Thursday, September 25, 2014

2 Weeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkssss Leeeeeeefffffffttttttt!!!!!!!!!

Left to right.  E. Harrison, Hermano Hernandez (funniest dude I´ve ever met!), me, Hermana Hendersen, and E. Burwell all seeing who can hold themselves up the longest on the desk.  It´s harder than it looks.  1:59 is the record.

So yeah this week has been crazy.

     First off.  The español coming along bueno.  I can have conversations with the natives now and I can catch almost all their words without it sounding like aslñdglñashdgilñhasldhgklasdhguiwerauibk.  Our lessons with our teachers/investigators are going super well!  We have them both committed to "baptism" on October 8th the day we leave the CCM!  So yeah that´s great and to all yall that are learning a language before you leave, learn it as much as you can before entering the MTC/CCM/any other name of a Missionary Training Center, because the Spirit can work with you so much more during lessons when you have the words and grammar already there in your brain.

     Next item of business.  My compañero and I were called as Zone Leaders on Sunday so that has been an adventure figuring out what the heck we are supposed to be doing.  We had some training with the zone leaders that were leaving and turns out, all we really have to do as Zone Leaders is be friends with everybody, conduct priesthood on Sunday´s and keep the Zone unified.  So yeah, it´s been awesome being Zone Leaders cause all we do is go and talk (goof around) with the other districts in our Zone, set up Ultimate Frisbee matches for gym times and just generally let them know that we love them.

     So I got to leave the CCM again this week except this time it was to a private hospital clinic thingy cause the Enfermería at the CCM said I had fractured my foot.  Word from an experienced CCM missionary: Do not play cage soccer, competitively, with kids who loved football and rugby in high school. I was playing with these huge Elders and an Elder and I were both going to kick the ball.  I went to kick the ball but instead of the ball I kicked the other Elder´s bottom of his foot which made him trip and I totally didn´t mean to do it.  Needless to say it hurt like the dickens.  I didn´t want to look like a baby so I kept playing.  The dude I accidentally kicked thought I did it on purpose so he let me know he didn´t like me by bodying me up.  A lot.  Then I guess his "enthusiasm" rubbed off on the rest of his team and I got to know the court floor pretty well.  My foot never stopped hurting so we checked it out at the Enfermería and the Doc said I needed Xrays.  So I took a drive through Mexico City with two other kids one who was getting his knee Xrayed and the other a Ultrasound. I got my foot Xrayed on what was actually a really nice machine and it turned out to be all right.  I was counting my blessings cause the other guys weren´t so lucky.  The Ultrasound kid has kidney stones and the other kid has to go someplace else for an MRI cause they think its nerves or something in his knee.  In the end I just have to wear a boot thing for three days and I have to constantly say thank you to Heavenly Father for helping me out.

       We have paintings in our classroom building by Walter Romes all about the Book of Mormon.  If you guys ever get the chance look those bad boys up because they are super inspiring and very very cool.  Just something random I remembered I wanted to share with yall.

        All right here´s the spiritual paragraph.  And it goes out to all of you who need to feel some love.  You want to know something special?  Well I hope so because Imunna tell you anyway.  It´s you.  You are 110% bona fide special.  You are a hijo de Padre Celestial.   He loves you so much your mortal brain cannot comprehend the love he has for you.  I cannot stress how important that is to never forget.  You have the potential to become a God.  Heavenly Father wants this for you.  You know this deep in your heart, you just need to come to terms with it.  NEVER FORGET IT.  No matter what you do, no matter how you messed up, no matter how much you don´t care.  Heavenly Father is hoping, watching, waiting for you to love him and love him enough to follow our elder brother Jesus Christ´s example.  I challenge you to pray and ask to feel that love.  He is and will be listening and he WILL answer.  REMEMBER ALWAYS that you are loved, no matter what.

                     ORA SIEMPRE!
                                                    Con mucho amor,

                                                                                  Elder Frame






Selfie during TALL time.  Tall is a computer language learning program that is super helpful!

