Thursday, October 15, 2009

Estoy en Guatemala!

Hola todos! Como estan? I'm in Guatemala!! It is incredible to be here. I love everything about it. There's no way that I could possibly describe everything to you all, but just know that I'm safe, happy, and having the time of my life.

My favorite thing about being here is just talking with everyone, especially the Latinos. I try to talk with them every opportunity I get. My district is just North Americans, and we have a different schedule than the Latinos, so when we get to be in a meeting or have meals with them, it's a special treat. I have become great friends with so many of them. Every time I tell them I'm going to San Pedro Sula, they make a face and tell me how hot it's going to be. I guess I have no idea what I'm getting into. :)

It's not super hot here, quite humid, but I like it. When it rains, it really rains, and it just comes down hard and suddenly. It was funny watching the viejos, or the missionaries who have been here already for 3 weeks taking a nice group picture outside... it kept raining, so they'd wait for it to stop, then go out and try to take the picture, running back and forth while the camera man tried to protect his camera. I love love love the rain.

My companion is Hermana Romero from Hooper Utah. She's as gringa as I am, although her last name comes from Mexico a long ways back. She is very smart, has a lot of Spanish experience, and is outgoing and great! We do well together contacting and teaching. We're already fast friends. It's interesting to see what people think of you or what labels they give you... my last companion thought of me as very strict and organized, and Hna. Romero thinks of me as happy and excited about everything. Which I suppose is true, I mean, I'm in GUATEMALA!!! Anyhow, she's wonderful.

Every Sunday, everyone has to prepare a talk to give in church (in Spanish, of course). This week, the topic given to my district was virtue, and I kept teasing all the Latino Elders that they would be called to speak. Guess who was called? Yep, me. I wasn't really nervous, and it went pretty well. It was fun to see a whole two rows of Latino Elders grinning at me with smiles of "I told you so" and "You're doing great". I feel so loved and supported here. In my talk, I struggled a little bit in reading and pronouncing things, but as soon as I shared my testimony at the end, I noticed a great change in my confidence and ability to speak.

Elder Falabella from the quorum of the 70 (He gave a prayer in our latest General Conference) came! He spoke in Spanish to all of us, and I got to sit in the front row, center. There weren't enough headphones for all of us Norteamericanos, so my companion and I tried to understand as much as we could without, and we got most of it! I was able to take a lot of notes, and in Spanish. It was amazing.. the spirit was strong, and I felt honored to be able to hear a general authority share his testimony and love.

Earlier in the week we went contacting at the temple grounds! There was a man selling ice cream that my comp and I talked to. We testified of the gospel, of God's love for him, and gave him a panflet (can't spell in English any more) about the restoration. Later we saw him reading it! The best part is, a few Elders tried contacting him before us, and he wouldn't hear any of it. Oh the power of being a white girl. :)

Today we get to go to the temple! I'm very excited!! Email is probably the best way to communicate with me here... I get 45 minutes to read and respond, where snail mail is going to take probably at least a week maybe more. But you can snail mail if you want too. Pouch mail will get to me in my mission, sometime in mid November, or here is the address of our CCM (MTC):

Hermana Francis
CCM
Boulevard Vista Hermosa
23-15 Zona 15
Guatemala City, Guatemala
CENTRAL AMERICA

I sent some letters today, so you probably won't get them for another week, but know they're coming. My home address is the return address so that if they get lost, they'll be sent to home in Orem and not get lost coming back here.

I love you all! I have a testimony of this amazing work. Be missionaries now! Seize every opportunity! You don't know what good you can do.

Love, Hermana Francis
Jacob 3:1-2

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