August 10, 2011
Hola Familia!
I´m in Guatemala typing on a keyboard that has an ñ...weird. But
we all made it alright. I am companions with a Hermana de Vancouver
Washington Hermana Wilkinson. Apparently we all have two companions.
We have a North American Companion and a Latina companion. I will meet
my Latina companion tonight. The CCM is small and very nice. The
bathrooms are way nicer than the Provo MTC. There are about 100
Missionaries here. We bumped into a couple going to Guatemala to pick
up their son from his mission. It was fun to talk to them. The husband
had been to Nicaragua with the military and told me some Nicaraguan
history, which was nice. They got a picture with all of us and that was
fun. We got off the plane, went through customs which was the easiest
thing in the world and then loaded onto a yellow school bus with black
flames on the hood. haha. It was a fun drive. Not too crazy, but
definitely different from American driving. Motorcycles going in
between lanes fun stuff. I had no idea Guatemala City was so huge. There are HUGE buildings here. And the mountains looked huge from the
plane, but maybe that was just a weird perspective. Um...Classes are
going to be great. I´m in a class with about 7 other people, and the
teacher is from Guatemala and speaks English. She got to know how much
Spanish we speak and talked with us a little. The food here is fine
too.
We had an intro to the physical facilities by Hermano Dubon. We
have to make our beds everyday or he will come find us and make us do
it. haha. I´m on the top bunk again. My companion is going to Panama.
she was in a trio before too. Í'm not sure about what percentage of
missionaries are going to what places, but I think all the Elders, or a
majority of the North American Elders are going to Guatemala. I met a
Hermana from Urugauy today and I felt terrible because I couldn´t
understand anything she said. This is her first day of being a
missionary, and I wanted to talk to her, but it was really hard. I do
know that she is going to Quetzaltenango.
I´m excited to be forced to speak Spanish. I just like
English way too much. It´s so nice to be able to say whatever I want to
say so easily. A member of the missionary department Hermano Roberto
Cajas spoke to us today. He has been learning English for five months
and he spoke to us from probably 8 or 10 minutes. You could tell it was
really hard for him, and he didn´t really like it, but he had a good
attitude. It made me think that I what I need to do. Just talk even
though I´m not sure it´s all okay. sorry my typing is so terrible.
Today is Pday and I have had no time to write letters, so next
Wednesday. The building is airconditioned, the temple is right near by.
(I see it out the window as I type, and the Shell gas staion) and
everything is so green it´s ridiculous. I guess we do community service
on Saturday for forty-five minutes, so I´ll be able to see a little bit
more of outside. One side of the building is the MTC and the other side
is temple housing. But a few sisters live in the temple housing part
of the building. There are 6 beds in my room and there are four rooms
like mine in the same hallway. One bathroom that looks sparkling
clean. The hermanas, President Steimle and his wife´s apartment and
the classrooms are on the 3rd floor. The elders are on the 2nd floor
(they take up the entire 2nd floor) and the dining room, a big meeting
room, and offices are on the first floor. The motto of the CCM is
Everything was better because I was there. So, they want us to apply
that to every aspect of life. They also told us that we need to eat
everything we are served. If we don´t want to eat something then don´t
ask for it. We´re supposed to clean our plates. the dining room is
small and has 4 of 5 long tables in it. Elders and Hermanas can´t sit
together. Que triste! but they have a little line where the cooks dish
you up food, asking you what you want, and then you can dish up fruit
and salad. I had pinapple, grapes and peaches today. :)
I think I´m really going to like it here . It is really
beautiful. The staircase has lots of pictures and plaques with quotes,
and there are beautiful vases. There is a cool statue of Mormon in the
foyer. It rained today, and that was fun too. Lots of thunder. But
now the sky is clear. Since our plane landed at 630 and we got to the
CCM at about 8 or after, actually, we got to take a nap. I am sooooo
grateful for that nap. I did not want to get up and eat lunch at 12:30,
but I did. Well, I hope I can learn Spanish quickly so I can talk to
all the Spanish speakers here. Mostly, I just need to start doing it
and not worrying about how I sound. I´m excited for tomorrow and being
able to start classes.
Cheryl, I got your Dear Elder Email today! thank you. Tanner and Nani are going to be very talented when I come back.
Okay got to go! Bye! I love you all - write me a letter. :) Packages are okay too. Love love love
Hermana Tew
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