Hola from Mazatlan

Hola!!                                                                                               Monday, April 21, 2014

I can´t believe it´s only been a week since last p-day! agh!!! It´s so strange to be here!! 

 Let me just remind you that I´m in Mexico where nobody speaks English. hahahah Although both my companions know enough English that between the three of us we can say what we need to. I´m in a trio, in case you didn´t catch that :). My companions are Hermana Navarrette and Hermana Bobadilla. 

                     Hermana Daniels                  Hermana Navarrette              Nermana Bobadilla

Well...Let’s see. I got here Monday. Stayed the night at a hotel with my MTC companions, and the next day spent the morning at the mission office filling out papers. Then I met Hermana Bobadilla and we took a bus to my first area:  Mazatlán!!!!! Hermana Navarrette was already in the area. 

So, my first real day was actually Wednesday when we started teaching. That was really hard. I can´t lie, I was so lost! But it wasn´t as bad as I thought it would be, because I knew it would hard. 

It´s so different here, but not. The climate...is humid, but livable. It´s sort of hot, but not as much as in Culiacán, so I am grateful for that!! The food is really good. But they like to use hotdogs with random things. You may or may not know how much I really don´t like hotdogs...hahahaha They put it with pasta and eggs, and stuff. And they have corn tortillas with everything!

Anyway, about this week.  hahaha I got diarrhea (I don´t know how to spell it) on the 5th day. And we went to the doctor´s office, because my companions also had issues. Hna Navarrette was having issues with her arms and hands. Hna Bobadilla was itchy everywhere. So we go to the doctor, get prescriptions, everything´s good. We had lunch at a member´s house right after that and so while eating Hna. Bobadilla is starting to get red rashes and bumps all over her. So we went back to the doctor´s office and it turns out she was having an allergic reaction and so we stayed there at the hospital/office. Let me remind that we're a trio!! There’s a hospital bed and a padded bench in that room!! My companion was really nice and charitable and let me sleep on the bed.

The next day was Sunday!! So we got back to our house, showered and went to Church!! Church. hahaha oh iglesia. It was good :) It´s a good thing people in our church are nice!! Everytime someone asks me '¿cuanto tiempo tiene en el misión?'(don´t quote me on that. That´s probably incorrect Spanish). I say 'hoy es mi primer domingo' or 'uno semana' and they pretty much have mercy on me. 

Anyway, after church, we had lunch with some members and Hna. Bobadilla started having another allergic reaction (actually she started having one as soon as we got back to the house). But we went back to the hospital and spent another night there. Only this time we had a couch!! Much better. And now it's today! Good times :D

But the people here are amazing!! They are so nice and welcoming. The first person we taught was an investigator named Angelo. He actually had a baptism scheduled for last Saturday, but it turned out he had broke down and had a little bit of alcohol. And even though he was so close, he wasn´t ready to be baptized. I don´t even know him that well yet, and it was one of the saddest things ever. 

And it´s frustrating. Not knowing Spanish. We were teaching a young women named Denise. And I got most of what she´s feeling and needs, but I couldn´t say what I wanted!! Agh!  Which is horrible, because I just went through what she´s going through! I wish so bad I could REALLY understand so that I could really help. Pero, I realize this is all part of a mission and that it has to happen. It won´t be like this forever and I´m learning. In the MTC we watched a talk by Elder Bednar about the 'cookie monster' and how we shouldn´t do or be things just because we want it. I´m trying not to be selfish saying 'I want to know Spanish NOW!' which...I do. But at the same time it´s something I HAVE to learn from. Ether 12:27. He may not make my weakness strengths the way I want, or in the time I want, but He will!! 

Anyway, that's all I can think to say ahorita. Gracias por todos cosas!! 

Have a great week!! 

-Hermana Daniels

First area- MAZATLÁN!!!!

Hola Familia!!                                                                           Monday, April 15, 2014

I am here in Mexico :) I got here yesterday at about 6 30pm, and our Mission President picked us up. You want to hear about my stop in Hermosillo? I will tell you about my stop in Hermosillo. We had to get off there so they could verify our papers and go through immigration stuff. We were so close to NOT getting back on the plane to Culiacan. After they checked our visas, checked our bags, they called our names about 10 times to get on the plane. Here we were in this tiny little airport and had no idea where anything was. Pero we made it! 

And then we got off the plane in Culiacán, got our bags and then, ´now what???´ entonces we walked out and Hermana Wadell saw President Velez and his wife first.

Then they drove us to a restaurant. But they played a joke on us, because across the street from the real restaurant, was a street vendor, which was the only thing we saw, and I was un poco confused because they were selling hamburgers and hot dogs. “Are you sure you want us to eat...here?”  Then as we walked up to it, President Velez told us to walk across the street. After that they took us to a pretty nice hotel. 

Anyway...first area- MAZATLÁN!!!! And guess what. I´m in a trio otra vez!! Both Mexican, perfect Spanish. Un poco inglés! They actually want me to help them with their English.  They are both really nice and patient with me.

I spent the first half of the day in the mission office filling out papers, talking to the president and his wife, getting my picture taken and stuff. And then one of my companions met me - Hermana Bobadilla.  We took a 3 hour bus ride here, where Hermana Navarrete was waiting for us. And then we took our stuff to the apartment and then went shopping and now estoy aqui!! 

Entonces... sí. Also, don´t judge my typing. The keyboard es un poco diferente aqui. Y todas personas español...by the way. In case you didn´t know. And I don´t speak Spanish...yet. So that´s fun. Pero I think I´ll learn pretty fast. 

