Week 1

This past week has gone by really slow because we´ve been learning so much (or at least trying to) and fast at the same time. It´s weird. I feels like its been a month already, but its only been 7 days. My compañera is Hermana Tyrrell (rhymes with carol). She is 22 and so cute! We have the same mission. There are a lot of us who just got here last week who are going to Florida, Ft. Lauderdale. She doesn´t know Spanish very well,though, so I do a lot of the talking during our lessons. We are living in an apartment like building with 18 other sisters, and we have two roommates, Hermana Toliver and Hermana Napier. They are our new Sister Training Leaders, because our first ones Monday. 

  We began teaching Andrea (Our investigator, and we found out yesterday that her real name is Hermana Valesquez) I think on Wednesday. Our first lesson was rough, even though we had about two hours to prepare for it bc we went last out of six. We were so nervous, but it got better after that since we knew a little more of what to expect. Our lesson on Monday was by far our best, it was when we talked about the Book of Mormon and baptism. I explained how it was important to be baptized by immersion with the proper authority, and that an infant baptism is not right (Andrea grew up Catholic, but she isn´t very religious). Then Hermana Tyrrell extended the first baptism invitation, and oh my goodness! She couldn´t get the first two words out before being overcome by the spirit (I say it´s the gift of tears, but she says she just cries a lot). It was amazing! She eventually got the whole question out, and the spirit was so thick in the room, it was absolutely mind blowing. I cried a little too, but more importantly, so did Andrea. That experience helped me to see how important it is for an investigator to make the decision to be baptized, that it is the first step towards Eternal life. After the lesson and we paused the play role for feedback, Hermana Velasquez explained that she is not a real investigator, but that she represents her dear friend Andre. She told us that she wanted him to hear us teach, that he could have been there with us as we taught her about baptism and asked if she would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. She told us that we were prepared before getting to the MTC to be missionaries, that we were BORN missionaries! I cannot fully express how much her words meant to me. We LOVE her so much, she is the kindest lady! She is also a teacher here. She is so cute and little, and always smiling. Ah, that lesson was so amazing. She loves us! Haha. 

  We got to go to the Mexico City Temple this morning. It is a beautiful temple, though Moroni is being worked on. The session was in Spanish, so we had to use headphones. They played the same video that played when I first went through the temple. At the end though, we had to speak in Spanish, which was nerve racking, but I only said about two words at a time, so it went okay, I guess, haha. We went to this little store afterwards on the grounds and I got you guys some key chains and Dad a tie. I don´t think I can send out packages here, so it may or may not come in time for Christmas. 

   I really like it here, even though it´s stressfull. Saturday morning we went outside as a district during class (there are twelve missionaries in our district, my companion and I are the only sisters) and we read from Ether 12, in Spanish then in English. Verse 27 never hit me so hard in my life, I couldn´t even finish reading it in Spanish before crying. My companion had to finish for me. The first few days I was really hard on myself for not being able to pick up the language faster, for not having more faith in my Savior and His Grace. I definitely needed to confront that, so it was really good that I chose that chapter to read. Since then I've been doing a lot better. Sunday was amazing! I was super tired Monday (I am super tired everyday, we all are) because I felt the Spirit almost constantly, and cried a lot, haha. Good tears, though, tears of the Spirit. 

   Overall, it has been quite an experience. The food isn't always great, but its good most of the time. They have a small selection of cereal open for breakfast and dinner! I have only had cereal for dinner once, though! I am beginning to understand why everyone always says this is one of the hardest but most worthwhile things to do. Let me tell you, it is not easy to wake up in the mornings, but I am sleeping through the nights now, so that's good. I love my district, they are all such goofballs, we call them hijos or niños (children) bc sometimes they are not very mature(most of the time :) ) Its fun though, and we all get along prety well. There is just one elder who I am slightly worried about, Elder Markle. He isn't close with his companion Elder Callister (Megan, you might know him, he dated Cassidy Swartzlander and ´"hung out" with Sydney) and he doesn't seem too happy to be here. I am praying he will learn to love it here, and get to work. 

  I think that's it for this week, I like hearing from you guys! I still cannot believe Trump actually one the election. I was so sure yesterday the Hilary would. Well, I hope everything is going well at home, we were told last night at devotional (it's in Spanish, so afer every few words a translater speaks in English, it's weird) about a scripture in D&C that our families will be watched over as we serve the Lord, so don't worry, and get to work. I haven't let myself think about you guys too much because whenever I do, I get really sad and remember how hard it was to leave you all at the airport. It's like there is some kind of separation from my sorrow and being here, so that I don't feel it so long as I do not let myself think about it more than maybe once or twice a day (like in prayer). So I am good! Keep praying for me, I need it because the Gift of Tongues is slow to come! Haha. I Love you all so much, have an amazing week!

P.S. This keyboard is really hard to type on, so if there are a lot of mistakes, I'm sorry, but my fingers hurt haha.

Sister Cassidy Stokes