First Embarrasing Story:) The Bathroom Incident

Family!

So I figured I would start my e-mail with a funny/embarrassing story from my week! In our classroom we have a bathroom, kind of like the Lorenz bathroom where you walk in the first door and there is a room with a sink and then there is another room where the shower and toilet are. So I went to the bathroom right before I was supposed to teach my lesson and usually I lock the first door and I close the second door so that people can't hear me. Obviously! And the second door's lock has been broken ever since I got here so I usually spin the little lock knobby thing while I'm going to the bathroom to entertain myself. Anyway!

This time I turned the little knobby thing and it locked and I was like, "Cool! They fixed the lock, now I don't have to lock both doors!" The knobby thing kept spinning around though and so I was just playing with it still and when I finished and I tried to get out the door wouldn't unlock. And the lock had broke again so I was trying to spin it and make it unlock but it wouldn't unlock! So I had a moment to decide what I wanted to do.

My two options were tell everyone that I had locked myself in the bathroom or just try to figure it out myself and if they came looking for me just say I wasn't done and it might be a while. Both are equally as embarrassing so I decided to yell for the other Hermanas. So, as soon as I say, "Guys? I locked myself in the bathroom and I can't get out!" I hear everyone start laughing and they literally stood outside the door and made jokes for almost 10 minutes before they even thought to try opening the door.

So they try to find a bobbypin to unlock the door which of course takes another 5 minutes and then finally they decide they can't unlock the door so they call a maintenance guy. Finally, the maintenance guy comes and I was released from the bathroom! Oh my goodness it was a rough time! I was probably in there for 30 minutes. I'm never using that bathroom again! I felt like Marcy... No offense Marcy, I love you :)

Anyway on to the less embarrassing parts of my week! I had a rough couple of days this week and I couldn't figure out why but one day I had a thought that I should make Hermana Madsen talk more in our lessons so I told her, " I want you to lead all the lessons this week." She looked like she was going to cry so I was like, "I'm still going to be there to help you if you need me but I'm going to let you struggle and I'm going to let you get embarrassed." It sounds like I was being mean but I know that is the only way that she will talk in a lesson and I know that it will help her with her confidence in her teaching and language.

So, I had her prepare the lesson and we went into our first lesson and she asked one question and didn't understand our investegators answer and looked at me with such horror that I took over for a little bit and let her calm down a bit. I was laughing so hard in my head becuase I knew she was terrified but I knew it was going to help her! So after I resaid what she was trying to say Iooked back at her and she bore her testimony and then said a little more and I could tell she was about to cry so I took over again and finished the lesson. But I was so proud of her after that lesson because she actully tried to talk and even though she was terrified I could feel the spirit.

So our next lesson I told her the same thing. She went in there and started it off and then looked at me and I said one sentence and looked at her and I could tell she didn't like it very much but she started teaching and looked at me and I didn't say a word. I just smiled at her and gave her a nod and she took a breath and looked back at the investagator and kept trying to figure what she was trying to say. I grinned that whole lesson because even though we didn't really teach anything and even though our investagator probably thought we were nuts and didn't plan anything, she talked so much during that lesson and granted it was in Spanglish but I was like a proud mom after that lesson! She was not very happy but through out the day I just kept saying, "I am seriously so proud of you!" and she would just laugh and look at me! May be she doesn't like me very much right now but I only care about helping her learn the language and gain confidence. I don't even care if it makes me learn slower than I could, I want her to be more confident than I am.

It was like a miracle because that day was the best day I've had on my mission! I was so happy for the whole day! Heavenly Father knows what he is doing! 

For our Tuesday night devotional D. Todd Christofferson came to talk to us! It was fantastic! we have had so many good speakers lately! I love it! He spoke about being trusted of God. He said God loves everyone, but how many does he trust? I loved that! Every time I go to a devotional I get so pumped up to do missionary work and I'm so stoked to do the Lord's work!

I have a new found love for one of the girl's in my district! Her name is Hermana Chatwin and she reminds me SO much of Lisa! She is my MTC best friend! We are pretty much the same person and she always makes me feel so much better when I'm having a bad day. I'm so glad she is in my ditrict!

Oh! I got my visa on tuesday! We had to go down to Salt Lake City to the Mexican something and get our picture taken and our finger prints scanned but I'm offically going to Mexico! Woo Hoo!!

I've already been here for 2 weeks... It feels more like 2 years, but then again it feels like yesterday was Sunday!! I am so glad that I'm here though! I have discovered a LOVE for the scriptures! I want to read them all day and I would if I could! I love my Savior and the joy that this church brings to people's lives!

I love you all! Keep writing me letters I enjoy getting mail all the time :) 

Love,

Hermana Huff :)
 

p.s. I forgot to answer your questions!

1) Hermana Madsen is from Gridly Cailfornia and she is going to Costa Rica and so are Hermana Chatwin and Hermana Haggard. Hermana Barlow and Hermana Traenor are going to Aguascalientes with me!

2) I usually don't actually fall asleep till like 11 which is the worst but I wake up either at 630 or before 630 and I feel fine most days. Some days I feel like I'm going to die but I think that is normal :)

3) My companion still isnt talking to me much and she doesn't really know anything about me but we are doing better! I'm getting over myself:)

This is the bathroom I got stuck in.

