Wow! Sooooooooo much to say! I´m in the real world, with real Bolivians! BAH! The mission field... feels like I´ve been here forever and it hasn`t even been a full week!
First about my trainer! Let me just tell you that I have been praying and praying and praying for my trainer for quite some time now and let me tell you, Heavenly Father gave me the best trainer EVER! Gosh, she's the best! Her name is Hermana Llanos and she's from Mendoza Argentina. She is so sweet and so helpful with learning this language! I'm her first hija [daughter] (trainee) on the misión and her last companion!!!! AH! She only has two transfers left and since when a missionary trains another missionary in the field, they have 2 transfers with each other -- I´m her very last companion!
Next, about my area! My area right now is Colcapirhua ([Colcapirhua Ward/Barrio, Cochabamba Bolivia Los] Alamos [Stake]) and it is GINORMOUS! It is outside the [main] city of Cochabamba and it is HUGE! I wish that I knew the dimensions of the area to tell you... but we walk sooooo much! I have blisters all over my feet from all the walking (;D). I wish that I could show you guys my area right now, but I can’t because my camera is on its way here from Peru (yeah... I´m forgetful... but I´m working on it ;D)
The truth of everything is that: I wash my clothes by hand (my compi taught me all the tips and tricks today ;D), it’s really hot during the day, there are dirty, sad little dogs and cats and cows and donkeys everywhere, I get a bunch of catcalls, whistles honks and yells from passing cars (I guess that they have never seen a redhead before ;D), I have bug bites ALL over the place (the count is up to 25 bug bites today ;D), ANDDDDDD:::: I LOVE IT! The people here live in such humble circumstances but are so open and loving! There is such a strong spirit with my compi and teaching with her is SO wonderful.
To tell you the truth, it is insanely hard to want to have conversations and not have the words to even begin. Spanish is hard (any language is for the matter..) and it’s really hard not being able to express myself or tell jokes or even respond to questions fully, BUT I know that I was called to serve in the Cochabamba Bolivia mission speaking Spanish for a reason!
Every day here is so long (and I haven’t even been here for a full week) but it is SO worth it! I love seeing the difference the Spirit and the Gospel makes in people’s lives! The Gospel is such a blessing! THAT is why I want to share it with other people and why I am here on this mission! I am not here to convince or to argue or to force my religion on anyone, I’m here to share something that has blessed my life enormously and has helped me become the person that I am today!
Tender mercies from this week: Everyone here is so helpful and understanding that I don’t know this language, my compi is the BEST! I’m able to do everything, everyone keep´s telling me that I am progressing quickly each day with the language, I have a warm shower and a bed to sleep in. I have been told that I have the best pensionista in the whole mission (which I can believe ;D) and our pension family is so kind and loving! Love them! (Pensionistas are women in the area who the church gets to cook lunch and dinner for us since it´s hard to know what is good and what is not good when it comes to food here- better safe than sorry!)
That’s all I have for this week! have a good week, and please pray for my feet that they will be able to take all this walking!
Love you guys!
Hermana Mather
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