March 9, 2010 MTC

Sent: Tue, March 9, 2010 6:35:22 AM
Subject: HOLAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Hey Everyone, I'm so sorry I don't have a lot of time today. The computer was acting LOCO!!! But let me just say that I LOOOOOOOVE the MTC!!!! It has been SO, SO great! It has way exceeded my expectations!! This week just zipped on by!! I have an awesome companion and great roommates. My comp is Herrrrmana Williams from SOcal. She is hilarious! She’s a ditzy blonde Socal girl which just makes things so fun. Imagine us together...LOCO! She loves her flat iron and her cute clothes and doesn’t know WHY in the world she'd get sent somewhere like Guatemala! haha. Now she knows why....to be comps with me. Perfecto! haha. But we have a blast and laugh so hard everyday that it doesn't even feel like we're on a mission sometimes. Well, besides the fact that the spirit is BLAZING here! It's a crazy place and I love it SO much! I'm so grateful to be on a mission. It has only been a week but it truly is the BEST!!! (There's no return on this computer so don't judge me for not starting a new paragraph) THANK YOU everyone for your letters!! I get SO, SO excited for mail time every day that I feel so bad for not being a better writer to everyone. It makes me so happy every time I get mail! But thank you! I'm glad to know everyone is doing well!! Ok so difficulties.........I can't go to sleep at night. It’s too early!!! So that can be a little frustrating. So I do get tired in the morning but when I don't want to get out of bed I start singing.... PRESTOS TODOS PRESTOS!!!!! (Onward ever onward) and I just leap right up and start marching....seriously! haha.

I march everywhere singing that and it drives my roommate crazy. She tries to cover her face when she walks with me. But I can't help it, I feel so pumped and excited every single day. I just can’t explain it. It's MUY BIEN!! Oh and speaking Spanish is ROUGH!!!!!! It's really frustrating because there’s so much I want to say but can't. But I can honestly say that it has brought me so much closer to the Lord. I seriously am dependent on Him right now. More than I ever have been in my life. It is my greatest fear to be in a foreign land and not be able to talk....seriously it freaks me out, but I am trying so hard and praying harder than I ever have in my life. I gave my first lesson in Spanish yesterday. It was amazing how fast you learn. The people I taught didn't speak English so they thought I was fluent in Spanish. haha. Little did they know that I made up half the words I said!! I try now to say everything in a Spanish accent as if I could speak Spanish just to get used to it. It's hilarious!! But I truly do feel the Lord helping and blessing me and enlightening my mind so I can learn!!

This Sunday, was fast and testimony meeting. All our meetings are already in Spanish. It was so sad because when it was our turn to bare our testimonies no one went up. I think it’s because everyone feels uncomfortable speaking Spanish...even those who have been here for a while. It’s tough. So nobody was going up and I felt so bad because were missionaries and called to testify of our Savior! There really shouldn't be a minute go bye! So I just walked up there and said HOLA! Yo se que JesuCristo vive!!! And some other things that I threw together in my mind and stumbled!! I probably looked really dumb because that was like my third day here and didn't know how to say anything!! But I walked down from that pulpit and my heart seriously burst!! I just cried my eyes out because the spirit hit me harder than I have ever felt in my whole life. There was no way of denying that the church wasn't true. It was so powerful I can't even describe it in words but I know that my Savior lives and that this is the Lords work. I can feel Him with me and it’s the best feeling in the world. It was so powerful!!! I just want to share this message with the WORLD!!!! My branch pres congratulated me for my bravery after because he didn't expect any new missionary to go up but I just felt like I had to. After I did, many people went up because "If Hermana Garcia can do it, Anyone can!" story of my life. haha. But I love this gospel! Yo se que la iglesia verdadera! Yo se que Jose Smith fue un profeta de Dios! Yo testifco que JesusCristo es nuestros Salvador y Redentor!!!! Dios que nos ama y le conoce!! Amo a Cristo a la Iglesia de JesuCristo!!!!!!!! It's amazing!!!!!!! Prestos todos prestos mi familia!!!!!! Testify to LOVE!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!! Herrrrrrrrmana Garcia

ps Tell Nathaniel to write to me. Tell him thank you because he gave me this quote before I left on my mish. At the large group meeting for all the new missionaries I raised my hand and made a comment and shared this quote. The president loved it so he had me stand up and repeat it so everyone could write it down!!! I'm famous!!! haha! It was so funny. Everyone comes up and likes my quote and my Zebra print cardigan!!! haha. so tell Nathaniel thank you! Love you all!! LOVE YOU!