Hey! I don`t have a lot of time, but I love you all. We have an appointment in like 5 minutes so we`ll see how fast I can type. Also, sorry for any typos because this computer says that every thing is spelled wrong. Hopefully I didn`t forget that much english...
The flights were great! We met the mission presidents and then got our new companions. My companion is Hermana Corzantes. She is literally the best. She is way patient with me and I can actually understand about 98% of what she says. She only knows a few phrases and words in Spanish so it is spanish all day every day for me. We`re in Villa Flor which is kind of in the north east part of Managua. I say kind of because I only saw the map for like 5 seconds but I`m in the city that`s for sure. I think this just might just be the greatest area ever. The members are literally the greatest people I have ever met. You guys would love them so much. Basically every person you meet is so nice. It is definitely a lot of work and it is hot and it downpours every once in a while (like once a day). I never understood just how important members were in missionary work until now.
Fun fact: we didn`t have running water this week but the guy came abnd fixed it today. I`m happy to report that life is basically the same with or without running water. Just washing your hair takes longer. The amount of spanish I understand depends on the person that I`m talking to. Some I can understand almost everything they say, others enough to get the gist of what they`re saying. Still others I just smile or nod or make a sad face and then look over at my companion to make sure that was the right reaction haha. Our apartment is one room and a bathroom. I happen to be rocking the top bunk. We have a baby washing machine and dryer but the dryer doesn`t work so we line dry our clothes. I`m currently hoping that it doesn`t rain while my clothes are out.
We have a member that makes us lunch every day and we eat at a member`s house for dinner. The food is delicious!!! I think I`ve been lucky since the water in Managua is fairly clean so I haven`t gotten sick. I drink mainly from my water bottle since it has a filter, but at meals they just give us cups of water drink they have. So many different kinds of drinks and fruits that I have never had! Breakfast we are on our own. We`re going to the store today so that will be great. What`s cool is here people sell things out of their houses. Like our neighbor across the sidewalk from us has this little store which is way convenient. Also, a lot of people sell beans or ice cream or whatever and have signs on their window saying what they sell. There are fruit popsicles that people make that they sell in sandwich bags which might just be the most delicious things ever.
One of our investigators came to church yesterday. I`m quickly learning how to tell if someone is actually interested or is just being nice. I know that the Lord is supporting me in this because there is no way I could do it on my own. I know I have a lot to learn and have definitely been humbled. I`m trying to remember the things that they taught us in the CCM because those were gold. Also, we`re planning on starting English classes... we`ll see how that goes since I`m the only one that speaks english.
I love you all a lot and pray for you everyday. We come back exhausted everyday, but everyday there are a ton of tender mercies too. HAVE A GOOD WEEK. Le vaya bien! (just learned that one)
Hermana Lee
Monday, June 30, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Buenos Dias, We Have Another Dead Bird in our House (6-23-14)
Ok. I don´t know what it is, but birds really do hate us. Either that or our house hates them. Hermana was making a bed in one of the other rooms in our casa because with people leaving and everything, we had another Hermana staying with us last night. She was making the bed and in the corner on the mouse trap was another bird. HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!? So once again we called reception haha.
We asked the people working in the gym to get a kickball and stuff for wiffle ball a couple of weeks ago, but we didn´t think anything would come of it. Then last Monday they had them! So the districts in our zone went out to play kickball. Only thing was, there wasn´t bases. Only lumps of grass where the bases used to be. So, Lump Ball was born. It was one of the most hilarious things we have ever done. We basically called everything that happened "lumps." Instead of strikes it was lumps and it was first lump, second lump, third lump, and home lump. SO FUNNY. The next day we played wiffle lump which was way great, but didn´t quite hold up to Lump Ball.
Hermana Olsen and I were called as the Sister Training Leaders for our zone two weeks ago, except we didn´t really have an idea of what we were supposed to do besides go to an extra meeting on Saturday. We made it work though. I love our district and our zone so much. Also, our branch president Presidente Tenorio wrote everyone in our district our own letter. I love him so much. Also, we found out that he is the son of 2nd counselor in the MTC presidency. He is destined to be an apostle.
