First off, this key board is really different so I am sorry for
all the grammar errors...
Second off, because there are only 150 missionaries in the CCM
for Christmas, we are ALLOWED TO CALL HOME!!!! Hopefully you will have reception
and will get this email, or I'll be calling the house and leaving a long
message... I will be calling at 9.30 am Mexico time.
Lastly... You're probably wondering how this week has been! I
honestly cannot tell you the range of emotions that I have felt since I got on
the plane. I'll start with the plane ride down to the beautiful (smoggy) cuidad
de Mexico. There was 4 other Elders going down to Mexico with me, one of which
is also going to Osorno, and he is in my district leader. The other three were
going state side.
I sat next to a lady on the plane, and we started talking about
why we were going to Mexico. I told her that I was serving a mission for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. She asked me what that was, and
thus began our 45 minute talk about religion and what Mormons believe. I had
her read a few scriptures from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and
Covenants. She shared with me that her mom had just converted to Christianity
and to see the huge change in her mom proved to her that there is a God and
that she needed religion in her life. She has been attending various churches,
trying to find one that she likes. Talk about a golden investigator! Anyways...
while we were getting off the plane, I told her that if she had any more
questions, she could go to lds.org or mormon.org and I gave her my
mini Book of Mormon. If I had been on the flight I was originally supposed to
be on, I would have never met, talked, and shared this message with her. God
truly knows us individually and He wants all His children to hear His message.
After we got off the plane, there were Elders waiting to pick us
up. And oh my goddness!!! The drive from the airport to the CCM took about 45
minutes and I´m surprised we made it in one piece! I think the driver checked
his blind spot maybe once... we cut off who knows how many cars and buses and
rarely drove inside the lines on the street. What I gathered from the drive was
the only rules to driving is when the light (if there is a light, usually it’s
just a stop sign) is red, you stop. When it is green, you go. Tambien, at the
stop lights, people are standing there waiting and when the light turns red,
they´ll come out into the streets to sell you candy, wash your car, or hope on
the back to hitch a ride. It´s loco.
ugh.... I´m running out of time.... so I´m going to have to
leave a lot of stuff out...
Mexico CCM
The food is great! My favorite meal has been their tamales
My compañera is Hermana Hosksins. She is from Palm Dale
California and is also going to Osorno. In my district there is Elder Greenwood from San Diego (serving in
Osorno, district leader), Elder Feagi from Hawaii (Osorno), Elder Atkinson from
Utah (New Jersey), and Elder Tidwell from Idaho (Washington). We have become
really close as a district. Elder Tidwell reminds me of a very sarcastic
Napoleon Dynamite. We have class for about 13 hours every day... the first
couple of days, I could understand everything my maestros were saying (all the
classes are solomente en Español). However, I think my brain has been fried
because yesterday and today, I am having a really hard time understanding...
 |
| Twins! |
We have an investigator. Her name is Erika and we have taught
her 4 lessons in Español. It is very difficult. The final lesson we had with
her, afterwards I broke down crying to one of the teachers, telling her that
there was so much I wanted to share with her and testify to her but I don't
know how to say it! She listened to my worries and then shared a scripture with
me that her Mission pres. shared with her when she was trying to learn English.
They are amazing!! Look them up por favor! D&C 64:33 y D&C123:17. Y
tambien, al que cree, todas le es posible.
I have been asked to be the choir pianist. I told the director I
would, and he handed me the next two songs that they were going to start practicing.
The first song has 5 flats and the second changes key signatures 3 times and
starts with two flats and ends with 4 sharps... but I testify that the gift of
tongues is not confined to language alone. I ran through the songs once and
only made a few mistakes. Talk about crazy!!
Word on the street is that we will be seeing and hearing Elder
Bednar speaks on Christmas!!!! .... On the projector that is streamed from the
Provo MTC... But it´s all good. I´m so excited to hear him speak! We had an
amazing Relief Society this past domigo. I encourage you all to watch the Mormon
message Wise Men Still Seek Him. It is amazing. I am so grateful for my Savior
and for all that He has done for me.
Oh, mom, so apparently I needed to get tetanus shot because I
got the last one more than 3 years ago. I got it on Thursday, which was really
fortunate because this morning, Hna. Hoskins y yo were sliding down some slides
we found near our casa and I totally sliced my finger on the rusted metal... I
had to go to the infermaría. Luckily no stiches, but I won´t get lock jaw!!
I love it here! It is very tiring, mentally and emotionally. But
I am happy.
Have a Merry Christmas! Elder Greenwood´s mom mailed him a
package. It was MARTINELLI’s and a piñata! I think we are going to have fun
tomorrow :)
Love you lots,
Hermana Hess
Away in a manger! BOOM done!
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