I want to expand my vocabulary and fluency a LOT.

I’ve decided to only speak 50 words of English each day.

August 24, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD

Dear The Family,

                Thanks for your letters.  Mom – I think the mail usually comes Wed or Thursday night.  I got your 1^st letter (both parts) one week after you sent them.  So that’s pretty quick.  I loved all the news.  I loved seeing and hearing about the yard and your progress in the LDM.  I’ve started reading it for about 4 minutes every night right before I go to bed.  I never have enough time at night to write in my journal, my miracle book, get ready, and read LDM.  I have read your letter several times.  I got a DE from Kevin, Cheryl, and Mary Katherine.  I think those come on Tues, Wed or Th.

                We get new missionaries next Wednesday, so I think I’ll be emailing on Tuesday, since Wed will be crazy.  I’ll have to say bye to my Latino friends.  They will all be leaving.  I am understanding more.  I have a page full of new words.  I want to expand my vocabulary and fluency a LOT.  I’ve decided to only speak 50 words of English each day.  Hopefully, I can do it.  Sometimes it’s just hard to speak.  When I teach it’s a lot easier than everyday talking. In 3 weeks we are going to go contacting again, but this time with our North American companion.  That will be great.

                A few funnies:  Last Sunday we watched The Testaments.  We watched that 2 days before we left Provo too.  I sat by Hna. Murray both times.  Both times she “translated” for me.  Whenever they spoke Nephite, she would turn to me and say something silly in English or Spanish.  Last night, Elder Ormston started talking in Spanish with his lips over his teeth.  He got everyone to talk that way.  The best part was when he explained that he was talking that way “porque es chistoso” –if you try saying that you’ll think it’s funny too.

                Our teaching appointment with Hra Ayula (2) went pretty well.  Hna. Ayula 2 is our newer teacher.  She was on vacation when we got here.  Her twin also teaches at the MTC.  We taught her sister, Hna. Ayula (1) at CRE and now we are teaching her.  They are pretending to be the same investigator – Alejandra.  Our first lesson, with Hna Ayula 1 was okay.  But our 2^nd lesson, with Hna. Ayula 2 was a lot better. We talked about her son & what she was worried about.  We talked about how the church—and Primary-- would help her.  She said, well that’s why I go to my church, and I think that’s sufficient.  So, we talked about prophets, Christ, Apostasy, and Hna Wilkinson told her about Joseph Smith.  She read 15 verses of 1 Ne 1, and we asked her to read the rest of chap. 1 and also chap. 2.  We told her that it was about a family and how they were helped by God.  She’s going to pray too.  She won’t come to church because her boyfriend hates the church.  But she is going to talk to him about going to church.  We talked to her about faith and shared a scripture with her about God helping us when we have faith.  Hna Wilkinson and I really felt the Spirit.  It was good. We’ve been contacting people too.  Last week, we contacted 20 people.  We’ve only contacted 1 person this week, so we need to get on that!

                Right now, we’re hanging out with our former companions.  Hna W’s old companions and my old companions live together in the Casa de Huespedes, so we’re all hanging out together in a fort they made last night.  We’re the only 6 sisters that are staying for the next 3-4 weeks.  But we’ll be getting new sisters.

                Last night we had visitors from the Costa Rica Temple.  The couple is from Argentina, but they’re serving in Costa Rica.  They talked about their conversion, or their grandparents’ conversions.  Then Pres. Steimle read to us from his missionary journal from his last day at home when he talked all about himself to a little later when he talked about his investigators and baptisms.  The he had the man from Argentina come up.  And said, “This is Carlos – whose baptism I just read about.  So that was cool.  President Steimle is cool.  He reminds me a little of you, Dad.  But you’re cooler. J

Dad – here our districts have names.  All the Nortes have names of Jesus’ apostles.  Like Lucas, Mateo, Juan, Pablo.  I’m in district Juan.  All the Latinos have BOM names – like Ammon & Moroni & Nefi.  It’s pretty cool.

                I’m about to write an email, and then I’ll see what else I need to write.  I get confused about what I have already written about.  So, the memory card:  I’ll have to tell you later.  Also, if you were going to send me a package, don’t…at least not to Guatemala.  It probably takes a week and half or maybe 2 weeks to get here and I don’t know what/how much weight I can take to Nicaragua.  But, I could use pens and probably vitamin C and fiber tablets in the field.  I’ll let you know if I’m in dire need of anything J

                Sorry, it’s night time and P-day is over.  Mom--I got your talk and also your next 2-part letter.  Thanks!  The temple’s great.  Thanks for sending me your talk. 

I love you!   Marybeth

                We had a devotional tonight by Elder Falabela and I understood 85% of what he said.  He spoke slowly.

Love you!