for monsters! Another classic thing that happened monday was I wanted to show you guys how they do milk here, so I took a picture at a big store and about 2 minutes later (and several aisles over) a security guard approached me and told me sternly that I couldn't take pictures. I did what any good gringo would do, I acted like I didn't know what he was saying and muttered some things in sloppy spanish (on purpose of course!) Here is the fruits of my labor:
All of those are bags of milk! I saw them in boxes in Mexico, but bags was a new experience for me!
Also in this same store I went to use the bathroom and the first stall I entered didn't have toilet paper (as in the whole toilet paper dispenser) "that's weird" I thought and moved to the next stall...but that one didn't have any either! Good thing I happened to have in my purse my little package of puppy print, smell good tp.
Tuesday I got to Skype with some friends and I was so happy. Man I really give it up to you missionaries, it's tough not having friends who speak your language! That day Sister Martinez and I went shopping again (I think for the 5th or 6th day in a week and a half) and on the bus ride home I thought "I hope I don't die today or tomorrow because I really don't want to tell God that for my last week on earth I shopped most of the days!" (Luckily my life has been spared.) When we got home I was showing my spoils to Andrés & Maria when two men came over. I asked "Quien hay estos hombros?" And they laughed and laughed, for two reasons. I had accidentally called them 'hombros' (meaning shoulders) instead of 'hombres' (meaning men). Bahaha. Also you call men in the church "hermanos de la iglesia" (brethren of the church), and 'hombres' is somewhat derogatory. So all in all it was a ridiculous statement. So we laughed hard and decided it was our new insult/joke. And we always so it with cattiness. I think it's my favorite mis-speak so far!
This town is tatted up! But some of it is really beautiful.
This week was my first time doing the wash...I'm a fan of how we roll in the states ;)
Shopping on Friday for a suit for President Martinez brought us to this store with a Harry Potter bathroom! (I am bent over at the waist.) I thought it was so funny I had to take a picture. (and thanks to my dad my eyes are never open!)
Some more of the sweet lunches I enjoy here. I love cooking, but it's super sweet to have a home cooked meal 3 times a day that I do nothing but show up for (most of the time).
Can you see why I'm a little concerned at getting fat here? I ran 2 times this week because I ate arepas and drank avena so much!
One of the fruits of my purchases. I can make boots like these...but for $20 I'm sold! These are one of my favorite pairs of boots. I went from 2 pairs of boots in the states, to the proud owner of 6 pairs total. I think I'm done shopping, it's just that things are SO CRAZY CHEAP here!
Saturday I was listening to some stories the family were telling and expecting I any moment there would be something I wouldn't understand, but it didn't happen. I understood them completely! (Now that is not always the case, but it is happening more and more often. Pretty sweet!)
I was super excited for general conference this weekend. Initially I had intended on watching it in spanish, but after trying that for the relief society broadcast I decided against it. I was alone in my room when I heard the exciting news about a new temple in AZ! And I had no one to be shocked with about the new age option for missionaries. But it was a sweet experience. President Uchtdorf laid it down like he always does, and single-handedly answered almost all the questions I wrote down. But as usual it just kept coming. I loved all of it! I am so excited to have that counsel right now! It came at a perfect time to set my sails on where I need to go. I love that we have a living prophet and apostles that speak to us!
Tonight they had me in charge of FHE. Of course the song I choose isn't in spanish, and they don't have any other songs about the prophets that I know. I gave the lesson and I wasn't so sure that it'd go well so I wrote down my thoughts so I would have all the words set up right, but I put my paper down and started and hardly looked at it. It turned out well!
Well turns out I'm the same person speaking english and spanish. Today the mom and dad were teasing me about how sassy I am. And we are constantly dishing jokes back and forth. Well I am setting myself to a new schedule this week. Hopefully it will help my spanish skyrocket! Sure miss and love y'all! I'll write again next week if I'm alive ;) (I went to the stake center today with the family for conference and watched the morning session with the gringo missionaries...when they found out I was living in Bosa central they all got looks on their faces and said it was dangerous. I don't believe them, I've been here two weeks and it's been fine! Don't worry, I am very careful still.)
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