I´ve really learned this week that we need to rely on God. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always there to pick us up. I know that I couldn´t do this work by myself and that with them I can do all things.
It is so weird that I am leaving the CCM in 6 hours. WHAT?!? We had to say goodbye to all of our teachers today which was really sad. We got so close to our teachers and they are all so amazing. They really are the ones that made this CCM experience as wonderful as it was. Some of them are going to transfer to BYU so maybe I can see them when I get back! We had our last meal at the CCM and left our classroom for the last time. So many "this is the last time we´re..." Our last game of FHE signs is tonight. It is so crazy because it seems like this is an ending, when I know that it is really just a beginning. I don´t think it has completely hit me yet. It probably will start to hit me when I´m on the bus at 2:30am tonight. Some of the people in our district already left. My feet are already getting flat tan lines, so I am basically all set for Nicaragua. A week from now I will have met my mission presidents, met my knew companion, and been serving for a week. I am so excited. A tad nervous too obviously, but I am ready to jump in and get to work. I am so grateful for my time at the CCM I know I can never be completely prepared, but I have learned and grown so much. I love this gospel and I love this work.
I love you all and I pray for you!!
Hermana Lee
Here are some pictures of the best teachers ever!!! And random photos.
More teachers! and the one where I´m wearing the blue shirt and it is just hermanas is the gran casador! (great mouse hunter). Chevron skirt--Hermano Sainz and Hermano Montez I´m also wearing a blue shirt!
We asked the people working in the gym to get a kickball and stuff for wiffle ball a couple of weeks ago, but we didn´t think anything would come of it. Then last Monday they had them! So the districts in our zone went out to play kickball. Only thing was, there wasn´t bases. Only lumps of grass where the bases used to be. So, Lump Ball was born. It was one of the most hilarious things we have ever done. We basically called everything that happened "lumps." Instead of strikes it was lumps and it was first lump, second lump, third lump, and home lump. SO FUNNY. The next day we played wiffle lump which was way great, but didn´t quite hold up to Lump Ball.
Hermana Olsen and I were called as the Sister Training Leaders for our zone two weeks ago, except we didn´t really have an idea of what we were supposed to do besides go to an extra meeting on Saturday. We made it work though. I love our district and our zone so much. Also, our branch president Presidente Tenorio wrote everyone in our district our own letter. I love him so much. Also, we found out that he is the son of 2nd counselor in the MTC presidency. He is destined to be an apostle.
I´ve really learned this week that we need to rely on God. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always there to pick us up. I know that I couldn´t do this work by myself and that with them I can do all things.
It is so weird that I am leaving the CCM in 6 hours. WHAT?!? We had to say goodbye to all of our teachers today which was really sad. We got so close to our teachers and they are all so amazing. They really are the ones that made this CCM experience as wonderful as it was. Some of them are going to transfer to BYU so maybe I can see them when I get back! We had our last meal at the CCM and left our classroom for the last time. So many "this is the last time we´re..." Our last game of FHE signs is tonight. It is so crazy because it seems like this is an ending, when I know that it is really just a beginning. I don´t think it has completely hit me yet. It probably will start to hit me when I´m on the bus at 2:30am tonight. Some of the people in our district already left. My feet are already getting flat tan lines, so I am basically all set for Nicaragua. A week from now I will have met my mission presidents, met my knew companion, and been serving for a week. I am so excited. A tad nervous too obviously, but I am ready to jump in and get to work. I am so grateful for my time at the CCM I know I can never be completely prepared, but I have learned and grown so much. I love this gospel and I love this work.
I love you all and I pray for you!!
Hermana Lee
Here are some pictures of the best teachers ever!!! And random photos.
More teachers! and the one where I´m wearing the blue shirt and it is just hermanas is the gran casador! (great mouse hunter). Chevron skirt--Hermano Sainz and Hermano Montez I´m also wearing a blue shirt!
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
One week left! (6-17-14)
Hey everyone!
