Week 5: The Dreaded Weekly Email
Holy guacamole. Another week gone. I ONLY HAVE ONE WEEK LEFT HERE AT
THE COMPOUND. Which means no email next week. I know all your weeks
revolve around my weekly email, so I´m sorry in advance for the hard
week you´re going to have next week. Don’t worry, we´ll get through it
together.
This last week I fasted for the ability to really start to learn the
language. I had a few great experiences:
1. I was able to memorize a couple paragraphs in Español. It may sound
simple… but uhhh I have a terrible memory so it took reciting it (the
first vision and the baptismal invitation) 2,234times and over
pronouncing EVERYTHING. But Don´t worry, I got it. The Latina Hermanas
made sure to help my pronunciation, they´re the best.
2. I was being taught by a couple other gringo Hermanas. I could tell
one of them was struggling to feel like she was contributing at all.
It´s hard when you have a companion that speaks the language well and
you don´t. I felt for her. I could tell she was so broken down about
it. BUT I GET HER! It´s rough feeling like the stupidest person, all
day every day. I was grateful I could talk to her and tell her I
completely understood.
3. Looking back at how much my attitude has changed with the language.
I write in my journal with colors. Purple is grateful, red is angry,
pink is funny, green is spiritual moments, blue is about people…
anyways you get the picture. The amount of red used has greatly
declined… and green and purple have greatly increased.
Last night we had Elder Jodoy speak at our devotional. He talked about
Judges 7. He compared it to us, as missionaries, needing to always
have our “trumpet and our torch”. To teach with boldness and the
spirit. He had a pretty cool story. He´s from the area 4, 70 or
whatever that means. And he was baptized years ago by President Moores
son! OUR PRESIDENT MOORE here at the CCM. Crazy small world.
Scriptures from this week in the Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 18 compared
with Ether 6. I just love the thought that we can choose how we see
our lives. If we remember that ALLL things are from God we will
recognize how blessed we have been. We can choose to focus on the
blessings in our lives and when we do that with humility we will
continue to move forward and progress.
Things I love:
1. The Latina Hermanas. One of the Hermanas pointed to a tiny zit on
her forehead and then yelled, “I am un UNICORN!” I love when they
speak English with me. It makes me realize that I sound 700 times
dumber in Spanish. One day I will learn.
2. All my hermanos y hermanas (homies) here at the compound. I´m gonna
miss all the fools that struggled through the CCM with me. One day we
made a list of cons between each companionship. Welp. My companion and
I definitely had the most going for us. The list included; hand
puppets over the bathroom stalls, getting sick all the time, the fact
that I´m 24 and wear a horse shirt, they all think I´m a hippie, my
companion has to run to el baño every 7 minutes, she´s peed her pants
(at least) twice here, CJ….. obviously we´re the coolest companions.
3. Mi compañeras singing! Seriously. I don´t know why she´s not famous.
Things I´m learning to love:
1. As my Spanish slowly increases my English rapidly declines. What is
spelling?! Sorry if my emails are a terrible pain to read. We´ll also
blame the slightly different keyboard
2. Feeling like the stupidest person 97% of the time. And… When I
leave this place I´m sure I´m going to be sounded smart alllllllll the
time.
3. My district (the 4 elders and me and my companion that spend 10
hours a day in a classroom together) got to that point where
EVERYTHING is funny. Everything. One of the Elders started sing a
children’s rhyme and doing the hand motions and we all lost it. We
were all on the floor crying we were laughing so hard. Oh my gosh.
What has my life turned into?! But it was great. I will always think
of my district whenever someone sings, “Hello! My name is Joe… and I
work in a button Factory. One day. My boss said Joe. Are you busy? And
I said no. So push that button with your __Right elbow__. “
4. Hmmhmmm. Along with my rapidly declining English skills is my
rapidly declining maturity.
5.Whenever I try to describe my family in Spanish everyone stops me
when I say that my YOUNGER sister is married. Then the typically
response is for them to start laughing hysterically and ask why I´m
not married. (High five Lingle, XD)
My companion actually send photos home (don´t know how she has time
for that) but her family updates her website… so if you want photos
checkout saigeaudre.com
SORRY FOR THE NOVEL. I love you all. And really, thank for thinking of
me. You all are the BEST!
