Zoom=Worst Invention Ever

Hola mis amigos!

Okay not actually. Zoom isn't the worst. It's actually really cool that people from all over the world can meet together and I'm super grateful for the technology we have. But oh my goodness it is the hardest thing sitting in front of a screen for 10+ hours a day!

Thankfully, my two weeks of home MTC are over and I am lucky enough to go to the Mexico MTC for the next 4 weeks on Tuesday at 6 AM! You guys are probably like "come on Hermana Christensen, 6 AM really isn't that bad, you've been waking up at 6:30 every day." Heh. I've come to terms with the fact that I am not a morning person. I have to drag myself out of bed and I just end up sitting there for about 20 minutes until I build up enough motivation to do anything. BUT, I know that obedience brings blessings and I'm really trying to work on that. I just have to remind myself that God doesn't want his missionaries to get up at 6:30 to torture them, it's really for our own benefit. So don't worry, I'll get there. 

Honestly, I don't know what I've done in my life to deserve my companion and district! They are all so awesome! They are all so kind and make the zoom experience a whole lot better. My comp is so cute! Her name is Hermana Burlew and she's from Virginia and went to a year of school in South Carolina. Being at college in SC she's basically already been a missionary for a year and there is SO MUCH that I am learning from her. She is the definition of a sweet spirit and we are still able to laugh and joke around. We are the only ones in our district that are going to the Chile Santiago North mission, so we've been working through the whole experience together. I was seriously so blessed with hermana burlew!

SPANISH. Spanish is kinda hard lols. I thought the MTC would include more language learning but no. We have to learn a lot of it on our own and then they teach about an hour of grammar every day. It's pretty stressful. I can't wait and am also dreading the immersive experience that the Mexico MTC will require. I think it will be much easier to get a grasp on the language once I'm surrounded by it. Who knows maybe I'm naive and it won't help but I'm really counting on it haha. This is something that I've really needed the help of the Lord with. Don't worry guys, it's coming along. Slowly but surely. For now, just know that I speak really good Spanglish. 

Here's a fun lil story about how bad I am at Spanish:

We were in class and the teacher asked me what I was eating. I was eating a cracker but I didn't know how to say that so I asked how to say "cracker" in spanish. One of the Elders replied and told me that it was "gringa". If you don't know already, gringa is a term to basically describe a foreigner that doesn't know the native language and is usually used offensively haha. Well I know about the word gringa but I thought the word for cracker was just similar so I continued using it. It took me longer than it should have to realize that they were laughing at me every time I said gringa for the word cracker. So now I know that the word for cracker in spanish is galleta, not gringa. 

There's not much else to report. Every day I get up, do a fun little workout, get on zoom for 5 hours, have a couple hour break where I do my personal, companion, and language study, another 5 hours of zoom class, and then I go to bed. I'm barely able to fit in time for food these days

spiritual thought:

I am learning SO MUCH at the MTC that it's hard to keep track of. My brain feels like mush. But I keep seeing one recurring theme in everything we do or talk about. WORK. We have to put forth the effort and intent if we expect anything in return. We have to be the ones to let Him in. God loves us so much. He understands us, He wants the best for us, He wants to communicate with us, and He wants us to turn towards Him in EVERYTHING that we do. Sometimes choosing and working towards God means that we have to take the harder path or the one that we don't quite understand. But if you turn towards Him with a humble heart and sincere intent you will see miraculous changes and blessings in your life. One of my favorite things that I've heard in the MTC so far has been from my teacher Hermana Cabrera: "It doesn't matter if you have Jesus if you don't have a plan". Who knows, some things could have gotten lost in translation but I think Hermana Cabrera was telling us that WE have to put in the work if we want HIM to be actively in our lives. 

Also apparently Chile is very very strict with covid and vaccines right now so please pray that I'll be able to go to Chile in 4 weeks!!

Things I learned this week:

1. Penny = best HMTC companion

2. Don't text during class

3. AF canyon is my favorite place on earth

4. Chilean Spanish is like a whole other language compared to Spanish

5. A diet of chips and soda does not sustain you for that long

6. AC is a blessing that should not be taken advantage of

7. If you go out in public in Utah with a missionary tag, you're basically a celebrity

Sorry for the long email, I had to keep my fanbase up to date.

 

love hermana christensen