Week 8: The Fun facts of Missionary Life‏

Hola Familia y Amigos,

          Practico mi espanol en los Estados Unidos mas que en Mexico! (Kim Translates:  I practice my Spanish more in the United States than in Mexico!) Burien, WA is seriously little Mexico. Scratch that. It’s more like a little bit of every country and culture was thrown into this little area. And I was wrong. Seattle is beautiful. I went to Bellevue twice this week for new missionary training at the mission home and for a fireside. It’s gorgeous! I just realized that I live in the ghetto part of town. And even then it’s not terrible as we drove past what all the missionaries think is Bill Gate’s house. Who knows??

We think we are funny!  Hermana D. loves mustaches.
When we got slurpies at 7/11, we got some mustaches to go with them.

          So far it has been so much sunnier and warmer than Mexico. Surprise, Surprise! It has only rained at night and been slightly foggy one day. Pretty sure it was supposed to be the other way around, but oh well. I’m not complaining. Also, my skin was fine in Mexico, but it does not like Seattle. Like at all. Some of this may be due to stress…for real…who would ever stress on a mission? Not me! We do have a car. The Spanish work here would be impossible without a car and a phone. We definitely have a phone, but I really don’t understand people when they speak Spanish to me on it so I put it on speaker so my companions can answer. We are hoping that they will give us iPad soon. It would make a world of difference!

          Yes, the food has gotten so much better and well "I got betta!” Yes, I am doing much, much better than in Mexico. So the first week was hard, but I think I am getting into the routine of things. We eat with members every Sunday and Monday night. Last week, we ate with the Alonzo family. It’s a big extended family from Guatemala. They are seriously the best. I felt like I was at home being with them. They were all loud, super close and loving. They also made us the best carne asada my mouth has ever beheld! The next day one of their sisters made us chicken with delicious creamy onion sauce. So stinkin' bomb. She is also a returned missionary so she told us about some of her experiences such as she had a companion who was 56 years old!  It is so nice having sister RMs to talk to because they completely understand. 

          

So some fun facts for the week:

1.  Did you know that the church spends about $7000 or more on every investigator. “The worth of every soul is great in the sight of God.”

2.  I get hit on ALL THE TIME!  Like I never did in Utah. Like ever. And now that I am set apart from the world as a representative of the Lord, it’s like they won’t leave me alone.

3.  No biggy, but we are teaching Carlos Mencia’s cousin. I guess he is super popular or something…

4.  The best way to get information is through the mouth of babes. The adults often give us fake phone numbers, names and addresses. The truth is through the kids. They will tell you a little more than everything you want to hear. The parents will tell you everything is fine and then their little kid will say the closing prayer and say, “Please help mommy and daddy to stop fighting.” The truth comes out.

5.  Being among the Hispanic population is way humbling. I wish I could not only change their lives, but also help them clean and organize their houses. I mean apartments. Everyone here lives in apartments.

6.  We taught a very drunk man this week. Very drunk.

7.  I am still getting use to the whole kissing women on the cheek culture here. There are lots of Polynesians and Latinos that do that. I mean I should be use to it because of the family I have been raised with, but you know how I am!

Week 8 Challenge:

Challenge from my balcony.
Jacob 2:8 - What heals a wounded soul?

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week #7: 1st Week in the Mission Field

Querido Familia y Amigos,

          First off, thanks family for sending my bag to me. My companions and I had a good laugh going through all the hidden treasures within. Especially the Good and Plenty's and Olivia...Oh, Oh, Olivia! We were busting a gut with your little tour of Seattle commentary and the song with the drawing of me all wet. Yeah. Twas great!

          Unfortunately, we have lots of rules in my mission. Fortunately, we can receive lots of blessings from following them.  I am in the Seattle Seahurst area, south of downtown.  And I can't ever leave this area even on P-days, so I will only be able to go to downtown Seattle if I am put in the Shoreline area. Both of my companions have never been to the major sites, so that's kind of a bummer. If I am ever in that area, I am going to force my companion to go, even for just one day! 

