Week 4: Whew
About a week and a half here. I am amazed how time flies. This week has been one of gratitude for HEALTH, because in almost every body part, I have had some type of malfunction. :) if it´s not sneezing the entire day with a sore throat and slight cough, it´s the drowsiness that comes from allergy medication that I took in the morning, not reading the one line that informs ¨may cause drowsiness¨. That or not being able to walk in a straight line because of dizziness, combined with stomach discomfort. Oh, it´s been quite the healthful week! (incorrect grammar, I know. Sorry, Kristie). But, I feel so deeply grateful to be here.
Every day I learn more about how important this gospel is. It´s not just something to do, it´s the ONLY way back
to Him. His PLAN for us is this. I didn´t get that growing up. Last night was one of the latina´s birthday´s, so the cook baked a cake for her and we all surprised here and sang. Oh, she was so adorable. Just so happy with tears of being remembered on her special day. My companion and I had to leave shortly after singing, but that night at prayer (the hermanas have announcements & prayer every night before bed) (I think there are about 30 hermanas. 110 people total in the MTC, and the temple patron housing is attached to the building with who knows how many temple workers....) anyway, some of the hermanas saw that my companion and I had to leave early, and they saved cake for us and brought it to our room. Seriously, they are SO thoughtful.
My roommates are amazing. Two are natives_one from Honduras. Short little girl, and SO adorable. Short and so vivacious. Hermana Romero is her name. Last night she was painting her toenails, and had to come to each of our beds and show them to us. Ahhhh, love her! She doesn´t speak a word of English, so talking to her is rapidfire Spanish. Our other roommate, Hermana Caal, is from Guatemala, and just so patient. She knows some English phrases, and always wants to learn more. On Sundays we change companions and are with a latina most of the day, and she´s my companion. We are pretty similar in how our companionships both are. Then, my MTC companion Hermana Tolliver is in the room as well as Holly Olsen´s cousin, Hermana Bitter. She is so
much like Holly it´s amazing!
As far as being here, I have to
remember what a friend told me ¨Be patient with yourself and those around you. Often they are just at a different level than we are. We are all different and we all have different strengths.¨ It´s a reminder I need on a daily basis. Often, I start the day with lofty goals, but by lunchtime I´ve broken down and reverted back to the easier way of doing things. Last night as I wrote in my journal, I pondered why I don´t feel I´m getting anywhere, and I realized it´s because I´m NOT being patient with myself. I need to just take each day and try to be even a LITTLE better than the day before. That´s my new goal.
By far, the highlight of the week was visiting the Guatemala City temple. It´s a hop, skip, and a boatride away. AKA across the street (más o menos). For the next time, we will go in English, and after that they encourage us to do Spanish sessions. Yes, please! I´m stoked. I seriously just eat up spanish. My companion isn´t quite spanish lovin´yet, so together we take a step back. I´d be lying if I said that part were easy. I go a million miles an hour, often by myself, so this is an inspired lesson on patience and depending on someone else. It´s never been my strength. So..... thank you, Heavenly Father. :) We will be singing in sacrament meeting next week. It´ll be fun to see Melissa´s brother, Donovan, here! I can´t believe in a week, the group I arrived here with will be the senior group. And then... 3 weeks. My motivation to learn Spanish, to strengthen my understanding of the gospel is that in 5 weeks I will be IN Honduras. Many of the people in the MTC here are converts to the
gospel, sometimes a year or two. They are amazing examples to me.
Love it here! Never Give Up, Never Surrender. :)
Every day I learn more about how important this gospel is. It´s not just something to do, it´s the ONLY way back
to Him. His PLAN for us is this. I didn´t get that growing up. Last night was one of the latina´s birthday´s, so the cook baked a cake for her and we all surprised here and sang. Oh, she was so adorable. Just so happy with tears of being remembered on her special day. My companion and I had to leave shortly after singing, but that night at prayer (the hermanas have announcements & prayer every night before bed) (I think there are about 30 hermanas. 110 people total in the MTC, and the temple patron housing is attached to the building with who knows how many temple workers....) anyway, some of the hermanas saw that my companion and I had to leave early, and they saved cake for us and brought it to our room. Seriously, they are SO thoughtful.
My roommates are amazing. Two are natives_one from Honduras. Short little girl, and SO adorable. Short and so vivacious. Hermana Romero is her name. Last night she was painting her toenails, and had to come to each of our beds and show them to us. Ahhhh, love her! She doesn´t speak a word of English, so talking to her is rapidfire Spanish. Our other roommate, Hermana Caal, is from Guatemala, and just so patient. She knows some English phrases, and always wants to learn more. On Sundays we change companions and are with a latina most of the day, and she´s my companion. We are pretty similar in how our companionships both are. Then, my MTC companion Hermana Tolliver is in the room as well as Holly Olsen´s cousin, Hermana Bitter. She is so
much like Holly it´s amazing!
As far as being here, I have to
remember what a friend told me ¨Be patient with yourself and those around you. Often they are just at a different level than we are. We are all different and we all have different strengths.¨ It´s a reminder I need on a daily basis. Often, I start the day with lofty goals, but by lunchtime I´ve broken down and reverted back to the easier way of doing things. Last night as I wrote in my journal, I pondered why I don´t feel I´m getting anywhere, and I realized it´s because I´m NOT being patient with myself. I need to just take each day and try to be even a LITTLE better than the day before. That´s my new goal.
By far, the highlight of the week was visiting the Guatemala City temple. It´s a hop, skip, and a boatride away. AKA across the street (más o menos). For the next time, we will go in English, and after that they encourage us to do Spanish sessions. Yes, please! I´m stoked. I seriously just eat up spanish. My companion isn´t quite spanish lovin´yet, so together we take a step back. I´d be lying if I said that part were easy. I go a million miles an hour, often by myself, so this is an inspired lesson on patience and depending on someone else. It´s never been my strength. So..... thank you, Heavenly Father. :) We will be singing in sacrament meeting next week. It´ll be fun to see Melissa´s brother, Donovan, here! I can´t believe in a week, the group I arrived here with will be the senior group. And then... 3 weeks. My motivation to learn Spanish, to strengthen my understanding of the gospel is that in 5 weeks I will be IN Honduras. Many of the people in the MTC here are converts to the
gospel, sometimes a year or two. They are amazing examples to me.
Love it here! Never Give Up, Never Surrender. :)
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