It's The Climb!

My beautiful people of CV and other people I enjoy who are not currently in that blessed place, HOLAAAAA presidente always teases me that hola is my favorite word... and it is... ) Any who I just had another amazing week here in my little corner of the world. I just love my life. Next week I willbe in COBAN. Put your hands n the air like you just don't care cuz I'm STOKED!! And also horrified. Pray for me people. THis is a big deal. Thank you for all your letters I love you all immensely Now for your questionsssssss:



How is your music collection? What are you listening to?


Alright so basically this will come to a big shock to you when I say that I am the walking radio around this joint. My beautiful words and whistling fills these halls and brings people to covering their ears. Just kidding, but I really do sing all the time. They took away anyone who had cd or ipods with our cameras because there was an issue... dummies. BUt yeah we just sing to ourselves all the time. SOmetimes there is music in the hall. And we always sing Spanish hymns which is pretty fun to continue practicing!


Grandpa Sorensen sent a question in .. Who have you talked to about the Savior this week? What special conversation have you had? Woooowww. Every thing we do is so centered around the savior. I LOVE it. The other day we had a cool experience with one of your investigators and we talked about the atonement with him. It was really special to feel the spirit of the fact that christ suffered for us and wants for us SO badly to return to him. Another cool conversation I had about the savior was In our RS meeting. We were talking about all that the atonement does for us and all the comfort
and peace it brings. One thing I never realized was the STRENGTH it gives us. I don't very often think of drawing strength off of the atonement and that changed my outlook of my whole week! It was really
cool!


What special experience have you had this week while teaching? Any specific 'Ahaa!' moments? So apparently the peole here thought our district was prepared enough to start teaching 2 new investigators
that are toughies. Well that is a funny joke because perhaps my companions and the elders are prepared for this but Hna Sorensen over here is a a bit skeptical. Anyways, one of them is an evangelist...
I'm very lucky to be learning about this in the CCM/uhh.... i have no idea what I am doing. But I am learning A TON about how important having the proper authority is which is real cool. I just love the
church. It's hard though cuz Ricardo loves his bible... and i don't know scriputres super well but wahooooo! I'm learning!


What touched you from your scripture study this week? So I had a really cool experience this week where I have been freaking out about going out in the field so I have been praying to know how I can better prepare myself and have faith I can do it. Good ole Hno. Sian.. I love that guy, he has us go to the CHrist like attributes section of PMG and read all the scriptures, they were all about faith. Then he said that we just need to act like we can till we can. That is rough when you speak about 1 oz of Spanish but I'm going to do it anyways because I am cool like that and also I believe Hno Sian will be a general authority one day so i should probz listen to him.


How have things changed and will they change since this is about your
last week in the CCM? Are you teaching two investigators a day now?
Yes we teach 2 investigators plus this thing called Missionary/missionary which is when we teach each other as investigators. so we prepare 3 lessons a day. Also we have this thingcalled CRE which is when we teach a less active once a week. This week is 'polishing' week as Hna Garcia say(side note I also adore her) anyways so they are just giving us a lot of feedback and we are doing a LOT of Spanish aaahhhhhhhh! I love it. Also we are having safetyu classes and health classes. NO prob bob I’m ready.


Which situation has been the most difficult to deal with in your lessons? I wanna say Spanish but honestly If i would humble myself enough to trust in God, Stop thinking and just listen, I know he would fill my mouth. It's hard fpr ,me to just shut my brain off and try and listen but I do think I am getting better!@ And when I do it's amazing cuz the spirit really does say what needs to be said.


WAHOOOOO! I got the package on Thursayd and I have never been so happy! It came on a good day cuz’ I was kinda down. The only way I can describe it is, it's hard. It's just discouraging because I have such a want to be such a great missionary but I'm relying too much on my own
abilities. And I really do thank God every night for these trials though because I wouldn't learn any other way. I have also been really blessed to have a good attitude and I always tell myself to fake it till I make it. I’m a little stressed about next week cuz’ a lot of time the things that get me through is laughing with my companions cuz I love them a lot so I hope I get a good trainer and also that I willbe more confident to just try. But i have faith that things will be good!

