Hola Familia!
The subject is what I automatically say to people I meet. It's like being at BYU and I would just be like "Lindsey, Colorado, Piano Performance" :)
ANYWAYS. I don't even know where to begin!! This is only my first week but I feel like I've been here for a year!! I'll try to answer as many questions as I can and tell you all everything I can remember from this crazy amazing week!
1. La comida: SO. GOOD. I can never eat at a Mexican restaurant in the States ever again because the authentic food here is incredible. We have beans and rice every day, but then we have everything from carnitas (pork) to pollo (chicken), burritos, tacos, lots of fruit (yes mother I'm eating lots of fruit and vegetables), ice cream (way better than American ice cream), and lots of other things that we don't exactly know what they are but they're super good!! So yeah, we're being fed well and we're happy and healthy!
The subject is what I automatically say to people I meet. It's like being at BYU and I would just be like "Lindsey, Colorado, Piano Performance" :)
ANYWAYS. I don't even know where to begin!! This is only my first week but I feel like I've been here for a year!! I'll try to answer as many questions as I can and tell you all everything I can remember from this crazy amazing week!
1. La comida: SO. GOOD. I can never eat at a Mexican restaurant in the States ever again because the authentic food here is incredible. We have beans and rice every day, but then we have everything from carnitas (pork) to pollo (chicken), burritos, tacos, lots of fruit (yes mother I'm eating lots of fruit and vegetables), ice cream (way better than American ice cream), and lots of other things that we don't exactly know what they are but they're super good!! So yeah, we're being fed well and we're happy and healthy!
2. Mi compañera! Her name is Hermana Jones and she's from Alpine, Utah! She went to BYU last year too and was in Heritage Halls, so we probably wouldn't have seen each other. She's going to Fort Lauderdale, FL on her mission! She is the SWEETEST person I have ever met!! I know I may not always get so lucky with companions, so I'm enjoying every minute with Hermana Jones! Even after two days together we were saying the same things at the same time! We teach together really well, and we just have very similar personalities and interests! I love her SO MUCH and I already know it's going to be super sad to say goodbye.
3. Mi distrito (my district): LOVE THEM. Oh my goodness. So we have two Elders, and two other Hermanas besides us. Everyone in my district is going to Fort Lauderdale besides me haha. And we all have the same flight to Atlanta after the CCM, which will be nice. Anyways, Elder Falk is from New Jersey, Elder Adams is from Logan, UT, Hermana Edwards is from the Sacramento area, and Hermana Pearson is from Richfield, UT. Our maestros (teachers) and our branch presidency have told our district on a couple occasions that there's something different about this district, and we are more obedient, more hard working, and better at Spanish than most other districts. We're not comparing ourselves to others at all, but it's just nice to hear that we're on the right track. We seriously do work SO HARD, but we also all hit a point around 9:15 every night where literally everything is funny, even when it's really not funny. Like I would tell you all some funny stories, but I realized that it probably wouldn't be funny outside of our district! If I think of anything that is legitimately funny, I'll let you know haha.
4. Mi rama (my branch, which is also our zone): Also love it. We've only been to church once since we've been there, but it's a solid branch. My zone leader is coincidentally one of my really good friends from BYU- Elder Seibold (aka Tanner Seibold!) So yeah it's been nice to have a familiar face around here!! Anyways, my branch is awesome! Sundays are like a spiritual Hunger Games because everyone has to prepare a 5 minute talk, and then after the Sacrament a member of the branch presidency announces who is giving a talk that day! They usually never pick people on their first week in the CCM, but guess who was the exception to that rule? Yup. Hermana Sorensen. So yeah on my first Sunday here I gave a full talk in complete Spanish in church. How's that for baptism by fire? My nervousness worked out well for me because it made me speak really fast and sound like I knew more Spanish than I really did. I think it went well, but I also don't think I really breathed or thought anything during those 5 minutes! It was good practice though and I'm grateful for the opportunity. From now on, I'm the branch pianist, oh and also the CCM choir pianist! So that's fun! I've played for a couple meetings and one devotional just like the opening and closing hymn and such. It feels so great to play because after struggling to communicate all day, playing the piano helps me to feel completely in my element and like I can communicate super fluently.
