So this week has been good! It has flown by and I can't believe I am sitting here writing another e-mail. Good news, I have a companion!! She isn't in my district which means the only time I really do anything with her is in the morning, nights, and our activities on P-day. She is a week behind me and leaves to the Peru MTC in 2 weeks. She is great though, she is 5 foot and her name is Hermana Lazalde, I love her! We have a lot in common, both went to BYU and are both lactose intolerant- we automatically bonded when we found that out haha. We room with 4 other Hermanas, two from the states with Spanish heritage, one from El Salvador and the other from Mexico, they are so funny. We have funny conversations which means we don't get to bed on time, so now that is our residence goal, to go to bed! My new class has been really good for me, I have been learning a lot and have been very humbled. There was at one time 12 elders in our district, and then me....haha that was great. Now there is only 9, and I teach with two Elders when we teach investigators everyday. It is a good learning experience. They are all jealous of my English-Spanish conversion chart in the hymn book Grandpa gave me, so thank you Grandpa!! Also since there are 9 Elders in our room, with very little AC, it doesn't smell the greatest, I have great smelling lotion and hand sanitizer that every time I get out they want to use it ahah. Bali Mango is now their favorite scent, they would probably deny it outside the classroom, but I think it is great. It has been fun to get to know them and help each other stay focused. We have been practicing the breathing exercises I used to do all the time at school and singing a lot to stay focused and not get stressed, it makes them laugh and helps us to chill and relax when we are tired and stressed so that has been nice! Spanish is hard but as one of the Hermanas in my branch, and my teacher told me it is more important to know the doctrine and learn what the investigator needs then worrying about what to say to them next in Spanish. If you study the word and study the basic vocab, you will be able to focus on the investigator and the Holy Ghost will let you know what needs to be said at the right time- so amazing! A lot of the missionaries here worry about knowing everything and knowing the language super well, but if you think about it, we have 18-24 months to work on the language and work on knowing as much as we can to help other people. That realization has helped a lot too. Hermana Edwards came in yesterday and I got to talk to her and her companions which was really fun, it is fun giving advice and help them feel more comfortable, I was so appreciative when I had that two weeks ago! I have met 3 sisters who are going to Alabama now, so It is fun knowing I will see them in a couple of weeks. I have been having a lot of fun with the missionaries in the branch and trying to get to know them, it makes being away from home easier, because we are trying to make this our temporary home, we have a lot of fun during meals and study breaks and gym. Next week is the 50th anniversary of the MTC, there are rumors (oh the rumors) going around about who is coming......most likely someone very very important so that will be great! We are all really excited for that Devotional. The devotional and firesides here are the best, 3,000 missionaries singing all together, the spirit is amazing! I love it! I hope everything is going well at home or wherever you are. I think about all of you often and hope things are going well. Also, one great thing about the MTC, there is Skor cake here, every time they serve it I eat it, my companion and I always talk about how we look forward to eating that cake. I also think I am going through some Cafe Rio withdrawals, I guess that is what happens when you eat it practically once a week for the last, I don't know how long.
I am so grateful to be on this mission, it was hard moving districts at first but I am growing to love my new companion and district and branch more and more. One thing I realized about the mission it that there is a lot of change, and one of the speakers last week said welcome change! Change is what makes you grow and if you look at it in a positive way it will be a lot easier. Plus change helps you meet more people and have more experiences and grow so much! I hope I can grow to love change more and more in the next 18 months because it will happen a lot. I am grateful for my experience here and all it does to help growth in the gospel and character! I love the Savior and everything he has done for all of us, we watched the testaments last Sunday and I started crying, I do that a lot here. But the movies and music help bring the spirit so much, it is great. The Savior can help us through anything, if we ask, and are humble he will be there through it all. Make it a great week, I love you all!
Hermana Coleman
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Hola Familia y amigos!
So as aunt Kolette put it, I am now continuing the rest on the saga of which Spanish class to join......So Yesterday I went to the intermediate class with 11 Elders to try it out, I even got to teach an investigator with one of the companion ships! I was able to share my testimony about baptism and some other things that I can't even remember, but I felt the spirit so strong I knew I needed to say it. I did in broken Spanish, the Elder said I made sense, but I think he was being a little nice haha. The teacher speaks a lot more Spanish than in the district I am in now which is good for me! I decided today that I am going to go to that district because it will push me more and get me to work harder so that I can learn to speak it better! I will miss the district I am in now, but I am so glad we are friends and will visit them during meals while we are here. I will start the intermediate class tomorrow officially so that will be great!
