Letter from the Mission President

Rachel's Mission President sent us a quick letter and some pictures:

(Click a picture to see it full-sized)

It's really hot and really humid...

So this past week has been an adventure...We have a car that we share with the Elders that live in the same apartment complex as us and this week they had the car so that meant that we had to either walk or ride our bikes. We didn't actually have bikes until Tuesday and they are kind of hard to ride because they aren't ours. The Elders let us use 2 of the extra bikes that they have. The bike that I got is too tall for me and is hard to get going on and Hna. Cruz's had flat tires so we only rode those to one appointment that was too far to walk and get there in time so for the rest of the time we walked. That is not a very smart thing to do in the humidity of Tennessee. I was dying and I'm pretty sure that we walked like 10 miles in one day. Okay that is an exaggeration but it felt like it.

We have had a lot of appointments fall through because the Sister that just left this area had a lot of people who were attached to her and liked her better than Hna. Cruz and so they have been canceling their appointments and it is really frustrating. We do, however, have some new investigators who are really interested in the gospel. We met this girl Carmen who was interested but the next time we went by she wasn't there. We were kind of bummed but her step-dad, mom and  younger sister were all outside. The mom went inside pretty quick when we arrived but the dad sat there with the sister and talked with us for about 40 minutes. I didn't notice it until he showed us but he had a big bottle of liquor on the porch that he told us had been his companion since he was 12 when his mom left him at a church in California. We tried to talk more with him but he kept talking over us. We told him about the Book of Mormon and as soon as we mentioned it the sister sat up real quick and lit up. When we read a scripture she moved so that she could hear it better. When we had finished talking with the dad and gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon we turned to her. We asked her if she wanted a copy as well and she said "Yes please" I'm guessing she is 17 or 18. Unfortunately we didn't have another copy in spanish so we told her we would come back the next day to give one to her. The next day we came back and gave her the copy, told her to read the Introduction first and we went on our way. Hna. Cruz said that as soon as we left she sat down on the porch and opened it and started reading. I was so excited! We are sure that she will be baptized.

Last night at 8:30 or so, our DL texted us and told us that we had to get inside pronto by order of the ZLs and President. Apparently there was severe weather that was coming near us. Lots of tornado warnings in Kentucky but none near us. About 30 minutes after we got inside it started pouring outside. My companion and I may or may not have gotten soaked by running out into it...

Anyway, I am having a blast here in Buena Vista. I hope everyone is having a fantastic week.

Love, Hermana Hoferitza

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Extra note to Mom after questions about pictures and her Spanish:

Spanish is coming slowly. A little frustrating. No pictures because I don't have a cord. We are going to the mall today and I will try and find one that works. I don't have that much time right now just cause Hna. Cruz is almost done. We don't have a limit on time for emailing on p-day but we do have a lot of stuff to do.

CCM Zone and District Pictures

Robert and Sue Jones wrote:

"My husband and I are Senior Missionaries at the Mexico MTC.  We grew to love your wonderful missionaries during the time they were here.  We miss them! 

I thought you would enjoy pictures of their district and the departure tribute."

District 14C

(Click on the pictures to see them full-sized)

Buena Vista!!!

So this week has been super duper crazy! Last Sunday we had to say goodbye to our District at the MTC. I, of course, was the only one to cry and they all made fun of me. :P We went to the airport at 3 in the morning and it was just a crazy day over all. We met some members in the Atlanta Airport. One of them was a 17 year old guy who was headed to Paris with his girlfriend and her grandparents for a month. He was super nice and told us that he was starting on his papers soon. He also let all 5 of us use his phone to call home. It was really sweet of him. A few hours later we got on our hour flight to Nashville. We met our Mission President and his wife at the entrance and also the APs. They were all so super nice! A couple of them are leaving this transfer and I am a little sad because they are so nice.

We stayed in the Mission Home that night and in the morning we had breakfast and headed back to the airport to pick up the rest of the missionaries. Apparently they were supposed to be on our flight to Nashville but they got held up in Salt Lake, missed the flight in Atlanta and ended up having to stay in a hotel that night! It was insane!

