Thursday, October 9, 2014

A nickname, crying a lot, flying to Vegas, and companions with "The Destroyer"


Ok so I have so much stuff to say and not a ton of time to say it alllll, but I mainly want to say that I love you guys so so so so much. I tried uploading pictures but the computer wouldn't recognize my flash drivy thingy and it’s such a bummer. But I promise I am taking good ones and I will work on sending those to you! :) 

So first off I miss you guys like crazy, but they keep us soooo busy. It's nuts. My zone is comprised of 10 elders and my companion and myself. I'm also the only one who isn't fluent in Spanish. It is really hard because they can joke and stuff in Spanish and sometimes I just can't follow along. But you know I'm really grateful for all of them and that I am in the accelerated program because I think I will learn Spanish so much better and fuller once I just get out into the field. The first few days have been so hard. I mean so hard. Mainly because of the whole spanish thing and my teacher doesn't allow us to speak anything but Spanish and I just don't have the confidence in saying the right thing. But they are so fun and nice that they take 30 minutes out of their companionship study to teach me Spanish. Haha. It's hilarious to watch them try to dissect a language they've always just known. Sooo funny. But, often times they will have trouble speaking English and boy do I have their back! :) Haha. I've felt like I've just always been playing catch up, you know? Like I haven't quite gotten the hang of things yet, but each day gets somewhat better. I really am loving it here. I am suuuuper close with my district. So funny story, we all made up nicknames for each other. My nickname is "Snowflake" cause I'm white. Hahahaha. And my companion's nickname is "The Destroyer" because she's kinda bossy and has anger problems. But we love her. So as far as my companion goes she's great, but has an interesting story. We get along great because I can go along with anything and she pretty much always gets her way, so it’s all good.

Ummm... I love Latinos. They are so funny and fun to talk to. It's been a blast getting to know them and it's gonna be so hard to say goodbye in 6 DAYS. Oh mannn this is going by so fast. And back to the Spanish (that's just the main part of my life right now so I have a lot to say), I SAID MY FIRST PRAYER TOTALLY IN SPANISH and right after everyone said amen, they clapped for me and were so excited. They keep telling me that I am doing so well and improving every day, but all that does is make me think how awful I must really have been to begin with. :) Haha, but really. 

Wasn't general conference AWESOME?! Oh my goodness I just absolutely loved it. It was so cool to be sitting in a room with 2000 missionaries and to feel the spirit. And yet I still managed to fall asleep during most sessions of conference. Awkward. I guess I even started snoring too. Haha, so embarrassing... But back to conference I just LOVED Elder Bednar’s talk. It was so good and I hope a lot of my future investigators got to see that! 

Oh and I've seen so many people here! Even though we're on west campus and separated (we're moving up to main on Thursday... dang) we still go up there a lot anyway and I get to see people. I saw John Nelson, Brad Hollingsworth, Ashlee Young, Alyssa Bakker, Kate Anderson, Elder Hyde, and Issac Ridge. It's crazyyy. It's so fun and SO NICE to see a familiar face. 

So as you know I flew to Vegas yesterday to the Mexican consulate to get my visa. It was just myself and 6 other elders. We partied hard. Haha, not really. It was an exhausting day but I wanted to tell you about the flight!!! So all of us were joking around about how we should start up a conversation with the people around us on the plane and basically convert them. Easy right? Haha, but as I was going, there was a really nice guy that sat by me and we ended up talking a ton! The whole 53 minute flight! He was in the navy and then was a pilot commercially and is now retired in Cottonwood Heights. We got to talking about river trips and climbing and seeing the world. I said something (can't quite remember) and he said that I sound just like JIMMY BUFFETT!!!! WHAT?! Oh my goodness, it was the greatest compliment I've ever gotten. We started talking about old Jimmy vs. new and how great he is and that Zac Brown is similar in that they tell stories and that we were both parrotheads. It. Was. Awesome. So great. 

Also my companion and I are sister training leaders, because there's sooo many options. Oh wait, it's just the two of us. Haha, but it's fun and we have a title so we are pretty cool I guess. :)

And THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE LETTERS!!!! Thank you for the treats! Will you thank Renae for me? I am so so so grateful for those. Oh geez, I miss you so much. This is the greatest part of my week to hear from you guys! I love you more than words can say. I know this is the place for me, even though it is so hard. I have laughed harder than hard and also cried. A lot. But it's all part of the growing experience and I love it. I love you all and can't wait to talk to you again next week! Eat more Panda and Cafe Rio and LA PUENTE for me!!! :) Oh and the food here is ok, not gourmet, but edible. I haven't had any issues yet! :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! You are amazing. Whenever I get sad because I can't speak Spanish, I think of you guys and I'm ok. Oh and we leave the 13th, so Monday, for a connecting flight in Texas and then to Pachuca. I'm the travel leader and I have 4 other people traveling with me. Hopefully I get another chance to email you before we fly out, but if not, know I love you and I will email you as soon as I possibly can!!! Thanks for the pictures - they're awesome. LOVE YOU!!! 

Sending all my love and hugs, 

Hermana Anstee :)


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