Week 1 and a half of the CCM under my belt and I am starting to feel more and more like a missionary everyday! I honestly have no idea where to really start this email...I am absolutely loving it so far!
My companion is Hma Bredeson. She is from San Diego and is completely opposite than me. We met at dinner on the first night here and well, I knew companions would be the hardest thing for me on this mission thing, so good thing we started here at the CCM. She is super sweet, super diligent in her studies, but from the beginning knew next to nothing about spanish, so being in the advanced class for her has been a process. She will be serving in the Uruguay Mission.
Our district is amazing! We are the advanced class so it is all latinos(6) and americans (4). The first couple days was pretty quiet, very humbling, and super hard, but at this point we have become family. We sit together for every meal, walk everywhere together, do gym together, you name it! Hma Bredeson and I are the only fully american companionship. I think they saw my last name when I was coming and just assumed I was so latina. They all treat me like I am though! lol We have a good time. The other girls in the district are from Utah and Mexico. The guys are from Mexico and Utah. We were all assigned to a different MTC than here too actually! And for some reason our district of misfits was chosen to be a pilot program for the latina branch. We are being trained on ipads even though only one elder will for sure be using one on his mission! They are super fun and awesome, but definitely a little bit of a distraction when I can pull up my emails to contact investigators and not email y`all!
Our branch is fabulous as well. All spanish. All the time. It`s actually such a blessing!
The language is coming for sure. The first couple days were full of emotions just trying to get used to the schedule and the culture of the CCM, but the gift of tongues is so real. And after a few breakdowns you kind of just start laughing at yourself, forgetting about yourself, and just loving the people you are teaching. So effective. I am seriously loving the spanish and I totally understand everything! Its just a different story when I have to talk...but it`s coming along super nicely. No worries here.
Our teachers are fabulous. Because we are the pilot program we have the best of the best. Our "teachers" are actually the supervisors of all the teachers. We have another teacher here from Provo to help us figure out the iPads and she is such a blessing. Our other teachers are the Director of the entire CCM and an area seventy. Incredibly blessed to have them and teach them as our investigators. Funny story- Our first ever investigator was the Director of the CCM and well we did not know that (no pressure), I broke down in front of him at one point too, and we found out after we taught him and after seeing him on the stand at devotionals that he was the director. I felt like such a fool. He is so kind and is truly amazing. Our area seventy is Elder Casteneda and he is one of our progressing investigators right now. He was the catalyst to my experience here just becoming way better. Super grateful for him and his help too.
We teach up to 3 times a day really. We started the CRE (TRC) this week and have been loving it. We also contact people on our ipads and ask our teachers for more investigators. Because they are the supervisor of all the other teachers we get lots of other investigators super easily.
We had our first intercambios this week too! Those were interesting. I had worked with the sister before we did exchanges and of course thought wow it would be so hard to work with her...yup. she was my first exchange. It was incredibly difficult. I learned so so much and we actually ended up getting 2 more investigators!
We got to go to the temple this morning! It was absolutely beautiful. It`s always such a blessing to do a session because it reminds me why I am even here to begin with.
This mission thing is really off to a good start. I am so full of love and happiness that almost everyday I feel more like a 7 or 7.5 on the sad to happy scale. I love this work. I love the Lord and I am so grateful for all the blessings he has and is giving me. I only have another week and a half left here and it feels like time is flying. I am so so happy to be here even with all the ups and downs!
Thanks for all y`alls support and prayers. I really am feeling them!
xoxo
(Officially) Hermana Vergara
PS Amy Ray if you are reading this I need your address! It`s about time for your monthly letter!
PPS also do not know how this computer works so hopefully the pictures go through! Some from the temple, visitor center, and our district! My companion is the cute little on in the blue and the one with all of us girls in front of the Cristus are a bunch of the girls from our branch!
Hermana Vergara
3 Nephi 5:13
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