So pretty crazy but today is my official month mark. That´s kinda weird to think about. Also, to keep all of you updated on the struggles I am having with a Spanish keyboard, it is now easier for me to use when it is programmed to Spanish than when it is programmed to English. I'm finally figuring out where all the punctuation is. Which probably means I'm going to struggle again when I get back to Florida. Haha.
That´s so funny that Tyler Park told the pres about me! I'm starting to get nervous about my trainer...one of the only reasons I don´t want to leave the MTC is because when I leave I will get a new companion and I'm pretty sure Anderson is one of the only girls I could be with for 6 weeks and not want to strangle. So we will see how that goes! Also, I keep forgetting to tell you that Gabe Adams was part of the district going to Ft. Lauderdale that left the week before we got here and he remembers me too. So it's just going to be a Herriman party down (or up from here I guess...haha) in Miami!
Not a ton has happened this week, but when I realized that I've already been out for a month, I started doing some major self reflection this week. I've thought a lot about two things. The first is a comment my Dad made before I left that missions have a way of throwing your weaknesses in your face and making you rise above them. The second is a scripture that is quoted a lot at my house (Its in the BoM somewhere...didn't have time to find it.) that says everything (and everyone) is either acting or being acted upon.
I haven't been very good at acting the past year...I've done a lot of letting myself be acted upon. I even had a friend (that I'm grateful for) tell me a couple of months ago that I seemed like I was waiting for something to come along and make me act. And I think they were right. But from the experiences I've had the past year, I've realized how patient and loving Heavenly Father is. I've been stubborn, but He just kept directing me and helping me to get here. Do you know how many opportunities there were for me to choose something good that would have led me to not be on the better thing of a mission? If I had gone to California to play Polo, I wouldn't be here. I felt that over a year ago. If I had gone to the U, I wouldn't be here because the program would have locked me in until August. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has been so patient with one of his most stubborn daughters.
In an effort to overcome my habit of waiting to be acted upon, I've re-evaluated how I am working to learn the language and push myself instead of waiting for my teachers to teach me and I've been so much more patient, positive, and productive this week! (I struggled the two weeks before this one with just wanting to be on a plane to Florida already.) I'm reading Preach My Gospel in Spanish and breaking down the structure, trying to understand every word and the grammar behind the structure and I feel like it has helped me a ton.
The other thing that has been my saving grace is being able to work out every day. How do people in Provo function with only getting gym time twice a week? I'd go crazy!! I am jealous that my family went snowboarding on Monday though...still in shock those words were actually typed by my fingers but...
I thought we would get a new district in our zone last week, but we didn't. So the other two districts left on Monday and we are the only district in our zone now. We are for sure getting a new district tonight, but we won't meet them until Saturday since they are on a different schedule...so we really will only have a week with them. Its funny because all of the teachers for our zone have just been teaching our class since they don't have their own districts right now.
It´s so funny that Dad is taking a marketing class for his Masters right now! I loved marketing classes. I love his idea of the texting program for the gym, but he will have to make sure to explain why it would be better than the fitness apps that are available and that people have on their smart phones. I think if he does that it will be an awesome pitch.
So some cool quotes from pump-up Sunday. We´ve talked a lot about turning our whole selves over to the Lord for our mission, and that has been a lot of stuff I needed to hear. At Tuesday devotional, we had a member of the 70 and his wife speak to us which is always cool because they speak in Spanish and then someone translates for them so it is cool to see how much I understand and then have it corrected when the translator speaks. He said that the difference between hearing and listening is intention- you can hear without wanting to, but listening takes effort. He talked about the importance of learning to listen and it was a really good talk. I also thought it was funny because he was the third speaker since I´ve been here to talk about the"Where Goest thou?" question given to Adam in the Garden of Eden that dad likes to quote.
Its funny to realize the things I miss being here. Its the little things. Like pants. And being able to pull up Pandora when I study. And laying on the grass outside. I´ve never had so much structure imposed on me in my life, and all the structure is driving me a little bit crazy. We were in the middle of night class on Friday, around 8:00, and I just looked at Anderson and said "Literally, all I want to do right now is lay on the grass for five minutes and have a chance to breathe." So you know what we did? When we got back home around 10:00 we changed into sweats and went around to the back of our casa and laid on the grass for a while. It was probably one of the best decisions of my life.
At TRC on Saturday, we met with a less active and that was a cool experience even though I kinda blanked on my Spanish for a while...but its okay, I got it back after an awkward pause. It made me excited to be in Florida and to be teaching real people, even though that thought is a little terrifying too. Haha.
I just read back through this letter and man...English is hard guys. I don't have time to figure out why most of my sentences sounds wrong, so sorry about that.
Hope all of you have an awesome week!
-Sister Bren Scadden