Okay, what a week! We are finishing
our third week, and are kinda feeling like the equivalent of CCM high
school juniors! To be completely honest, this week was rough on our
district. We had an Elder go home for health reasons, a few people had
family members pass away, two of our Hermanas got violently ill with
intestine infections, (Let me just say that the doctors here don´t
really tell you anything and solve any problem by giving you a shot in
your bum!) and my compañera tore a ligament in her pinky. (Just to top
it all off!) I was fine all week, but emotionally it was pretty rough to
try and imagine why everyone was struggling so much.
My
comp and I spent so much time in the Enfermeria that the receptionist
literally knows our names, and says "Hola amigas!" It´s kind of
hilarious. She is my bestie now.
We´ve gotten a
lot of support from the other districts, many priesthood blessings, and
sweet words of encouragement from our awesome teachers. Emotionally, it
kind of feels like we got hit by a bus, but I know that we have grown
so much closer together as a district and learned so much. Everyone
struggles on missions. It´s just a fact. And it´s my firm testimony that
every thing happens for a reason. Our struggles make us stronger and
bring us closer to Christ.
If I may, I´d like
to quote myself. I told my district that "Mission life brings the
highest highs and the lowest lows. The lows make you humble, and the
highs make you grateful." --Hermana Schwartz (haha)
This
is the best way to describe this week! I really feel so humbled and
grateful. I have felt so much joy this week. I know that I am becoming
more patient, and that the experiences I´m having here are preparing me
for the field. If you ever feel tempted to ask "Why me?" just trust God.
Because he has a reason, even if you can't see it yet.
One
super cool experience was teaching my friend Hermana Kragen, who was
pretending to be an investigator. I shared a scripture and she literally
started tearing up a bit because she could feel the spirit and I had
exactly answered the question she had in mind, even though she didn´t
voice that concern out loud. The gift of discernment and the gift of
tongues are real. It kind of blew my mind and made me so excited to
teach real people!
I am no longer the only
missionary going to Cancún anymore! Some Latinos arrived who will be
going on the plane with me. I have an unnatural amount of excitement
that they are here. I just know that Cancún is gonna be the GREATEST
PLACE EVER to share the gospel! So pumped!!
Today
we went to the Mexican Consulate so we can get our Greencards/offical
papers and such. It was an hour and a half bus ride there and back
through this crazy city! They got our fingerprints and paperwork all
taken care of, and we should be all set to go when the time comes! I
couldn´t really tell, because duh, it was all in Spanish, but I´m pretty
sure I´ll be a citizen or at least be able to live in Mexico for my
time here. One funny thing is that this guy started blowing kisses at us
and professing his love while we were on the bus...awkward! Oh! And
Spanish doesn´t have a direct translation for the word "awkward!" How am
I supposed to explain my entire life??? Oh well, I´ll find a way.
Mexico
City is huge and smells like an odd mix of taco trucks and sewer, but I
love people watching and seeing everyone go about their lives. Whenever
a Latino comments on how tall I am and how short he/she is, I just say,
"Somos todos hijos de Dios!" Tall or short, we're all children of God.
Oh,
to explain my subject line: we have a dress here that LITERALLY fits
every girl in our district! We went through everyone this week, and it
has officially been dubbed the Sisterhood of the Travelling Vestido
(dress)! It´s CCM viral. We´ll be wearing it, and someone we don´t even
know will be like, "Heyyy is that the travelling Vestido??" and then
we´re like, "You know it!!" It´s pretty great.
In
short, I love being here! Even though our entire district practically
died this week, I wouldn´t trade this experience for anything. We laugh
hard, work hard, and sometimes cry hard. (Gotta keep it real!) But it´s
strengthening my testimony so much. If you ever feel like you´re not
doing as great, or your testimony isn´t as strong, always go back to
sincere prayer and scripture study. These aren´t just primary answers
that everyone repeats for kicks and giggles. They are the proven way to
grow closer to God and find peace. D&C 31 is a great chapter about
missionary work that really helped me this week!
Have a wonderful week! You´re all amazing!
Hasta luego,
Hermana Schwartz
PICTURES
Okay, we´ve got our P-day picnic from last week,
my scriptures and cool new hymnbook cover, my fingers which will probs
still be purple after my mission (thanks to the Consulate fingerprinting
ink) Poor Hna Salazar´s injured pinky, the CCM President´s camera which
I am not allowed to use, me next to a random hole, Hermana Vave and
Elder Eldridge (friends from another district), and yours truly!
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