On other news last week we went to this central market in the city...i about peed my pants and I am happy my mission is jungle not city. But it was really pretty! I love all the colors and it was so phone.
Also dad I took money out of the bank for the trip so don't be concerned. And if you guys want to hear a good song go look up the olive tree. They are singing it for the rededication here which is the
day after we leave. bummer eh? OH yeah! And next week i probablywon't email you because I am leaving this slice of the celestial kingdom to go to the most beautiful place in the world. YAY> don't be
too saddened. Ok I really love you a lot and thank you SOOOO Much for the package! I am so lucky and everyone was jealous which made me feel bad but then i shared skittles and they loved you guys just as much! Pray for me this week as i get ready to go! ‘Im gonna need it! I
love you all and think of you every second! peace and blessings amigosss

Hurrah for Israel!

First - We got to talk to Lex on Sunday. Devin asked me on the way in the house if I was going to cry. Yup...haha It was so good to hear her voice and know she is doing well. We were able to say "Hola" to all the other brothers and sisters there with her...so I don't know if they were on speaker or not, but they all seemed so happy. She kept it right at the 10 minutes and I may or may not have recorded the whole thing so I can listen to her voice when I get homesick for her.

Second - She told us that there are only 40 people at that MTC right now. They were getting a new transfer (or something) this week so her PDay was today instead of tomorrow. (We're totally ok with getting an email a day earlier, right?!)

Third - She also told us that she is leaving the MTC/CCM on Tuesday, May 27!! That is INSANE! I'm so so excited to hear all about the great things she gets to experience out in the field!!

Fourth - The only words I could get out of my mouth was that bringing flat Lexi to my classroom today because my kids had been asking about her. And well, I think it would be fun to take Flat Lexi places and take pictures of her experiencing things here at home. We'll see how well it goes. So here's Lex with my kids! :)

I actually had her facing the wall most of the day for two reasons

A) I didn't want the kids asking me about her all day AND

B) She freaks me out! Haha when I see her out of the corner of my eye it jump EVERY time!! haha

(I really do love you, Yuck!)

Mom was able to talk to Lex for a millisecond while she was on the computer...so there are two parts to the email!

Buenos Dias mi familia! What up?? oh my it was so great to hear your voices on saturday! It was sure sweet and short. 

How has the Book of Mormon helped you this week? Ok people. Are you aware how amazing the book of mormon is?

Like Holy hanna, what have I BEEN doing all my life not reading it everysingle day. One of the things i'm realizing is i don't need to know one stinking thing cuz All i need to do is give people the book of mormon and  they will be converted. I can't say one thing cuz that book is literally my lifeline here and I would really challenge all of you to try and read it with questions in your hear. It really does help. Also preach my gospel has lots of really good study activities. Wow im such a nerd missionary. But really, read it always and be happy.

Tell us more about your companions and what the three of you study together.  What special insights have you gained together?

Ok I have never laughed harder in my life! I LOVE these girls! When I think about leaving them I get teary eyed because the three of us strengthen each other so much. We study different every day. Mainly we read on our own what we will be teaching our investigators and then talk about it afterwards. It's really cool to see their testimonies and learn from them. Hermana Hansen knows the BOM so good and i hope that rubs off on me cuz she has a scripture to EVERYTHING.  One thing that we are learning right now that is really special is that we aren't the teachers the spirit is. It's so cool when we talk about after lessons how someone will ask a question or say something that popped into our heads at the exact same moment. We still have a long way to go but It's great!

Why don't you go around the city at all?  Do you just go straight to the temple and then back in the CCM? Just wondering if it isn't safe or something. . . !?  

The temple is just around the corner from the CCM. I'm going to count my steps tomorrow and tell you how far away it is. It's not that it's not safe to go around the city, it's just that we have no time. We are always learning. The other week they actually took us to the store and the elders had to protect us cuz I've never been creeped on so much in myu life. Like they don't even try to hide it. NO shame they just straight up stare. Also we have guards with guns around the CCM and temple but Idon't really know why cuz Hermano SIan says noone has evertried to break in. But tomorrow they are taking us on a field trip to the market. Wowza I'm so stoked to be outdoors and see more of this pretty country!

Any other special experiences or strides that you have made this week that helped you get ready for the big adventure of heading out into the field on May 27?  What is your biggest accomplishment, with heavenly FAther's miracles of course, so far?