          Anyway, our area is really close to the airport.  Seattle is a lot different than I thought. I thought it would be prettier. Well I guess Salt Lake is pretty over all, but I wouldn't want to live there. That's kind of how I feel about Seattle right now. I also realize that I am not in the most, how should I put this, wealthy part of town.  I guess you can get a drivers license and other things here in Washington without being a citizen of the USA so there are a lot of first generation immigrants here. Like I am the minority as a white girl, but it's okay because a lot of the Latinos ask me which country I am from.  Once I say I am American, they say that makes sense since I am a foot taller than them! :)

          Wow, I may be in America, but I have been fully immersed in the Hispanic culture. Most of them are from Central and South America, so they don't want to be associated with Mexicans.  And they speak faster. A lot faster. And they have crazy dreams.  That's how a lot of them supposedly receive revelation to know if the church is true or not. They are descendants of Lehi, so I guess that works:) My companions told me, if there are less than 4 cars at their house, then they are not home.  They have generations that live in one household.  And that's another thing I never thought of, there really aren't very many houses. Everyone in this area lives in apartments. So we go from apartment complex to apartment complex going to appointments and tracting. I have already seen the two extremes of people.  The people that are so into our message and are like "baptize me now!" and we had a group of ....very worldly white girls tell us that they are, and I quote "against the Mormons." I don't even know what that's suppose to mean! Oh well. You are so lucky I am on a mission.  I just met a girl my age who has three kids and is living with her parents still.  Such is life here among the Latinos of Seattle.

          Our mission president really likes songs so we sing "I am a Child of God" in English and Spanish all the time. Another rule is we can only listen to and sing hymns and songs from the Primary book. Even though it's kind of awkward to sing to randoms strangers on random streets, it invites the spirit so fast.  What I found really awkward was inviting people on the street to be baptized. I was not expecting that. I thought we would wait until we had at least taught them a lesson. But I am literally calling people to repentance, like all the people I see. Anyway, the biggest miracle that I saw tracting this week was that we invited a Muslim man to read the Book of Mormon. And he said yes! He seemed pretty sincere when he said he would read it so that was cool.

          We had a Special Zone Conference the day after I got here. My mission president actually had an article printed in the August issue of the Ensign so you can go check that out. He was a body guard for the president of Korea when he was in the military. So he is for reals legit! He talked about being confident and bold. We can do that through faith in Christ. He said don't expect to have all your "issues" resolved on a mission. Missionaries need to come out with strong testimonies ready to preach the gospel. I think that mission presidents are sick of all the homesickness and other problems. In church, we talked about preparing for missions and how our homes need to be like the MTC. The church is getting tired of parents sending their kinds, expecting the mission to change them. For some it will change them, but for most, they are just a headache. I thought that was interesting. We also talked about using our talents to reactivate and to find people.  My companions and I are hoping to do something soon with sidewalk chalk on the streets to get people interested.

          My companions Hermana Boley and Hermana Deagostini are fantastic. Hrma. Deagostini only has 10 day left out in the field, but she works hard, speaks Spanish really well, is hilarious and good at befriending people. We quote movies and speak in accents all the time. Well, I do that all the time anyway, but it's fun to do it with someone else. 

My Trainer Hermana Deagostini

They are really focused, but we have some good laughs too which is the perfect balance. I am going to miss her when she goes. Hrma. Boley is a sweet heart. She is like the mom. She always wants to cook for us and I let her.  She talks to EVERYONE and is so genuine.  I just recently learned that she wants to be a mortician, she loves hunting and skinning creatures of the forest and she was a firefighter! You got to watch out for those sweet, quiet ones!  She has been out for 11 months and she is really cool, too.

Selfie with My Companions
Hermana Deagostini and Hermana Boley

          Ah, I am running out of time, but yesterday was by far the best day. I met my branch and we had the best carne asada at a member's house! Let the weight gaining commence! The Alonzo family is from Guatemala. They are the most active family in our ward. They remind me a lot of our family - super close, loud and hilarious! I seriously love them. I am understanding quite a bit of Spanish, just working on the speaking part. But man, sometimes English is the struggle. I tell everyone Hola and Buenos Dias when they clearly don't speak Spanish! I will have to tell you more next week! I love you all and keep sending those pics and updates!

Week 7 Challenge:

Alma 5:26

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

P.S. I am thinking about changing my last name to Star. No one can say my name!!!

P.S.S Pictures have been added to Rachel's Week 6:  Vivo en Mexico

P.S.S.S This is a poem written by my CCM companion which I thought was fantastic

The Representative

by Hermana Brittani Bills

So very far away from home, 1,000 miles at best

The trip was long and tiring and I'm ready for a rest 

I take my first step off the bus into the MTC

And say a little prayer to ask the Lord to strengthen me.

I'm feeling sort of awkward... What am I supposed to do? 

The elders grab the luggage; do I help them get it, too?

Then a lady comes out smiling and helps to calm my fear

"Oh hermanas! Nice to meet you. It's so good to have you here."

I walk into a building with a smile now on my face.

