July 17, 2014 Letter

Hola friends!

It's been a great week here at the CCM! The past couple of days, our teacher has challenged us to speak on Spanish until the end of the CCM. I can't say that I've been doing it 100%, but it's been really great. It really challenges me to think, and I've learned a lot. I'm so excited for the day that I finally understand everything. :) I love learning Spanish. I finally understand all of the grammar, now it's a matter of knowing the vocabulary, and then is the daunting task of understanding the people. On Tuesday, the Haitian sisters left, and yesterday, all of the Latinos came. There are some from places like El Salvador or Mexico, and they are pretty easy to understand. And then the Dominicans started speaking and all I was thinking is "This isn't the language they're teaching me in the MTC." haha

 

So last Friday, we went to the Univeristy to teach again, and we had an interesting experience. I was talking to a man about the Restoration of the Gospel, but he wasn't listening to a word I was saying. He was staring at Hermana Oborn! haha He cut me off and was asking how long she'll be here, if she has a boyfriend, and how well she speaks Spanish. He told her that she was beautiful, and reached out for her hand. Hermana Oborn can't understand a word of what these people say, so she just gave him her hand. He wasn't letting go, so I pushed her hand away, and told him that we weren't staying long and that we had to go. After we walked away, we told her, and she was so embarassed. She had no idea! haha

 

Our district loves to sing, and we sing all the time. We have someone covering each part, and we sound pretty good. I love singing with them, and I know that I need to cherish it, because I hear that most of the natives can't sing. haha But I've really started to appreciate how incredibly blessed I was to be a part of Concert Choir at BYU, and I can't wait to get back and sing with them again. I have a new appreciation for the power of music.

 

Because the temple is closed for the next few weeks, we didn't go this morning. Instead, we watched an MTC Devotional given by Jeffrey R. Holland. It was so powerful. Here are some things that he said:

"Missionary work isn't easy because it was never easy for the Son of the Living God. You are going to have to prepare to feel thos esame emotions.

The road to salvation always goes through the Garden of Gethsemane.

I don't know a disciple that didn't do what the Savior did, or didn't follow where the Savior went.

Salvation is not a cheap experience. It's going to take everything, and it's going to give you everything, and it's going to make you everything that you can possibly be."

I obviously can't relay how powerful his words were through and e-mail, but for those of you who know just how powerful his words can be, you can imagine how he made me feel.

 

Something I love about watching devotionals, is afterwards, we get together as a district to discuss what we learned. I love it because that's when I learn. I get to talk about what touched me, and I get to listen to things that I hadn't picked up on my own. I know General Conference is a ways away, but I challenge you to discuss with others the things that you learn at church, during personal scripture study, or anything. When you share and discuss what you've learn, it's when the Spirit can speak to you and that's when you can receive revelation.

 

A Day in the DR:

There's a virus going around called Chikungunya. It's passed through mosquitos, which are everywhere, and it causes joint pain. None of the missionaries have gotten it yet, but a lot of the teachers have. I really hope that my stylish mosquito net will protect me from it, because it sounds painful!

 

Well, I love and miss you all so much! I love hearing about your lifes, and I can't wait until I see you all! God be with you until we meet again!