...turns out sarcasm isn't very Christlike or missionarylike so I can't say a lot of things on my mind..

Samantha and Sandra

Haha esta bien mami! No tengo mucho tiempo para escribir hoy entonces. Pero, una cosa nueva de esta semana, tenemos una nueva compañera!!!! La ultima lunes en la noche, (estuvimos en una lección con investigadora) y las asistentes nos llamaron, y nos dijeron que vamos a ser un tripañerismo! Yeah I'm pretty sure that’s not a real word and I'm going to stop writing in what is supposedly Spanish cause I'm not sure if everyone who reads these emails knows Spanish anyways. But yeah! We're a trio! Wahoo cool our other companion's name is Hermana L and she’s from Bolivia. I don't know if you already know a bit about her or not cause I had intercambios with her one time and I don't remember if I sent that picture of the journal entry that talked about it... but weird story, Randomly 2 weeks before the next change, President changes around a couple companionships, and it includes us getting another hermana!  Nobody knows why. And then we go to Centro to pick her up the next day and president interviews HG and I and gives us this talk about how we have to discipline HL and make sure she follows the rules and not let her get away with anything and all that jazz. So we're thinking "Oh great, we have some fríta as a companion" (Frita is the word they use here that means disobedient missionary, but I'm not sure if that’s just missionary lingo or international Spanish or what.) So we're all cautious and ready to crack the whip at any given moment, but she's like perfect. okkayyy??

We have yet to find a problem with her so don't know what was up with that.. but ok so we only have room for 2 hammocks in our bedroom right? So oh my gosh what did you do Hermana Smith?? Well I'll tell you-- we doubled up on my hooks, one on top of the other. But we tied knots in the end of mine so it hangs higher than the other, like a bunk bed! But with hammocks. It’s cool. But such a pain if I have to get up in the middle of the night. It’s hard enough trying to get out of a hammock 4 inches off the floor when you’re dead tired, so then try it like 5 feet off the floor, and with someone sleeping directly under you. Oh life is so difficult being a missionary.. nahh estoy bromiendo [I'm joking]. That’s the least of our problems.

So what’s the most of our problems? Good question... I guess it’s that nobody is coming to church!!!! For everyone here it’s like second nature to just lie to the missionaries. Its kinda sad, especially ‘cause they're not even good at it... or else they just think we're dumb. One girl was like on her phone one time, and put it in her pocket when we started talking to her, and when we asked for her phone number, she said she doesn't have a phone right now, and that her phone wasn't working... And we're like: "Wow, we're not even worth the effort of thinking up a good lie?" Just kidding we didn't say that. But we thought it. Well OK I thought it. I think a lot of things like that, but turns out sarcasm isn't very Christlike or missionary- like so I can't say a lot of things on my mind.. 

Somehow I got drafted into playing this silly game at the baby shower

and I was blindfolded and everyone was yelling at me

 and I didn't know what was going on.. yeah that was fun

In other news.... Cool that you found giros!!! Did you sing "I'm holding out for a giro!"? I showed HG that picture and she thought it was super cool that they had giros [an oreo-like cookie they eat a lot in Mexico]  there in the US. They're way better than oreos. 

Also, I may or may not have eaten the liver of a cow last week... It was some organ that HG didn't know the name of in English, but she says maybe its liver. And I wouldn't know ‘cause you never made us eat liver before. Well it wasn't that bad. And HG loved it. 

Picture of Miranda and Giro's sent to Sam

OK well I gotta go but I love you all dearly and I'll talk to you later!

HS

I could not remember how to pray in English.

Yeah Spanish is definitely coming along, but I can say more than I can understand. Like if I can comprehend what someone’s saying, I can usually have a really good response (if HG lets me), but the people here all either talk really fast or kinda just mumble. The other day we visited this couple that is SUPER interested in our message, and I love teaching them 'cause they understand so much and want to know a ton, but HG is skeptical cause she thinks they'll never get baptized- like they just want to know just to know. Anywho so they asked me to say the closing prayer, IN ENGLISH! So I was super excited at first, thinking I'll be able to say a really good prayer that I can totally understand, and then God decided to give me a lesson in humility. I could not remember how to pray in English. I don't think I've ever said a more awkward prayer in my life, and it barely made sense to me... haha and I kept saying Spanish words here and there. Thankfully nobody laughed at me like I'm sure they wanted to.

