Mission Life Week 1.5

HOLA MI QUERIDA FAMILIA!!!!

Como le va? How are you all? Hope everyone and everything is going well. I know I can't always send personal e-mails to everyone, so I just wanted to start by saying, thank-you so much to all of you for your help and support. thanks to the sibs (Bryce and Lisa and Lisa and Jim) who let me come visit them before I left in TX and D.C. and Nicole, Betsy, Renee, and Carrie, for coming down to visit- I am so grateful to have been able to see all of you, and that you drove down for it! Betsy and Renee- thanks for taking me to the MTC! I'm glad you were there to send me off, especially when I was so nervous! (the rest of you were there in Spirit!) And Mom, Dad, Katy, Micah, Jamie, Michelle, and Cris- thanks for putting up with me for the past 2 months (that grants you special gospel blessings already I'm sure!) Jim- there is an elder in my zone who reminds me so so so much of you! He's from PA and he even looks like you!

So I think I should start by saying that I think I spoke a little too soon last week when I said that Spanish was a breeze for me. I may or may not have been a little overly confident :). I still have a lot to learn. It's been helpful to be able to understand quite a bit, but I still have a long way to go before I can say things correctly, and get a better religion vocab...Woburn High must have skipped the religion section ;) They told me that I could jump up to an intermediate class, but I deciced to stay here, with my district. I love them, and I love my companion. It's been fun to get to know each other even better, especially the other companionship of sisters. The elders seem so young sometimes, but they are really great guys. 3 of them go to the Guatemalan MTC in 2 weeks, and that'll be really sad. I think we've gotten pretty close with each other and we all get along really well. We're all incredibly different, but that's what makes it fun. My comp and 3 of the elders are all going to Arcadia!

We had a good devotional this week- Vaugh Featherstone gave it. He talked about his great niece who served her mission in Boston!! It was a great devotional- no specific theme (other than mish work obviously), but really inspiring and uplifting. We got to sing This is the Christ in the choir for it, which was also fun. I love that song. (thank-you cris ;)  )

Hermana Southworth and my highlight this week was committing Manuel to be baptized!!!! yesterday was our last time teaching him, which was kind of sad. it's been a great experience. It's amazing how quickly you become invested in someone else's wellbeing, especially when the Spirit backs you up. I know it's all roleplay, but it's felt so real to me. I think Hermana Southworth and I would both agree that we've learned alot from this. I know I'm not a perfect teacher, and there's alot I can work on, but I loooooove teaching the gospel! I love testifying that everything will be ok when we come closer to Christ. I love that if you're teaching the gospel, Heavenly Father will back you up and the Spirit will come- even in broken, awkward spanish.

Random experiences this week- I think it's a combo of a new face wash and dry desert, but my face has been peeling and super dry all week! I keep joking that it looks like my face is shedding! I think I'll invest in new facewash and a water bottle soon! Ha! Apparently we aren't allowed to have gum. That's been tough. I have alllot of gum to send you soon! P-day is awesome- took the best nap of my life today! We dont' have an official Sunday school and our sacrament meeting and RS are separated during the day- it feels like old school church! Last week in RS we learned about how to be more proper, lady-like women ;) I couldn't get Princess Diaries and Miss Congeniality out of my head!! It was great though. I'm apparently not a natural lady, correctly crossing my legs will never happen. The food here is a little weird too- or at least for me, but it's not too bad, just making me a little sick,but not bad. I love it here though! It's been great!

LOVE YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH!!

The Church is true and the gospel is amazing.

love,

Sister/ Hermana Laree LaPierre