First P-Day!

Holy cow I cannot believe that I have already been at the CCM (MTC in Spanish) already. It´s amazing how much I've grown in just this short amount of time.

Who is your companion?

Mi compañera es Hermana Baldwin. She is from Idaho Falls, ID and she will be serving down in Phoenix, AZ! Surprise is in her mission so you might get to meet my first compañera! She has an amazing story and is the coolest ever. All the girls I stay with are kinda... well a lot more girly than I am so I kinda struggle to relate to them... They like to talk about boy friends and wedding and naming their kids and I'm like... Volleyball? Hahahaha. I kinda knew before I went on my mission that this would be a problem since I wasn't raised like most Mormons. But I love them and I am working really hard on just listening to them and being genuine about it LOL!

What has been your biggest spiritual Ah-ha moment so far?

Here at the CCM we have practice investigators who you learn about, teach and come to love even though they aren't "real" investigators. We were teaching the first lesson in "Preach My Gospel" and it goes over how loving our Heavenly Father is, modern day revelacion and the First Vision when Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son JesuCristo. I was reading the first paragraph and last paragraph that describes the purpose of the Book of Mormon. I have been struggling with my testimony for a while and reading the part where it says "The Book of Mormon testifies of our Savior JesuCristo and that Joseph Smith was called of God"... Well something like that. My heart burned with the spirit of God and I can never deny that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was called of God to translate it.

What has been your biggest struggle so far?

Relating to my compañera and the other sisters that we live with. They are the farthest from me in anyway possible. 3 of the 4 of us play volleyball and that is about the only thing we have in common. My compañera keeps forgetting that I'm her compañera and not the other Hermanas. It been hard having to adjust to other.. women. I just talk so differently from them and more... I don't know.. We just all have a different sense of humor. They are all such white girls! Hahaha.

How is the food?

Right now I am so grateful that I grew up in AZ. I MISS KENDRA'S COOKING SO MUCH! All we eat is Mexican food. My compañera is really struggling with the food right now. She hardly eats anything and I'm over here grubbing! Ain't nobody got time for that! Haha.

Are you doing well with the missionary struggle?

Yes, I am coping well. The first night I was not homesick at all. Everything was so busy and there is so much to take in that I was out! Slept like a rock and on a rock I might add! The mattresses are so very terrible here! Hahaha but we are all used to it by now. The second night I fell off the top bunk of my bed and woke up holding my shoulder. I lost feeling in it for a good 15 minutes until it really started to hurt. I took some Ibprofen and laid back in bed. That's when I was really homesick missing everyone. I wanted a blessing so bad from dad and Randy. I cried myself to sleep that night. Then after 2 days of it hurting I finally went to the doctor on Saturday and he wanted some x-rays done. I was cursed to an arm sling til then. It was humiliating. 

On Monday before I went to go see the doctor I asked all the Elders in my district to give me a blessing. The spirit was so strong! The x-ray place was closed on Monday so I went yesterday. No broken bones thank goodness! But they probably think I tore something in my rotator cuff. That doesn't stop me from playing ball though! Now I'm just taking extra-strength Ibprofen for it. The director of the CCM totally cracked a joke about me in his devotional and everyone turned around to look at me. I just waved and laughed hahaha. I'm known as the hermana who fell off the top bunk at the CCM! LOL. I'm famous!

What have you learned this week?

This week I have learned my objectivo. Here at the CCM they don't teach that it's all about the baptisms. They don't teach that in order to be successful you must master the language in 6 weeks. What they do teach is that your whole life for the next 18-24 months is getting to know, love and apply the gospel to your investigators life. I never knew I could love something so much until we finished our 2nd discussion with our investigator. All you do on your mission is pray and think about how you can help your investigator come unto Christ..

Plans for next week?

Wake up, Spanish, practice, Spanish, read my scriptures, Spanish, practice, Spanish, pray, Spanish. I might be able to get some sleep and some meals in between hahaha! ;)

Do any of your teachers speak English?

They do but not very good. On the first day you go to your first spanish class and there is not one word spoken in English. I was so overwhelmed I wanted to cry but I didn't! The rest of the hermanas in my group did LOL. Not me.

We have an hour of gym time everyday and all we do is play volleyball. There is this kid who I play with that played for Mesa High's boys volleyball team. A couple of the other Elders are really good too. It makes me miss Tuesday nights and playing with mi Padre! Tell the guys I miss them! Anyways they all like playing with me because I tease them and don't get all mad when they try to hit. LOL. Plus I can actually rally with them.

I can pray and bare my testimony in Spanish now. Shout out to Mr. Wright! I miss you and am looking forward to you emailing me!

Yo se que la Iglesia De JesuCristo De Los Santos De Los Ultimos Dias es verdad. Yo se que Dios es muy amorado. Yo se que JesuCristo es nuestro el Salvador y que Jose Smith fue llamamiento de Dios. Yo se que familia es eternal. Amore mi Salvador y mi Dios. En el nombre de JesuCristo, Amen.

My accents weren't working on my keyboard but there are some accents in there LOL.

Translation:

I know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know that my God is very loving. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that Joseph Smith was called of God. I know that family is eternal. I love my Savior and my God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Until next P.Day I love you all!