I´m flying out a week from today! Crazy! Our flight leaves at 6:20 Tuesday morning and we have a layover in El Salvador! It´s so weird to think that a week from today I´ll be in Nicaragua! What?!? We get to email on Monday since we´ll be traveling Tuesday. Exciting stuff. We had our one month party a few days ago. Aka we bought a ton of cookies from the tienda and studied outside haha.
So many things happened this week. Tuesday night, we were watching the devotional from Elder Quentin L. Cook that was broadcasted from the Provo MTC, when all of a sudden an elder from our zone got up and went over to tell something to President Pratt. We thought someone fainted or something so we looked over to where he had been sitting (we were in the front row) and there was water rushing in from underneath the double doors at the front right side of the auditorium! They had us and a few rows of missionaries behind us move to the back of the auditorium since it was a lot of water that was rushing in. It was raining A LOT. They had workers and some elders go up to the front and sweep the water that was coming in the one door across the front of the auditorium and out the door on the left. We just kept watching the devotional. Or at least tried to understand as much as we could with a literal RIVER running through the building haha. Afterwards they just had us go back to our houses. It was still raining and the streets were flooded. It was pretty exciting. We just took off our shoes and made a break for it. Also, I realized later that my water bottle had gotten swept away in the flood since I had forgotten to pick it up when we changed seats. I was crushed, but I was able to get a new one.
I´m definitely used to this 10:30 bedtime now. Some of our teachers were talking to us at 9 about a dance they were going to later that night and I literally thought to myself "wow, they´re going to be staying out late" and then I just had to start laughing since apparently now 11 is late to me. We had TRC this week and Hermana Olsen and I were teaching a 15 year old boy (found out later that he was one of our teacher´s brothers). He was so great. It was a bit rough in the beginning since we were struggling a bit with understanding what he was saying. Also, we didn´t really know what to teach him since he was a member, but then once we switched our focus from what we were going to say, to trying to discern what he needed to hear, the lesson turned around. The spirit was so strong. I love that I can feel the love that God has for the people we are teaching. So many things came to mine and Hermana Olsen´s minds that was not from us. I love this gospel so much. It was such a testimony to me of our purpose of helping people come to Christ whether they are a member or not.
Last week, we were leaving in the morning to go to class and we were cutting through the laundry room like always. I was first and once I turned the corner, I saw one of the sticky mouse traps they had put in the house to catch any mice in the middle of the floor with some big brown thing on it. I couldn´t tell what it was, but all I knew was that it was MOVING. I lept back and may or may not have screamed. Hermana Olsen and I looked closer and it was a bird. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I was so sad. Hermana Spencer called reception so they would come get it and opened with the classy line "Buenos Dias, we have a dead bird in our house." Haha and then when they asked who it was/ which house, she was like "This is the casa del ratón." For some reason, the animals just love us.
I think all birds might have a vendetta against us now for some reason though because when Hermana Olsen and I came home from getting haircuts today, There was this gigantic black pigeon just perched on the ledge above the door to our casa. I didn´t see it until I was right below it. It was terrifying haha. It wasn´t moving, just staring us down. We ran away from the door and Hermana Spencer came to see what we had been yelling about. She opened the door and we didn´t want a repeat of the earlier bird story so we yelled at her to close it. She saw through the window that the bird was there and tapped the window with the broom she had and the pigeon after like 30 seconds, flew off right at me! I had to duck. Then of course, we sprinted inside before anything else could happen. Most definitely an adventure.
I love the CCM. It seems like I have been here for forever and for no time at all. I´m so exited to get out there and serve. I love you all!
Hermana Lee
Please enjoy these pictures of me and my new scripture cases and the random mirrors that they have around the CCM. We think they´re for firetrucks, but who knows, maybe they are so we can check out the length of our skirts haha
I´m flying out a week from today! Crazy! Our flight leaves at 6:20 Tuesday morning and we have a layover in El Salvador! It´s so weird to think that a week from today I´ll be in Nicaragua! What?!? We get to email on Monday since we´ll be traveling Tuesday. Exciting stuff. We had our one month party a few days ago. Aka we bought a ton of cookies from the tienda and studied outside haha.