So I thought I would talk about gym time. As you all know I am not the most coordinated person ever, but Hermana Allen and Hermana Rathfon (my companions) convinced me to come play volleyball. First time playing, I was a little rusty but then I started getting into it so it got more fun as I was actually able to make the ball over the net. Then at the end of the game the ball hit me right smack in the chest by this Tongan Elder, lets just say Tongans like volleyball and hit VERY hard, it was funny. He felt so bad he said sorry to my Elders and me like 3 times, funny stuff. Second day of volleyball, once again towards the end of the game, I went to spike it and I jammed my finger. I had ice on it for two days, but it didn't get extremely purple and blue like the last time I jammed it which was a bummer, but it already feels almost back to normal after three days which is very nice. I just wanted to let you know the mission has not changed my clutsy ways, I am still waiting for the day I run into one of the many poles here or trip down the stairs. I will let you know when that happens.
Great news! I was talking to my Branch Presidents wife, Hermana Nelson, and she is Latino and from Texas. She was really excited when she found out where I was going and the first thing she told me was " you are going to learn how to speak Spanish with a southern accent!" I asked if it really existed and she said oh yes, it does and you will learn southern Spanish. I was so so happy! I can't wait to come back with that type of accent, it will be awesome.
We had a great devotional Tuesday about having joy and looking at the positive, I really have been very happy here. Things have been hard and it has tested my patience but I love the constant companion of the spirit. Every time we watch a movie in class about investigators we feel the spirit so strong and our district really has good discussions (when they are not laughing about some random you tube video about a baseball bat and milk for the 5th time and laughing so loud that practically everyone in our vicinity looks at us....I think we Hermanas are getting them to calm down a bit haha) After this 1st week I have such a strong testimony that we all can do hard things if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, follow the Spirit and move forward with the things they ask us to do. The hard experiences we have will make us so much better and will make it so we can help others more effectively or be better students, or parents, or teachers. I am so grateful for the spirit and all the emotions and laughs that this week brought. I am excited to move to a different class to make new friends and learn more Spanish. This is such a unique experience that I would never trade, even though not being able to listen to music in the MTC is about the hardest thing ever. Thank goodness for humming and the Elder with a harmonica that plays during laundry time haha. I love this gospel, I love our Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost our Father in Heaven has given us. It makes decisions easier, it makes hard days better and it makes our lives that best they can be. You can do hard things! Trust in the Spirit, he is there to help! I love being a missionary and I love you all! Thank you for everything and have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Coleman
P.S. Have fun at Cole's Super hero party, sounds great! Ko will make it epic I know :)
So I thought I would talk about gym time. As you all know I am not the most coordinated person ever, but Hermana Allen and Hermana Rathfon (my companions) convinced me to come play volleyball. First time playing, I was a little rusty but then I started getting into it so it got more fun as I was actually able to make the ball over the net. Then at the end of the game the ball hit me right smack in the chest by this Tongan Elder, lets just say Tongans like volleyball and hit VERY hard, it was funny. He felt so bad he said sorry to my Elders and me like 3 times, funny stuff. Second day of volleyball, once again towards the end of the game, I went to spike it and I jammed my finger. I had ice on it for two days, but it didn't get extremely purple and blue like the last time I jammed it which was a bummer, but it already feels almost back to normal after three days which is very nice. I just wanted to let you know the mission has not changed my clutsy ways, I am still waiting for the day I run into one of the many poles here or trip down the stairs. I will let you know when that happens.
Great news! I was talking to my Branch Presidents wife, Hermana Nelson, and she is Latino and from Texas. She was really excited when she found out where I was going and the first thing she told me was " you are going to learn how to speak Spanish with a southern accent!" I asked if it really existed and she said oh yes, it does and you will learn southern Spanish. I was so so happy! I can't wait to come back with that type of accent, it will be awesome.
