Saturday, July 27, 2013

Week Five at the CCM

I am doing well, 20 actually feels a little older! Its a little weird. Haha

The 16 year old is a ward missionary, so it is something he does a lot. Or he is on a MINI mission or something like that. But he is really good. How am I feeling about leaving the MTC? I am in denial. ish. My companion started putting things in her suitcase today, and everyone was saying "no no no!" It was funny. But seriously. Its weird. I really like it here. It is like my spirit knows it is at home. It is doing things it was familiar with doing in the life before. I really like the feeling. :) I am hanging in just fine actually. It hasnt been very difficult to be honest. I dont feel the stress of it in other words. The spanish is somewhere in my head. Sometimes I can pull out a conversation, and use it, other times I cant understand anyone or form words. So.... its there. I know. I just have to keep going.

With my roommate, we werent able to get anything, even today we werent. They dont have ANY of the triplets with tabs at the distribution center. They are supposed to be getting some in on the 13th of AUG. I did end up getting a nice bible and some liahonas and a picture book for teaching today though. And I did hear that we get to go to the temple during transfers, or something like that. So I am hoping for that, so I can get a nice set of spanish scriptures. We will have to see on that, but for now I can use the paperback one that the CCM gave us. So that wasnt able to happen. We had good intentions, but oh well. I think she is going to get some anyways. :)

From what I understand, we are going out procelyting again. Im both excited and nervous, and I am sure I wont be as shocked this time going out. We are leaving the CCM/ARRIVING to the mission on Tuesday the 30, so we will see how that goes. I know it is about an hour or so away from where we are. One of my teachers, Hermano Meza, lives in our mission, and it takes him 1 1/2 to bus here. He also said that the area is too dangerous, and he hopes it will change soon (in getting missionaries in there). That was shocking for us all, because he is EXTREMELY clean and tidy. He also has the CUTEST wife and 3 month old daughter, and it is so hard to imagine they live in a place like that!

Love you all!

Hermana Heather

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Week Four at the CCM

Thanks for the Guniea Pig! I was wondering when I was going to gt one of those! ;) As of right now, I have heard that all you do at the immigration office is sit in a room, go to another room. Wait in a line, Sign a paper. Wait in another room. And leave. Its so dumb, because most of our district went yesterday, and then three of us have to go today, on our Pday, and we are not able to go to the temple. Also, the laundry was double booked this morning (scheduled from 6-7) and when I went in at 5:50 to put my load in (which I NEED to do my laundry) all of the machines were in use. And we arent allowed to do them outside of our slot. Two of my roommates were doing laundry, so I was able to put a few shirts in. So I will be wearing one of those later, wet or dry. Pray they are dry!

Guess what else! We have a roommate who is kind of thinking about getting scriptures, but it is hard for her to afford. She always goes quiet when the other roommates are talking about how much money they have/how much other people gave them. So I thought it would be a good idea for us all (me and the other four people in our room) to get her a triplet. Not like we all have much, but thats only about $6 from each of us. So she can have her own nice ones. This roommate lives in a small town in Montana (I think) called Colstrip. All the stories she has about that place....I never want to live there. The people are downright weird, and they have to take a 2 hour bus ride to get to school. And its called Colstrip because its a coal mining town. But it is spelled C-O-L-S-T-R-I-P. Oh dear....I am never ever ever going to live there. ;) And its sad, her family doesnt really email her either. She is SO awesome though. She is 22. I could probably give you her story, but I wont. Lol.

So last Saturday, we went procyliting (spelled wrong, I know) in the city. I dont now where we went, but it was nothing like I had ever seen. I was already a little sick from the drive there (traffic is INSANE here, mom, you would not survive the driving here, lol), and when we stepped out into the neighborhood, the smell was not pleasant. The roads are mostly dirt, there are so many dogs laying/walking around, and the houses are cement boxes about three stories high with unfinished third floors One of the men in the bishopbric told me they leave the third floor unfinished, because if it is not done, then they dont have to pay property taxes. They are trying to save as much money as possible. They have these courtyard spaces with locked gates, and then after that is a front door. They wouldnt really open the gates very much, they would have a small window/door they would open to see their eyes, and would talk to us through that.

Me and my companion were with a 16 year old native peruvian. The only thing I could ever say was that we are missionaries, and then the other people would say something, and the boy would have to respond back. He was really good, and will make a great missionary someday. But I cant understand an ounce of what people say. Especially if it is as fast as they speak. We talke to this old guy with groceries (the 16 year old did) and they argued for awhile about something, and me and my companion were confused, he kept saying something about the book of mormon, then smirked at the boy, and walked off. We found out afterwards that this old man was a STRONG catholic, and thought we only needed the bible. Me and my companion had the PERFECT scripture for this man, but we couldnt share it because A) he was gone, and B) we couldnt understand anything of what was going on. So not knowing the language is pretty hard. Its not fun not knowing what people are saying. So thats been a little bit of a deterrent for me. But I know that it will take a few months, so I have to stay positive! (Not TRY, but BE).