Ah OK I'm just skimming through my journal for interesting stories! Here’s one:

The other day we were visiting a menos activa [less active] and she had her family over visiting- all active members. And there were two little kids there too, a little boy 7 years old and a girl 6, and they knew SO MUCH about the Book of Mormon! I think the boy might have had special needs or something, but when HG asked "what is the Book of Mormon?" He went off about all the prophets, and who is the son of who and the story of Alma the younger and the angel that visited him and he repented and etc... And I just so badly want my kids to be like that! And he said the opening prayer and it was so beautiful and profound and I was so impressed!! He gave me a hug when we were saying goodbye to everyone and HG let me hear it after that but I don't care cause he's only 7 and I think he was autistic.

Sam and companion, Hermana Garcia with friend

In other news, I saw a dog wearing a diaper yesterday. Poor dog. How degrading.

HG and I play the slugbug game, which is much more entertaining here ‘cause we see one about every 30 seconds. Except I'm getting a bruise on my arm.

Ok please pray for Jesus and Lucia to take care of their kids and for Jesus to stop drinking! We have this family with these poor kids who desperately need to be taught and loved and the parents need so much help but they can never talk to us and we don't know what to do! If you want to know the sad details I can tell you next week, but please pray for them:(

So right now we're going to play fútbol with our zone. Yay finally some fun p- day activity!!! Too bad we'll only have like 15 minutes..

Anywho love you all, cuidense!

HS

PS I'll try to send pics!

Families can be together forever...

AHH I have less than no time this week!!! We have to be at our dictrict meeting in like 10 minutes but I'll type as fast as I possibly can!!
So the other week I was reading in.... I don't remember where but I ended up somehow in Malachi. And I recognized chapter 4 vers 5-6 I believe, cause it's a scripture mastery, and it talks about the prophet Elijah (Elias in español) being sent by God to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers or algo asi [something like that].. And forever I had no idea what that meant! But then I was reading in Doctrina y Convenios (I think its seccion 110) and Elijah came to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in a vision and gave them the keys to do the obra vicaria en el templo [temple work]! And then I realized what that meant!! ANND in the Book of Mormon a BUNCH in like 1 and 2 Nefi I think, it talks about the Lord fulfilling his promises that he made to our fathers, and all about the covenants and promises he made with our fathers, and I think that's talking about the work that we can do in the templo for the salvation of our ancestors! And in DyC 138 it describes it way good, but basically, "turning the hearts of the children to their fathers" means that we can do like baptisms and sealings and stuff in the temple, well for everyone, but especially for nuestro propios antepasados[our own ancestors]!! And that's why family history is so important! AND in this evangelio[gospel] one major principle that we stress is that families can be together forever. And that principle is like, everywhere in the scriptures! And I never even realized it! So I gave a talk about that in sacrament meeting last Sunday when the first counselor asked HG and I if one of us could give a talk cause they were short some speakers or something, so I volunteered. And had like 30 minutes to prepare. But it was easy to talk about family history and everything cause there's a lot of scriptures that I read haha:) BUT just yesterday in la capilla [the chapel] the stake presidency came to our ward to talk, and they all talked about family history too! So that's the topic for the week.

Pray for Maria to get married and baptized soon!! We're so close!

I got kissed this week:( Again. Dangit.

And we preached to a police officer.

And we got to go to the temple to teach a lesson and that was fun.

Ok I have to go now! Mucho amor!

HS

Ok can we talk about food for a second?

No I don't really miss any electronics. And I miss hiking so much!!! We are doing our own form of hiking I guess. in skirts. and heavy backpacks. (I got a new backpack today in centro! And a new watch cause BOTH my watches broke:(...) 

Her bedroom- the simple life!!

They adopted Pinky the dog - for a while

Ok can we talk about food for a second? Who knew the gift of tongues also meant that the Spirit makes everything you eat taste heavenly??? I LOVE the food here! I look forward to it every day. And vegetables are like the equivalent of candy. Like, a tomato is a rare delicacy. So HG and I bought like 7 the other day to make for breakfast or dinner (We only get fed lunch by the members) And usually we just get tortillas, and beans and some sort of meat. And habanero. Everybody here serves habanero with everything. And HG hates it but I LOVE IT! And I always love the food we get but when we get a salad or something... oh man. So this morning for breakfast we made toast with tuna and grilled onions, and cut up tomatoes and avocado on top, dipped in beans (Frijoles here are often in soup form.) And oh my gosh. I don't think I have ever been so excited about eating something in my whole life. Literally. 