So many things happened this week. Tuesday night, we were watching the devotional from Elder Quentin L. Cook that was broadcasted from the Provo MTC, when all of a sudden an elder from our zone got up and went over to tell something to President Pratt. We thought someone fainted or something so we looked over to where he had been sitting (we were in the front row) and there was water rushing in from underneath the double doors at the front right side of the auditorium! They had us and a few rows of missionaries behind us move to the back of the auditorium since it was a lot of water that was rushing in. It was raining A LOT. They had workers and some elders go up to the front and sweep the water that was coming in the one door across the front of the auditorium and out the door on the left. We just kept watching the devotional. Or at least tried to understand as much as we could with a literal RIVER running through the building haha. Afterwards they just had us go back to our houses. It was still raining and the streets were flooded. It was pretty exciting. We just took off our shoes and made a break for it. Also, I realized later that my water bottle had gotten swept away in the flood since I had forgotten to pick it up when we changed seats. I was crushed, but I was able to get a new one.
I´m definitely used to this 10:30 bedtime now. Some of our teachers were talking to us at 9 about a dance they were going to later that night and I literally thought to myself "wow, they´re going to be staying out late" and then I just had to start laughing since apparently now 11 is late to me. We had TRC this week and Hermana Olsen and I were teaching a 15 year old boy (found out later that he was one of our teacher´s brothers). He was so great. It was a bit rough in the beginning since we were struggling a bit with understanding what he was saying. Also, we didn´t really know what to teach him since he was a member, but then once we switched our focus from what we were going to say, to trying to discern what he needed to hear, the lesson turned around. The spirit was so strong. I love that I can feel the love that God has for the people we are teaching. So many things came to mine and Hermana Olsen´s minds that was not from us. I love this gospel so much. It was such a testimony to me of our purpose of helping people come to Christ whether they are a member or not.
Last week, we were leaving in the morning to go to class and we were cutting through the laundry room like always. I was first and once I turned the corner, I saw one of the sticky mouse traps they had put in the house to catch any mice in the middle of the floor with some big brown thing on it. I couldn´t tell what it was, but all I knew was that it was MOVING. I lept back and may or may not have screamed. Hermana Olsen and I looked closer and it was a bird. It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. I was so sad. Hermana Spencer called reception so they would come get it and opened with the classy line "Buenos Dias, we have a dead bird in our house." Haha and then when they asked who it was/ which house, she was like "This is the casa del ratón." For some reason, the animals just love us.
I think all birds might have a vendetta against us now for some reason though because when Hermana Olsen and I came home from getting haircuts today, There was this gigantic black pigeon just perched on the ledge above the door to our casa. I didn´t see it until I was right below it. It was terrifying haha. It wasn´t moving, just staring us down. We ran away from the door and Hermana Spencer came to see what we had been yelling about. She opened the door and we didn´t want a repeat of the earlier bird story so we yelled at her to close it. She saw through the window that the bird was there and tapped the window with the broom she had and the pigeon after like 30 seconds, flew off right at me! I had to duck. Then of course, we sprinted inside before anything else could happen. Most definitely an adventure.
I love the CCM. It seems like I have been here for forever and for no time at all. I´m so exited to get out there and serve. I love you all!
Hermana Lee
Please enjoy these pictures of me and my new scripture cases and the random mirrors that they have around the CCM. We think they´re for firetrucks, but who knows, maybe they are so we can check out the length of our skirts haha
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Two weeks left! (6-10-14)
Hey everybody!
It is crazy to think that in two weeks I´m going to be in Nicaragua! That is so crazy! We got to go visit the Mexico City Temple today with our district and one other one. Plus, we convinced two of our teachers to come. They´re the best! We couldn´t go in the temple since it is closed for maintenance, but we got to go to the visitor´s center which is WAY cool. It´s a lot like the Mormon Batallion Visitor´s Center. I bought some scripture cases which are pretty cool and I am excited to use. It was so fun to go out into the city. The temple was about 45 minutes away so we got to see a bunch of the city. I love it!
