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