Today, Monday is my Pday (preparation day) so today has been awesome!!!
So on Wednesday, when I left with that cute Elder, I think that, honestly, that was just a gift. I would have started bawling if it hadn't been a cute elder. I don't remember his name or even know where he's going, but it was seriously just a gift because we immediately, just dropped our stuff off in our rooms and had to go to class.
Hermana Ray is my companion YAY!!! We were super excited about that.
So about my district, I should start with the fact that before the MTC I had a dream that the MTC really was training us for the Hunger Games, and then I got here and was placed in District 12. (cue mocking jay song). Haha
One thing I never thought about/didn't realize until I got here, was that when you're in "advanced spanish" it means you're in with the natives. Hermana Ray, Elder Hansen, and I are the only...."gringos". There was a Hermana Clark, but she felt uncomfortable and switched to begining spanish. So that placed Hermana Ray and me in a trio. It's been really interesting... Like if you can think of a latin sounding last name, it's in my district.
In just my class:
Elder Castillo- From Venezuela, only speaks spanish
Elder Hernandez- Mexico (via guatamala) only speaks Spanish, he's also going to Georgia Atlanta North though
Elder Espinoza- Mexico, but went to high school in Utah, so he speaks some English
Elder Alvaro- From Mexico, Southern California, speaks spanglish. (he used "luncho" for lunch once... haha)
Our third companion is Hermana Vujich. She's from Argentina. Her name is Yugoslavian. Her grandpa immigrated to Argentina. So that's where her name is from. It's been really interesting. Hermana Ray and I get a long great.
Our classes are hard because I don't always understand everything, but I care more about learning and speaking than making mistakes. So I ask a lot of questions, and will say random comments to practice my spanish. I'm pretty sure my district thinks I'm crazy. La loca gringa.
I once clarified that you don't change "miembro" to "miembra" if it's a girl, and they all laughed at me. Elder Castillo then told me that "miembra" means "my girl". Oh well.
They also have liked my jokes, like
What did the momma chicken say to her baby chick across the road?
Ven por ACAH!
or when we're late because of H. Vujich, I've defend her by saying, "Mejor a llegar tarde que a ser fea".
Yep. I'm pretty sure they think I'm crazy.
About the MTC. So Before I left I had talked about how as a missionary, it's cool because we have a safety network or pillow of people that are always there for us in case of anything happens, unlike when I was touring Europe, and I realized on the train that if anything were to happen to us, it would probably require a miracle with divine help and angels for Kenzie and me to make it back home safely. (I prayed so hard that we would never end up in a situation like that- and that prayer was answered!)
Being in the MTC is like being stuffed INSIDE that safety net pillow. Seriously. They ask us if we can walk for 10 miles a day, what they really should of asked is if we can sit in a classroom for 10 hours a day. We never see the sun. Literally. They have the sidewalks blocked off. and there are like no windows. Or if there are, they just show you the building next to you. It's been raining so the field has been closed. We got to leave for the first time yesterday and walk to the temple and I literally started crying. It felt so good to feel the wind and sun!
Today we got to go through the temple and Aunt Kay was there! It was truly an answer to my prayers! We hugged and just cried. I love her so much!!!
I miss you all so much. Thank you for everything!!!
Love,
Hermana Wallis
Ok! So we have our time divided because we email during laundry. So I get 30 minutes during wash, and then because we're a trio, I gave Hermana Ray my computer, and now I get another 30 min while my clothes are drying.
Our second counselor in our Branch presidency said that the most important thing here, is to learn from the spirit. Yesterday during sacrament meeting, our branch president told us about his baptism story and the spirit was SO STRONG. I started crying. He was baptized when he was 8 by his older brother, who he idolized, but is no longer a member. I'm not sure I got anything from that. but what the spirit taught me was that I need to BE STILL. I really just need to calm down and be still, and let the spirit talk to me. I learned that at the MTC that may be just what they're trying to teach us here by making us sit in classrooms all day...
It has been fun to run into people though! It's been a BYU reunion! which is super fun because I haven't really seen anyone since fall!
People I've seen
Hailey Stolworthy (sent a pic with her)
Tanner Holle (sent a pic with him and his companion)
Ben Murphey (Megan's friend)
McKenna Weech (Megan's roomate)
Quinn Everette (from my ward)
Michael Hopper
Kaila Grier
Chase Abel
and a bunch of people keep on asking me if I went to BYU. I don't remember them though...
I love it! I just wish we could talk more than just saying hi!
The pics of a larger group is my branch. The girl with short blond hair is from Mexico, like most of the kids here.
I'm learning a lot and I love you all SO MUCH!!! I think one of the hardest things about this is that there is so much I want to tell you at the end of each day, but I can't.
I love you!!!
This is the cute elder...
The other photos mentioned we haven't gotten yet.
