Lost in Translation :)

Hola mi familia.

This week we were teaching our "investigator" Victor. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and I pulled out a picture of our family to show him and bear my testimony and I told him about my brother and sisters. Then Victor pointed to Geoff and said "Es su hermano también?" and I said, "No, él es my cuaderno" and then we laughed and laughed. [translation: No, he is my notebook :) ]

Sorry Geoff. I meant cuñado. [brother-in-law]

 

Then Victor started asking about el infierno [hell]. The only reason I knew what that word meant was because of that Guacamelee game I played with Hannah and Jonny before I left. I also didn't know how to explain THAT part of the plan of Salvation in Spanish because it wasn't in our phrase book. All well.

 

 

My comp's name is Hermana Erin S. Jennings.

My district: Hermana Hoko ~ Puerto Rico and Hermana Seinaraine ~ Santiago, Elder Vallinga ~ Santiago (DL) and Elder Bowes ~ Puerto Rico (AP's), and Elder McDonald ~ Santiago and Elder Spencer ~ Santiago. The majority of us are from Utah, Hermana Seinaraine is from Guyana!

 

 

My first three days I learned how to pray, bear my testimony, and introduce myself in Spanish. First Sunday I bore my testimony in Sacrament Meeting. Then this past Sunday I was called to give a talk about baptism. ALL IN SPANISH! I also played the piano first Sunday in Sacrament. So the Spanish is going pretty well!

 

Hermana Jennings and I have been called to be the music directors.

Our Zone

This week most everybody shipped off for el campo, so there were only three districts left. But now we have a district from Haiti, and lots of new gringos. I now sort of know how to ask someone to lead music in French, say thank you, please, and Como seva? or como se va? or whatever means how is it going in French. Yay! [Hrmna Hardy means Comment ça va? She is now speaking Franish :) ]

Gospel Principle we discussed this week: The Spirit and what we need to do to keep it with us and also the role the Holy Ghost plays in conversion. Really, most people the missionaries teach don't really understand what on earth we are talking about because our message can seem so all over the place. But those people are converted to the church because of the feeling and the Spirit that they felt while the missionaries taught them. Pretty cool. So really, missionaries talk and talk and the Spirit does the real hard work :)

So, I had an amazing experience this week. It was during personal study and I was learning so much and it was wonderful when all the sudden my eyes welled up and I was so confused cause I was feeling just fine. Then the Spirit told me that at that exact moment that my Mama was thinking about me and praying for me. I felt so close to you Mama and I am so grateful that I was given such a tender mercy to feel that connection with you from so far away.

 

Traditions? WELL: it is a tradition here to slather butter on a long roll (inside and outside) and stick it in a panini maker. It is called pan tostado, but for some reason they all say panto for short. It is really fattening but really good. Only the missionaries from Mexico put ketchup and hot sauce on their pizza.

 

I got your package! Thank you so much!

Thanks so much for your journal entries Dad! Way to go running 9 miles!! I am sorry to hear about the braces for Hannah. Sometimes we have mashed potatoes here!!!! It makes me happy! Tell the Sisters I say hi! The pictures of Alexis are gorgeous!!

So the "investigators" are actually nuestros maestros. They are ridiculously good at staying in character. What was amazing was this Tuesday we all had a very spiritual devotional right before we taught an "investigator". The first time we met him he had been "drinking" and he was on his phone and being irritable during our talk. This second time was so different because the Spirit was so strong within us that he HAD to listen to our message. It was so powerful.

 

It turns out that TRC here is really just us visiting teaching a senior couple. Which is fun. We have taught an investigator almost every single day starting that first weekend! And now it is around twice a day that we teach. It is amazing practice even though whenever Hmna Jennings and I don't know what to say we both stare at each other. However, that one lesson we had with the guy I mentioned before went so smoothly between the both of us. That's the kind of teacher I want to be.

This past Tuesday we were able to walk out of the grounds of the CCM and walk to la tienda!! It was a few blocks away and the store is seriously just like Walmart but not with as many options. So I bought some Dominican treats and it turns out that some are actually from Honduras haha.

 

The roads here are CRAZY with drivers and I thought I was going to die from just walking on the sidewalk with three other districts. yeah. The city is different and beautiful and dirty all at the same time. The park we walked through was really cool as well. I wasn't able to take pictures because we are only allowed to take pictures on Sunday while walking around the temple at night and on P-Days. The walk back from the store was hot and sweaty so I better get used to that!

For gym time we usually play volley ball. You should all be very proud of me because sometimes I can actually hit it. But now I have bruises on my forearms so that's a bit sketch. To be honest the first few days here felt like they lasted forever but now each day seems to go by faster and faster. I feel like I have been here for months and I love it here! But today is only our two week mark! CRAZY!!

 

I love all of you, it is so good to here from you! We were all so excited to email our families that we couldn't fall asleep very fast last night!

I love you all SO much! Keep staying strong and good luck with everything you are doing!

 

Que la fuerza esté contigo.

 

Hermana Hardy