Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Sacrament meeting is like the Hunger Games

Hola mi familia!

It has been a great week here at the CCM! We went to a chapel on Tuesday (6-11) and played on the grass. We played missionary tag and ninja destruction, then just sat and talked under a shady tree. It was so nice! After that we went to Wal-Mart! The shelves there are so short, but they have pretty much everything an American Wal-Mart has. My comp had a ton of stuff to buy; it was kind of ridiculous, but it’s ok. Later we went to the Guatemalan mall. The mall was so nice and huge that I felt like I was in America—well almost. We had lunch there and I ate at Wendy’s, which was a blessed moment.

After shopping, we went to the temple had devotional. It was a pre-recorded one by Elder Bednar, but it was amazing! He told us not to worry about whether or not we know if an impression we have is from the spirit or if it’s just a good thought, either way it doesn’t matter. Just act on it and you’ll receive immense blessings. It was amazing!

Sunday (6-16) was a great day! The spirit was so strong, but sacrament meeting is terrifying because they randomly call on you to speak! So I feel like it’s the hunger games, and I told my comp that if my name gets called, she has to yell, “I volunteer!” I think I’m funny, esta bien (it’s ok). We watch like a bajilllion church movies on Sundays, but it so good. We watched a devotional by Elder Scott about the power of prayer. He told us to just talk to your Heavenly Father because He is there listening. His talk definitely improved my life greatly!

Juan Carlos, my teacher acting as an investigator, is a tough cookie, but we invited him to go to church and he said that he would. Somehow he actually ended up going, which we were happy about. Sometimes one lesson with him will go really good, and then the next one doesn’t go as well. It’s defeating, but it always teaches me something. Even though Juan Carlos is my teacher, when we pray to know what he needs, the lord lets us know what they are. It’s crazy and weird, but I like it a lot.

Hermana Alverado (aka Candy) and our other night teacher Hermano Malnado (aka Gary) are acting as investigators too. We taught Gary about the restoration and had Candy help us with the lesson. It went really well. The spirit was so strong, but we took up a lot of time. Jordan was so right: when you are in the CCM, you want sugar at night, but thankfully we have a snack time. Snack time is the best in the world! We are so spoiled here in the CCM.

Yesterday (Tuesday 6-18) was P-day and our district decided to make a flag. They bought materials from a guy that sells stuff through the fence and I helped them sew the flag. Then we went to the temple and I love the Guatemala temple so much! It’s so cute and little and beautiful! When you walk out of the celestial room, the baptism font is right there. It’s weird, but they have curtains to cover the windows if people are doing baptisms. (More Quetzaltenango temple pics)

Later that night we had a devotional with one off the area's Seventy Elder Duncan. He talked about teaching inactives and told a bunch of different stories. He said no matter what, the Lord will put something in less actives’ lives to bring them back to the church—it’s just a matter of when. The devotional speakers also talked to us about how having people stay in the church is more important than baptism numbers, which I totally agree with. It was a good devotional I really liked it.

Afterwards our district discussed what we liked about the devotional. It turned into a testimony meeting and all of us bawled our eyes out. I have the best district in the world. We sang a bunch of songs together as well and so many people in my district have beautiful voices. Being on a mission is for sure changing me because now I kind of enjoy singing. Not only that, but now I sing louder, so some people can actually hear me! Miracles do happen people.

Things are getting better with my companion every day. I still have my struggles, but now I can say that I love her, which is good. One of the girls that have just entered the CCM was in one of my institute classes. She shares a room with me and has been struggling with a lot of the same things that I have, so I have been able to help her out. Her companion is an odd duck and I’m learning to love her as well. She has a harmonica and plays it a lot, but doesn’t play it well and sometimes I just want to chuck it out the window, but esta bien.

I’ve noticed that each of the new groups have their own little personalities. Like the group I came down with is incredible; we all get along so well and we’re all pretty low maintenance. The new group has a lot of fashion divas in it though it’s so funny. They are fun though. One of the girls I became friends with in the new group is a clone of one of the managers at Crest Financial, Kristen…I can’t remember her last name and its driving me nuts! Anyways both Kristen and this girl talk the same, have the same laugh, and they even look like they could be twins. It’s sooo weird.

I have the best teachers in the whole wide world! I learn so much from them and they are hilarious! Hermano Valdez is getting engaged to another teacher here at the CCM in a couple of weeks.

I love getting emails from you. It sounds like Ali is working hard! Keep up the good work Alison! And its sounds like the Scera thing was so fun! I love summer time in Utah. I’m glad little Simon is finally taken care of (neutered) and that Mi-mi is doing well. I miss my babies! Sounds like the same old same old back at home, but I love you guys so much. You are in my thoughts and prayers constantly. Pray for me that I may have the peace that I need in some areas. I don’t know what I would do without you.

By the way, you can use dearelder.com so that I can hear from you throughout the week. I love you so much!

Hermana Lindsie

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