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

WOW WHAT A WEEK!!!

WOW WHAT A WEEK!!! I will probably say it each time I email. But first things first I want to let you meet my comp Hermana Jesperson!

Physical: She is a cute blonde, short athletic rugby player at BYU. She is so so so cute and I swear all the boys will be after her when she gets off the mish. She has a surfer girl look and totally rocks it.
Emotional: Okay this is where she is completely opposite of me. It is the funniest thing. The whole CCM knows this. I am so emotional and I wear my emotions on my sleeve and this girl is SO laid back... she is the perfect comp for me here in the CCM. I was so freaked out that I overwhelmed her with my break down the 1st week here but wow she is so compassionate and loving.
Mental: Holy cow this girl is SO smart. Like 31 or 32 on the ACT. She is literally the best one at Spanish in the district. She had 4 years in high school and her cousins speak Spanish so she knows it really well. #blessing because I am the worst and she is the best so we balance each other out perfectly! HAHA
She has been a blessing since being here and we get along so well. I thank Heavenly Father every day for her friendship, love and strength.

My district is CRAZY! I have to remind myself that they are 18 years old and barely on the mish and still learning. Oh goodness, coming from a nursing program with a bunch of adults to these funny, crazy -in the process- maturing elders. But my favorite thing is that I am called the -Mom- or I am the -Hermana Mom- Oh goodness I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing:) Oh and Mom your binder that you sent with me is the talk of all the Hermana’s here. When we were all at the airport all of them asked what my binder was for and the freaked out because I told them it was to stay organized. HAHA. They flipped out, rolled their eyes and now call me -Hermana Binder- Oh my goodness. So to the girls I am freakishly organized and to the elders I am -their Mom- HAHA

Proselyting happened this Saturday which was the CRAZIEST thing I have done since being here. I don’t think the CCM in Mexico or Provo do this but they took all 100 missionaries out and had us proselyte in Lima! Wow! The newest missionaries were paired with the Latinas and we actually went to visit less active members, street contacted and taught lessons. LIKE WHAT!? Okay when I found out I freaked out. First I know practically nothing in Spanish-well I know how to pray, bear my testimony, and how to give out a pamphlet-- so you can just imagine my worries. Oh man, oh man the stories I have from this! Just a few included on Hermana getting bit by a dog, speaking to 2 drunk guys (me not having a clue what they said but I got their contact info so we are gucci) and practically me looking like a complete idiot while the Peruvians spoke 200 times faster than I was taught and me just nodding and saying -Si- or -Bueno!- (which is not so good when a less active member is telling you how the son died and he is having  a hard time with it. Ha-ha not to self... THANK HEAVENS I had a comp that spoke fluent Spanish. Goodness m eis you could have seen me. You all would have died laughing. But the amazing part of being able to do this helped me realize so many things. One that I am here in Peru preaching the gospel. Wow I have waited so long to do this and I am here. Two that a simple powerful testimony can literally bring the spirit so so fast and three that I love love love the Book of Mormon. I was able to place my first one and I was on cloud nine. But the lady I gave it to live in the most ghetto area of Lima. Literally we couldn’t {t go to tow or our contacts because it was so bad. And it was during the day! But I am alive and well Mom don’t worry. But anyways we were in the most humbling of circumstances and literally my comp turned to me and said give her this and say -para usted- which means -for you- in English. In that moment even though I looked like a two year old I was so excited and I wanted her to read it SO bad. Of course she took it but as I was walking back down this dirt path in the middle of Lima Peru I couldn’t help but stop and realize that I was actually a missionary. I am out proclaiming truths of Jesus Christ. I love saying that. I love this work with all my heart. I so hope she reads it.

The last week I have been studying gin PMG and the BOM. Wow I can’t describe how much joy, peace, contentment and happiness I feel. Each time I learn the doctrines or relearn them it just tastes so good. Just like Nephi said. On Sunday we also had the privilege of listening to 2 apostles. Oh how much I love each and every one of them and the prophet of course ;) General conference is so soon and I am so excited! It is like waiting for Christmas morning here. I know that you will receive answers if you go in with questions and you pray to receive revelation specifically for you. Make it a priority. We all need to hear what they have to say.

