Tuesday, February 4, 2014

I Can't Believe I'm Not Dead


I still am not good at this computer keyboard and I have a lot to say and only 55 minutes to do it.  I don't know if I will have time for pictures, but no worries.  I look the same.  Haha.  A little more sweaty, maybe.  On Wednesday and Thursday, the day we got here, we just went straight into everything and never got to sleep.  But maybe that is a good thing.  I had to get over all the thinking I did at the layover in Atlanta.  Not good, haha.  I love my companion!  We flew together from SLC.  Her name is Emily Bott and she is from Kaysville.  We get along super good.  Thursday and Friday were overwhelming and disorienting.  It gets better, I think.

Friday we started classes and it was crazy.  Our teachers only speak Spanish to us.  All of them.  Our morning teacher speaks English, but our afternoon one doesn't at all.  It is a really fast way to learn, but it is also stressful and requires lots of focus.  Classes from 8 to lunch and then again before and after dinner with physical activity and study time tossed in there.  Saturday was the same as Friday.  So busy.

Homesickness is definitely my biggest problem, but it usually gets bearable if I pray and read my scriptures.  The homesickness made Sunday really hard, but it was testimony meeting and that was cool.  One Fast Sunday down!  Sometimes 18 months sounds really long.  The fireside that night saved my life that day though.  It was about how being away from the comfort of our parents and families gives us a taste of how Jesus Christ felt and makes our whole lives more meaningful.  So I was thinking, that gives you guys a little taste of Heavenly Father's love for everyone of us.  It is so humbling and so crazy.  I am so grateful for our close family and the love we have for each other.  It is a huge blessing, even though it makes this really hard at times.  I just wish I could have you at my side. Smiley face.  I don't know how to do that.

Monday was fun.  We left for Immigration.  We got to spend time in the city.  2 hours in Immigration and 5 hours waiting for the bus, but it was a great break, inca cola (tastes like cream soda) and talking and laughing and disgusting birds and a colorful street.  Great break.

Today was Pday.  Crazy.   Lots of walking.  Crazy bus rides.  We are not old enough to do this.  Haha, but it is good.  I love my district and the district who mentored us through Pday today.  The city is a lot like Manilla.  Like a ton.

Food.  I have eaten fish twice.  Mostly because I don't speak Spanish.  It was alright.  I didn't even throw up much.  Just kidding, it was fine.  Bleh.  So much riiiiiiccccceeee. Gross.  Granadia? Fruit that looks like brains.  Google it.  Yellow, black seeds with like pomegranate like gray pods.  I don't know. Eat it  a lot.  Inca Cola! Really good.

The weather is super nice!  Fair and beachy.  It is hotter some days than others.  I already have a shoe tan line and freckles, and crazy hair!  Not too bad.  :) Oh, my smiley face.  That was too hard.  I love my district.  There are 7 girls and 2 Elders.  We are finally loosening up and getting really close.  I am becoming myself to fight off my homesickness and weird adjusting.  It has really helped, or corrupted.  I can't tell.  Haha.  I love my companion!  She is great.  We really get along, actually.

Spanish. Holy Spanish.  I already understand so much and can pray and testify in Spanish.  Isn't that weird?  I can't even believe it.  I cannot express how much I love you.  It is so hard to be apart, but it is making my love for you more deep, strong and pure.  I want to serve a hard, fulfulling, successful full time mission and then see you again ASAP.  I don't know what else to say.  I love you.  I am safe. Please be safe.  Read Preach My Gospel and the scriptures and pray and you will be doing what I do!

Hermana Lauren Bailey

2 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. She sounds happy even though she's home sick! I love reading her letters and seeing the pictures! So awesome! It's amazing how much she has learned already!! 1 week down! Sorry, this is Meagan... The Watchers is an old movie blog I had, but I can't change the name I post under....

    ReplyDelete