5. I guess that brings me to... Español!! First, let me tell you, the Gift of Tongues is real. I know that that's the cliché missionary thing to say, but holy smokes it's real. To me, having the gift of tongues means that I have an increased ability to understand what people are saying, to remember the things I'm learning, to have a clear mind when I'm studying, and that when I need the language the most, as long as I've put in the work, the words come, and the Español flows like I never knew it could! So some of you have asked how immersed I am in it, and let me answer it this way: I can count on one hand the number of times someone (besides my district on occasion) speaks English to me. All of the teachers, cooks, and general workers here at the CCM are Latino, so yeah, no inglés. It's amazing how much we can understand everyone though!! If I could speak as much as I can understand, I would be in great shape. In terms of speaking, I think I'm doing pretty well!! On Friday we taught our first full lesson in Spanish with an investigator, and on Monday I taught a full lesson with our investigator (Carlos) without any notes! I just went off what I know, las escrituras (the scriptures), and the Holy Ghost. When I'm practicing Español with mi compañera, my Spanish is super broken and I have to think a lot about what I'm saying. When I'm teaching Carlos, somehow everything in my head clears up, and I can speak without many pauses and I'm really starting to feel like I can accurately communicate what I'm feeling. During the first couple lessons, I understood everything he was saying, and I could think of so many good answers in English, but I just did not have the words in Spanish. But now, I feel like even though I have miles to go, I don't feel as hindered by the language anymore, and I can honestly feel the Spirit as powerfully when I speak Spanish as when I speak English, because the words aren't just sounds I've memorized now, but they mean something to me, and to my investigator. Speaking of my investigator, WE LOVE CARLOS!!! Oh my goodness. He is just so ready for the Gospel and he LOVES the scriptures and always follows up on his reading assignments. He committed to be baptized on Monday!!!! We literally could not stop smiling after that!!!! We still have a lot to teach him, but it just felt so great to see him be so happy with his decision!! AHHH I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!
5. I guess that brings me to... Español!! First, let me tell you, the Gift of Tongues is real. I know that that's the cliché missionary thing to say, but holy smokes it's real. To me, having the gift of tongues means that I have an increased ability to understand what people are saying, to remember the things I'm learning, to have a clear mind when I'm studying, and that when I need the language the most, as long as I've put in the work, the words come, and the Español flows like I never knew it could! So some of you have asked how immersed I am in it, and let me answer it this way: I can count on one hand the number of times someone (besides my district on occasion) speaks English to me. All of the teachers, cooks, and general workers here at the CCM are Latino, so yeah, no inglés. It's amazing how much we can understand everyone though!! If I could speak as much as I can understand, I would be in great shape. In terms of speaking, I think I'm doing pretty well!! On Friday we taught our first full lesson in Spanish with an investigator, and on Monday I taught a full lesson with our investigator (Carlos) without any notes! I just went off what I know, las escrituras (the scriptures), and the Holy Ghost. When I'm practicing Español with mi compañera, my Spanish is super broken and I have to think a lot about what I'm saying. When I'm teaching Carlos, somehow everything in my head clears up, and I can speak without many pauses and I'm really starting to feel like I can accurately communicate what I'm feeling. During the first couple lessons, I understood everything he was saying, and I could think of so many good answers in English, but I just did not have the words in Spanish. But now, I feel like even though I have miles to go, I don't feel as hindered by the language anymore, and I can honestly feel the Spirit as powerfully when I speak Spanish as when I speak English, because the words aren't just sounds I've memorized now, but they mean something to me, and to my investigator. Speaking of my investigator, WE LOVE CARLOS!!! Oh my goodness. He is just so ready for the Gospel and he LOVES the scriptures and always follows up on his reading assignments. He committed to be baptized on Monday!!!! We literally could not stop smiling after that!!!! We still have a lot to teach him, but it just felt so great to see him be so happy with his decision!! AHHH I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!