So on tuesday we had a devoitional from Elder Holland. Need I say more? amazing people AMAZING. Anywho, He talked a lot about our purpose as missionaries. He is just so bold and great. I don't know if you guys have ever heard his 'salvation isn't cheap' or something like that but it was kind of like that talk. He just talked about how missions are hard because it was hard for Christ. We are experiencing barely a tiny sliver of what he went through for us. Even less than that. What an honor that I get to become so close to my savior and feel even an ounce of what he did for me. Im so grateful for the atonement and this gospel. I don't feel worthy to do this but I'm so grateful that I get to bring others unto Christ so they can feel of his love for them. I receive miracles every day and I know that if we ask God and his angels are literally walking by our sides. That footprint in the sand story is so accurate. Also I am horrified to go out in the field. I can't sleep at night cuz I think about it. But the other day one of our teachers was telling me all these scary stories about her as a trainer cuz shes a tough lady. And she just said if you’re trying you can't fail. SO very true. I got this. I can't believe on Friday it will be my month mark! I am so blessed

here and I love the gospel so much! Already my life has changed so much and I'm so happy to be here! I pray for you guys every night and I will talk to you at Christmas! I promise I won't cry SO much.... just a little! Hurrah for Israel!

Ps. Go convert someone. The scriptures say so.

 ***Lexi's second email to Mom***

I will work my hardest and take it one day at a time. My spanish gets baby better every day. However I chuckle a little everyday cuz my teachers try to nonchalantly ask how my spanish is going..... it's baby better ok. I've always kind of been a little bit of a slow learner though. I've been trying to speak up in lessons more even though my spanish is so chopped and my companions communicate better. And I have noticed that just cuz I'm trying I will conjugate one word better every time so hopefully I will continue with that. Hermano Sian says my spanish is a lot better than it would be if I was in the provo MTC which is good and also i pray to be positive and friendly every night. And all the latinas love me even though when i try to speak to them it's really rough and 90% of the time they don't understand be but they help me and appreciate my effort and I just use a lot of body language which makes them laugh. I'm really interested to know how my mission in Coban will be. Like how much I will be teaching cuz it's so gigantic and i will be walking a lot. We will see in a few short weeks! I'm the oldie here now! OH also whenever a talk to a latina and tell them my mission is Coban their eyes get all big and they say really unsure oh.... uh... it's so beautiful there! hahah wahoo! Adventure here I come! But don't worry for me madre cuz elder Oroscow in my district is a champion MMA fighter and so basically he's got my back. He's super calm and way sweet so it's way funny to picture him fighting. He's like famous here and all the teachers have seen his videos on youtube. So if you wanna look him up his name is Lucas Oroscow.... yeah that's weird. Anywho i love my district. Also Hermana Garcia is my fave and she is becoming a lawyer right now and may move to Provo.... Are you thinking what Im thinkin? cuz I'm thinking zac should marry her.... I'm just saying. I love her a lot. Also I was really depressed not to get a picture of lennyn.. or

of anything this week. Muy triste mama. Por favor send me those. Also I learned a game that you should play with your children. Hermano Sian taught it to us. I’m really loud and laugh really loud and happy here so I’m trying to work on that. Gotta find the line between happiness and driving away the spirit. But people still love me. Life is so great. XIXOXOXO go watch the best 2 years. Cuz that is my life. Ok love you bye! Have a good week!

***

Doesn't she sound so great?! Pray for her language ability to come easier. Every time I think about it I remember the part on The Other Side of Heaven where he stayed out on that rock forever to learn the language and I surely don't want her to go through that! 

Here's a link to watch that Elder do MMA!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34cXqqIaW7Y

Cuz I'm Happppyyyyyyy

First - post titles are Lexi's email subjects.

Second - I started going through and putting spaces between words (I'm 90% sure the space button was the one malfunctioning this week) but then I got tired of it...so you get to read it straight from her!!

Third - She sounds good! It makes my heart miss her a little less knowing she is doing so well!!

Fourth - Ask me how stoked I am to talk to her on Saturday?!?!!! I might cry!

***

HOlllllaaaa! What up fam bam! Let me start off by saying being a missionary is the happiest thing I have ever done in my life! tHAT IS all. Any whooo thank you for the questions so this letter will not be so scattered brained. it makes it a lot easier cuz email time is my most stressful hour of the week due to all I have to share!