For Sundays, we are required to prepare a five minute talk (attempted in spanish) on the subject, and after the sacrement, they will call 2 elders and 2 sisters/hermanas to give their talk. There are so many people they have to choose from. So it is a struggle to enjoy the meeting until they have announced the speakers. Its really hard to prepare the talks, especially when all you have are pamphlets and the scripture. They encourage you to use ensigns and things, but I dont have any of those.

Well, just a week and a half, and I will be in the field! Im freaking out a bit. Because I am pretty sure that our mission is going to be in even poorer than the area we were in last week. It is so different, and I had no idea people lived like how they do...its definitely a shock to me. But Ive got this.
I love you all, and have a fantastic week!

Love Always,

Hermana Heather

Friday, July 12, 2013

Week Three at the CCM

One reason that I really LOVE the peruvians is that they are all so generous. In the first latino group we came in with, if they were standing up without lunch trays, they would take them from us and put them away (for the sisters mostly). And they are always so gracious about letting the sisters go up first. The north americans do it a little more grudgingly (not all, there are a few north americans that are very gracious). And on the bus, the men will stand up to let the women sit, or older people.

So, sometimes me and my companion/roommates will try and talk to the latinos, thinking we can carry on a conversation....NOPE. I have no idea what some of them are saying. It definitely helps when one of them knows some english, then we can talk better to them. Conclusion, we are going to be in the field in three weeks, and wont be able to talk to very many people. Hahaha! Should be entertaining to say the least :P

Thank you so much for your love and support! Im still doing ok. But only 2 more p-days until im out in the field! :/
 
We went to the temple earlier this morning, and we walked to it! about a twenty minute walk, fast paced. Every pus that was passing us was full, so we just walked. For the buses its 50 centimos (im not sure what it is in dollars) but its very cheap).

I got a jacket/coat today at a store! Im excited to be warm in it! Our teachers keep it cold. And I got more inca cola, and found sour cream and onion pringles. So I splurged just a little bit.... If people are wondering about bringing cash down or cards, I would suggest cash, at least for the first little while. There is a sister here whos mom wouldnt let her bring cash, and the card she has keeps getting denied, so she hasnt been able to buy anything, and her mom said it should work. So just a suggestion!

I love you all, have a good week!
Hermana Heather

Friday, July 5, 2013

Week Two at the CCM

I LOVE the peruvians here. Me and my comp will sit with them at mealtimes at talk with them. My favorite physical activity last week was playing soccer with the latinos. A lot of the time I would stay away from the latinos, because they kick HARD. And their footwork is UNBELIEVABLE! If Ben and Chris want to learn great footwork, watch peruvians play soccer! (or any other latino im sure) and play with them ;)
I have not really gotten homesick. I think a few nights ago I did just a little. I do miss you all, and I want to know whats going on with everyone, but I dont really get homesick at all (surprisingly). I am just really comfortable here, and the days are so packed and fly by.
Something I learned this past week: The Lord has given me SO MUCH, that now it is my turn to sacrifice a LITTLE of my time for him. I hope that makes sense, it makes sense in my head. ;)
Have I mentioned the cold? Yeah, the CCM president asked if we have coats/gloves/scarves... nope. No one going to lima has anything, because the packet said to bring LIGHT clothing. AWESOME! :/
Yesterday, 3rd of July, me and my comp had an AWESOME experience in a lesson. So we went in, and our investigator/our teacher wont let us speak spanish. He will just say he doesnt speak english (the teacher does a little, not a lot). We were going through, and the investigator said his dad died, and wondered if he would see him again/that he was having a lot of pain. My companion told a story in spanish about how a really good friend of hers died nine months ago from cancer, and was a really good person, but that she knows she is in heaven and will see her friend again. And then I was struggling through my testimony of praying and giving your pain to the Lord, and my teacher/investigator just said "teach in english." We were a little taken aback, but I bore my testimony in english (went much better than in spanish) and the spirit was strong, and both me and my comp were crying. We never got to the end of the lesson, because he told us to stop, and told us that he didnt know why, but he had felt like we had to teach in english. I feel like I learned that I know the lessons in english better than I thought I did. A WHOLE lot better than I thought I did. And it is ok to sometimes bear your testimony in english, because even if the investigator doesnt understand your words, the spirit can make it so, and they will understand everything you are saying.

Today, the kitchen staff celebrated the 4th of July. They had a buffet, and a flag cake, and a HUGE American Flag behind the servers. They all had flag headbands, and red and blue balloons were decorating the entire cafeteria. It was so neat, and so kind of them! The staff really enjoyed it, and were taking pictures of themselves. I think they enjoyed celebrating a little more than we did!

Have a good week! 3 more P-days to go!

Love Always,
Hermana Heather