{2.11.15} Week 1

Querido Familia y Amigos,

Well ive survived my first week at the CCM! My spanish is no bueno hahaha, but its slowly getting better. We had to teach a lesson our second day entirely in spanish to an investigator who knew absolutely zero english. That was really rough. Luckily my companion knew some spanish and definitely had the gift of understanding, and was able to translate for me. I knew what he needed to hear and what I wanted to say, so I usually speak in really rough spanglish or look up phrases in the missionary phrase book. I also know how to bear my testimony in spanish so I can always go to that too.

The food here isnt all that bad, most of the time hahah. They serve some really weird stuff... like chicken nuggets and sandwiches for breakfast? and sometimes they serve hashbrowns as the main course.. which isnt enough. They have beans every meal but that doesnt really agree with my stomache at all hahaha, but luckily my digestion has actually been pretty good.

I was super sick for the first 5 days with a cold. Its been difficult having to ask my companion to always go to the bathroom with me cause I had to blow my nose alllll the time. The first 3 days were all really long boring meetings too that were super repetitive and boring and long, but all the other elders and hermanas told us to just make it through sunday and then it goes by so fast. Its so true! its so much fun too.

Unfortunately, mi companero went home this morning. Honestly if it werent for him being my companion we would probably never have been friends, but he was such a good kid. Thats why it was so shocking when he went home. I honestly grow to love him as a brother and a bestfriend. Hed come to the gym with me and Elder Lolani and Elder Kalama (polynesian companions we share a room with who are great guys) and Id teach him how to lift. When he lift, it was really emotional. It didnt really seem fair. He was a great missionary and we worked great together.. we were the first in our district to commit our investigator to baptism.He will be missed a lot, and while Elder Lolani and Elder Kalama, who Im a trio with now, are great guys and also my best friends, it wont be the same without my first companion.

My most spiritualy experience of the week was when after our second lesson I got super frustrated with the language. I couldnt understand anything fransisco was saying and when I did I didnt know how to respond in a way he could understand. Thats when my zone leader, Elder southwick who´s a great missionary (and barely 18?!?!) bore his testimony about how he began his first week in the same situation with the same frustration. He told me how he fasted for 24 hours and every time he prays he asks for the gift of tongues and understanding. Ive folllowed his example and fasted for uhm lets just say longer than that and have been doing the same in my prayers. They language is definitely getting better but is still something I{m really struggling with and have to work very hard at.

mom: I love you and miss you so much! I didn{t get your donuts until 4 days later because our district letter never got our mail key. I miss you a lot and think about you all the time.

Jenna: thank you for your letter! its the first one I got and ive read it at least 20 times hahah. Its so nice to have actual letters to hold and read. I hope i answered all your questions!

Dad: ive told your australian fight story several times and all the Elders love it! hopefully im not encouraging them to do wrong hahah oops.

Syd: Congrats on your mission papers going in this tuesday! youre gonna be an awesome hermana.

Coleson: dude so good to hear from you!

Kam, Mckay, David: Thanks for the emails elders! so good to hear from you guys.

Love, Elder Johns