We got a new district in our zone this week (14C) and they are great. We also had the other district (14B) in our zone leave this week which was sad. The CCM will be so weird without them, but they are going to do amazing things! They are definitely a key part of my CCM memories. We play signs as a district every Monday night for FHE so we had our last game with 14B. SO FUN.They are hilarious. I love them so much! Also, one of my friends from my Summer ward, Shannon Golden, came to the CCM this week! I love her so much and it was so happy to see her!
The Hermanas in my district are going to do a musical number this Sunday. It´s "Lead Kindly Light" which is one of my favorite songs ever, except in Spanish obviously. This week I definitely learned a lot like always. I´m humbled everyday, but I am growing so much. I have never prayed so much in my whole life. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and that he loves us. I´ve learned that even more this week. Our teachers are literally the best (shout out to Hermano Silva if he is reading this). It´s funny because we have like six. I guess we need a lot of help haha.
I wish you guys could be here for Sunday´s. They are honestly my favorite days. Maybe even more than P day. We have church which is always the best, and then we have a meeting with the CCM Presidency, a devotional, AND we watch a church movie. It is always such a spiritual feast. I love them so much. I´m attaching some pictures of our district at the temple, our zone during gym throwing up our signs, and a lot more. I love you all a lot! I hope you are having a great week. Send me pictures if you can because those are the best!
Con amor,
Hermana Lee
Oh, and we found another dead cockroach, but that is old news now haha
It is crazy to think that in two weeks I´m going to be in Nicaragua! That is so crazy! We got to go visit the Mexico City Temple today with our district and one other one. Plus, we convinced two of our teachers to come. They´re the best! We couldn´t go in the temple since it is closed for maintenance, but we got to go to the visitor´s center which is WAY cool. It´s a lot like the Mormon Batallion Visitor´s Center. I bought some scripture cases which are pretty cool and I am excited to use. It was so fun to go out into the city. The temple was about 45 minutes away so we got to see a bunch of the city. I love it!
We got a new district in our zone this week (14C) and they are great. We also had the other district (14B) in our zone leave this week which was sad. The CCM will be so weird without them, but they are going to do amazing things! They are definitely a key part of my CCM memories. We play signs as a district every Monday night for FHE so we had our last game with 14B. SO FUN.They are hilarious. I love them so much! Also, one of my friends from my Summer ward, Shannon Golden, came to the CCM this week! I love her so much and it was so happy to see her!
The Hermanas in my district are going to do a musical number this Sunday. It´s "Lead Kindly Light" which is one of my favorite songs ever, except in Spanish obviously. This week I definitely learned a lot like always. I´m humbled everyday, but I am growing so much. I have never prayed so much in my whole life. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and that he loves us. I´ve learned that even more this week. Our teachers are literally the best (shout out to Hermano Silva if he is reading this). It´s funny because we have like six. I guess we need a lot of help haha.
I wish you guys could be here for Sunday´s. They are honestly my favorite days. Maybe even more than P day. We have church which is always the best, and then we have a meeting with the CCM Presidency, a devotional, AND we watch a church movie. It is always such a spiritual feast. I love them so much. I´m attaching some pictures of our district at the temple, our zone during gym throwing up our signs, and a lot more. I love you all a lot! I hope you are having a great week. Send me pictures if you can because those are the best!
Con amor,
Hermana Lee
Oh, and we found another dead cockroach, but that is old news now haha
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
(6-3-2014)
I sometimes forget that I´m not going to be at the CCM for the whole 18 months. I am loving it more and more, but I am also excited to get to Nicaragua. My mission sent me a welcome email today so it is definitely becoming more real. Oh, and it was in Spanish and I more or less understood it. I was pretty proud haha.