The Spirit of my Lord is here. I'm happy in this place. 

Then they hand to me my nametag and I've never felt so blessed

When I took my Savior's name and I put it on my chest.

The weeks are like the lightning: They're there, you blink, they're gone

And yet somehow days pass slowly like a long and lazy yawn 

There's so much here to learn and do, so much to read and write

The Spirit fills our hearts with peace and fills our minds with light

The scriptures make more sense to me than they ever have before

And when I pray for answers, Christ opens up the door

In my life, I swear I've never cried as much as I do here

I feel God's love so powerfully and they are happy tears

I've felt His will become my own as my heart to Him is turned

I've eaten from the tree of life and this pearl of price I've learned

I never have to be alone, I'm never walking blind

When I take my Savior's words of life and put them in my mind. 

This life is so much different from the way I lived before

I'm here to find my family who are craving something more

I'm learning how to find them, how to serve them day by day

I know the Lord will help me if I have faith and pray

I think about them often, about their friends, their passions, lives

They're all a part of something. They are children, fathers, wives.

I pray they might be happy and have strength in all they do 

That their blessings may be many and their trials may be few

I feel my Savior's love for them as day by day I learn 

How I'll help them feel the love of Christ and to his arms return

I'm just a girl, I can't do much but I start to do my part

When I take my Savior's endless love and put it in my heart.

A member of the church of Christ and a missionary

They say I represent Him and that like Him I must be

I'm told to ask for faith and hope and charity and love

An eye single to the glory of my Father up above.

So I try my hardest every day to be obedient

But I often think it's just too hard and all my strength is spent

My Savior was a perfect man, can I hope to be like HIM?

Can I be a light for others when the way seems dark and dim? 

All I know is Christ's my shepherd and He wants me to succeed

Which is why He chose to die for us: chose to suffer, chose to bleed

I understand Christ's love for me and the power of His grace

When I know my Savior's countenance and see it in my face. 

Week 6: Continued - My Promised Land‏

Hi again!

          I didn't think that they would give me more time this week to email, but here I am again.  My next P-day should be next Monday. So I just had the craziest 24 hours. After saying good bye to the Hermanas in my district, Hermana Meads and Burnham, and my roommates, Hermana Andes and Heaps, they put me with a random companion.  She was very quiet which was fine because all I had to do was pack up my stuff and walk it over to her house. I still wasn't quite over the sickness that I have been dealing with the past few days so I just took a wonderful shower and was off to bed.
          My alarm didn't go off at 1 AM like it was suppose to, but I prayed that I would wake up in order to make it on time for my bus.  Lo and behold, I woke up 10 minutes before my bus was leaving. All the Elders were impressed with my ability to pack everything in one checked bag and one carry on and keeping it under 50 lbs.  So at 2AM (Mexico time mind you) I was on a bus in Mexico City.  This is how I know the church takes good care of us- we basically have our own private gated drop off area at the airport. Yeah, it's real.           Now that I am out of Mexico, I can be a little more honest about "The Sketchy Things." So we heard gun shots all the time, especially at night, with lots of police sirens. We had a day where the water on all the campus wasn't working and rumor had it that a bomb went off by our water well. The day that happened we had lots of security guards around campus and in every building. Remember that big mountain with a B on it in the pictures?

One day we were joking around with our teacher and asking him to let us go outside the wall and hike that hill. He looked at us and said "see all those caves and holes in the mountain? That's where all the druggies live and they will shoot you Hermana." So there you have it. But to be completely honest, I never felt endangered there. They have high security and they would never put missionaries in a deliberately dangerous situation. They took very good care of us.

          So I am done with Mexico and here I am in Seattle. But first, on the way to Seattle.... In the Mexico airport, it was just me, Elder Ellis and Elder Thompson waiting for our flight to Dallas. We sat there for awhile and then I said a prayer that we would meet someone on the plane that we could talk to and give a pass along card to. Right at that very moment, this guy walks up sits down right in between Elder Ellis and me and said, "So, I know you guys are Mormon missionaries. Tell me more." I was honestly in shock. How could it be this easy? He was this major broadcast guy from LA who was in Mexico filming "El Voz" on his way back to LA to film "The Voice."  He told us about all his success, but how his father is a pastor so he likes the idea of religion. He said that his nephew was on a Mormon mission, but he really didn't know anything about us. He said that the night before he was missing his two sons so much that he didn't want to leave his hotel room. It was perfect because he had so many questions about why we would leave our families to go to a place that we were randomly sent to go. We told him it was revelation and I told him I was only willing to leave my family because I know that I am helping others be able to live with their families forever.  At this point they were saying the last calls for our flight so we had to run, but he gladly took our pass along card and commitment to look up more about Mormons at mormon.org. So sweet! 