Yo no sé que else to write. You´ll hear from próximo lunes!! Unless you reply to this in the next 15ish minutos... 

Have a good week!! 

-Hermana Daniels

Also, it´s really weird not asking for water. Got to get used to that! divertida!
And it´s humid here!! agh!! es muy diferente. Me gusta...sort of. Pero necesito get used to that tambien. At least my skin doesn´t crack everywhere :D

And since you´re not replying - My guess is that you´re at a movie :D And since I still have a bit of time, I´m just going to fill you in on a bunch of random information! 

It´s the same time zone as Utah.  The traffic here is kinda funny.  Cars just do what they want. They don´t slow down for people. And they go around slower cars if possible in anyway. And people cross the street whenever there´s a gap. 

Lets see... At the mission office they gave about a million and 1/2 papers, manuals, important stuff. And since I´m the junior companion I´m in charge of the money!! Yay!! hahahahah we get $1800 a month...In pesos. Transferring over to that will be interesting.
AAaaannndd....I can´t think of anything else to say. People are really nice here.

I really like my mission president and his wife. Ellos son muy nice and welcoming. 

Also, the food is really good. I think you have no idea how good it is not to eat cafeteria food. I´m excited to eat real food  :) 

Uhm. Sí. I hope your movie was good :D.   Actually, I guess you could be outside working hard!

Have a good week!! 

-Hermana Daniels otra vez

Hola Everybody :)

                                                                          

This week has been CRAAAAZY. I don't even know where to start. 

We just had regular class all week, but it was weird because we knew that it was our last week. We had an awesome devotional on Tuesday! But they are always REALLY good!  (Side note: everybody knows someone awesome is coming for Easter, but guess who's barely gonna miss it!! AGH! *sigh* It's all good though. 

Anyway, Tuesday night the devotional was on obedience. I'm pretty sure obedience is the #1 subject talked about in the MTC. Anyhow, Dennis Neuenschwander gave the talk. (Say that ten times fast :D)  And of my favorite points he brought up, was that Obedience is not the end point of our service, but the beginning. If not earlier, than right now! And I was thinking about what we teach to investigators or less-actives out in the field. We more or less teach them to be obedient to God and His commandments. How can we teach that if we as missionaries aren't even obedient!? 

And last night was In-Field Orientation day. We went up to main campus and got taught all about Finding people, goals and planning, exercising faith, working with members, etc. It was SO good! But I wish they could have put it into two days. It was so much to take in, in one day! I enjoyed it, though. The teachers definitely know how to teach. They were all pretty funny and taught in such a way that I wanted to listen. 

And I'm still trying to get over the fact that I leave in 2 days. Actually less. I get to start all over. I'm probably not going to know what anybody is saying. I'm going to get a new companion - only one this time. I will have learn to teach with just one instead of two companions!! That will be weird. And do you know how hot it is in Culiacan? Only 86, right now, but the high for Monday is 97!! So when it starts getting hot there, just know that I'm already suffering. I kind of can't wait for the sun, though. But I am glad we got about 1 1/2 weeks of REALLY nice weather! Until the crab-apple trees blossomed and then it smells like fish food every time we go back to our apartment! Nasty. Don't ever buy those trees. Nobody will ever visit you in the spring. 

Thank-you for sending those pictures. They're perfect!! I'll have to send you pictures of how they ended up. And thank-you for sending those people messages. I have indeed heard from them :)

That's pretty cool about Matthew's eagle project. Tell Callie And Brian I say hi and congratulations! Send me pictures of whatever's happening there. - batting cage, Luke, Eagle Project, etc. 

Have a good week :) I'll probably call you Monday...not sure what time, though. 

Next time you get a letter from me I'll be in Mexico! That's so crazy to think. I actually will have BEEN in Mexico for 6 days! 

Love you all!! Thanks for everything :) 

-

Hermana Daniels

Here are some pictures of some of my teachers - we had 12. But the one of us inside is with , who was the jefe (boss) and he was the best teacher ever. But they were all really good!! 

General Conference AND P-day!...Yay

Okay, you know I love General Conference! But I don't necessarily want it to take 6 hours out of my P-day. I would actually love it, except that we have to go up to main campus to watch it. All Day. Whoot!! So, almost no time to email today. 

I got my travel plans!! I leave have to be on Main campus at 4:30 am on Monday the 14^th and our flight leaves at 9:30, I think. We have a 3 hour layover in LA and then we get to Culiacan at 7:20pm. It will be only my companions and I. It should be interesting... 

It's so weird. Have I said how time is an illusion here? I feel like I've been here forever, but at the same time, I got here last week. But I'm leaving...in 9 days. Whhhhaaaaattt!?!?! Crazy. 

I can't think of anything to say. I'll email you more later when I do. Or you can reply and ask questions! 

-Hermana Daniels

I forgot to say something kind of important‏

Hola!!...Otra vez!!  

I kind of forgot to tell you about the Tuesday night devo!! It was pretty much forever ago.

Richard Elliot played the organ and spoke to us!! It was amazing!! I think you might have seen the video of him playing "Go Tell it On a Mountain." Watch it again!! He's so good! I don't remember what, but something happened to his arm so, for 3 months he could only practice with his feet and he got really good!! 

And then, David Archuletta - who had gotten off his mission that week, sang for us!! It was awesome! He's still as good as ever. And because we were kind of close, I got to shake his hand at the end! It was pretty cool!! 

Anyway...that's all I have to say about that...

Tell everyone I say hi. And tell Alan and Robin good luck for me, next time you talk to them. 

Have a good week!! 

Your favorite Hermana Daniels