I'm here!

I made it to Mexico safely even though I sat next to a crying baby the entire time! Everything was fine as soon as I found some fellow missionaries. If they can do it, I can too. (Typing with a spanish keyboard is weird.) 

It´s also weird to think that more than a week ago I boarded a plane from Bakersfield and promptly fell asleep on the stranger next to me. I definitely didn´t like walking around the Phoenix airport with no phone but I did feel better once I met up with a group of missionaries. I just had to look for a bunch of baby faces in suits. I probably shouldn´t add this but it was a wake up call to missionary mode when the very first Elder I talked to was a six foot gorgeous volleyball player from LA. Are you kidding me... Anyway I met an Hermana (sister missionary) going to Honduras that was sitting next to me on the flight. Different missions of course. Driving through Mexico City on the way to the CCM (Centro De Capacitacion Misional) was so interesting. The city looks so cluttered and run down but at the same time it´s so colorful and full of life. 
At the end of the day I met my companion and we compared gollum impersonations so I think we're going to get along okay. But seriously, I have the best district and the best companion so I'm not even homesick, I dont miss you guys at all. I joke. 

I think my Spanish is coming along okay, I've been told that my accent is good. Its just difficult to make things stick. I love love LOVE singing hymns in Spanish, however. And on Sunday, I was so proud because my whole district got up and talked about their testimony in Spanish. It was a really good feeling even though I brought a note card up with me to help. My companion has more years of Spanish under her belt and so she is definitely better at the language than I am. I am not gonna lie - we're awesome! She is super patient in helping me learn. 

It´s definitely not easy, it´s exhausting. But I´ve learned that the work isn´t easy because salvation isn´t easy. Early morning to late at night it´s just awesome being here in the CCM with people that have the same beliefs that I do. Even church schools aren´t like this, we´re like special ops over here. I wasn´t sure if I could do this until I saw the huddle of missionaries in the airport, and when I got to know my district a little better. We keep saying that we´re a familia but it´s actually true, we rely on each other and help each other, laugh with each other and cried with each other. (our Elders are softies to be sure)

On November first, Dia de los Muertos, we got to see niños trick or treating from our window as we were getting ready to teach our investigator. We taught five lessons total. The spirit that we felt in that room every day during our lesson was real. It was definitely intimidating teaching a native Spanish speaker though. That's when I really relied on my companion to find the right words to say.