I am still safe here in crazy Mexico:) This week has probably been the strangest of my life, but I am doing well!
So, you know how everyone jokes about the Best Two Years and how 'that wasnt the language they taught me in the MTC'? jaja. I can now attest to that. But, I feel like it is still the language they taught me in the MTC, but they taught me in slow motion. And now everyone talks in fast forward!! Loco:) But I am learning so much! I still feel like I cant say much of what I want, but I can bear my testimony and that is something:) My companion actually makes me do contacting on my own, so I am getting pretty good at making small talk about what I like about peoples outfits and how cute their children are, and then awkwardly asking if they want a card about Jesus Christ and if we can come to their house, haha.
So, there are no white people here. I guess its just weird because in the States there is a bunch of races, but here EVERYONE IS MEXICAN. And everyone stares at the Guerita:) (I guess thats means gringo, Im the guerita if you didnt notice:) Yeah, so everyone we walk everyone just stares at me and I just say ''Buenas tardes!!'' jaja. I think its actually because Im white that we get contacts sometimes. I like to think that I am fulfilling my missionary purpose by faithfully putting on my sunscreen everyday, jaja.
Because I feel so awkward while people stare at me, I try very hard not to stare or look surprised at anything I see crazy here in Mexico. I'm getting pretty good at going with the flow. After my mission even tommy wont be able to jump out and scare me because I practice so hard everyday to never change my smiling facial expression and to always act like I know what I am doing jaja:) Oh, a random cow crossing the road? how nice. Wash my hands in this weird bucket over here? I do this everyday.. You would like to nurse your child right here in the street as I am talking to you? go right ahead, haha. I am learning:)
Our casa is pretty good:) When I first got here I thought it was such a dump, but now that I have visited a lot more places here I realize how extremely blessed we are. And this morning I devoted a couple hours to cleaning the bathroom and turns out its actually the color blue, jaja. My comp says that Elders lived here before the Hermanas and thats why it is gross, so I will do my best to keep cleaning what I can:) We dont have hot water, but thats okay. Everything else is extremely hot here, so I just tell myself I like it, jaja. Plus, if you get really cold while showering, your towell feels really warm when you get out! win-win!:) We each have our own little refrigerators, and I love mine:) I dont really cook much, because the members of the ward feed us lunch everday and it is pretty late in the day so really I just eat cereal and fruit for breakfast. We have a washer, but it is kinda like a thing that just swishes around water, jaja. I am grateful, though. Other missionaries dont have anything.. and we have tons of string around our house to dry our clothes:) On pday our back patio thing is like a jungle of clothes:)
My companion is very nice:) Her name is Hermana Garcia and she is from the state of Mexico, so I guess just close to Mexico City. She doesnt know like any English, jaja. But she promised to practice because I am supposed to teach her english. Her last companion only taught her the words like 'Idiot' 'shut up' 'poop' and 'I hate you.' Jaja, which is... potentially problematic. I guess they had a silly relationship:) She works really hard and I am learning a lot! Whenever she is trying to explain something in Spanish and I honestly cannot figure it out, we can call our District Leader to explain to me, jaja. Elder Montier and I are getting pretty tight because of this. Plus, because he is a guero as well he knows how hard it is to learn the language and he can honestly tell me that I am doing good and stuff.Whereas my companion.. I am her first trainee and all of her other white companions could speak the language well, so she doesn't really understand when I struggle, jaja. But she is very nice and patient:)
I love you all very, very much and I pray for you everyday. There are many tender mercies to be found, and I try to look for them everyday. I struggle with the language and the new culture, but I know the Lord is here in Galeana and aware of me:) And of YOU! Anytime I need to talk to someone in English, He is there:) He understands all of us perfectly and I am so grateful for his matchless love! One day I will be able to coherently express it to His children here, jaja.But for now I will just keep smiling:) I LOVE YOU!!!
Hermana Swallow
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