Missionary work is hard. It can be so rough.. I never really understood it till I got out here. I have been humbled in so many ways. Just when I think I’m good-BAM the Lord knows I can handle one more thing. From the first day until now I can say I have learned so much. I remember waking up at 6 thinking- oh man another day of not understanding anything, brain cramps, and being with dumb immature high school boys. Oh how my perspective has changed. I feel the spirit everyday here. Even though I can’t speak my feelings or emotions I can still bear my testimony of Jesus Christ which is the most important thing. I know I am doing the Lords work. AND I AM SO HAPPPY. Oh what joy it brings to my soul. I challenge you all to do three things.

1-each day wake up and do the best you can and never forget the Lord in all you do

2-Remember that family is where it’s at. Spend time. T.I.M.E. is the most valuable gift

3-Pray every morning and night. Go to the Lord with problems, with questions, with concerns, and most of all with faith. Then you have to act. It is the most important part.


I love and think about you all so often. Family friends, ward members, etc. I hope you are all doing well! Have a good week in the USA!!!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Hola mis amigos, familia, y everybody else!

. Me at the Mexico City Templo
First off.  You guys are great. Love you all.

Second.  Here’s all my random as crap thoughts:

     Sunday was a nightmare.  I was called to give a talk.  The way they call on you for talks here is as follows: They tell all missionaries to write a talk on a certain topic then pick randomly on Sunday who´ll give it.  All in Spanish.  And to make it even better the topic was the Fall of Adam and the Atonement.  I can´t give a bloody lesson on The Fall of Adam in English, let alone in my broken Spanish!  Anyways.  Being the prepared missionary I am, I had a third of my talk written when they called me to be the concluding speaker.  I ended up saying that Adam and Eve ate some fruit and died. Then I said they were living on the earth and had about one billion kids.  I was gonna read a really long quote from PMG but I left it at my seat, so I panicked and said Uno Momento then went back to my seat, got it, went back and kept going with the quote. Then I actually did pretty bang up job on the Atonement since I studied some phrases and words for it.  All in all, I was probably red for the whole thing so yeah.  At least I won´t have to give another one for the rest of my stay!!
 
Me y Mi Compañero in front of the Cristus
    Mexican Independence day was Monday and we had a presentation given to us on the culture of Mexico.  The presentation was 3 hours.  The dancing was cool but it was for 3 hours.  The costumes were super colorful, but it was for 3 hours.  Ok, no, it was actually pretty cool and not half as bad as I make it out to be.  The dudes all tap-danced and it was awesome! It reminded me up Singin´in the Rain for all of you who are sufficiently Americanly cultured enough to know that movie.  There were a lot of ARRRRRRRRRRRREBA´s and AY AY AY AY AY AY´s!  It kinda scared me.  Then we sang the Mexican national anthem at the end and saluted their flag.  I felt super weird and kinda traitorous for saluting but whatever.  Plus their salute is the Nazi regime salute only on your heart and not in the air! 
The Mexicans dancing in the Septiembre 15 celebration for us!
The Mexicans dancing in the Septiembre 15 celebration for us!















 Fireworks were going crazy that night and a bunch of missionaries were getting on the roofs of the casas to watch.  I wanted to also but since I´m obedient, I stayed in my room and wrote in my journal.  I told Heavenly Father I wanted blessings for being obedient and my next thought was that I was grateful for the barbed wire fences that keep all the crazies out.  I then said another prayer and said I was sorry and that could he please keep all the crazy party Mexicans away from us. Ha.

 
. Me escaping spirit prison (the CCM)
     If you want a really good Mormon message to watch, watch Moments That Matter Most.  Don´t judge me but it made me want to just come home and get married so I could have those moments in the video.

