Week 1 - In the CCM

Ok! Here goes nothing! I have like 20 mins to write this so excuse the scattered thoughts and 2 year old spelling.  Also, I speak Spanglish now so that could be a problem too. (Ehem, I tediously fixed every spelling mistake and translated for you all. You're welcome. -Casey) I almost speak Spanish, jk I don't. But seriously the language is coming along so well! I love speaking Spanish, it's a beautiful language and so fun to use. I talk in Spanish probably 80% of the time right now. I'm so lucky I had the background knowledge of the language because I can understand the latinas better and joke around with them since I almost understand what they say. I can get away with being a latina...until I open my mouth, then they know I'm a norte! That's what they call the north americans haha.

Pues (well), only 5 of us who came were hermanas (sisters) so surprisingly I'm surrounded by muchas elders. It's fun though. They're great guys. Day 1 felt like a week. My trip here was fun. I talked to someone on every flight:

Flight 1: G. Probably about 43, business guy, nice. Thought I was crazy for leaving my fam for 18 months.

Flight 2: D. 30 yr old producer from L.A. who made me sing to him and told me when I get back he'll record me in his studio!

Flight 3: Sin nombre (no name) (jk I just can't remember it) 47 yr old dad of 3 daughters who he said I reminded him of. My favorite guy cuz he treated me like a daughter. We talked through the whole night about families. His dad is dying in Guatemala and that's why he was coming here. I gave him a Book of Mormon. Totally not mad that I got no sleep, it was worth it.

Got to Guatemala (there were 25 of us from LAX to GUA) and we rode a bus to the CCM (missionary training center). Took a 2 hr nap. DIVIIINE. Got to work!

Typical day:

Workout (Hermana Foster is my personal trainer. She's the best!)

Desayuno (breakfast)

Personal study

Companion study

Language study

Grammar class

PMG (Preach My Gospel) class

Lunch

We sing a hymn. (Hermano Chen's voice is like an angel)

More class

More class

More studying

Dinner

More class

More studying

Devotional

Teach A (A is an actual investigator, not a missionary acting as one!)

Oracion con las hermanas (Prayer with the sister missionaries)

Study

Bed

SURPRISINGLY. I AM ALL ABOUT THIS LIFE.

SAD NEWS! We can't use our cameras here! I only have a pic of me and my companion on day 1 and a pic of the whole CCM hermanas. Lo siento (sorry) mom.

Sooo my companion is legit. Her name is Hermana Foster. She's from Cali and shes 6 ft 3. She's alto (tall) in height and spirit. Hermana Foster makes me work hecka hard and if I'm being honest I'd probably hate it before the mission but now I can see the importance of what I'm doing and how little time there is to do it, so I'm like, let's hit the grind hermana! We are the only hermanas in our district, District Josue. We have 8 elders almost all from utah (typs) and I love them all. We had this awesome testimony meeting like the 4th day we were together so I'd say we're all pretty close now. Of course, sometimes they get out of hand cuz they're 18 and 19 but esta bien (it's all good). We have a lot of fun together and are sometimes in the classroom for 4 hours at a time. Sounds crazy but I'm learning about the gospel so I have no complaints.

My teacher is so great! His name is Hermano Chen (no he's not Asian, I asked on day 1.) He's from Guatemala but he just got back from serving in El Salvador San Salvador a month ago! 1-2 of us are going there and 1-2 are staying in Guatemala. He gives us great advice for the mission, like what to and not to eat, how to involve the miembros (members) (it's really important, so do it for us misioneros) and he tells us to be personally converted before we teach so I've had probably a million spiritual experiences here as I've taken that advice. My favorite thing so far has been getting closer to the spirit! I can FINALLY recognize the Holy Ghost more as I teach and study and ponder the scriptures.

NO WAIT. My favorite thing that has happened here so far has been teaching A! SHE IS THE BEST. She's our first investigator and she works in el comedor (the dining room) here. She's Catholic but has an LDS friend and wanted to learn why we were so happy all the time and don't drink coffee, etc. (she's a real investigator guys and it's the last day we teach her. Then we have to teach our teacher who will pretend to be an investigator, laaaame). So A has changed my life in like a day because she has made me so happy teaching her. Oh and this might be a nice detail, but me and Hermana Foster invited her to be baptized and she said YES! It was the best feeling ever! Our whole district teaches her back to back and we were last night and the elders invited her first but she said she'd think about it and then we hermanas swooped in and Hermana Foster bore the sickest testimony I have ever heard and I think the Holy Ghost slapped her in the face and she said yes. She's a little scared but we told her we will be there with her every step of the way.

Ok so if this is what bringing one soul to the Gospel feels like, imagine the joy when you shall bring many souls unto me. That scripture? Can't think of it right now, Casey will you find it? Gracias. (Got it. De nada, hermana)

Puessss (welllll), I will tell you about the area here. It's gorgeous, we live in the city but the tropical trees make it feel like the jungle. The houses are pretty and the people are REALLY NICE. Every time we go outside (which isn't often. Freeeedom!) Todos las personas say buenos dias (everyone says good morning)! AND GIVE YOU A SMILE THAT WILL MAKE YOUR HEART MELT. Also, they're all really short.which makes them even more precious and makes my heart melt more. I already love the people in Central America. SO MUCH. Like maybe too much. I hope I don't scare them. They all love Hermana Foster because she's so tall compared to them.

Que mas (what else)? Oh yeah, the food is gourmet! I had not expected to love it so much. I may be a little biased cuz A makes the menus and she's like a top chef (I'm gonna get a her a slot on Food Network when I get home) BUT SERIOUSLY. The food is awesome. They feed us some norte food and some central american. It's a lot though so my companion and I usually split it because you have to eat EVERYTHING off the plate. It's rude not to.

SHOUT OUTS!

MATT: You are so awesome. I understand more than ever the blessings you have secured for yourself by making this covenant with Heavenly Father. He loves you so much and is so happy with your decision. I love you too! Keep on keepin on! Every. Thing. Is worth it.

KYRA: AHHH! COLORADO SPRINGS?!?! It's perfect. You're perfect. You look hot in your picture (can I say that?) and when are you going? I am ecstatic for you.

ESTEVEZ GIRLS: If you are reading this, there is this Dominican girl who is just like you, Hermana Mack. She is the funniest person in the world. I told her all about you guys.

JOY: I am so happy Isaiah is ok. You are the most beautiful family and I miss you guys!  Tell your fam I say hi!

Who wants to hear some funny stories??? There have been lots! Maybe they won't translate as funny as I'd think, but they made me cry of laughter entonces... 

Funny story uno: Our district was practicing bearing our testimonies in Spanish and Hermana Foster was goin hard with hers, almost had me in tears, y entonces (and then) ...she said Jesus Cristo es el solo lago. She meant to say He was the only way but said He was the only lake! Hahahaha...it was one of those quiet moments where you can't laugh so it's even funnier.

This one maestro (teacher) is probably the funniest guy I've ever met. He has ADD so he was translating a devotional and kept playing with the mic so it sounded all muffled and the nortes were trying so hard not to laugh. Another one of those moments.

Our district leader Elder Sant is the best. He was trying to say he took a girl on a date to the carnival once but he said cannibal instead. I was rofl (this translation is for you dad, "rolling on the floor laughing") for days.

Ok my time expires in dos minutos so I love you all! I love being a missionary, it's a joy different from any other I've felt and I'll talk to you luego!

Con amor,

Hermana Infanzon