We then went to the stake center that was RIGHT BY THE TEMPLE!!! The Nashville Temple is TINY! It is about the size of a regular church building. We had transfer meeting with all 250 missionaries in our mission. They had all of the new missionaries stand in a line so that we could introduce our selves (Our name, where we are from, and something interesting about us) The Hermanas were at the start of the line so we went first. Hna. Warner said that she can yodel and she showed everyone and I didn't know that missionaries could cheer so loud. Haha. Then they got to me and I said that I sing Opera and they said that I needed to prove it...so I did. I sang a little part of Poor Wand'ring One from Pirates of Penzance. (Note: here is Rachel singing this in a recital.) They all cheered again. It was great :D

Hermana Hoferitza and Hermana Cruz

Then we had another mini call opening where we read out where we were serving and who our trainer was going to be. I was one of the first and read out Buena Vista and Hermana Cruz is my trainer. She is from California and is super great. She has been out on the mission for 14 months and only has 3 transfers left. 2 of which will be spent with me. (I am secretly hoping that I get to kill her though) Buena Vista is super great! The branch we are in is super nice and help us out a lot. We sent around our dinner calendar yesterday during relief society and all but 4 days were filled out for the entire month! Hna. Cruz says that I am going to be spoiled for my first few transfers. I'm not complaining :)

Yesterday we met with a family in the branch who's dad is not a member (He has been investigating for 10 years. Hna. Cruz says he is a dry Mormon) He just has some doubts and doesn't want to give up drinking. They were super nice. They made me say the closing prayer. Afterwards they told me that I sound like a Mexican! I was so happy when they said that. Everyone here has been so supportive and encouraging with the language. They all say that I will get it really quick.

I am so excited to get to know everyone here and teach a bunch of people!

I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love, Hermana Hoferitza

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After some email questioning by her Mother, Rachel also passed on some additional information:

Our apartment is really nice. It is just us in it. There is a pair of Elders in the complex with us. They are English speaking missionaries. Hna. Cruz and I are the only spanish speaking/ only sisters in our district.

We have a 50/50 deal with the elders and the car. We get it every other week. This week we are off and we have to walk/ride bikes. Hna. Cruz has to fix her bike and the elders said that they have 5 bikes in their apartment that I can use so I don't even know if I will buy a bike this transfer. Also, this mission is an iPad mission! I have a mini iPad that is mine for my entire mission. :D I also might get into facebook and be a facebook missionary. Hna. Cruz is one and she likes it. I would love to get on facebook.

Also allergies are real. I have been having a rough time with all of the pollen here but we got some allergy medicine and it is getting better.

My hair is super wavy in this humidity, especially when I don't blow-dry it. :) I will send you a picture when I take one of my super wavy hair but to let you imagine, it is kind of like the wavy elf hair in Lord of the Rings only a little bit more poofy.

Almost Done!

Wow! These past 5 weeks have flown by! I can't believe that this time next week I will be in Nashville! I´m so excited!!!!!

This week has been really great. On the 4th of July everyone at the CCM wore red white and blue. The elders in my district had America ties and wore them. During lunch the kitchen staff made us a BBQ that was so good and then we sang the National Anthem. It was so cool to hear all of the Missionaries singing with harmony. It was also our month mark on the 4th so my District decided that we would go to la tienda and get ice cream with our teachers. Hno. Contreras took pictures and I told him that he needed to put them on facebook but I dont know if he has posted them yet. I also got the package of cookies that you sent me, mom. All of the Elders are so grateful that I have a mother who loves me and sends me food ;) I told them to write thank you notes and I sent them off on Wednesday. I am hoping you get them soon.

We now have 4 districts in our Zone meaning there are 40 missionaries. Hna. Eastwood and I have 14 Hermanas to look out for as well. We heard that we might be getting 2 more districts this week! That would be crazy!