     Also our Tuesday devotional was a live broadcast from Provo. It was Richard G. Scott. Get this.  He basically gave the same exact talk I based my farewell talk on called the Supernal Gift of Prayer.  It was super good to listen to it again and I got a few more things out of it!

     Things I miss but don´t:

     The videos we watch on Sunday nights are one of my favorite parts of the CCM.  I miss my movies. I enjoy every Mormon message and every type of video we get to watch because I miss my movies that much.  The movies I watch now though are guaranteed to lift me and help me to lift others so it´s great!
     I also am reading Jesus the Christ.  I got halfway through it these past 4 days.  I miss my books, but the books I´m reading now are helping me so much!  By reading it I am getting to know my Savior so well and I´m noticing good changes in myself every day! Jesus Christ is the most interesting person I have ever learned about. Ha it reminds me of the Lego movie prophecy about the special.   Rely on Jesus Christ. He is the special.
     I miss my music but the hymns are so powerful, even if I sing them in Spanish and sound like a blubbering donkey trying to pronounce the words.  Also I met an Elder who plays the piano like some really good dude that plays piano.  Me and my comp listened to him play for an hour and a half!  Look up hymn arrangements from Josh Wright.  They were amazing.

Hope you are all doing bueno and always remember to rely on our older brother Jesus Christ!  Love you all!

Oran Siempre!


Elder Frame

. Me and the other Elder Frame from California.  Can´t find any relation to us in our family trees we brought.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The HARDEST but BEST week of my life!

HOLA FROM LIMA PERU!!!!!! I am literally in Lima Peru! I can’t even tell you how crazy it is how far away I am. I definitely feel it though. The plane ride here from going to migrations, from going to the temple this morning and going into downtown Lima. I dont even know how to describe it! It is LOCO!!! But before I talk about all the crazy culture shock I have to begin with all my spiritual moments. 

Seriously from the time I stepped out of the office after getting set apart till now I have had so so so so many spiritual experiences. But they happened because of how hard it has been this first week in the CCM. The first three days were the hardest. I was getting used to all the people that spoke spanish. Literally everyone does! My teachers, my companion, the hermanas in my room, everything I read is IN SPANISH!!!!! I am literally the only one that probably doesn’t have at least 3 years of experience with it. So this has been my biggest trial. I am doing so much better right now then the first little bit. Honestly I had a break down on the third day here. I hate admitting it because I really didn’t want to and I felt really weak but at this point I felt so lost, so down, and so confused because I hated not being able to speak it and let alone understand half of what is going on. But the second I broke down my companion was the biggest blessing. She is not an emotional person AT ALL which is crazy because that means we are total opposites but it is the best thing ever. She told me how I am teaching her to be more empathetic and have more compassion because we are balancing each other out. My testimony grew so much of how we need to turn to others in the hard times. It hurt my pride so much because I didn’t want to admit I was struggling but I was. It was funny because she gave me a big hug and said Is this okay? HAHA I LOVE HER SO MUCH. Having a comp is the best thing. Her name is Hermana Jesperson and she is from Cedar Hills Utah and went to BYU. She is so opposite of me it is so funny. Everyone in my district has told us that but is a good kind of opposite. God knows I needed to be with her though.

Sunday has been my favorite day. It is the day where there is people that speak English!!!!! YES! YES! YES! Not just because of this but because it was a day for me to refuel and refocus on why I came here on a mission. But it was quite funny though because during a devotional that night the counselor in the presidency only spoke spanish so of course I had those translator earphones.... It felt so weird because back in the US the spanish speaking people were the only ones that used those. HAHA!!! But that morning our room decided to fast for a girl who had been sick coming and couldn’t get rid of a cough but I was not in the room when they all discussed it so I found out that morning we were all doing it and WOW I was so mad. I am not usually like this but I had this super selfish attitude like Oh man my week has been crazy enough and hard as it is and now I have to go without food. WHAT?????? NOOOOOOOOO!!! Haha and if you know me I eat three meals a day every day and I don’t miss except for on fast Sunday. But as I pulled my scriptures out to study I immediately sat down to pray and start my fast. Once I was finished I opened up to 3 Nephi (I think ch. 13) and it was a scripture about fasting and not being a hypocrite, not murmuring, and blah blah blah.... Basically slapping me in the face saying come on Madi, you know. The blessings that came from this was that it helped me realize that when I can put aside the natural man, and put Heavenly Father first and blessings came. But all the blessings came pouring in that whole Sunday. Wow my testimony shot through the roof! I definitely understand how fasting can bring blessings. But with the right attitude and if you are doing it properly.

