CCM #4 - ONE MONTH! - PROGRESSION IN THE LANGUAGE THE LORD HAS BLESSED ME WITH

I love reading all of your emails every week!!!!! It gives me something to look forward to for the upcoming week, and it makes me feel a whole lot better with being out here!!!!!

I am so happy with the progression in the language the Lord has blessed me with. I can`t believe that I can give 30 minute lessons in another language with not much stuttering!!! It shocks me and I pray for thanks about it every day!!!! I have followed your instructions with the pictures, but I don`t know, they say they are getting through, but I don`t know if the CCM has some sort of block on their wifi or not? No one that I know of has the same camera as I do and that makes them jealous because they wish they could send pictures home like I have been, but apparently that isn`t working. 

(Side note.... This is MOM speaking now: So, after several suggestions made from other parents who had missionaries going to the same mission, we sent Stoney with a WiFi capable camera.  This makes it possible for Stoney to send pictures to us directly from his camera rather than having to plug it into the computer.  We got it all set up to download to a Drop Box, or even directly to our email.  We practiced at home before he left, and it worked great.  I sent him with instructions on how to upload them, all nicely laminated, because that's what a good mom does.  Since Stoney has been in the CCM, he has said several times that he has sent pictures home, but we weren't receiving them.  As he was on the computer yesterday, we were emailing "real time" trying to figure it out, but to no avail.  Then as Brett and I were at our daughter's soccer game, discussing the picture situation, Brett said, "I can't believe it's not even going into the Drop Box."  WHAT?!  HELLO! I completely forgot I had set up a Drop Box!  I quickly touched the APP ON MY PHONE, because being a good mom, I made sure I did that before Stoney left so I could access the pictures he sent directly from my phone, and VOILA!  THERE THEY WERE!  14 BEAUTIFUL PICTURES! THE CAMERA WORKED!  Needless to say my heart was happy!  I cried over each, wonderful, beautiful picture!  As each picture came up, more and more tears were streaming down my face.  I saw him!  I saw my beautiful boy; my missionary!  And he was alive, healthy and most of all HAPPY!  Best day EVER!) Now back to what Elder Harward had to say.....

Answer time:

1. (What was your PEAK for the week?)  The best part of my week would have to have been Saturday. Not a whole lot happened that day, we just studied the language in class and other teaching techniques, but I just felt a different spirit that day, that made it such a great day for me!!!!!!

2.(What was your PIT for the week?)  The worst part of this week for sure was when they took one of the Sisters from our district and moved her to another one because she was too advanced in spanish to be with us. It sucked to see her go. My district has grown as close to a family as we could have and we love each other, so seeing her go sucked. I have made some life long friend`s in this 1 month already!

3.(Was there a scripture you read that stood out to you this week?)  A scripture that I read this week was 2 Nephi chapter 2. It is such an amazing scripture and if you guys need something to study in the morning, read that chapter and discuss what it meant to you guys. It was a huge booster for me this week.

4.(Is there anything we can specifically for you for this week?)  Not that I can think of. I truly can feel your prayers in my day, and it helps so much. I know you don`t know him, but he is my district leader, his name is Elder Hunter. If you could pray for him, for strength to know what he is doing is the right thing and that he is strong enough to be out here that would be great. He has recently been getting hit hard with anxiety and different things. I would love if you could do that.

One thing that I think I forgot to tell you, which sucks because this won`t be as much as a surprise anymore. The week I showed up here, on the first Sunday, when I didn`t know any Spanish or anything, I got called in Sacrament meeting to give a talk in Spanish!!! It scared me so bad, and it was probably awful but I have no idea because I don`t know what I said, haha!!!

Seriously! I can`t believe that a month has gone by already!!!!! It`s crazy!!! Has it felt that long to you, longer or shorter, because I know that it has felt so short for me. I can`t believe that I leave the CCM in 2 weeks!!! I can`t wait to get into the field and start teaching people!!!! There was an elder who came in to my room last night who was from Quetzaltenango and he said that the people are amazing, the place is beautiful, and we will love it there. It made me so much more excited to get out there!!!!

This week wasn`t very eventful, pretty much just sitting in class all day every day studying the language and different teaching techniques. It helps, but the days are starting to blend together because we don`t do a whole lot. We do teach in Spanish every day, and those are getting better and better. The one thing that I haven`t learned yet is conversational Spanish!!! I guess that will come just by being out in the field!!!! All the teachers say that we will be fluent within 2 to 3 months of being out there. That blows my mind!!!! We all talk about when 2 years is up and when we get to the Salt Lake airport. We get in a big argument on whether riding the escalator or the elevator down is better? I say elevator, and I have my companion on my side but that's about it haha.

Just know that I love it here and that isn`t going to change any time soon! I can`t wait to get to the field and teach the people of Guatemala and learn to have a Christ type love for them!!!

I will talk to you in one week, my last time emailing in the CCM!!!!!!!