Una Semana Buena

HOLA FAMILIA!!!!

 

Imma just start by saying how much I LOVE being here!! The "campus" is beautiful and carrys such a sweet spirit. Mi companera, Hermana Fisi, is the best, i seriously think im way lucky. shes tongan, from cali and washington- still claiming california after like 7 years haha- and way fun, happy, spiritual, and selfless. We are having lots of fun together and ive already learned a ton from her. My district is also the best! We are the only hermanas, and then 7 elders. there were 8 but one of the elders has back problems that he didnt take care of before he came so he left yesterday.. he was kinda a downer and distracting.. it was really hard to concentrate and stuff with him just sittin around his last couple days. 6 of us in the district are goin to Orlando- including my comp!  and 2 other hermanas in mi casa are going to Orlando as well- theyre the ones i met on facebook before i came. Thefood here is pretty great actually haha. Lunches are usually way good mexican food and stuff. Dinners are decent and breakfasts... occasionally good. the cereal is the best bet for the most part- rather than waffles with nutella, haha! Ive only had it once :) everyone here is obsessed with the nutella though. with everything. It rains just about every day here and a lot, but i dont mind! Its nice having some sunny days though. Haha so there are earthquake dots in the streets on the CCM! Im kinda hoping we have an earthquake cause i think it would be a good time. We taught our first investigator, Tainara, on Friday night!!! Obviously it was the scariest thing ever with my beginner espanol, but it was fine. One of the companionships in our district did really well that night and when they walked out, we could all feel the spirit so strong. We all knelt and said a prayer together and it was just really cool. Since then we have taught her twice and it slowly gets better and better. Im not gonna go too into detail cause theres not much to say besides the fact that mi espanol es muy mal haha. Esta Bien. Saturday night we had Mexican night! Apparently Saturday, Sunday and Monday are their independance day, so we had a fun celebration in the gym(the video Sister Wilson sent you, Mama). It was way too fun, with all the mexican elders freaking out, some cool dances, fireworks (yeah, fireworks.in the gym). We got to bed pretty late that night though, cause the celebration got done at like 11:15. I was way tired the next day. Sunday was one of the most amazing days!! We had relief society with Hermana Pratt- I loved her lesson.. dont have time to share.. Sacrament with our branch- one of the counselors is from SL and served his mission in Madrid! that was a fun connection. Anyway, they have everyone prepare talks for each week (they give a topic) and they call 6 people randomly! woah. Hermana Fisi got called up this week and did really well! I guarantee ill be up there this week cause im the only other hermana in our district. That night we got to go in the auditorium and watch the Joseph Smith movie with the whole CCM! That was a treat. It reminded me of when we saw it in Salt Lake as a fam. And it reminded me of all the times we were gonna watch a movie upstairs and dad would suggest the Joseph Smith movie and get shut down.. sorry dad haha Ill watch it with you sometime. Oh, my good friend Hermana Haynie was here for a few days before leaving! It was fun to see her one last time. Cole got here on Tuesday and I was ecstatic! haha I was keepin an eye out for him all afternoon and then on our way to dinner I spotted a cute elder with two big bags down the sidewalk! I ran to see him with my arm outstretched, he grabbed my hand and kinda went in for a hug haha! I backed up and after laughing told him we couldnt do that haha. We also took some pictures together and then later learned that a sister and an elder cant take a picture of just them.... oops. dont tell!! He looks awesome though and I told him he would love it. havent seen him since though. Oh, gym time. Its the best. Hermana Fisi and I have been going for runs, doing literally 100 yard sprints in one of teh big parkinglots, and playing some mean volleyball :) I dont wanna brag or anything, but Im pretty good haha. On a side note though, tell Grammy thanks for all the treats! haha. Ive been eating them very sparingly, but sure am enjoying them! Hermana Fisi as well. Class is a good time. Our teacher is Hermano Flores and we just got a new one, Hermano Rodriguez. I like them both lots, but hermano Rodriguez speaks spanish the whole time so it really helps us improve. Weve tried a couple times as a companionship and as a district to have an english fast... didnt last too long, but we are improving, haha. Im staying positive and enjoying every minute of the work here! Its honestly an incredible experience to be here and Ive learned so much in the past week- spanish, how to be a better teacher, and just a better person. Dont even worry bout me! To be completely honest, I havent been homesick hardly at all. sorry, but its true. Lets keep it that way too haha. There are girls in my casa that cry every day.. Oh yes! before I sign off, I gotta tell you bout the temple today!!! We got on the bus at 8 and left the "city walls"! It was way fun to see more of the city! The streets are the weirdest things and I swear there arent even driving rules- it just didnt make sense. It was a beautiful day today (still is-the sun is shining!) and we took lots of pictures at the temple. I used one side of the headphones and then tried to understand as much espanol as I could! I was pretty tired though, so you can imagine it went pretty well.. haha nah, I really did stay awake and have a good time. Also, youll be proud of me when I say I spoke spanish when I coulda used english- im hoping you get what I mean. Its a huge temple, with 2 escalators in it! The architecture is like the Mayans. K imma try and send pictures real quick! But I love you all so much and Im so grateful for your support!! Scoz, thanks for the email and the picture haha you know me all too well. Glad youre still thinkin of me. Mama and Papa, how neat that you had  Elder Ballard and Elder Oaks there!! That sounds unreal, maybe Ill get an experience liek that while Im out..? Thank you all for your prayers! I need them mostly for my spanish haha! K Ill talk to yuh next THURSDAY! Adios.

 

Con Amor, Hermama Jackson

 

ps you wanna send this to the rest of the fam, Mama? and would someone mind getting me those emails on my bed side table? Oh, and Matty, would you send me the quote about comfort when yuh get a chance? Ive been wondering what it was, but i liked it. THANKS!