MTC - Semana Seis, Dec. 29, 2009

Hola Familia!

I feel a little burnt out with writing letters because I wrote you so much on Christmas. So if you haven't got those letters yet, you should soon. I had a really good Christmas. Elder Perry came and talked to us and i met him at dinner. I talked to him for like two seconds, but it was still really neat. We got to watch a really fun talent show put on the missionaries. There was one Elder that did a techno style dance (the kind of dance that Philip from So You Think You Can Dance this summer does) to the song "When I am baptized" from the primary songbook. It was pretty awesome. Christmas night Greg Olsen, the painter, came and did a fireside that was really incredible. He told us the background stories to a lot of his paintings. Overall it was a really good and memorable Christmas, but it felt really different from what you expect Christmas to feel like considering I wasn't home with you all. But giving up two Christmases is worth it to have this opportunity to serve. :) This really is such an incredible once in a lifetime experience.

This week my district has been challenged by one of our teachers to speak completely in spanish- not one single word in English. Today is the first day and it has been difficult, but at the same time incredibly rewarding. I love spanish and can't wait to get out there and use it. It is funny because I realized that my favorite food is mexican food, my favorite dance is latin dance- so it isn't going to be hard at all to love and embrace the latin culture. I do need to build up my tolerance to spicy food though. Which reminds me- Angela, do you want to send me a little bottle of one of your spicy sauces you like? They have tabasco here, but I have heard it has a really gross flavor. It you don't have time don't worry about it.

Oh, and just so you know, I realized I never told you that my actual departure date is January 27th. They had it wrong in the beginning for some reason. January 27th will be exactly ten weeks- nine for spanish and one for Visitor's center training. I'm really excited for visitor's center training because we get to go train at temple square for a day which will be fun. I won't tell you which day because I don't want you to be tempted to try and see me. I can't believe I only have four weeks until I'm out there for real! Time really has started to go so fast.

I hope you are having so much fun with the holidays, even though I know it is hard without me there. :D I'm working hard to make it worth it though. This past week I was in the referal center making calls and a woman answered and said "no habla ingles," which is i don't speak english, so i fumbled through the call in spanish and shared my testimony and it went alright- mostly because she was being really nice because she could tell I was struggling. It was funny because the other elders in my district noticed that I was doing a call in spanish, and they just thought that I was being really ambitious so they started making calls in Spanish to keep up with me. So, if nothing else at least i am motivating and inspiring the other elders to work hard. :D

Well, i love and miss you all. I hope to hear from you soon, but i know you are all very busy. Take care of yourselves and don't forget what is most important.

Love,
Hermana Dansie