Hi family! Wow, all the computers here are retarded and I have like 5
minutes to write so sorry! I´ll just keep it very informative. My
spanish is improving a ton. I swear I learned more here in the first 2
days then I did my entire time in provo. I love the latinos here. I´m
still the only north american girl. I don´t have a companion. Everyone
feels sooo sorry for me. For teaching and contacting purposes, I have
2 Elders as my companions. It´s odd. Especially having companionship
inventory but they are super nice. All of the Elders in my district
treat me like I´m their little sister that they have to protect. All
the latin Elders follow me around like puppy dogs and tell me that I´m
pretty and stuff and how they are all going to come visit me after
their missions. I had to be called out of the class and talk to one of
the teachers about the elders that were flirting with me. Ridiculous!
The latino sisters love me. I have no idea why, but it´s soooo cute! I
can communicate decently with them but we do have to play charades
alot. Yesterday, one of them called me over to her table
and gave me a snickers bar and a note that said Ï hope you like the
chocolate. Preciousness!! Today was their first time going through the
temple. One of the latinos family came all the way from nicaragua to
be sealed to her today. She was practically in tears out of
excitement! We got to contact at the temple which was fun. I was
actually surprised at how well I could talk to them. We teach our
lessons in Spanish now. It´s really hard but I get so much better
every time. They found out I was a nurse here and I have been giving
shots and TB skin tests and such. It´s kind of fun. I saw the doctor
that will be my boss. He is a CRAZY PERSON! He was yelling at the
teachers here cause of something they did. Cranky cranky pants. I am
the official piano player for everything here. Emailing is the best
way to communicate. I it takes sooo long to get letters. Sorry I can´t
write everyone back individually but I love reading them so keep them
coming! Sorry this email is so lame. I´ll try to make next weeks
better. LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!ç
Love, Hermana Alston
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
First letter from Guatemala
FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
well sorry my punctuation is going to be horrible but this keyboard is
really weird and I dont know how to punctuate!
Well I am officially in Guatemala! Crazy huh? I was on the plane with
like 10 other Elders. Wonderful. haha That part wasnt so bad but now
that Im here its really frusterating. I am THE only sister from North
America. I have a companion kind of but not really because shes not
even in my district so I dont see her ever. She is from Equador and
doesnt even speak one single word in English. None of the sisters do.
And Im not even allowed to sit next to the Elders at meal times or
anything so basically I just dont speak. Its kind of horrible but
hopefully Ill learn fast.
I DO share a room with some sisters from North America though. One of
them is actually a mission nurse specialist going to Guatemala City!
They are super nice but I never get to see them.
When we first got here, someone was supposed to pick us up from the
airport. Well before we knew it, we were whipped into a school bus
that said I love Jesus all over it and were driving to who knows
where. haha! Luckily, we made it to the CCM and were greeted by a
crowd of cheering and clapping Elders and Sisters. We felt VERY
welcomed! haha
The MTC here is soooooo small its insane. Its about the size of a 3
story house. It looks like a house too. I like it a lot better than
the MTC in Provo but Im feeling a little out of place since I dont
speak spanish. But that will come! Words cannot describe the craziness
of the city! ha! I love it! It is a huge city and so ghetto but at the
same time gorgeous because its all jungly everywhere. So pretty!
The president here is super nice. Its crazy because its so relaxed.
Like no one really follows the schedule, no one knows what anyone is
doing, and the teachers just dont show up. Its funny but I like it
cause I have more personal study time.
The food is alright. Kinda strange. The tortillas do not taste like
tortillas at all! They are really gross but for dessert we ate the
most delicious flan ever! (yes mom, be jealous).
The mail is really confusing. I still dont quite know how we will get
letters but I dont think dearelder prints off here. So if you write me
on that, they will probably just send it to me. I think they are
pretty strict on only emailing immediate family. So mom you should
just send this to whoever wants it. Could you email it to Sam at
sam.polley at myldsmail.net and my old companion amber at
amber.woffinden at myldsmail.net? Sorry, I dont know where the at
symbol is on this keyboard but you get the general idea. I did hear
that it takes letters about 3 weeks to get here and we cant send
anything but paper. So I guess I wont be able to send you my pictures
of SD card. But I CAN get packages so you can still send me stuff.
Well I dont really have a whole lot else to say I guess. AND Im almost
out of time. But I miss you all and love you tons and tons! Write me
all the time!!
p.s. My pdays are every Wednesday!
p.p.s. I dont know if this is the address I gave you but its
Hermana Kami Alston
Boulevard Vista Hermosa
23-71
Zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1
LOVE YOU!!!!
well sorry my punctuation is going to be horrible but this keyboard is
really weird and I dont know how to punctuate!
Well I am officially in Guatemala! Crazy huh? I was on the plane with
like 10 other Elders. Wonderful. haha That part wasnt so bad but now
that Im here its really frusterating. I am THE only sister from North
America. I have a companion kind of but not really because shes not
even in my district so I dont see her ever. She is from Equador and
doesnt even speak one single word in English. None of the sisters do.