The third spiritual experience came when I watched a movie from Youtube in class called The Atonement and missionaries. Elder Holland and Elder Eyering were a part of it. WATCH IT!!! IT IS AMAZING. The reassurance once again that why I am on a mission is the right thing for me. It didn’t matter how bad I was struggling with spanish or how hard it was to conform with the new culture and lifestyle.... but that the sacrifices I was making were for so many blessing in the future. I know that missionary work requires something of our soul. I know that the atonement can carry me through this and that more importantly it will carry my future investigators. The only perfect missionary is Christ. He knows my weaknesses. He knows my strengths. He knows that I am having the time of my life here.... but he also knows how hard it is. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. Last night I had the best night of being here. We had a live devotional by Elder Scott talking about prayer and that night as I knelt down to pray I knew my Heavenly Father was there. I knew he was so proud of me, and I knew that what I was doing was completely right. I thought of my brother Elder Frame who watched the same devotional and oh how grateful I was that we both are out serving the Lord 24-7, day in and day out. Yes, I did have tears as we sang Called To Serve for the first time in English (THANK THE HEAVENS NO SPANISH) HAHA!! No, but I feel the missionary spirit when I sing in spanish too. It is unreal. What I am doing right now is the best thing. It is something I love, and I wish I could do it forever no matter how hard it is.

Some fun-crazy things I have experienced since being here.
-THE FOOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!!! Holy Hannah I love it!!! So many amazing veggies, fruits, juices, desserts (the ice cream is to die for) There are these fruits called granadillas that look like an orange and you crack it open and it looks like fish eggs inside but they are so good! And then also albena. It is a cinnamon drink that is phenomenal! It is warm and we drink it in the morning and it cured me yesterday (along with the herbal tea which is weird to say I have drank tea) but I had a cold coming on and now I don’t have any symptoms!!! YAY
.-The CCM is small and so awesome. It is beautiful. It is colder than I expected but with my awesome sweaters and my millions of scarves I am bueno!
-I love playing sports here. There is a girl that is really good at volleyball and I love it! She is from Cali and is amazing, so it is so fun to pepper.
-I LOVE LOVE LOVE INCA KOLA! I had a freak out about it when we went into downtown Lima and all the Hermanas were laughing for days about it because it actually exploded all over me! HAHA of course it would happen to me. But it literally looks like pee, smells like bubble gum, and tastes like bubble gum creme soda. OH IT IS TO DIE FOR
-The traffic is CRAZY! I am stressed every time I am in a car, van or the bus. AND THE BUSSES ARE EVEN WORSE! But it was the coolest experience. We are literally smashed in and you hold on for your life.

Well I am having the time of my life.... I like to compare my first week of nursing school to the first week in the CCM and it is comparable but WAY different. I LOVE what I am doing here and I have never felt like I once wanted to come home. I love you all and I can’t wait to give you more stories.

Hermana Frame


-----Sad news I CANT SEND PICS!! I am so so so so sad. I know you want to see my cute shining face... Obedience is key here... So 5 more weeks and then I will send you a ton of them!!!!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Fast Sunday Not so Fast Out Here

So, Qué Pasa mis amigos y familia!

This week went so much better!  Being over homesickness let me just tear it up!  I can speak really well now that my three years before I came out here are coming back!  I can understand just about everything my teachers ask or say but they are speaking about 300 mph slower than normal. I found this out because I tried to have a conversation with one of the grounds workers and ended up telling him I had to run to my casa for the baño because I didn't understand what he asked me around five times.  Ill figure it out.

