My travel plans came today for México! I fly from LA to México City and then down to Mérida, looks like about a 14 hour day, leaving at 3:30 in the morning from the MTC a week from Monday! I'm really starting to get excited..trying not to be nervous. It's definitely making me reflect on my time in the MTC and how much I've learned and grown here..what a great place.
Lots happened this week: here goes yet another real scattered information-filled update from me (:
First and foremost, Elder Christofferson came this week for Tuesday night's devotional! That brings the apostle count to 4...not sure if we're really awesome missionaries and they feel we deserve this, or the opposite and we need some wisdom and chastising from apostles of the Lord, I'm going with the first one (: Nonetheless, it was so fabulous. I've always loved the way Elder Christofferson speaks because it's as if you're sitting at his kitchen table. Just so laid back and kind of like a conversation. He spoke about trust and asked the question. "How many of us can God trust?" Also, he said, "It is greater to be trusted than to be loved." (If I remember correctly he was quoting Elder Packer on that one) Wow though, how profound is that. I would hope that our Heavenly Father can trust all of us as His children to represent him and be good examples to those around us.
Lemme think..what else happened this week...I remember feeling really down toward the beginning of the week and just plain exhausted (I've been having a hard time sleeping) and really didn't want to go teach Hely, one of our investigators from Guatemala. However, I prayed with Hermana Keaton before the lesson and put it in the Lord's hands and asked for his help. I truly believe that lesson was one of the most spiritual and tender moments I've had during my time here. Hely gave the most sincere, heartfelt prayer I have ever heard come out of somebody's mouth. With tears streaming down her face, (and mine) a small something told me, "This. This is what makes it all worth it." On those bad days, the hard days, the long days, the "my companion is being annoying days" it's those moments that make it all worth it. I can't wait to have those same experiences in México. Can't wait.
I also just really can't believe that tomorrow marks one month since I started the mission. Where did the time go? I can't imagine being anywhere else than here, serving the Lord and his wonderful children.
Yesterday we finished our grammar book, and we got to one of the hardest verb tenses..I was getting SUPER frustrated and for the life of me could not understand how/when to use it. As I felt myself getting more and more upset...I wasn't even sure what to do. My teacher then told us, "I'm going to be an investigator, and I want you to teach me about the Plan of Salvation using this verb tense we just learned. I can tell you need a minute to take a break so I'm going to go into the other room, and when you're ready, come get me." He left the room, and I just broke down and began sobbing. My companion is so sweet, she just rubbed my back and listened to me complain and cry. Not gonna lie, I was pretty proud of myself for making it a whole month before my first breakdown...but still..it just wasn't pretty. I was so frustrated because most of the language is coming fairly easy and I understand almost everything we're learning..but this one I just couldn't get. After a few minutes of this, I wiped away my tears, said a prayer with Hermana Keaton, and we asked Hermano Whittaker to come back in, we were ready to teach! (I pretended I was ready, at least) However, he knows us too well and after looking at me, he said, "Ok, we're not gonna do that, let's go to a scripture." I'm grateful for the teachers here. They've helped me tremendously. They know our needs, they know how to help us, and lemme tell ya, they are the most patient people I've ever met. At times like yesterday, when we're getting frustrated, oftentimes Hermano Whittaker takes a walk with us around the west campus for 5 or 10 minutes just to clear our brains and get some fresh air..and it's funny how he always knows exactlywhen we need it.
One more P-day and I'm off to Mérida. I saw Brady Sawyer on main campus today. He´s going to Las Vegas in two weeks! Cool stuff.
Thanks everyone for the letters and DearElders this week, they always come when I need some encouragement and definitely brighten my day. Also, thank you so much momma for the homemade cookies!
I love you all so much,
Hermana Maki (:
Sorry that the pictures are always sideways! Cool story though; since we're on west campus, there's a little shopping center/strip mall thing right down the road called Brigham's Landing and they have the Cocoa Bean, Great Harvest, Jamba Juice, etc etc..Anyway, on P-day we're allowed to go down there, so of course we went to the cocoa bean today!! It was so great, and a nice treat. It was one of the Hermana's birthday in my zone so I got one for her too (: Ok, that's all..
Until next week!
Mucho amor.
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