and it will be WONDERFUL to go when I get back. I already miss it, and it´s only been 7 weeks since I last got to go! Sounds like you guys are having fun, and send the Dorroughs my congrats! Also, how is it that Dad, is managaing to fall down so frequently...?
So... my life. Spanish is still kind of tricky, because a lot of people I still can´t understand completely, and sometimes my thoughts are too complex for my grammer and vocab, but mostly everyone can understand me, and they say I´m doing great. Sometimes it is also frustrating to simply be a new missionary because I don´t have the ability to just flip to scripture or teach a lesson on the fly like my comp can, and I know this is normal, but sometimes I actually have to lead lessons or she´s like,¨ Änd now my companion will teach this principle,¨ and I´m like ¨...Do I know anything about that principle? Do I know anything about it IN SPANISH? Yeah, there´s that one scripture, and I don´t know where it is...¨ It´s like all my gospel knowledge disapears. And then other times, the lessons come really easily. Before the mission you kind of think everything will magically be easier because you are a missionary, and it will be natural to be lead by the Spirit, because you will only ever have missionary thoughts, and it will be almost effortless. This is simply not true. I still have all of my struggles I had before. Like making small talk and getting to know people, which I couldn´t do in English, and I definitely can´t do it in Spanish. And some days´--a lot of days´- you day dream about food instead of trying really hard to understand the really long rant in Spanish that someone is giving you.
Despite all of my inadequacies, the Lord really does bless me every day, and all of the challenges and the self-pity fade away, when I am grateful for things. We have met a lot of new investigators, and we have had some great lessons, in which I felt the Spirit strongly, or just in a peaceful, calm way. In my scripture study, I have felt closer to my Savior, and my growing relationship with Him is also key to getting through the hard days.
Sorry for such a short update bereft of Dominican things. Some days there just isn´t a lot of time. Also, sorry if these posts are kind of incoherent. I´ve heard I have a small-ish audience. So take home message: GRATITUDE AND THE SAVIOR. It really works!
Love, Hna. J.
So... my life. Spanish is still kind of tricky, because a lot of people I still can´t understand completely, and sometimes my thoughts are too complex for my grammer and vocab, but mostly everyone can understand me, and they say I´m doing great. Sometimes it is also frustrating to simply be a new missionary because I don´t have the ability to just flip to scripture or teach a lesson on the fly like my comp can, and I know this is normal, but sometimes I actually have to lead lessons or she´s like,¨ Änd now my companion will teach this principle,¨ and I´m like ¨...Do I know anything about that principle? Do I know anything about it IN SPANISH? Yeah, there´s that one scripture, and I don´t know where it is...¨ It´s like all my gospel knowledge disapears. And then other times, the lessons come really easily. Before the mission you kind of think everything will magically be easier because you are a missionary, and it will be natural to be lead by the Spirit, because you will only ever have missionary thoughts, and it will be almost effortless. This is simply not true. I still have all of my struggles I had before. Like making small talk and getting to know people, which I couldn´t do in English, and I definitely can´t do it in Spanish. And some days´--a lot of days´- you day dream about food instead of trying really hard to understand the really long rant in Spanish that someone is giving you.
Despite all of my inadequacies, the Lord really does bless me every day, and all of the challenges and the self-pity fade away, when I am grateful for things. We have met a lot of new investigators, and we have had some great lessons, in which I felt the Spirit strongly, or just in a peaceful, calm way. In my scripture study, I have felt closer to my Savior, and my growing relationship with Him is also key to getting through the hard days.
Sorry for such a short update bereft of Dominican things. Some days there just isn´t a lot of time. Also, sorry if these posts are kind of incoherent. I´ve heard I have a small-ish audience. So take home message: GRATITUDE AND THE SAVIOR. It really works!
Love, Hna. J.