Questions for the week:

1.  What is your daily schedule like?

So my Schedule is basically 16 hours in a classroom every day. I wake up at 630 obviously, 15 minutes
study time, exercise outside which consists of four square every day. And I make my companeras run 3 laps. They are good to me. Then we get ready. I try to get ready as fast as I can so I can go study some extra spanish out in the hall since I lack in that department. After that we have breakfast, language study till about 10 or 1030 then we usually have grammer class. I have to mentally prepare myself for grammer class every day and tell myself I can do it cuz it's rough and lots of times our teachers have us go practice on the latinas.... Im a gomer but its pretty hysterical and I love to make people laugh so all is well. Then we have lunch, Teach our first investigator,  learn how to teach some more lessons out of PMG and then teach our other investigator, do some more language study annnndddd yeah. Dinner, More lesson demonstrations, some coaching study where our teachers help us to improve then planning for tomorrow/district meeting. Also they always give us little extra homework to do....ask me if i have time for taht cuz the answer is no. But I ADORE all my teachers. They are hysterical and every day I just laugh 24/7. Ugh it's so great. I'm learning so much. And I know God is helping me to not get discouraged cuz I seriously have never been so happy in my life. Oh also every night all the girls in our hall have orracion. Which is when we all go and sing song and pray together and just love each other. It's so great.  YEs, all of this is ALWAYS in 100% spanish. I love it.

2.  What do you eat at the CCM?  Is it still like Elements to you?

OH my yes picture elements times 100! We get it all! It is so good! Sometimes we will have some guatemalan traditional yummy food and other times it's like devineasian. I don't even know but it'sso good! ME and Herm. Klindt are trying to split at least once a day so we don't get fat. It's insane. On a side note, there are so few people here right now that the boys and girls only take up 2 tables in the lunch room. It's bizarre.

3.  What is your exercise routine?

So we are required to run 2 laps everyday but like I said I make my companions run at least 3, I would do more but you gotta stick together. After that we usually play four square with the Elders. People, 4 square is the bomb. Play it and be happy. I will dominate when I get home.

4.  What is the best miracle that happened this week?

Wow we had the coolest experience with the elders in our district (They are likemy brothers btw, I ladore them.)Anyways, they wen't up to teach one of our investigators and were pulled out because this guy was by the temple or something and was talking about how he was going to commit suicide and just felt so down aboutlife and someone brought hime to the CCM because it was just around the corner. It was cool because there are so many people here who already speak spanish but our elders were teh only ones who have been here long enought to know how to teach. I doonno it wasso cool. Me an my companionshad a prayer for them and I just sat there and bawled because It'sso cool what we are doing! 2 lessonslater he is already going to get baptized. It'samazing. At first I thought It was fake but it's real! I'm so proud ofthem! But really there are miracles everyday. God helps me so much in lessons to speak. Even if it is chopped spanish.

5.  Tell me about one special person and what makes them this way?

 I can't even begin because beingin the CCMis likeseeing peoplein the temple. IT'slike a little slice of heaven.But I thinkg one of my favorite people in this moment is one ofmy teachers Hermano Sian. I is so led by the spirit and helps me so much to rely on God and give me scriptures. UGh he'sso cool. And he's so mellow and funny. Ah I jsut adore him! Also Presidente and Hermana CoxAremy BFFS Wow FHEevery sunday. Ive never been so motivated. I LOVE Them!

6.  What dumb thing did you do this week to make me laugh?

Ahsahahhahaha familia Everyone makes fun of me everyday! Presidente always laughs at me because I always sing" Holllaaaaaaaa" So do the Latinos but I'm happy so whateva. Also I'mloud spreading joy. All ofmy lessons Me and Hermana Klindt just laugh hysterically because I try (So god will bless me cuz i always try) Buy my cavewoman spanishis strong.  Also thelatinasmake fun ofme. Oh and  I really enjoy flippingmy teeth at people.

It seriously is themost amazing thingbeing here. I can really feel your prayers everyday and they give me strength. I never knew what people meant when they said that but it'sso true! Also I pray for you all everynight cuz I miss you like nobodies business! annnnnnnnd also don't forget we get to chat this week! |ONLY 10 MINUTES obedience with exactness so be thinking ofwhat you wanna ask or say so we don't go over. but they celebrate mothers day on May 10 here so it will be saturday and you guys are supposed to call me at 10 guatemala time which is the same there so I donno why i said that lololololol. Any ways. They said keep trying if it doesn't work.  Ok I just double checked that but yes 10 o clock folks and you can here my lovely voice. Chiste I can't wait to hear all of you! Love you! Keep being rad.

LOOOOVVE< Hermana S.