We had a great devotional Tuesday about having joy and looking at the positive, I really have been very happy here. Things have been hard and it has tested my patience but I love the constant companion of the spirit. Every time we watch a movie in class about investigators we feel the spirit so strong and our district really has good discussions (when they are not laughing about some random you tube video about a baseball bat and milk for the 5th time and laughing so loud that practically everyone in our vicinity looks at us....I think we Hermanas are getting them to calm down a bit haha) After this 1st week I have such a strong testimony that we all can do hard things if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, follow the Spirit and move forward with the things they ask us to do. The hard experiences we have will make us so much better and will make it so we can help others more effectively or be better students, or parents, or teachers. I am so grateful for the spirit and all the emotions and laughs that this week brought. I am excited to move to a different class to make new friends and learn more Spanish. This is such a unique experience that I would never trade, even though not being able to listen to music in the MTC is about the hardest thing ever. Thank goodness for humming and the Elder with a harmonica that plays during laundry time haha. I love this gospel, I love our Savior Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost our Father in Heaven has given us. It makes decisions easier, it makes hard days better and it makes our lives that best they can be. You can do hard things! Trust in the Spirit, he is there to help! I love being a missionary and I love you all! Thank you for everything and have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Coleman
P.S. Have fun at Cole's Super hero party, sounds great! Ko will make it epic I know :)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Hola!!
Hello!
Today is a temporary P-day since it is our first week in the MTC, so sorry I have not been able to write a letter or anything until today. The past three days have been good! I have just been trying to adjust to the MTC life, they say that by Sunday you should have a better idea of everything is going on, and after that everything flies by! My companion at first was just Hermana Rathfon from Indiana (wrath-fawn), and then there was another companionship of Hermana's, but one of them got transferred to the advanced class so we are now a threesome! Hermana Allen is our new companion, she is from Farmington Utah. The past three days have been awesome with the Spanish language, I am understanding more now than I ever did at my classes at BYU. It is nice having the Lord to help you learn quicker and memorize things faster :) One of the instructors here wants me to move up from the beginning Spanish district that I am in. There is an intermediate district, but it has no other Hermana's so I would be solo, which he said happens regularly. Then there is the advanced district which leaves in three weeks to the field!!! I went to that class today to see if I was ready for it, but I am not. They are very advanced and have all taken at least two years of Spanish recently or are from a Spanish-speaking country. It was a little overwhelming being in there, I understood most of what the teacher said but when the other missionaries started talking I lost most of what they said haha. So I am going to think about whether I want to stay in my district (which is awesome) or go to the intermediate district that has 11 Elders. Which ever one I decide I will be in the MTC for 9 weeks so it will just depend on what the teacher and I decide is best. But I have learned that I love the Spanish language, I love how much the spirit is in the MTC, I feel it all the time, the most I have ever felt it in my entire life. It is so amazing! I am still trying to get the confidence I need to teach the "investigators" here at the MTC. I will teach my first one on Monday, in Spanish... it is a little nerve racking but I think once I get to see what it is like it will get easier. Hermana Allen and I get along really well, we have stuff in common and Hermana Rathfon is very sweet and good at keeping us on time to things which we need! There are 9 missionaries in our district. 3 Hermanas and 6 Elders, 4 Elders and going to San Diego and the rest of the missionaries are going to Albuquerque. I am the only one going to Alabama which is great! We had a meeting with our Branch presidency and we found out we have the write a Spanish and English talk every week from a topic out of preach my gospel, and then on Sunday morning we find out if we have the give the talk for Sacrament meeting at 8 o'clock......keeping us on our toes here haha. I was also made Coordinating Sister, where I just make sure the sisters in our zone are following the rules and help new sisters that come in each Wednesday. I get to do it for the next 4 weeks which should be fun. However, if I switch to the Intermediate district I will change the branch I am in and won't have my same roommates, district or be coordinating sister. Either way whatever works out will be what is best. I do like my district though, they easily get off task sometimes but it is only the first couple days, and each day they get better. They get mad at the Hermana's if we don't sit with them at our meals so I think that means they like us around. They also keep guilting me about leaving our district but I am thinking it is because I am there to help them with their Spanish and I give them candy when we are all dragging late at night, one of the Elders told me they didn't want to lose another one of their comfort blankets....haha that made me laugh. We do have a lot of fun but it is awesome how much we have already learned. I have seen a lot of people I know in the last couple days which has been really fun! We live on the 4th floor of the residence halls and our class is on the 5th floor of the classroom building, which are both the top floors.....So we do lots and lots of walking and stair climbing, which is good because it is preparing us for the constant walking in the field! It has been fun trying to figure out the ropes of the MTC, I know so much more now than two days ago which is crazy! The Hermanas here are so nice and helpful, I just love getting to know them and will be sad to see them leave when they do. The MTC is great, and an adjustment, but I can't wait to start teaching and learn more Spanish and lessons from preach my gospel. I am so glad I am here and get this experience, I am learning so many things like how to be patient, how to help others more, and how to communicate better. I love all of you and will write next Thursday! That will be my official P-day for the next 9 weeks. I love this gospel and thank my Heavenly Father for the Spirit he gives each of us to help us feel comfort and learn things they way he wants them learned. I love this gospel and am so excited to learn more! Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Coleman
Today is a temporary P-day since it is our first week in the MTC, so sorry I have not been able to write a letter or anything until today. The past three days have been good! I have just been trying to adjust to the MTC life, they say that by Sunday you should have a better idea of everything is going on, and after that everything flies by! My companion at first was just Hermana Rathfon from Indiana (wrath-fawn), and then there was another companionship of Hermana's, but one of them got transferred to the advanced class so we are now a threesome! Hermana Allen is our new companion, she is from Farmington Utah. The past three days have been awesome with the Spanish language, I am understanding more now than I ever did at my classes at BYU. It is nice having the Lord to help you learn quicker and memorize things faster :) One of the instructors here wants me to move up from the beginning Spanish district that I am in. There is an intermediate district, but it has no other Hermana's so I would be solo, which he said happens regularly. Then there is the advanced district which leaves in three weeks to the field!!! I went to that class today to see if I was ready for it, but I am not. They are very advanced and have all taken at least two years of Spanish recently or are from a Spanish-speaking country. It was a little overwhelming being in there, I understood most of what the teacher said but when the other missionaries started talking I lost most of what they said haha. So I am going to think about whether I want to stay in my district (which is awesome) or go to the intermediate district that has 11 Elders. Which ever one I decide I will be in the MTC for 9 weeks so it will just depend on what the teacher and I decide is best. But I have learned that I love the Spanish language, I love how much the spirit is in the MTC, I feel it all the time, the most I have ever felt it in my entire life. It is so amazing! I am still trying to get the confidence I need to teach the "investigators" here at the MTC. I will teach my first one on Monday, in Spanish... it is a little nerve racking but I think once I get to see what it is like it will get easier. Hermana Allen and I get along really well, we have stuff in common and Hermana Rathfon is very sweet and good at keeping us on time to things which we need! There are 9 missionaries in our district. 3 Hermanas and 6 Elders, 4 Elders and going to San Diego and the rest of the missionaries are going to Albuquerque. I am the only one going to Alabama which is great! We had a meeting with our Branch presidency and we found out we have the write a Spanish and English talk every week from a topic out of preach my gospel, and then on Sunday morning we find out if we have the give the talk for Sacrament meeting at 8 o'clock......keeping us on our toes here haha. I was also made Coordinating Sister, where I just make sure the sisters in our zone are following the rules and help new sisters that come in each Wednesday. I get to do it for the next 4 weeks which should be fun. However, if I switch to the Intermediate district I will change the branch I am in and won't have my same roommates, district or be coordinating sister. Either way whatever works out will be what is best. I do like my district though, they easily get off task sometimes but it is only the first couple days, and each day they get better. They get mad at the Hermana's if we don't sit with them at our meals so I think that means they like us around. They also keep guilting me about leaving our district but I am thinking it is because I am there to help them with their Spanish and I give them candy when we are all dragging late at night, one of the Elders told me they didn't want to lose another one of their comfort blankets....haha that made me laugh. We do have a lot of fun but it is awesome how much we have already learned. I have seen a lot of people I know in the last couple days which has been really fun! We live on the 4th floor of the residence halls and our class is on the 5th floor of the classroom building, which are both the top floors.....So we do lots and lots of walking and stair climbing, which is good because it is preparing us for the constant walking in the field! It has been fun trying to figure out the ropes of the MTC, I know so much more now than two days ago which is crazy! The Hermanas here are so nice and helpful, I just love getting to know them and will be sad to see them leave when they do. The MTC is great, and an adjustment, but I can't wait to start teaching and learn more Spanish and lessons from preach my gospel. I am so glad I am here and get this experience, I am learning so many things like how to be patient, how to help others more, and how to communicate better. I love all of you and will write next Thursday! That will be my official P-day for the next 9 weeks. I love this gospel and thank my Heavenly Father for the Spirit he gives each of us to help us feel comfort and learn things they way he wants them learned. I love this gospel and am so excited to learn more! Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Coleman
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