Hopefully you didnt think i had neglected writing on purpose my
first week and a half in Colombia. and excuse my punctuation or lack
thereof because i dont know how to use this spanish keyboard. you my
have heard of a cultural quirk called latin time (india time, africa
time, etc). it is something common to other countries where the american
concept of meticulous scheduling and prompt punctuality and time
management is nonexistent. and even things here at the mtc are affected.
often classes dont start for 20 minutes or more after they are supposed
to, the schedule is constantly changing, and pday was abruptly changed
to the end of the week. apparently next week it is on tuesday, but that is apt to change i have heard from the other north americans, so we´ll see, but write me back before than haha.
So things here have been crazy of course. every day is busy with
class after class of spanish or learning gospel principles or how to do
things like planning with a companion. and then interspersed are random
devotionals. honestly one of the hardest things for me has been trying
to even find quiet time to feel close to god when we are always bustling
to the next class and it is noisy and of course NEVER being away from
companions. also so difficult (although i am learning to love them)
being in a district consisting of eight 18 year old boys who just
graduated high school and can be so very annoying. i am in a trio, and
we are the only girls in our district. it has been a big huge struggle
at times. one of my companions does not want to be here. after finding
out how hard it was she broke down on the second day and said she had
just come for an exotic travel experience. so after a drama filled 5
days involving the mission president she called her parents and told
them she was coming home, but they told her she was not welcome. so now
she is here against her will and she doesnt want to try to do spiritual
things or learn spanish. and since you are supposed to do everything as a
team with your companions it has obviously been extremely difficult. i
am sad i didnt come with the group right before me, there are INCREDIBLE
girls who are all going to the santa cruz mission who are all so strong
and positive. but i guess its what God wants for me. my other biggest
struggle is spanish. PLEASE pray for me to be able to learn. i am one of
the only people who has had no high school or college spanish. it has
been overwhelming and frustrating (especially with the scheduling being
so disorganized at times). and i am especially frustrated because even
some of the kids with barely any spanish have a gift to just hear and
understand so quickly. i can read tons, but i just cannot distinguish
words enough to even understand my teachers when they speak in spanish.
and starting monday
they are pretty much going to be speaking only spanish... However, i
memorize things quickly, and we have been proselyting twice in the
streets of Bogota which is exciting!! my other companion can speak and
understand spanish actually very well, but she is a little shy 19 year
old and is scared of talking to people, and i have no fear in that
department, so i go right up to people and say what i can, mostly about
god loving us and how he sent his son and called joseph to translate the
book of mormon and if they want to have one bla bla. and she translates
(sort of) what they are responding haha.
our morning teacher is one of my favorite people in the whole world
i have ever met, hermana mendivelso. she is colombian and her whole
family was recently converted. she is one or two years older than me,
and served her mission on temple square. she is literally alight with
the spirit, and joy, and confidence all the time and i want to be her.
her testimony is so powerful. she learned to speak fluent english on her
mission, and she has been the one person i have been able to confide in
here with my companion struggles and coping with mtc life. she was my
companion the first time we went proselyting, and i was stumbling and
stuttering, and at one point just said, lo siento mi espanol es mal,
paro yo se que este mensaje es verdadero. which sketchily means sorry my
spanish is bad but i know this message is true. she hugged me and told
me she is so proud of me. she has been such an encouragement. well i do
not have much time, but so far although this is so hard and i feel so
inadequate and times and lost about spanish, i could not imagine not
being here. already i can feel myself changing, and the insights into
the gospel i have received so far have been incredible. if you can,
watch elder bednars mtc devotional called the characteristics of christ.
you may be able to find it online. it talks about how our gospel is
about the example of christ, and he in every way turned outward, while
our natural inclination as humans is to turn inward. we think that by
turning inward we will find ourselves, through exotic travel or yoga and
meditation haha or whatever. but really its by turning ourselves
completely outward, serving others, losing ourselves in the outward
where ironically we will find ourselves. i want that to be me. thank you
guys for all your letters. i love you all so much. sorry that i do not
have much time to write. my testimony is growing here, i feel peace
here, and i am working on my path towards full conversion so that God
can use me in his way. i will hopefully respond to you on tuesday!
love,
cass
