Hola from the land of endless lightning!
This week has been interesting...and different. But before I get into that- any letters not sent by tonight please send straight on down to Chile! And also the mail system here is not the most reliable...we only get about 60% of our mail. So if you dont here back from me assume I didnt get it! :)
To answer some questions...
My health is wonderful! I feel perfect (except for the constant exhaustion). I never eat dairy but do have some gluten...not much but some. The food does make me sick sometimes..but it makes everyone sick. So its all good.
YES we do everything in spanish...including singing.
Sorry you are on crutches mom! Thats no fun! Hopefully whatever it is heals soon!
Tell Emily the heart monitor is FUN! haha not really but hopefully she doesnt have to wear it too long. I am happy you are starting seminary Emily! Jene Hallam is a wonderful lady and will be a great teacher! And how lucky you are to have Jacob stay with you the whole time too!
Enjoy homeschooling Anna! Make sure to really get into it in all its glory. Go on long walks, read for at least 5 hours a day and go outside and write poems about flowers or something. If you do it right it will be wonderful! I have never regretted one bit being homeschooled!
Good work with the family missionary effort! I think you should hold family missionary council! Just a thought...
OKAY!
I think I shall deem this the most exhausting week of my life! I have found myself falling asleep EVERYWHERE! I´ll wake up with my head on the cafeteria table, sitting at my desk or even standing in the shower! I think my eyes have gained a few pounds or something and they just CANNOT stay open (today included haha). I think just being tired has contributed to this weeks craziness and rough-tumble....ness.
So some funny stories..
My teaching skills seemed to have regressed this week. My companion still does not like to speak during lessons so I am on my own to make mistakes. We had a new investigator (who is really my teacher) this week. We were teaching him about the Book of Mormon and I wanted him to read Moroni´s promise at the end. Since the scriptures are in spanish and I dont really know what I am reading I give them the scripture and show them where to read....anyways. So I handed him the scriptures thinking I was having him read Moroni 10:3-5. But I really had him read a chapter before where it talks about the lamanites raping the woman and then killing and eating them or something. Its really violent and awful. And thats what he read. He was a bit confused and definietly had something to say about it after hahahahhaha oh it was funny. Hopefully I dont make that mistake again!
Also during one lesson this week I had planned to sing "Soy un hijo de Dios" with a new investigator. I finally convinced my companion to sing along with me. Then we started singing...and we all started on different notes and rythems and such. It sounded horrible. And I started laughing. Like a lot. Until the point that I was crying. And then I was sobbing and then laughing again. All the while my companion sang quietly along and glared at me. Oh my haha THAT is what no sleep and too much studying does to you! and THAT is why we practice teaching on our teachers first . Somehow I got through the rest of that lesson to a very scared teacher. Oh I forgot to mention. Our district was chosen to have our lessons recorded or something to show at the Provo MTC. So if you see a video of me laughing and crying through a lesson...enjoy it. You´re welcome.
Church is quite the experience here. They like to call everyone to do stuff right on the spot. Our leaders also dont speak any english. They get up there at the beginning of sacrament meeting and say so and so is going to sing, pray, lead, talk etc. And sometimes I cant even understand what they are saying so its "what am I supposed to do??" This sunday was my lucky day to be the star of the show! I got surprised with the opportunity to give a talk. Normally this would be fine but in spanish...its not as fun. I also got to sing alone a hymn I had never heard of...in spanish. Oh it was an adventure for sure!
I had a rather strange occurance with a bug bite this week. Something bit my leg-im still not sure what- and it inserted a fair amount of something or other. I went to the doctor about it a few days ago because it is making my entire leg swell and hurt. To the point that I can barely walk. So I am on some pretty strong drug things to try and take care of it. Im sure it´ll be fine. I just hope all the spiders in the world disappear sometime soon!
Anna, a funny little tidbit about my district. We are district 9 and are always playing the game "what are the odds". Ha- do you get it? It took me three weeks to put it together.
Sunday nights are always fun here! Missionaries leave monday morning so we all sing "God be with you til we meet again" really loud in spanish. Towards the end it turns into a chant. Hastaaaaa vaaaaaaaAAAAA Hasta Vaa! Some of my favorite people left this week so that was sad! The CCM is just not the same without them.
Our night teacher is the funniest guy. He is super nice and just all around awesome! He says he is going to sneak us in some tacos soon. He was trying to motivate us last night because we all had a rough week and were a bit discouraged. He said that sometimes in life God makes us walk, sometimes we get to ride a bike but for 2 years on our missions we get to drive a lamborghini (?). I know that is true! There is definitely someone greater than ourselves behind this work and carrying us along. Its undeniable. And good...because we cannot do this by ourselves! At all.
One of our investigators has needed some inspiration and love lately. I know our teachers are so inspired in the roles they play as investigators. They know the weaknesses we need to teach and learn for ourselves. I was researching scriptures for our investigator on God´s love and care for him. Maybe I was feeling a little unloved and uncared for this week but God took the time to teach me His infinite love and endless detailed care for all of his children-including me! And I am grateful for that. And the wonderful teachers here and opportunity to learn through teaching!
I am getting really excitd to get to Chile and teach real people! Although after this weeks lessons I feel a bit unprepared as well.
I am so thankful for my amazing district and roommates. Especially Hermana Turner who is just the best! She has not missed a night singing to me in spanish and will patiently teach me endless grammar.
It really is amazing how much we learn and grow here every single day! This is an inspired place and I wish I could build a permanent house here! (and fumigate all the spiders our of it!)
I´ll leave you with my quote for the week.
"Gaze upward, look inward, reach outward, and press forward!"
Until next time!
-Hermana Orchard
P.S. Does anyone know the story about the missionary who was killed in Mexico last week?
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