Presidente Pratt and Hermana Pratt headed to SLC yesterday for the next 10 days because Hermana Pratt is getting surgery on her shoulder. She told us on Sunday and we were a little sad because they wouldn´t be back when we left. WE got hugs from Hermana Pratt and I told her that I was singing before the Devotional on Sunday and I was sad she wasn´t going to be there. She said "Oh! Are you the Hermana who majored in Vocal Performance?" I was awestruck because there are over 600 missionaries at the CCM and she knew that I sang! They must talk about me. :O I told her yes and she wanted to hear me so I practiced the song with an amazing Hermana who plays the piano beautifully and at 3:00 I sang Lead Kindly Light for her and Presidente Pratt. Talk about nerve racking. Turns out that song is Hermana Pratt´s favorite because when she was younger (She is a convert to the church, converted in college) her father brought home a record player and a bunch of records. One of the records was the MoTab choir and one of the songs was Lead Kindly Light and ever since then it has been her favorite song. Talk about crazy. I am slightly nervous for singing in front of the entire CCM on Sunday before the devotional but the senior Hermanas are so excited to hear me. :)

We are also singing God Be With you til we Meet Again on Sunday during Sacrament Meeting because out Branch President, President Tenorio, is leaving for Provo next week to start him MBA at BYU. We are so excited for him but sad to see him leave. Well it´s not going to be that big of a difference to us since we are leaving too but ya know.

We had our "Family" pictures yesterday. I had to tell the Elders that they had to smile because some of them didn´t want to smile.

Some of the Elders in the younger districts have been calling me Mama Hoferitza which is so funny. Two of the Hermanas in the District below us has gotten really close with us and I am going to miss them so much. One of them is from Hawaii and told Hna. Eastwood and I that we could stay at her house and chill with her when we get off of our missions. Which is a-okay with me ;)

Oh! I totally forgot! I found out from an Hermana Pectol (Dustin Naylor´s GF) that Andrew Naylor is coming to the CCM TOMORROW!

Well that is all from here at the CCM. Until next week!
-Hermana Hoferitza

4 weeks down, 2 to go

Wow already a month in the CCM! It has gone by crazy quick! The rain hits every night. The thunder is awesome! All of our Elders love them so much and love to keep the windows of our classroom wide open. Hna. Eastwood and I sit right next to the windows so we (Well probably just me) get really cold. All the Elders say that they would give me their jacket if it were appropriate (Which it isn´t) and I thank them.

This week a virus hit the CCM that causes painful stomach cramps and diarrhea. It hit my whole district hard, including me. It hasn´t been too bad but some of them have to run out of class suddenly to get to the bathroom. No fun. I have been the mom of our district and have been making sure they are all feeling okay.
Yesterday a girl was throwing up in the bathroom (Sorry TMI) and I was right in there holding her hair in complete mom mode.

On Sunday Hna. Eastwood and I got called as the Sister Training Leaders. I am so excited for this new leadership position. We get to go to the leadership meetings with our DL and our new Zone Leaders from our District, Elders McKenzie and Montgomery. They have taken quickly to their roles and so have we. We love being the oldest district and having the younger districts look up to us. We will be the greenies again in 2 weeks so we better live it up ;)

This past week I was having a crumby time with the language and one of the teachers from another district that we have gotten to know, Hno. Silva, was talking to us and he told me that we are not here to learn the language fluently, it is impossible to do that in 6 weeks, but we are here to receive the gift of tongues (Del don de lenguas). Ever since he told me that I was feeling so much better about the language and I have been able to speak more in our lessons. My comprehension is still far more superior which is a huge blessing because for a lot of people it is the complete opposite, they can speak fine but they don´t know what is being said. I have had to tell Hna. Eastwood what people say and then she speaks. She is really good at speaking the language.

I have been getting out of saying talks because I have been singing during sacrament meeting but this week will be different because it is Fast Sunday. Our District Leader expects all of us to get up and bear our testimonies. I am kind of nervous, but I know that I will do fine.

Anyway, we are all good here at the CCM, besides having this terrible sickness that will soon pass.
Emily, I await blue mouth pictures. I spent a whole peso on that sucker (Haha that isn´t that much at all) so I better get pictures! Haha

I love you all

Love, Hermana Hoferitza