6. Mi Casa (my house): So unlike the Provo MTC, we live in little houses!! We live on the edge of a cul-de-sac and it's just the cutest thing ever!! There are three other companionships in our casa and we love all the other Hermanas! They're in our generation (they came on the same day as us). We have our room and a bathroom in our room, a laundry room, a kitchen (which we never use), and a living room with couches and such. It's adorable!!! So far, we don't have roommates because the CCM isn't super full right now, but at some point we may get some! There are two bunk beds in our room, and right now Hermana Jones and I just sleep on the bottom bunk of each, and we have our suitcases on the top bunks, because our closets are muy pequeño (very small)! We love our little house though!!
7. The schedule/Overview of our week: So all those times missionaries told me to just make it to Sunday and you'll be fine.. yeah they weren't kidding! The first two days were awesome, but definitely a little overwhelming because everyone is speaking to you in Spanish and it's kind of hard to find your way around this 90 acre CCM, and the schedule is super tight, but we had an awesome devotional just with our district on Saturday night, and then Sundays are just the best because we get to go to church, watch a devotional from Provo, watch a movie (this week was Meet the Mormons!! You would be surprised at how even that movie makes you feel normal for 90 minutes because it has football and everything!! It was so funny, at one point one of the ladies kisses her husband and everyone just gasped! We're in our own little world for sure!). Anyways, yeah Sundays are wonderful, and then this week has been so much better! We really feel on top of things now, our Spanish is improving rapidly, and life is just great. P days are also wonderful things. Today was our first one and it was much needed!! We woke up, started our laundry, got breakfast (french toast!!!! Oh and last night we had Costco pizza and everyone was pretty excited about that!), then we did personal study for an hour, then we finished folding laundry, cleaned our room and bathroom, went to the tienda (store) and just looked around, played beach volleyball with our district, came home and took a shower and actually did our hair for once (oh sidenote, it's barely humid here at all so my hair stays super straight!! Turns out we're at about 7400 feet here, so it's a little humid, but like California humid, so not too bad), then we ate lunch, then we worked on memorizing our assigned things for the week (I already have it done, but it's James 1:5, Moses 1:39, The Restoration, the baptismal challenge, and our missionary purpose, all in Spanish), then we took pictures for a while since we can only take them on P days, and now we're emailing! P day ends at 5 so we have a full night of class ahead of us. On a normal day, we have study time, teaching time, class (either language, teaching, or Gospel principles), and planning times. Tuesday nights we have devotionals and sometimes we have other random meetings. Every day we have gym time, and we usually work out (ellipticals/yoga/etc.) half the time, and then play volleyball with the Latinos!! They're so crazy and so loud and so awesome!! Even though we can't understand them a ton, we just love them so much and we have such a great time with them!! So yeah, the schedule is nuts, but somehow we get everything we need to done!!
8. This Gospel is true. Simple as that. I know now more than ever that God lives because there is no other way I would be able to do this, or no way I would choose to do this if He didn't. I know prayers are heard and answered! I've been praying completely in Spanish since Thursday and it's so humbling because even though my words are simple and probably not exactly correct, I know He hears them and answers them all the same. It's been amazing to see the Gospel from an investigator's eyes and hear him testify about how he feels so much peace and joy in his life now that he is starting to follow Jesus Christ. Being a missionary is HARD. Oh my goodness it's hard. But it's so incredibly rewarding, and I can feel the help of Heavenly Father guiding me every minute here. I'm so grateful for this experience and for everything I'm learning and for all the people I get to work with!! Every day just gets better and better, and if this pattern continues I just might die of happiness by the end of my 18 months because I'm already so so so happy!! It's crazy how you can be dead tired, but you can literally not stop smiling all the time!!
I miss you all a ton!! Thank you thank you thank you for all the love and support and prayers, I can definitely feel it!! Go out and serve someone this week, or better yet, share this Gospel! It's such a wonderful blessing and we have the opportunity to share it with everyone around us!! I love you all so much!! Talk to you next week!!
xoxo,
Hermana Sorensen
I miss you all a ton!! Thank you thank you thank you for all the love and support and prayers, I can definitely feel it!! Go out and serve someone this week, or better yet, share this Gospel! It's such a wonderful blessing and we have the opportunity to share it with everyone around us!! I love you all so much!! Talk to you next week!!
xoxo,
Hermana Sorensen