Hola From the Other Side!

We're a little late updating Allyssa's missionary blog (got a too busy with sampler bowl concepts....at this time we ARE taking name suggestions)!   Here is what Hermana Stacey sent last week:

"Hola Mi familia y mis amigos!  I LOVE being a missionary!  It is such a wonderful feeling and the spirit is so strong here at the CCM (MTC).  Mexico is muy bonita, I just really love it!  I wish that I had my camera so I could take pictures to send you but that's ok, my companera is sending me some of hers to send you!

There is a website called letter@mtcmexicocarepackage.com and through that website supposedly you can email me for free and they print it off here and deliver it to me the next day!  (Don't forget that when you send a letter through the Mexico package website, you have to put Hermana Stacey district 15-A in the subject line)  My companera gets some and its so cool! So check it out also its free unlike DearElder.com I guess.. yea but don't send actual letters though while I am here in Mexico because I wont get it until like 4-5 weeks and if it comes after this week, I will be gone before it gets here! But once I get to Virginia send all you want!!!  ;) 

  Anyways, down to the good stuff! Mexico has lots of ummmm cannons going off everyday (I'm not going to tell you what they really are) and it sounds just like the Hunger Games cannon when a tribute dies so we just all sing the hunger games tune when that happens.  ;) 

I have a new respect for Latinos, they are beautiful people and I love their language!  So wonderful!  Everyone is so nice and loving here I love it!

 

Mis maestros son my divertido y I am learning so much! its only been a week but I can see a huge difference in my Spanish! I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with the ability to do this.  Its hard in a way that is hard to explain, like I know I can do it but, its a lot of work to learn the gospel while learning a different language.  But I have never been more grateful for the embarrassing 5 anos I took in high school, but it is helping! It is basically eat, sleep, study.  That's' all I do with a little extra study! Wow I have never studied so hard in my life! (which I am sure mis padres are glad to hear!)

This week felt like an eternity but also its hard to believe that I have been a missionary for a week! (well, 2 now...)The food here is, ummmmmm, interesting!  Honestly, it's a hit and miss.   Sometimes we are like ew, other times we are like YES!  But ALL the time you NEVER ask questions about WHAT you're eating haha!  I feel like everything has a weird taste to it, but its good ha.  I am drinking lots of filtered water though.

My companera is Hermana Stewart from St George and she is wonderful!  We are like meant to be companions; she is super fun and knows when we need to study and we just get along so great!  Everyone is younger than me but I am trying to get over that.  There is one other Hermana here that is my age and she is going to Virginia too!  I have 5 Hermanas going to Richmond same day that all came the same time!  Its kind of cool so we are all real close and most of us are in the same district! 




mi companera!

mi casa!

 

mis roommates



 

We have been teaching Carlos (one of our teachers) and its getting easier to write lessons and stuff but our 3rd lesson went smoothly!  I was so happy about it I mean we really tried to listen and answer his questions and be missionaries of God.  We were too focused on speaking Spanish last time, but this time we just opened our mouths and words came out what needed to be said and it was in SPANISH!  What a wonderful feeling  :)

 

We watched the Testaments and it just made the Atonement so real to me! Jesus was crucified, then came back and the part where Jacob's dad is blinded, but his whole life he told everyone about the Messiah and how He was going to come back.  Then when the Savior does come back, Jacob is describing Him to him saying, "He is magnificent father! Everything you have dreamed of and more!" Then they are crying together because his dad can't see for himself, then Jacob feels a hand on his shoulder, and the Savior then puts his hands on Jacob's dad's eyes and says "be healed" and the look on his face made me bawl like a baby!  He recognized his Savior's voice from the first word and he started to cry and praise him and it just was the most touching thing.  I just thought that will be us one day. The Messiah will come and we are going to see Him and touch his hands and hug our Lord!  It is so real to me and I hope to you too!  The spirit testified to me that this gospel is true in that moment and how can I deny such a beautiful truth?  I need to share this with everyone and I am so excited to be able to do it in Espanol! Jesus Christ knows us personally and is waiting for us to open our eyes and see Him and look into the eyes of our Redeemer with recognition.

I miss you all so much but I know nuestro Padre Celestial is taking care of you while I am gone! Te amo!"