Hey so guess what? The church is True! I say that because my prayers
were answered about the food… A new food company just took over the
kitchen at the MTC so I am pretty stoked.. I was getting sick of my
almonds and popcorn that I brought from home. The food is really good
now actually! I mean my faith was tried when I found a worm in my
salad and a black curly small hair in my rice but I still say thanks
in my prayers before I eat. I am still a happy camper with the drinks
and avocados.. Oh plus the unlimited ice cream.
We are going on week 3! I still haven’t looked up plane tickets to
come home so I think we are all good ;) Jk Mom and Dad. I am loving
the language! It is pretty funny because I would always tell Dad that
I hated Spanish and would never learn it…I was so wrong. Whenever it
gets stressful I just remember that some of my friends had to learn
Russian and German. Yesterday in class my teacher was just teaching us
some of the basics and he said, “Arriba” and before he could finish I
grabbed my water bottle and quietly to my friends I said, “Arriba,
Abajo, Al Centro, Al Dentro.” Aunt Laurel would always say that when we were
little. I then looked up and my teacher had stopped and was staring
down at me.. He said, “Muy bien Hermana Springer.. Now come and teach
the entire class and I will sit in your desk.” So I made all of the
missionaries lift their water bottles and we did it all together about
10 times. And now in the cafeteria we do it too haha. You just hear
everyone's glasses hitting each other. Its pretty funny. So Aunt Laurel
thanks for teaching that to me.. Who knew it would come in handy!
Teaching is going well! I just taught my very first lesson where I
didn’t “Spanglish” it. It was ALL in Spanish. I learned pretty quick
that if you stress too much before you teach and just try to memorize
your entire lesson in Spanish before, NO good comes out of it and the
Spirit is not there helping you teach. So I made sure that I knew and
understood the lessons in English first of all and then just transfer
English to Spanish in my head as I go. You HAVE to know the doctrine
and teaching in your own language. That’s what helped me memorize
Joseph Smiths first vision. I memorized it in ENGLISH first and then
when I get stuck while saying it in Spanish I just think really quick
how it is said in English and then it click and I know what to say. My
grammar is still terrible and I still mess up all of the time but it
is ok. The other night I ended our district meeting prayer by saying,
“En El Libro De Mormon (In the Book of Mormon), Amen.” Instead of, “En El Nombre De
Jesucristo (In the name of Jesus Christ), Amen.” We kneel together when we pray so everyone started
falling to the ground one by one laughing hahaha. They still tease me
about it but Esta Bien. And it is still hard trying NOT to laugh while
ending my prayers now..
Last week we went out into Lima again for our Visas. I didn’t take my
camera but I wish you could have seen it! The capitol is beautiful. It
is a pretty crazy city. Everyone is always honking at each other,
people come straight up to your window trying to sell you sodas etc,
people almost get hit…The little ice cream man riding his Ice Cream
Bike almost died right in front of my eyes. I thought Utah had
terrible drivers…
The end of last week was kind of tough… I want to be truthful in all
of my emails so there ya go. I was in class and they turned on some
music for us to silently listen to as we studied and the piano song, “Waterfall” came on and my heart instantly sank missing my sisters.
THEN you wouldn’t believe this (sisters) but the song “ Never Saw
Blue Like That” came on.. Of course.. Like I didn’t think anyone else
knew about that song but us! I didn’t cry ( Not a baby) but I don’t
know it just threw off my entire day. THEN my companion got injured in soccer and I was at the
doctor with her the entire rest of the day and we missed our classes
and then that night I butchered my lesson because I was so concerned
about other stuff that the Spanish just was not there… I went
COMPLETELY blank. My companion was in a wheelchair and I was carrying
2 bags, 2 sets of big scriptures, our language books, and planning the
lessons. I didn’t really let anyone else know but it was tough when I
just had the attitude of worrying about myself and being so tired..
I felt like everything was being thrown in my face for no good reason.
I said my prayers that night and I remembered again that I needed to
grow up and stop stressing out.
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| Ashley's caption: She was so mad that I took a picture... HAHAHAHA |
the MTC for a field trip with the church! I was walking off the soccer
field with another Hermana (sister) when all of the sudden we heard a
bunch of squeals saying, “ AHHHH! HERMANASSSSS!!!!” They crowded us so
that we couldn’t leave! Then one by one they came up to take pictures
with us. Their moms acted like they were taking pictures with a
celebrity… But no we were just girls in baggy shorts with sweat
dripping down our face wearing a name tag. After each picture they gave
us a hug and a kiss on the cheek. We were finally able to sneak away!
I remember being so down but that lifted me up! These little girls (All wearing the cute young women's medallions) looked up to us as their
examples… And I don’t plan on letting them down because of one bad
day!
Also, that night we listened to a devotional by David A. Bednard
about how to be successful missionaries. He talked about how Elder
Maxwell would always say, “There would be NO atoning sacrifice
without the character of Christ.” David A. Bednard then went on
talking about how Jesus Christ turns OUT when the natural man turns IN
when an opportunity comes to serve someone else. It was never about
him… He would notice whenever someone was in need an was aware at all
times.. For example when the woman touched his robes as he passed her
to become clean and he noticed..
Christ turns out in love and compassion for others. He always serves
FIRST. Dad you taught me that as well many times.. To serve others
FIRST and forget yourself and LOSE yourself in the act of serving
others.You and Mom have always been such great examples of that.
Anyways, I realized that it was the natural man coming out (or woman
I guess) as I was deciding to have a bad day. This mission is not
about me. And that can be applied to the rest of my life! We need to
obtain the mind and character of Jesus Christ.
My companion was in a wheelchair for a few days.. but her books
weren’t as heavy anymore as I applied these teachings. (P.S I am not
complaining that she got hurt.. just tired and felt bad for her and
yeah the whole situation was just hard.)
My companion got better but President said she is not allowed to play
soccer anymore.She is a trooper though! We love being companions.. But
PLOT TWIST.. President asked me to come to his office the other day
and asked If I would be the companion of a different Hermana. He felt that I might be able to boost her up and work with
her in Spanish and having fun. He told me to pray about it. I did and
I went immediately to his office the next day saying that I would do
that. As much as I love my other companion I felt that it was the
right thing to do. We have been companions for 3 days and it is going
SO WELL! She is incredible. She was pretty shy before but now you can
see her personality coming out and she is just great. I just help her
to remember to laugh things off. I want her to succeed. As I have been
focusing on her more than myself I have been learning quicker as well
being more of a teacher and it has also helped to not think of family
as much.. So that saying is true.. That you lose yourself in the act
of just serving. I also just think, “ What if I were to get a report
card at the end of the MTC that depended entirely on if my companion
succeeds or not.. Would I have good grades?” We are doing great and I
love her so much!
Ok, I am going to try my best to reply to emails today.. but If not I
love you so so much. And I love the first emails I got! I get to go to
the Lima temple today so I am SO excited!! I will take a picture and
send it. Well I have to get to work! I've got to prepare to go and find
that 1 in 99 sheep…. Or I guess 1 in 99 Llama.. Because I am in Peru.
The church is Trujillo!!
LOVE, Hermana Springer.
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