So our first investigator '"Fernando"" is our night teacher now. Ha.  We werent supposed to find that out until our secondFriday. We figured that out our second day teaching him cause we saw him walking around with a teacher name badge in church clothes with other elders.  Ha. Ha.  So I didnt stress out half as much as before.  We are now teaching our morning teacher, Hermana Santiago, as if she were our investigator named Karina and we are teaching our night teacher, Hermano Salomon, as if he were an investigator named Cecilio.  Fun fact about my night teacher.  He's crazy good at volleyball.  He couldve played for BYU and for the Mexico national team but decided to go on a mission instead and live in Mexico.  He went to Spokane Washington on his mission and learned English.  Blah.  And I think Spanish is tough.

Sunday was sooooooooooooooooo long.  We started our fast on Saturday right after lunch and it went until Sunday right before lunch.  Everybody was cranky. Anywho, we ended up sitting in the auditorium forever after lunch for a devotional.  It was so long but good!  Afterwards I was so ready to leave but my comp wanted to stay for choir.  And I thought my choir days were over.  Anyways we end up singing in the auditorium for another millenium then all the other missionaries started coming back to the auditorium because we had another devotional.  After that devotional ended I expected to go to bed cause it had to be at least 8 oclock.  Nope it was 3.  After 2 more devotionals, dinner, and a district devotional it was finally time to hit the hay and I slept like a log.

We had the opportunity of listening to Elder Holland on Tuesday night.  The man needs to be translated.  He's just soooooo good!!  The biggest thing he talked to us about was that we had better come home with at least one convert and it had better be us.

Always strive to be better and remember to pray always!  I love all of you!

Pray always!

Con Amor,

                  Elder Frame

Elder Frame and some SF buddies!  I didn't end up getting one with hermana Baum but i will next week!
Hermana Warnock and me on Pday because I didnt give a crap about how I looked 

The Hermana in orange, hermana Parkinson


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Look out Peru! Here she comes!

Madison is OFF!!!!!
We sent Madison off on her mission on Tuesday morning at 8:00 am to the Lima, Peru CCM (MTC).  She did not arrive until 2:00 am on Wednesday morning.  It was not until 7:30 am on Wednesday that we finally heard from her! She is doing so good!  Airport drop off.  Round 2! Here is her email to us on Wednesday morning....

YES I AM HERE MOM! I love you and I want you to know I am totally fine. I didn't get get robbed and I have all my luggage!
The plane ride was totally fine and I wasn't tired and I am doing great this morning.
I AM SMILING AND STAYING POSITIVE!!!!
Tell everyone I love them and I can't wait to email next week, it will probably wednesday or thursday just be looking!!!!
Love love love you!
We got in at 2 so that was a bit late but I am doing awesome!

Surprise!!!!!  30 minutes later another email comes in.....

So my companions got switched and i am on again HAHA! Blessings already! Funny story though.... All the elders yesterday found out I was 20 and followed me all over and they all knew my name. Yep, I am like a mother already. But it made me miss Jackson! Not in a homesick kind of way but you can definitely tell they are just out of high school. One elder keeps telling me You are hysterically  laughing again? HAHA!!!! I love it. Anyways my companion is great and I love her already. From BYU and loves to speak spanish so I should learn quickly. }
The plane ride was very long but it didn't  feel like it. Lima is very ghetto just like they said and there is Coke signs everywhere! I am excited to send pictures.
please pray for me to have patience and to tolerate these young elders!!! Well and just overall because i will be impatient with the spanish. I LOVE YOU ONCE AGAIN!!! I promise I am not getting back on.

One last wave good bye before entering security.
Another emotion filled day!  It brings so much comfort and joy that my sweet missionaries are where they have always wanted to be.  And they are right where we want them to be!  Let the letters begin! 

Thursday, September 4, 2014

HOLA MIS AMIGOS!!

