Sunday, April 3, 2011

Week 2 with Hermana Arcos


This last week has been a bit challenging. I am trying to learn how to adjust to a different companion. Well I hope that is what is the problem. It is testing my patience.... a lot. We have been walking and walking and walking all week. It seems like nobody is ever at home or really wants to talk to us. But we have been able to push though it for the most part. I have some exciting news though. I was with a new Hermana on Tuesday for the day and I taught my first lesson as a senior companion that day and it went really good! I was able to understand all of her questions and comments and answers her. lol I was so nervous and in the end so happy that I was able to do it! We taught the plan of salvation to this investigator. It is funny because this investigator was actually the very first person that met and taught my first day with Hna Amaya. Crazy how much I have learned since then and how much time has gone by. It was really good for me to talk with this new Hermana so I could remember my abilities my first change and how far I have come. It is crazy, I am no longer a newbie. :)
Oh and I was able to give a short talk on Sunday for the third time in this ward. Everyone is so great and are always telling me how much I have improved and they really try to help me learn and understand. It is different to not be able to talk in English to anybody during the week. The only time I have that opportunity is at the Zone meetings on Wednesday with the other 3 gringos :) It is actually probably good that sometimes I am not able to express everything I think because it teaches me patience... sometimes. :) I have had a couple of moments though when I get really frustrated and it is really easy for me to express what is on my mind. Those are the moments that I really need to remember that I am a missionary. lol
So another dog huh? That sounds fun... kinda :) I think I will like dogs more when I get back home. Right now we pass dogs all day on the streets and all of them have sicknesses and fleas. Like there hair is all falling out and their skin is very sickly looking. Not the best of sights. But yeah how about those fleas. Goodness I have had a lot of problems with them this week again. Mostly on my legs and feet. I am not sure why some days the lotion works well and other days it doesn´t seem to matter. But anyway this dog looks very cute. You will have to send me more pictures when you get him. How old is he? How is Stacy doing?
It sounds like you are super busy Mom. That is awesome work is going so good for you. But I definitely agree that you need a day off. That is something I am really looking forward to in a little over 12 months from now. But I need to just look at it day by day right now. 
For General Conference it is being broadcast in the stake center so I am looking forward to that. And they said that one room it will be in English so that makes it even better. I haven´t been in an English meeting since the MTC. That sounds fun with Valine for the conference. I definitely miss that kind of stuff. I didn´t realize how much work this mission would be or how much I would miss everything. I feel like this mission takes everything that I have got and a little more. It tests all my limits. It is in ways kind of like running a marathon. You have to work for every mile...every mile and just when you think you can´t go anymore and you want to give up you get a new burst of energy or motivation to keep you going. And sometimes the only thing that keeps you going is thinking about all the people waiting for you and rooting for you at the finish line. Deep breaths and lots of mental prayers get me though the really hard times. Also it is good for me to keep in mind how much all of this is for my benefit and the benefit of my family and all of the lives we encounter everyday. I know that there is a lot of good that we are doing even if we can´t see it right now.
That is awesome that Zach has found some work to do! Maybe this summer he can find an actual job job working on cars. That would be good for him. How is his school and everything going? Does he have a girlfriend or anything? lol You guys should send me some pictures of everyone at home.
Yay I am excited for these letters to get here from Katie and Stephanie! Can you send Kellie    a message because I really want to hear from her too :) It sounds like Jessica is doing really good too. Her letters always make me smile. I got a letter from her this week, from your friend Janet, and my companion from the MTC. Can you tell Janet thank you for her letter I really enjoyed reading it and the story. :) It is nice to get like mini pep-talks from people, especially this week and probably this coming week. Can you pray for me to have more charity, humility, and patience with my companion. Sometimes I feel like I pray for this 4 or 5 times a day but I am still needing help. It is just really hard sometimes and I know I can only change myself and the way I look and react to things. 
Tell Grandma I said happy birthday and I wish I could be their to help her eat her ice cream and cake. If you go will you buy her some good ice cream and tell her she needs to eat extra for me :)
Thanks for the offer to send stuff to the people here. But everyone we have been interacting with is doing just fine. For Alejandro he needs more food things. So if you do run across people that want to help they could just donate money or something and we could buy food for them. :)
Yes the running is going good. I am starting to understand why all the Hermanas are having troubles with their weight though. lol They always want to snack on stuff. Sometimes it is hard for me too but I think I have pretty good self control... well sometimes. Not with the ice cream though. Everytime my companion mentions it I give in and we buy some. lol Oh dear.
Anyway family. I love you and I am really glad I was able to write and get everything out.;)
Thank you for everything Mom!
Love you and I miss you all (Dad)
Tiffanie

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