          I slept the first flight, had to run through customs, security and the giant Dallas airport to my next gate. It was weird just being with two Elders without a companion, but I was so glad to have people with me who I knew. I talked a little bit with the lady I sat by on the plane about my mission and her life and stuff, but she was a little tipsy so I don't know how much that message was sinking in. 

          I had a totally spiritual moment flying in over Mt. Rainier and Seattle. All I could think of was the scriptures about how the Lord prepared the promised land for the Jaredites, then the Nephites, then the Gentiles and how He has now prepared that same promised land for me. Seattle is my Promised Land. Elder and Sister Bingham, a Sr. couple, picked us up from the airport and took us to the Mission Office.  We meet some of the missionaries in our mission and our mission president and his wife, President and Sister Choi (It's pronouned Chay). I am already in love.  Sister Choi realized that we have been up since 11:45 PM Seattle time and that we haven't eaten yet that day. She was like, "When my children are hungry, I must feed them!" She asked if it would be ok if she could be my temporary mother. She gave us some heavenly food and she was very impressed by my Spanish prayer.  She and the President are fluent in English, but they are still a little bit hard to understand.  All the missionaries are telling me that they are super sweet, but strict. Apparently General Authorities have to be mission presidents for 2 years right when they are called. My President will finish next July and I will have a new one for my last 6 months.

          We also have one of the smallest mission boundaries in the world which made it weird driving from the airport because we had to drive the long way in order to stay within the boundaries. President Choi told be to be in bed an hour earlier tonight so that I can get some more rest.  We also have a lot of unique, but cool rules. Every day the whole mission and all the members are told to stop whatever they are doing at 5pm and say a prayer for the mission work in our mission.  We have to sing whenever we are in the shower.  We can only listen to hymns. There are other things that I still haven't figured out yet. 

          Best part- my new companions. That's right, there are 2 - Hermana Boley and Hermana DeAgostini. They are both American but have been out for awhile so they speak Spanish very well.  I don't know my head is starting to suffer from the lack of sleep and I have only met them about an hour ago. They seem very, very cool and funny which is a plus and I will have to fill you in more next week. They said our area is the bread and butter of the mission.  They have at least one Spanish baptism per week.  They said I will give my first invitation for baptism before Sunday and that we should have a baptism within the next two weeks.  Our mission goal for each missionary is one baptism per week. President Choi counted them up and told me that I have to baptize 72 people by the end of my mission.  Hard, but totally doable with the Lord's help. 

          I just read a quote that I heard at the CCM:  "The World would take people out of the slums, but Christ can take the slums out of people. Then people will physically take themselves out of the slums." I am happy that I am working with Spanish people.  They are more poor, but they are more humble. To be honest, I am feeling un poco overwhelmed right now, but I am so excited looking forward to success here in Seattle. 

          Have a great week everyone! Good luck with work and school that is starting up!

Week 6 Challenge:

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week 6: Vivo en Mexico‏

Written Monday, August 11, 2014 from the Mexico City CCM

Dear Family and Friends,

          This is going to be short because I have got to pack up and get ready to go to the field! Aaahhh!!! I am so excited and trying my best not to be nervous.  Last night I had to say good bye to my very dear compañera, Hermana Bills. She is going to work wonders in Pittsburgh! It was hard parting with her, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

To Seattle & Pittsburgh

          I know I have said this a lot, but I truly loved my district and I hate saying goodbye to them and all of my teachers. Our favorite teacher, Hermano Garza, brought his novia to our class one day. He normally only speaks to us in Spanish, but all of the sudden he started bearing his testimony to us in English. He told us that for him it was harder to stay strong after his mission.  He said that we always need to have goals and reasons for being faithful to the end. Then he looked at his girlfriend and said, "She is my reason." We all thought it was the cutest thing on Earth! The best part is that she had no idea what he said because she doesn't speak any English.  

          Well other than being sick with something nasty, it's been a good last week.  Let's just say I am more that ready to leave, but I know it's going to be a challenge in the field. I am stoked to be going to Seattle! 

Saying goodbye to roommates Heaps & Andes

Pray for me!