My Comp and I in front of the CCM

These first nine days have been agony waiting to email all of you!!!!!!  Thanks so much to everybody who sent me an email!  The missionary letter/email hunger is real and it is insatiable!

Day One:  I felt really good, but tired.  Arriving at the CCM was awesome.  We stay in casas which are basically just 4 bedrooms with four people in each of them.  My room is Elder Rasmussen (mi compañero), elder Eliason, and Elder Harrison.  We are all headed to Fresno.  At the end of the day we met our district which is made up of ocho Elderes and tres Hermanas.  Elder Hill, Elder Burwell, Elder Garbero, Elder Anderson, Hermana Henderson, Hermana Warner, and Hermana Porter all joined the ranks.  We bonded as a district so quickly!  We were all told that we would be teaching our first investigator on Friday and that we needed to prepare talks in spanish because we may or may not have to give them on Sunday.  Wow.  We kinda stressed.

Day Two:  Our district leaders were chosen today and Elder Burwell and Elder Hill were chosen for the job.  They are great and are doing a great job!  We went to a bunch of meetings about safety and crap today so Im not gonna talk about that dia.

Day Three: We started class this day and we taught our first investigator, Fernando, all in español.  It was hard but it went pretty good!  Elder Rasmussen has no background spanish so he is struggling a lot with the language barrier.  I started getting moments of homesickness this day and I kept shaking them off by working harder at the language.

Day Four:  Same sort of stuff as day three.  We had classes again, taught Fernando, ate food, and went to bed so yeah.  Lots of homesickness this day.  I missed la familia so much.

Day Five:  Sunday.  This was such a spiritual day!  We woke up did personal study then went to priesthood and learned about the prophets then we went to Sacrament meeting.  Sacrament meeting was all in Spanish and I understood about half of what was being said.  Luckily I wasnt called up to give my talk and I was able to relax and try to feel the spirit.  We had a huge lesson on Chastity this day too and it was kinda scary.  Lots of spiritual experiences  this day!  I loved it but I still missed home.

Day Six:  Monday.  We heard we started getting onto a routine by this day and they were right.  From this day on we have been in classes all morning and into the afternoon and then teaching Fernando at night.  The lessons are slowly getting better but the language barrier is so frustrating.  I missed everybody from home so much on this day!

Day Seven:  I got the virus that has been going around the CCM this day.  Diarrhea to the max!  I hated it.  My compañero probably got so sick of running to the bathroom at random times for me.  Ugh. It was the worst.  I had a fever and I was so tired.  Instead of teaching Fernando on Tuesdays we have a devotional. I was so physically drained from being sick and so emotionally drained from holding in all my emotions I couldnt focus. It didnt help that Hermana Baum was so nice. Haha. She waved at me and reminded me of home. I started to cry. I was sick.  I wanted my bed to be sick in, I wanted my medicine, but most of all I wanted my mom.  I knew I needed help so I said a prayer.  My first thought I had after I asked for help was "I need a blessing."  I looked around at my district and I knew that Elder Garbero was the one who needed to give me it.  I asked him after the devotional if he would when we got back to the casa and he said hed be honored.  He gave me the most beautiful blessing!

In the blessing he told me of the infinite love that the savior had for me.  He told me that because of mortality he could not convey the pureness and amount of love the savior had for me.  He said that Christ wanted to let me know that if he had to go through all his suffering again just so I could be saved he would do it without hesitation.  My comp and Elder Harrison stood in for the blessing and I gave them all hugs after and I felt so much better.  It has been the best thing to have happened to me while being here.

Day Eight: I felt so much better after having had the blessing and a good nights rest!  I was a ball of fire!  I went crazy! I learned the language with gusto, I taught Fernando a great lesson with my comp about El Plan del Salvacion, and overall had a great day!

Day Nine:  Today.  It has been so great to get your emails!  I love you guys so much and remember to rely on the Savior with everything!

Love you all and always remember to pray!


Elder Frame (Here in the CCM its pronounced Frah mae)


My companion (Elder Rasmussen) and I

My district

Hermanas in my district



My room

 
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