Lunch with Hermana Williams and her companion (Sam's MTC companion)

Happy reunion with Hma Williams

Ok so HG and I were talking about how the people here give directions, which consists much of "por aca, y por alli..." and HG was saying how that's like 10 times better than in her country cause how they do it goes something like this "So you go down this road and count one, two, three, corners, then turn left. and not right. cause if you turn right, you will go the wrong way. and after about 5 minutes, you will see a big tree, and then you're not there yet. so you have to go about 2 more minutes, and then turn right this time, not left. And then, you have to look for the little red store on the corner, and you're not there yet, but you have to go inside the store and ask the man who works there which way to go next, cause sometimes I get lost too and I always have to ask him where to go and he tells me.."

Ah dang I have no more time again!!!! But I love you all dearly and I have a really good spiritual thought for next week! 

Families can be together forever!! And like, everything we do somehow relates to this principle. Even in the bible. It's cool. 

Exciting adventures from a gringa in Mexico!

HG [Samantha's companion] and I walk everywhere. Our area is not too big but its LONG so we walk A LOT. La capilla [the chapel]  is about a 15 minute walk from our house so not too bad. We never get to go to the temple unless an investigator is getting sealed.... missionary rules :( triste.

That cardboard cutout of me is so creepy... where does it live?

Samantha made a guest appearance in Park City

 (cardboard cutout courtesy of her Grandma Mimi)

Your adventures sound so fun and I can't wait to see you all again! Too bad that won't be for like.. 16 months more..

I don't know if I'll be able to send pictures on this computer but I will try! In case I can't here's a cool story from last night...

So we were teaching this lady (let's call her Maria) that we always teach 'cause she lives super close to us, and her 2 daughters and niece are all members (not active at all but they always come out and listen to us when we come over) and she really wants to be baptized but she can't cause she's not married to this guy she lives with (we'll call him Juan). And Juan doesn't want to get baptized. And a lot of the time when we come over he's outside drinking with his friends and is always drunk and never wears a shirt and I don't know... we avoid them whenever they're drunk cause they scare us. But yesterday HG invited them (I guess invited isn't the right word cause HG is rather... persuasive. its more like commanded) to sit and listen. So there's two drunk guys with their beers listening to me try to talk about coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him. Then one guy starts saying stuff that apparently isn't very nice so Maria and her niece escort him inside. And then Juan starts arguing with HG about why we don't worship Guadalupe and get baptized as babies and all this stuff that doesn't make any sense. And HG perfectly logically explains everything perfect using the scriptures and everything. And then the topic turns to why he should get married 'cause his family would be stronger and if he loves Maria he should marry her so she can get baptized and they can be a happy family and all that jazz, and Maria jumps in and starts talking about how hard it is for her when he's always drinking and she just wants to be a family and everyone's talking over each other and it's pretty tense. But long story short, we have a date for them to get married! January 28th! And I probably will get transferred to another area next week so I don't think I'll see it...:( Also, Juan was drunk so who knows how reliable his commitment is. But I don't know. I just feel like in the mission you have so much hope for people and know that they can change.

This week we had a lot of people that argued with us(HG) about our church and she got pretty discouraged but I had a math teacher that once told me, when arguing with someone, you will never change their mind, even if you're right, and they know it, and you know they know it, they will never admit to it cause they're too set in their ways. But what you do is plant a seed, and over time, they will come to realize that they are wrong and they will change.

So if bearing our testimony is all we can do, well that's probably the best thing we can do. Over time the Spirit will work on them and they'll be curious about what we said and look more into our church and then down the road when other missionaries find them, they'll be ready to listen. Anywho, those are my palabras de sabiduria [words of wisdom ] for this century. Sorry I can't tell you more whats going on, trust me, there's a lot [Samantha has to travel to an internet cafe to receive and send emails and she only has one hour every week to do it , which apparently goes by VERY quickly!] Maybe next week I'll tell a funny story about baptizing a cat. Or a sad story about little kids torturing a cat. Or a cute story about a newborn cat I saw yesterday. There's lots of cats here. Tune in next week (especially you Shelley) to find out what happens next in the exciting adventures of this gringa in Mexico! todaloo!