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Week #5: Ready to be Seattle Bound‏

Querido Familia y Amigos,

          Hoy está el dia de solomente Español, tan ustedes necesitan aprender Español a entender las cosas necesito hablar. Just kidding, Google translate will mess that up so bad! (Googles translation by Kim:  Today is the day of Spanish only, so you need to learn Spanish to understand things necessary to talk.) So it's my last week here. Halle-freakin- lujah! It really isn't that bad, but I desperately need to start my "real mission." I feel like I have been living here forever, but at the same time I am freaking out because I am so overly excited and nervous to go out to the field.

Mountains behind the CCM

          I can teach lessons in straight up Spanish. I am just working on grammar and some more everyday words. There are days when I feel fluent and days I feel like I know nothing. I think it is slowly, but surely, coming though. Someone just told me their brother just got home from Spanish speaking Seattle and was really good at Spanish so I am pretty confident that I will be fluent. 

          I am so stoked to go to Seattle! You know me, I love to travel, but never in my life have I wanted so badly to go home to the USA. Everyday here, they give us so much motivation and I am just so ready to go. Actually, at the beginning of this week I was not so confident. I prayed for a sign to know that I am ready. After Hermana Bills and I taught one of our last lessons, our teacher told us to stay after class. We thought that we were in trouble for something or that we said something really inappropriate in Spanish that we didn't know about. This is exactly what he told us. "Write home on P-day."  We were like "¿Que?" And he said, "Write home and tell your family. Tell your parents that they can be proud of you. You will be great missionaries. They have something to be proud of." And that was my answer. We almost cried and it just confirmed to me that I am ready.

          I am also ready for different food. It all just starts tasting the same. We eat so much meat and carbs! You guys won´t judge me if I come home fat will you? This 30 to 45 minutes of volleyball or tennis really isn't cutting it. No, I am determined not to gain the typical 30 lbs. for state-side sister missionaries. I will be healthy once I get to Seattle. I am going to need some kind of digestive detox when I get to Seattle so if you have any suggestions, don't be shy. So besides the gospel, guess what the missionaries in my district talk about the most? Poop. I really don't understand. They are like fascinated. It's literally a daily thing. Hermana Meads and I have gotten closer since they started doing that because we are both mortified that people talk about that sort of stuff. 

          In other news, I found Becca Frei! I mean Hermana Frei, my beloved roommate!

BYU roommates Hermana Frei and Hermana Stoddard

There are also a few people from my high school here. It's just weird seeing people from my past in Mexico. I have never mentioned one of our favorite pastimes here. We made friends with the lady at the post office. Her name is Alicia, and she is the best. She added me on Facebook, so Belle you will have to friend her for me. Her 16 year old daughter started hanging out with us too. The other day they brought us real Crispy Creme doughnuts. 

          Also, another perk is I can personally pick up my mail. Team Aunties and Grandparents WIN for sending me the most mail. Thank you so much for you postcards and letters. Randy and Debi, gracias por escribiendo a yo en Español. Necesito mas practica con el idioma. ¡Y gracias por sus oraciones! (Kim translates:  Thanks for writing to me in Spanish.  I need more practice with the language.  And thank you for your prayers.) Oma and Opa, thanks for you funny postcards and encouragement. Tara, thanks for sending me a little piece of home. Karen, thanks for the precious pic of Mitchell. I wish I could be there for his farewell, but I will be sitting front row of his homecoming. Mitchell (Elder Kutterer), you are just adorable! I am so excited for you. Hablamos solo en Español cuando escribemos correo electronicas a oltro. (Kim translates:  We speak only in Spanish when writing emails.)  Best of luck and you are in my prayers. The MTC really is the best.

          This week we had Christmas in July in Mexico. It hailed for like 20 minutes until the ground was all white. I have been keeping track and so far it hasn't rained only 9 days of my mission. ¡Loca!

Anyway, on Tuesday at 6 a.m. I have a flight to Texas, a couple hour layover and then up to Seattle. So I leave the MTC at 2 a.m.!  Monday is my last day here and I believe they will let me write that day. I am just not sure what time yet. I will send more pics that day. 

          For our devotional the other day, we had an area 70 speak on obedencia. We found Jefferey R. Holland's Mexican cousin because that man was an amazing speaker.  He talked about how all of us are being obedient right now. We are all doing good things, but why do we do what we do? Is it because of social pressure, duty, fear of punishment, desire of a reward.  Even if we are obeying, we need to be doing it for the right reason. The best reason is because we love God.  He read this poem in Spanish that said something like, "If there was no heaven, would you still obey and love Him?" It definitely gave me something to think about. 

Week 5 Challenge:

Just wanted a cute paragua (umbrella) picture!

I love all of you unconditionally. Talk to you on Monday.

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard