Hola a todos!

So Fridays are my P days but the first week they just give you a few hours on Saturday so I am still a little pressed on time and I wont answer as many things as I would like, but I LOVED all of the emails, also forward this to family etc. because I left my book of emails at my dorm because I was in such a rush to get to the computer lab. We dont have any phones or electronics, and were not allowed to take any pictures except on P day so I dont really have any to share but I might figure out how to upload some from the camera I have in a bit. My flight was delayed and no one was there to pick me up when I first got there but I only waited a few minutes and then i was on my way to el CCM. I am going to be completely honest, this is HARD. I have never done something so challenging in my life. We have absolutely no down time, when youre not in class youre trying to study an entire language in 6 weeks, writing an entire talk in Spanish, preparing an invesitagtor lesson entirely in spanish, memorizing scriptures, first vission, baprisimal initation, 42 topics and 42 refernces tambien en espanol. I felt absolutely one hundred percent overwhelmes the first 2 days, I had no clue how I would get through this. I didnt even have time to let myself even think about home too much, but of couse at night I started missing everyone so much. this is the hardest thing Ive ever done.

Yesterday things started turning around around though. weve been so focused on learning the language and adjusting, we have had no time to learn the gospel or read the scriptures but they gave me time yesterday to read, as well as have more gospel centered discussions which made a HUGE difference. Funnily enough, it seems that actual learning of the doctorine is less frequent that memorizing it. but mi companera y yo have been bonding, her nombre es Hermana Sjoquist, pronounced Show Quist. I was worried we wouldnt get along but she is great, the more we focus our efforts on Christ, the closer we become. Yesterday nuestros districto ate dinner with us and we bonded a lot. Hermana Sjoquist and I are the only sisters with 10 other Elders. All of them son de Estados Unidos y will sierven en Mexico, pero yo soy un solo misionera that will serve en Merida. Up until last night we hadn[t talked to them much but it has made class more enjoyable being friends with the people youre always with, and just having a lot of people to talk, practicar the language with, y hablar sobre nuestros casas. Everyday the MTC gets better, and I am feeling MUCH less anxious about it now. 

Ive realized I havent made much of an effort to talk in spanish because Im embarassed to mess up but when I remember, I try a escribo y hablo en espanol, pero es muy dificil a remember. Ive been thinking about yall a lot and hoping youre okay and praying so hard  that you would know that Im doing well and that I am doing the work that nuestros Padre Celestial has asked of me, i just CANT wait to get in the field and bring sould unto Christ, it makes me SO excited. Pero if you guys are still worried, everyone says that after Sunday, the time FLIES BY and gets SO much easier. 

Spiritual thoughts, I thought about the nametags we wear that say that yo soy un Misionera para La Iglesia De Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias and how we wear it on our right side over our heart. Our hearts have to be completely centered on Christ and he has to be what we dedicate ourselves to.

I realized that me worrying about the MTC being too hard isnt having complete faith in Christ. He led me to this point and i KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that this is the work that I was called to do. He will not let me fail as long as I put in my sincere effort. He will comfort all my pain and sorrow, and help me learn the language. 

Theres a lot of other things Im sure ive been wanting to say, but unfortunately, I dont have forever. Also, when I wake up in the morning and try to sleep, spanish just plays in a loop constantly in my head which is so odd. Spanish is hard but its going well! I MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH. Lean on Christ, he will never abandon you. Thank you for keeping me filled in on your lives, I love hearing all the little seemingly bboring details. It makes me SO happy! Dont you worry about me ONE bit, Christ is protecting me, quickening me, and strengthening me everyday. IM SO EXCITED to go teach and to get more emails.

Best wishes,

Hermana Shirley