This is how I sat for 30 minutes until they unlocked the door. Except the door was closed and locked.



My Maestra (Teacher)! She is the one in the middle. Her last day was yesterday.

I didn't know leaves could be different colors!!! I thought they could only be brown and green!

We decided to take awkward family photos. I love these girls!

This is the Hermana that reminds me of Lisa! Hermana Chatwin. I love her so much!

MTC Best Friends!

And this is how I study. I love the scriptures!

Um, It snowed on Monday!! That's not supposed to happen!!

 

First P-day letter! Count the Little Victories

Hola familia!

   Thank you so much for the letters! They seriously make me feel so much better about myself while I read them! And a huge shout out to Emily and mom for writing me almost every day and also eric and kenzie for multiple letters and A PACKAGE! I feel so loved :) I have survived a whole week in the MTC!! It feels like I have been in this place forever! Life back home feels like a dream and it also feels like I will never leave this place! Pero, I am enjoying myself! I have 6 girls in my district and we have gotten so close it's nuts! We laugh so much together and we help each other through the rough days. We get told all the time to not laugh so loud in the cafeteria but sometimes we can't help it!

   I almost killed off my first companion this week which was exciting but they called in the big guns and the district president convinced her to stay. She doesn't really talk to me at all so I had no idea that she was having such a rough time! But I have tried to serve her in ever way that I can and be patient with her and learn to love her! I think I'm doing pretty good! 

   The first day of the MTC was SO frustrating because the teachers talk only in Spanish and I had no idea what I was doing and I wasn't connecting with my companion but I was so glad that I was with my district because they made me laugh when I wanted to scream! I met some sisters in the airport in phoenix and they gave me such hope that I would have a companion that I connected to well with but it was almost the opposite! I do love my companion though! She is hard working and she tries really hard. She has a rough time with the Spanish! But she is improving! Our moto is to count the little victories! 

   We taught our first lesson on the 3rd day of the MTC which was so frustrating because I had so many things I wanted to say but I had no idea how to say them in Spanish! And also , I couldn't understand a lot of what our investagador said. Pero, fue bien! Hermana Madsen is super shy and is not confident in spanish so I taught pretty much the whole lesson which is good because I get a lot of practice but I had no help from her so I just wung it y el don de lenguas. The gift of tongues (I'm translating cause grandma can't speak spanish) is so incredible! In every lesson I have at least a couple questions that Daniela asks that I haven't prepared for and I ACTUALLY CAN ANSWER them! I love the gift of tongues, I would be a mess without it! 

   So we taught Daniela Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday. We were supposed to have a lesson on Tuesday also but Hermana Madsen wanted to call her parents so we had to cancel on Daniela. I just wanted to make Hermana Madsen happy so I pretty much did anything that she needed the first couple days.

   Hermana Madsen had a meeting with the district president yesterday and so we had to make the long trek to the Main campus but we got to eat lunch there and now I know why everyone gets fat in the MTC!! The main campus cafeteria is HUGE and there is so much food... I'm so glad that we are on the West campus! The west campus is for all the Spanish speakers so I'm surrounded by Spanish all day which I am grateful for! The west campus cafeteria is like 4X smaller than the Main campus and the food portions are smaller. Mom, I promise I eat every meal! Don't worry about me until I get to the mission field! :) 

   Every day is the same. We eat breakfast then we have class, then we eat lunch and go to gym, then we have class, then we eat dinner, and we have class then we go to bed. Which is another reason that people get fat in the MTC! We literally eat then sit for 4 hours every day. Thank goodness for gym time! We are in a classroom for 12 hours a day and then eating pretty much the rest of the time! I will not get fat though. You can quote me on that!

   I'm so proud of you all for doing the triathlon! Now you're ready for one like I did! Yes? Chiste! (joke) 

   On Sunday we got to listen to President Uchtdorf talk to us for our devotional!! It was sooooo good! You guys should all be insanely jealous! Also, he came to the west campus and came to the cafeteria to meet all the Spanish speakers and I got to shake his hand!! It was so soft. Sunday was the most tiring day because it was the most spiritual and having the spirit with you always is SO tiring! How would've thought! But I'm so glad that I was here for Easter, it was so special.

   On Tuesday we got to hear Elder Oaks talk to us for our devotional and that was so good also pero I didn't get to shake his hand. 

   But I'm so glad that I'm here and I know it is where Heavenly father wants me to be and He knows me so well! There are certain things that have happened that I think, "Oh Heavenly Father knows exactly what I need." I can feel my testimony growing every day and I have such a love for my Savior and this gospel. 

   I love you guys so much and thanks for the support and love and LETTERS!! Send me a lot of letters! 

Love,

Hermana Huff

PS: The reason I know Heavenly Father knows me so well is that my teacher Hermano Woodbury is so cute! I actually like going to class and learning because I know he will be there :P ( Don't tell dad!) I love you mom and you too dad!



These are the sisters I met at the airport!



My companion - Sister Madsen

My District - Sisters Barlow, Traenor, Haggard, Chatwin, Madsen, and HUFF!

Waiting for Elder Uchtdorf on Easter Sunday

No one sits by us because we're so weird and loud.

 

Sister Traenor reminds me of Eric!

Us working out. We use our scriptures as weights.. Emily aren't you proud?