I´m so sorry you thought my Pday was Tuesday or whatever...they had us all email as soon as we flew on Tuesday, but our Pday´s actually Wednesday so we´ve been itching all week to tell about the crazy experiences.
First of all, Holy Cow I´m so jealous about the D.C. trip cause it looked like a blast from what I saw in the newsletters. Strathmore Hall looks breathtaking, and the Jefferson Memorial and music videos goodness gracious! Set a reminder on your phones to show me the videos 2 years from now.
Second of all, WARNING: This email is gonna be long and crazy cause there was so much that happened this week. Sorry Ari Johnson and whoever else despises long emails.
Third of all, please excuse my typos...we´re using a spanish keyboard and it´s a little weird to adjust to.
Alright so anyways-
This week was the absolute longest and crazy hectic of my life. But it´s been a blast at the same time. Everyone says the first week is always the weirdest, then after that it´s fine. It feels like Ive known everybody for months.
My companion´s name is Elder Robertson, he´s a good sport and puts up with my occasional piano practicing. We get along pretty darn well which is a blessing, cause some others in our district are struggling to deal with each other.
Oh yeah. First things first, here´s who´s in our District (in case you wanted to stalk them on Facebook or something...idk):
Oh yeah. First things first, here´s who´s in our District (in case you wanted to stalk them on Facebook or something...idk):
Hermana Shaylee Bench
Hermana Eliza Rowe
Elder Jaxon Harrison (District Leader)
Elder Robert Davenport
Elder Jessie Robison
Elder Dustin Leonard
Elder Brigham Hood
Elder Mitchell Mansell
Elder Dallin Robertson
Elder Austin Stolle (Yours truly)
Anyways so there´s 10 of us and it´s pretty neat cause we´ve practically become family. Something that´s really nice about being missionaries is that nobody tries to flirt with each other (or you get sent home), everybody´s really just brothers and sisters. Which makes it cool cause then it´s makes everyone a lot more comfortable.
They´re very efficient with their time here at the CCM. We go hard core all day every day. I thought I was kidding when I said I would say a prayer in Spanish by the second day, but the joke was on me. It´s been challenging cause we´ve been having to teach an "Investigator" in Spanish for about 20 min every day, not to mention the fact that we´re still learning the language itself. Like I said, they´re efficient.
But I can totally see how it only takes 6 weeks. They have you speak the language at every possible opportunity, and I´ve even started to dream in Spanish...it´s official guys- I´m warped.
The weather is absolutely beautiful here (Dad would be envious). We wake up to the 50´s/60´s only for it to get up to the 70´s and maybe 80´s. It rains usually a little each day, but it just refreshes everything. I´m definetly not complaining.
Sundays are officially my favorite days (I admit it, they weren´t before). I knew the Spirit would be strong here, and I´ve felt it, but wowzers...when several people are crying at only 9am in the morning...that´s when you know it´s powerful. After all our chuch meetings and studying and all, we got to watch Meet the Mormons, which pulled at everyone´s heartstrings once it got to the missionary farewell part, seeing that our own farewell´s were just earlier that week. But it was great, and afterwards we got to give a Priesthood blessing of comfort to Hermana Rowe, which was very cool. Idk, I guess it´s just really cool when you look forward to the Sabbath day.
And now for the moment you´ve all been waiting for; all the funny and weird things that happened this week.
-The earthquake sirens were tested our first actual day...they have big green circles in the streets with arrows for gathering when one happens (see pictures)
-My electric razor fell of my bed and shattered...today Elder Robertson taught me how to do shaving cream and a razor
-Our toilet wouldn´t stop flushing and started to flood until the repair man came
-Our Branch President went on his honeymoon to Disneyland
-I tried papaya...if you´ve ever vomited in your mouth, you know what papaya tastes like
-The language teachers randomly give us shoulder massages...kinda weird but I sure as heck ain´t complaining
-There are birds that tweet like R2-D2
-There´s a tray full of croutons at the Salad bar...Bradley would be in Heavem
-Mexican Road rage/driving is some intense stuff...multiple loud and long car honks throughout the day and night
-We hear multiple gunshots throughout the day off in the distance
-The CCM is basically a big bubble smack dab in the middle of a loud and noisy city that blasts Justin Bieber music constantly
-Horchata is the BOMB.COM, especially made fresh in Mexico. So are the corn tortillas, the grapefruit soda (sounds weird but its actually good), and the cute little 3in. bananas
-They have Costco in Mexico (Mom you would be thrilled)
-Mariachi Music plays loudly on Saturday nights...it goes late too
-On Monday the earthquake sirens (2nd time) went off randomly without warning...thankfully nothing happened, but it sure gave us a run for our money.
I love the Presidencies here at the CCM...you can tell how much they love you just when they shake hands with you for the first time. They´re role models.
I love being here...as much as I miss some of the things from home, everybody´s so happy to be here, and I know this is where Heavenly Father wants me to be.
Sorry got to go now, but have an awesome week! Love and miss you guys!
-Elder Stolle