Hermana Smith

"I am having ZERO problems living with a companion...my only problem is the language..."

Gosh Mom I love your long emails so much but I´m realizing it's so hard to answer everything you say AND send pics and everything! Haha ok so my mailing adress is:

Calle 70 #521-A x 65 y 67

Col Centro

Merida, Yucatan Mexico CP 97000

But tell everyone they don't need to send anything! I think it's kinda expensive to send stuff here and Mimi [ her grandma ] was threatening to send a pillow because of my last email but I'm really fine, found one, it's all good!

Send pics of the cookie swap! Wish I could be there!

Hermana Garcia is SO FUNNY! I have lots of stories that I wrote about in my journal and if I have time I'll send them but at this rate I don't think I will.. so you can hear them in 17 months when I come home:) 

I am having ZERO problems with living with a companion or loving the people or dealing with their problems or even the weather (which is ridiculous as I'm sure you know) but my only problem is the language. And it's a big problem, but I'm grateful that it's the only one. Actually I'm homesick too. but not as bad as last week.

Thanks for the quote! I've started a journal of scriptures and quotes and hymn lyrics (LOTS of hymn lyrics..) that I like. It's pretty fun.

 Hermana Garcia's got Swagg! 

 Hermana Smith and Hermana Garcia (at least they have air conditioning!)

Samantha's first baptism!

OK my Christmas call is on the 25, probably around 5 or so. But really it could be any time from 4 to 6. I will go to a member's house and the plan is to Skype, but who knows. What is your Skype thing? And can you try to figure out mine? 

 

I have like no time to email all my adventures of this week but I´ll tell you on the Christmas call! I Love you!

I'm so tall here...everyone is shorter than me.

I didn’t even realize Thanksgiving had come and gone, but it sounds like you guys had fun! Thanks for everyone’s nice emails, I know even the darkest night will pass and the sun will rise! (Les Miserables) This morning I was having a really rough time with just everything and I didn't even know why until HG [her companion, Hermana Garcia] was like: "Do you miss your family?" and then I just started crying. But she made me read D&C 31[“Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation… there is a lot more but that’s a sample] which didn't stop the tears but I guess I felt a little better. Gosh what's the matter with me crying all the time??? It sucks. These kids next to me in this little internet cafe playing computer games probably think I'm super weird. Oh well. I'm actually not sure what Tanlum is, but it's either in or near Merida. If that helps. 

Sam and her companion, Hermana Garcia

Day 2- So I'm teaching HG sign language cause she's teaching me Spanish and it’s kinda fun. We'll both be tri-lingual. So there are probably a million Volkswagon bugs in Merida. I swear everyone has one. Not sure why. I love my hammock, but I wish I had a pillow too.

Day 3- We’re eating oreos for breakfast but I have had no appetite since I got here. Well actually yesterday we had lunch with this one lady Hermana Esther (its pronounced Astaire. like Fred Astaire.) Anyway she made the best chicken I've ever had! We have this one investigator Oscar that we visited yesterday but he was drunk and kept trying to hug HG even though he knows that he can't and asking my first name... Weird. (Actually today- day 8- we saw him again and I didn't even recognize him sober.. but he's actually a really nice guy!) 

Day 4- So everyone kisses each other here. Even people you've never met before! They hug you and kiss your cheek as a greeting. Every time. It’s kinda cool. We taught this guy Pedro today and he lives in this place I couldn't even call a house. No roof or real floor, front wall is a chain link fence thing... anyway I actually talked kinda a lot and I don't think he will remember anything ( he's REALLY old...) but it was cool and I actually remembered why I'm here on a mission in the first place. 

I'm so tall here. Everyone is shorter than me. So HA to everyone who ever called me short. I probably have close to 6000 mosquito bites on my legs and it’s terrible!  I still don't know what anyone is saying during lessons and my companion informed me that the other day this one guy was telling us about his suffering and sorrow and whatnot and I was sitting there smiling and nodding like some clueless gringo cause that’s all I ever do! So he probably thinks I'm heartless or something. Oh well. 

AH there’s so much more I want to write but once again, time:/ sorry. But I love you all dearly!

HS