Nov. 25, 2011

Hola!!

Everyone THANKS FOR THE LETTERS AND EMAILS! You are all so awesome! If possible please send DearElders or real mail because I don't have time to email hardly!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!! My thanksgiving was sooo awesome. Seriously! It was amazing. We got to sleep in until 8:30 (we skipped breakfast so that we could do that) then we have RUSSELL M. NELSON COME SPEAK TO US! How awesome. Then we did a big service project, and then a movie 17 miracles. It was so good you should all watch it.

We had a whole bunch of free time in between that also, and turkey dinner of course. Earlier in the week we had D. Todd Christofferson come speak. Two apostles in one week? I am a lucky lucky girl. They were so awesome. I was going to bring my note book so I could quote some things, but we were rushed out of our room so I forgot it. Christofferson spoke a lot about missionary work and how it is a privilege. and Nelson told us a long interesting story of trying to get the church into "Godless communism" countries and the atonement. When Nelson bore his testimony it was the most powerful thing I have ever heard. No Joke. He said "God be thanked for giving his beloved son, and God be thanked for each of you" It gives me chills to even just write it. It was so awesome. Sorry I don't have any quotes to uplift and inspire you guys! I'll send them next week when I have my note book.

MOM I GOT YOUR LETTERS. I also got your thanksgiving package. My district and companions LOVED IT (along with me of course)- you're so awesome. So the Spanish is coming... slowly. But it's coming! I knew this would probably be the hardest part of the mission. But it's coming. It's hard to see my growth in the language because were around the same people and saying a lot of the same things every day. But I do see myself improving!

So, funny story: a one of the first nights I did something good (don't remember what it was) and my roommate (who is fluent in Spanish) said "Bien hecho" which is Good job... but it was right when we were all going to bed so I thought it meant "Buenos Noches" which is Good night. So I said Good night to you to! And then it was silent so I knew something had gone wrong. I asked what she had just said and EVERYONE started cracking up. so now my companions told the elders in my district and now my WHOLE ZONE says "Buenos Noches" when people do something good and Bien Hecho when were going back to our residence halls at night. HAHA. Man I'm embarrassing myself more and more every day!! But it's funny, and no one is judging. Stuff like that happens all the time!

Another funny story. so were in our classrooms for like 10 hours a day the doors are SUPER heavy so every time I opened the door I would hit my arm or leg or something and so half way through the day when I walked out and hit myself ( didn't think anyone was noticing) one of the Elders says "HERMANA MARCHANT THATS LIKE THE 7th TIME TODAY". So for the rest of the day when ever I walked in or out of the door the elders would hold it for me and told me I wasn't allowed to touch it. Ha-ha they're so nice I feel like they're my annoying but hilarious little brothers.

We took a "family" or district thanksgiving picture. Family: expect it sometime next week in the mail! I missed you guys and thought about you all day yesterday! Hope thanksgiving was awesome! I studied the topic of Desire to learn and serve this week. You guys should all do it. I loved it. Look up all the scriptures in the TG.

We have taught the first lesson like 10 times now. I feel pretty comfortable with it and as long as I have my companion to help me I can say a lot of it in Spanish! One more funny story: So the other day my Very conservative companion was trying to get a drink at lunch and a elder accidently bumped into her so he said in Spanish-"oh sister, I'm sorry" and she meant to say like "you're totally fine...no problem" but what she said in Spanish was "you are SOOO fine" and he looked at her and turned bright red thinking she was hitting on him calling him FINE (for you old people...it means good looking). We all laughed and laughed and laughed and its our districts joke now when ever someone says sorry for somthing.. But wait the story is not over. so a few days later we were standing in line and my OTHER companion bumped into another elder and she said oops sorry and he said "YOUR SO FINE" and she said 'WHAT??" -thinking he knew our joke somehow and he turned bright red and started continually apologizing over and over again. Hahahah it was so funny!! After being at the MTC for a few weeks little things like that turn into the funniest thing ever!! Anyway, I miss and love you all!!

Jenessa, WHATS YOUR ADDRESS? I forgot to ask in my last email and so I have been thinking about you all week I'm so sorry!! I LOVED YOUR letter.

Love,

Sis. Abby Marchant