THE COMPOUND. Which means no email next week. I know all your weeks
revolve around my weekly email, so I´m sorry in advance for the hard
week you´re going to have next week. Don’t worry, we´ll get through it
together.
This last week I fasted for the ability to really start to learn the
language. I had a few great experiences:
1. I was able to memorize a couple paragraphs in Español. It may sound
simple… but uhhh I have a terrible memory so it took reciting it (the
first vision and the baptismal invitation) 2,234times and over
pronouncing EVERYTHING. But Don´t worry, I got it. The Latina Hermanas
made sure to help my pronunciation, they´re the best.
2. I was being taught by a couple other gringo Hermanas. I could tell
one of them was struggling to feel like she was contributing at all.
It´s hard when you have a companion that speaks the language well and
you don´t. I felt for her. I could tell she was so broken down about
it. BUT I GET HER! It´s rough feeling like the stupidest person, all
day every day. I was grateful I could talk to her and tell her I
completely understood.
3. Looking back at how much my attitude has changed with the language.
I write in my journal with colors. Purple is grateful, red is angry,
pink is funny, green is spiritual moments, blue is about people…
anyways you get the picture. The amount of red used has greatly
declined… and green and purple have greatly increased.
Last night we had Elder Jodoy speak at our devotional. He talked about
Judges 7. He compared it to us, as missionaries, needing to always
have our “trumpet and our torch”. To teach with boldness and the
spirit. He had a pretty cool story. He´s from the area 4, 70 or
whatever that means. And he was baptized years ago by President Moores
son! OUR PRESIDENT MOORE here at the CCM. Crazy small world.
Scriptures from this week in the Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 18 compared
with Ether 6. I just love the thought that we can choose how we see
our lives. If we remember that ALLL things are from God we will
recognize how blessed we have been. We can choose to focus on the
blessings in our lives and when we do that with humility we will
continue to move forward and progress.
Things I love:
1. The Latina Hermanas. One of the Hermanas pointed to a tiny zit on
her forehead and then yelled, “I am un UNICORN!” I love when they
speak English with me. It makes me realize that I sound 700 times
dumber in Spanish. One day I will learn.
2. All my hermanos y hermanas (homies) here at the compound. I´m gonna
miss all the fools that struggled through the CCM with me. One day we
made a list of cons between each companionship. Welp. My companion and
I definitely had the most going for us. The list included; hand
puppets over the bathroom stalls, getting sick all the time, the fact
that I´m 24 and wear a horse shirt, they all think I´m a hippie, my
companion has to run to el baño every 7 minutes, she´s peed her pants
(at least) twice here, CJ….. obviously we´re the coolest companions.
3. Mi compañeras singing! Seriously. I don´t know why she´s not famous.
Things I´m learning to love:
1. As my Spanish slowly increases my English rapidly declines. What is
spelling?! Sorry if my emails are a terrible pain to read. We´ll also
blame the slightly different keyboard
2. Feeling like the stupidest person 97% of the time. And… When I
leave this place I´m sure I´m going to be sounded smart alllllllll the
time.
3. My district (the 4 elders and me and my companion that spend 10
hours a day in a classroom together) got to that point where
EVERYTHING is funny. Everything. One of the Elders started sing a
children’s rhyme and doing the hand motions and we all lost it. We
were all on the floor crying we were laughing so hard. Oh my gosh.
What has my life turned into?! But it was great. I will always think
of my district whenever someone sings, “Hello! My name is Joe… and I
work in a button Factory. One day. My boss said Joe. Are you busy? And
I said no. So push that button with your __Right elbow__. “
4. Hmmhmmm. Along with my rapidly declining English skills is my
rapidly declining maturity.
5.Whenever I try to describe my family in Spanish everyone stops me
when I say that my YOUNGER sister is married. Then the typically
response is for them to start laughing hysterically and ask why I´m
not married. (High five Lingle, XD)
My companion actually send photos home (don´t know how she has time
for that) but her family updates her website… so if you want photos
checkout saigeaudre.com
SORRY FOR THE NOVEL. I love you all. And really, thank for thinking of
me. You all are the BEST!
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