And Im not even allowed to sit next to the Elders at meal times or
anything so basically I just dont speak. Its kind of horrible but
hopefully Ill learn fast.
I DO share a room with some sisters from North America though. One of
them is actually a mission nurse specialist going to Guatemala City!
They are super nice but I never get to see them.
When we first got here, someone was supposed to pick us up from the
airport. Well before we knew it, we were whipped into a school bus
that said I love Jesus all over it and were driving to who knows
where. haha! Luckily, we made it to the CCM and were greeted by a
crowd of cheering and clapping Elders and Sisters. We felt VERY
welcomed! haha
The MTC here is soooooo small its insane. Its about the size of a 3
story house. It looks like a house too. I like it a lot better than
the MTC in Provo but Im feeling a little out of place since I dont
speak spanish. But that will come! Words cannot describe the craziness
of the city! ha! I love it! It is a huge city and so ghetto but at the
same time gorgeous because its all jungly everywhere. So pretty!
The president here is super nice. Its crazy because its so relaxed.
Like no one really follows the schedule, no one knows what anyone is
doing, and the teachers just dont show up. Its funny but I like it
cause I have more personal study time.
The food is alright. Kinda strange. The tortillas do not taste like
tortillas at all! They are really gross but for dessert we ate the
most delicious flan ever! (yes mom, be jealous).
The mail is really confusing. I still dont quite know how we will get
letters but I dont think dearelder prints off here. So if you write me
on that, they will probably just send it to me. I think they are
pretty strict on only emailing immediate family. So mom you should
just send this to whoever wants it. Could you email it to Sam at
sam.polley at myldsmail.net and my old companion amber at
amber.woffinden at myldsmail.net? Sorry, I dont know where the at
symbol is on this keyboard but you get the general idea. I did hear
that it takes letters about 3 weeks to get here and we cant send
anything but paper. So I guess I wont be able to send you my pictures
of SD card. But I CAN get packages so you can still send me stuff.
Well I dont really have a whole lot else to say I guess. AND Im almost
out of time. But I miss you all and love you tons and tons! Write me
all the time!!
p.s. My pdays are every Wednesday!
p.p.s. I dont know if this is the address I gave you but its
Hermana Kami Alston
Boulevard Vista Hermosa
23-71
Zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1
LOVE YOU!!!!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
last letter from the MTC
MY DEAR DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!
Well I have hardly any time to write and it stresses me out but I'll try to
make it the best I can! I am waiting for my laundry to be done right now. It
took me like 10 min to find a washer and dryer and then I had to put my
laundry in with about 200,000 elders watching me way to intently. I don't
like it at all. haha
The MTC has gotten a lot better. I don't hate it nearly as much. I'm pretty
much over the fact that they treat us like cattle. I guess I'm used to it.
Plus, the time is flyyyying by. It's ridiculous! I feel like I am way behind
on my spanish. They expect us to speak it all the time and I feel like
screaming...HELLOOOO! I don't speak spanish! You have to teach it to us
before you expect us to speak it. Oh well. I'm sure it will come a lot
faster after I get to Guatemala. But that kind of scares me because NO ONE
will be speaking English there. That will be interesting.
Ok, funny story of the week. Me and my companion went to teach our
progressive investigator the 1st lesson. It is supposed to be in English but
she is known for being the hardest most horrible teacher ever (of course we
got picked by her). AAANYWAYS, she randomly decided that she wanted the
whole lesson to be in Spanish and didn't warn us ahead of time. So she
started talking in Spanish to us at the speed of lightening and we didn't
understand anything she was saying. I understood certain words and phrases
but that's it. So we found out later that we were answering her questions
waaay off and talking about something completely different then she was
talking about. And then at the end, we asked if we could pray with here. So
I started saying a prayer in spanish and she starts repeating everything I
say out loud. BAHAHAHA! She was Catholic so that's all she knew how to do
apparently. So we tell her that she can say whatever she wants when she is
saying her personal prayers but that it's not necessary to repeat everything
that we say. So then I try to finish the prayer and she won't stop repeating
me!! So we start dying laughing. Like we couldn't stop. And then the pretend
investigator started laughing too and we were all crying laughing. But I
still had to finish the prayer. The whole thing was simply a
disaster!!!!!!!!!! Oh and did I mention that a brand new district of Elders
were observing behind the glass? Yeah....we could hear them roaring with
laughter throughout the whole thing and now our whole zone + some know the
story and we are pretty much famous at the MTC. hahaha! I love my life. It's
so comical. So we had a pitty party that night together and ate a bunch of
junk food from the vending machine.
I can't believe that I'm already leaving on Tuesday! The time has gone by
sooooooooo fast! It seems like I just got here. Just when I get comfortable
here and attached to my zone, I have to leave. Waa! I'm really hoping that I
will get a companion that speaks english!!!