There are literally so many things that happened this week I don´t even know what to say. First of all, MOUSE UPDATE. We got home last Tuesday night and the mouse was once again in our room and had been on EVERY SINGLE one of our beds (I´ll let you figure out how we knew that). Then we saw it run across our room into the bathroom. We of course all screamed and jumped on whatever furniture was closest. Then we locked it in the bathroom and called Reception. The two kindest Hermanos ever came and armed with trashcans, brooms, and a toilet plunger and killed it. It was pretty traumatic. They laughed at us so much haha. It was pretty late and we had to wash all of our sheets so that was definitely a late night. Two of my favorite things from that: When the first guy got to our house he asked us if it was the "Casa Ratón" and then after they killed it they asked if we wanted to take pictures. We laughed.. and then said why not. Also, there was a dead cockroach in one of the other rooms in our casa and my companion saw one down the hall from our room. I´ve just stopped looking at the ground haha.
Hermana Olsen and I are getting better at teaching together, in Spanish, and with the Spirit. My favorite lesson this week was we were teaching Dany and we ended up talking about how Christ is the light of the world and testifying of him. It was such a wonderful experience. We were all crying because the spirit was so strong. It makes me so happy that I am able to be His missionary with his name on my nametag and testify of him. We have a special witness of Him and are united with him in purpose. It is such an amazing thing and I am so grateful that I am blessed to have this opportunity. We teach people not lessons. It is amazing when you are telling someone about Christ and His love for us and for them personally, how you can feel that love so strongly and the Spirit is there telling them too. We are children of a Heavenly Father that loves us so much. I am learning that over and over again.
We had TRC for the first time this past week and it was such a great experience. People from the community come in and we teach them. It is mainly members, but it can also be less actives and non members. It was such a spiritual uplift especially to talk to and teach people who aren´t our teachers. It definitely helped our Spanish too. We finished teaching Dany and got a new investigator. Guess what his name is? DANIEL. That makes a grand total of 3. Ridiculous haha.
We played tennis today since we had more time for gym since it is P day. Let´s just say it was hilarious. One of our teachers Hermano Silva made us necklaces that we have to wear if we speak English in class. They are pretty classy. We love them.
Oh, and my best moment this week: We were about to teach Hno Silva and we had been joking around with him right before he closed the door so we could knock on it so when we did and asked him what his name was, he said "Daniel." Then I was like "Oh, mucho gusto. Me llamo Rebecca!" instead of Hermana Lee. haha whoops! Getting your emails makes me so HAPPY. You don´t even know. I forgot all about Memorial Day but I hope you had a great one! Thank you for writing me. I love you guys so much and pray for you everyday!
Hermana Lee
Hermana Olsen and I are getting better at teaching together, in Spanish, and with the Spirit. My favorite lesson this week was we were teaching Dany and we ended up talking about how Christ is the light of the world and testifying of him. It was such a wonderful experience. We were all crying because the spirit was so strong. It makes me so happy that I am able to be His missionary with his name on my nametag and testify of him. We have a special witness of Him and are united with him in purpose. It is such an amazing thing and I am so grateful that I am blessed to have this opportunity. We teach people not lessons. It is amazing when you are telling someone about Christ and His love for us and for them personally, how you can feel that love so strongly and the Spirit is there telling them too. We are children of a Heavenly Father that loves us so much. I am learning that over and over again.
We had TRC for the first time this past week and it was such a great experience. People from the community come in and we teach them. It is mainly members, but it can also be less actives and non members. It was such a spiritual uplift especially to talk to and teach people who aren´t our teachers. It definitely helped our Spanish too. We finished teaching Dany and got a new investigator. Guess what his name is? DANIEL. That makes a grand total of 3. Ridiculous haha.
We played tennis today since we had more time for gym since it is P day. Let´s just say it was hilarious. One of our teachers Hermano Silva made us necklaces that we have to wear if we speak English in class. They are pretty classy. We love them.
Oh, and my best moment this week: We were about to teach Hno Silva and we had been joking around with him right before he closed the door so we could knock on it so when we did and asked him what his name was, he said "Daniel." Then I was like "Oh, mucho gusto. Me llamo Rebecca!" instead of Hermana Lee. haha whoops! Getting your emails makes me so HAPPY. You don´t even know. I forgot all about Memorial Day but I hope you had a great one! Thank you for writing me. I love you guys so much and pray for you everyday!
Hermana Lee
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