Mom, in answer to your question, I am leaving SLC at 8:25 on tuesday
morning. Then I get to Dallas at 12:00 and will be there until 4:30. Yes, I
am allowed to call and I just got your calling card in the mail so be
waiting by the phone!! I can't wait! I'll call you as soon as I possibly
can! I get to Guatemala at 8:00 at night I believe. I don't know if the
other people going with me are going the Guatemala MTC. I'm only assuming. I
finally found some other people that are going to Retalhuleu!! And when I
say some other people, I mean 1 elder.
Guess what else?!?! There are 3 other Alstons here! Random! I found an
"Hermana Alston" yesterday! I was so so so excited. And she wasn't even
black! Shocking. Oh Oh!! And I also got super lucky because M. Russell
Ballard came to speak on Tuesday! 2 apostles in 2 weeks!!! He talked on
being a "master communicator". I loved it!
I feel so blessed all the time. Heavenly Father just keeps pouring blessings
on me like it's nothin! I know that I'm supposed to be here with all my
heart and I feel sooo privledged to have the chance. Thank you all sooooooo
much for your letters. You have no idea how happy they make me. I get to
read all my letters before I go to bed and it's ends my day juuust right.
You all are amazing. I miss you and love you tons and tons and tons and
tons!!!
Love, Hermana Alston
Well I have hardly any time to write and it stresses me out but I'll try to
make it the best I can! I am waiting for my laundry to be done right now. It
took me like 10 min to find a washer and dryer and then I had to put my
laundry in with about 200,000 elders watching me way to intently. I don't
like it at all. haha
The MTC has gotten a lot better. I don't hate it nearly as much. I'm pretty
much over the fact that they treat us like cattle. I guess I'm used to it.
Plus, the time is flyyyying by. It's ridiculous! I feel like I am way behind
on my spanish. They expect us to speak it all the time and I feel like
screaming...HELLOOOO! I don't speak spanish! You have to teach it to us
before you expect us to speak it. Oh well. I'm sure it will come a lot
faster after I get to Guatemala. But that kind of scares me because NO ONE
will be speaking English there. That will be interesting.
Ok, funny story of the week. Me and my companion went to teach our
progressive investigator the 1st lesson. It is supposed to be in English but
she is known for being the hardest most horrible teacher ever (of course we
got picked by her). AAANYWAYS, she randomly decided that she wanted the
whole lesson to be in Spanish and didn't warn us ahead of time. So she
started talking in Spanish to us at the speed of lightening and we didn't
understand anything she was saying. I understood certain words and phrases
but that's it. So we found out later that we were answering her questions
waaay off and talking about something completely different then she was
talking about. And then at the end, we asked if we could pray with here. So
I started saying a prayer in spanish and she starts repeating everything I
say out loud. BAHAHAHA! She was Catholic so that's all she knew how to do
apparently. So we tell her that she can say whatever she wants when she is
saying her personal prayers but that it's not necessary to repeat everything
that we say. So then I try to finish the prayer and she won't stop repeating
me!! So we start dying laughing. Like we couldn't stop. And then the pretend
investigator started laughing too and we were all crying laughing. But I
still had to finish the prayer. The whole thing was simply a
disaster!!!!!!!!!! Oh and did I mention that a brand new district of Elders
were observing behind the glass? Yeah....we could hear them roaring with
laughter throughout the whole thing and now our whole zone + some know the
story and we are pretty much famous at the MTC. hahaha! I love my life. It's
so comical. So we had a pitty party that night together and ate a bunch of
junk food from the vending machine.
I can't believe that I'm already leaving on Tuesday! The time has gone by
sooooooooo fast! It seems like I just got here. Just when I get comfortable
here and attached to my zone, I have to leave. Waa! I'm really hoping that I
will get a companion that speaks english!!!
Mom, in answer to your question, I am leaving SLC at 8:25 on tuesday
morning. Then I get to Dallas at 12:00 and will be there until 4:30. Yes, I
am allowed to call and I just got your calling card in the mail so be
waiting by the phone!! I can't wait! I'll call you as soon as I possibly
can! I get to Guatemala at 8:00 at night I believe. I don't know if the
other people going with me are going the Guatemala MTC. I'm only assuming. I
finally found some other people that are going to Retalhuleu!! And when I
say some other people, I mean 1 elder.
Guess what else?!?! There are 3 other Alstons here! Random! I found an
"Hermana Alston" yesterday! I was so so so excited. And she wasn't even
black! Shocking. Oh Oh!! And I also got super lucky because M. Russell
Ballard came to speak on Tuesday! 2 apostles in 2 weeks!!! He talked on
being a "master communicator". I loved it!
I feel so blessed all the time. Heavenly Father just keeps pouring blessings
on me like it's nothin! I know that I'm supposed to be here with all my
heart and I feel sooo privledged to have the chance. Thank you all sooooooo
much for your letters. You have no idea how happy they make me. I get to
read all my letters before I go to bed and it's ends my day juuust right.
You all are amazing. I miss you and love you tons and tons and tons and
tons!!!
Love, Hermana Alston
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