Penguin Party

(Note from Mom,  another Elder, (in Cait's mission) mother, shares his emails with me.  I kind of copied their  idea of asking questions so here you go.  Hopefully that makes sense.) You have such great questions!

1.  The funnest thing that I have done out here is probably playing ultimate Frisbee and volleyball for gym.  We get a ton of people to play and it gets pretty wild...well for missionaries.  The most spiritual experiences are when we have our district reviews after devotionals.  I cry every time.  I also have started to feel the spirit really strong in our lessons which helps us to focus on the needs of our investigators.  The hardest thing is happening today.  Hermana Johnson has to go home to get some more medical tests done.  She is really sick and I am sad to loose her so soon.  She has taught me so much.

2.  (The question was to tell something cool about everyone in your district) Elder Gutierrez is half Mexican and he is always smiling.  We call him Elder Feliz (happy).  He comp is Elder Frank and he is the best artist I have ever seen.  He is also going to be playing football for SUU when he gets home.  Elder Huffaker is a computer programmer and he is probably the most in tune with the spirit out of all the elders.  Elder Smith has a baby face and he is the youngest out of everyone.  His testimony is so strong.  Elder Sage knows Tiana Johnson because the went to the Ambassadors of music together.  Elder Skidmore really likes to eat apples and he is a certified sky diver something.  Hermana Spencer can play the flute. Hermana Johnson started an awkward dance club at her high school.  And that is my district.  We are a bunch of weirdos but they are like my family.

My family at the CCM

3.(What do you admire most about your companions?)  I admire that my companions can always see the bright side of a situation.  Hermana Spencer  always makes us so happy and Hermana Johnson brings in the spirit like crazy.

And funny that you mention that.  My whole district and my teachers think the same thing.  I straitened my hair once and they we are little confused about who I was.  Personally I don´t see it....( I told her, the Elder whose mom shares his emails with me, when asked to name something cool about everyone in his district, said that Caitlin looks like Anne Hathaway.  Ha ha)

I did get my Krispy Kremes!  (We sent Cait and her companions donuts for Valentines day)  They were so good!  My comps are extremely grateful for you and your thoughtfulness.  And no I haven´t received any valentines.  Did you get mine?!

Happy Valentines Day from home,  Krispy Kreme Donuts!

I am so excited that Melissa had her baby!  I can´t wait to see pics! Richy and Tommy.  I love those names!

My Spanish is coming along great!  I can somewhat communicate with the Latinos but a lot of the times I don´t have the words.  I found 3 Latinas going to my mission and thye are so cool!  I am so excited!  I do not speak like a native yet though.

Mom I said 5 weeks because the CCM counts the first three days as one week.  My one month mark is this week!  Crazy huh?!

Tay looks like a babe without braces!  It is crazy how different she looks!  Has it really only been a month since I last saw you?!

Oh and to explain my heading....So today Hermana Johnson went back home and we wanted it to be the best last day ever.  So we said a specific Prayer that they would serve waffles for breakfast because that is her favorite meal.  Anyway, when we walked into the comedor (cafeteria)  we were a little sad because everyone had this tortilla thing so we grabbed our trays and started going down the line.  When I got to the main course my heart dropped and a looked back at my companions with a huge smile on my face.  THEY SERVED WAFFLES!  Isn´t it amazing that Heavenly Father cares about us so much that he would serve waffles for breakfast! God answers prayers!

My Companions aka "The Beatles"

I hope you have had many things like this happen in your life!  Have you been reading scrips every night as a fam?!

Love you Tons!  Tons.

Hermana Drew

Another district in my Zone

Hermanas in my Zone

"It's a penguin party!"

Add caption

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentines Day!

My week has been amazing!  We have done a lot of things and I have learned a lot of Spanish!  Can you believe I have been out for 4 weeks?! (Note from Mom, she actually has been out only 3 weeks and a day, and believe me, I have been counting.) Anyway, for week four here they do a thing called Solo Español.  I have had to speak only in Spanish and I am proud of how much I know!

Today I played tennis with Elder Huffaker!  He is really good!  I forgot to take a pic of us but it was way fun to pay with someone who knows what he is doing!

Me, Elder Huffaker and Elder Smith (Sister Johnson's head in the corner)

Mom....sunburned....me.....let´s be real I never get sunburned.....only tan.  I have some great tan lines from my shoes, watch, and rings. I am surprised that I haven´t had a glasses tan line yet because I do wear them everyday.

Oh when I said we broke down it was a little about frustration but for me I was just overwhelmed with the spirit in one of our activities and I was a little tired.  But anyway, all is well now!

I have only received a letter from you, Hailey, and Julia!  And only one email from somebody other than family.  But we haven´t checked the mail yet today. 

Our plans for Pday include cleaning our casa, making valentines, taking pics, and we will probably play some games like volleyball or speed.

We have done a lot of service projects here and I have to tell you I learned how to fold those difficult sheets. (I think she is talking about the fitted sheets.  I guess I have neglected teaching her how to fold sheets.) It is kind of hard to explain I will  just have to show you when I get home.  But we also learned how to clean tile grout.  You take a broom with stubby bristles and you pour the soap all of over the floor, then you just scrub with the broom so you don´t have to crawl on the floor.  When we finished we just dumped water everywhere and let it all go down the drain.

Me cleaning the bathroom with a broom, works great!

I have two kinda funny stories for you that happened on the same day.  First, we were in the bathroom and I flushed the toilet and it wouldn´t stop flushing.  It didn´t clog up but the clean water kept spilling out of the top.  I didn´t know what to do so I just kind of hollered at my companions for help and backed into the corner of the stall.  We fled the scene as soon as possible.  Ha ha

Second, it started to rain after gym when we were getting ready to go eat dinner so I changed into a different skirt that was a little warmer than the one I was wearing, put on my raincoat and headed out the door.  I got to class and realized that I was still wearing my basketball shorts underneath.  All was well though because it made me warmer and you couldn´t tell.

We have two new districts in our zone and my comps and I are Sister Training Leaders.   It doesn´t really mean anything because we have just been here longer than them.  And there are only 4 other sisters.  The other district are Elders only. There are 4 that are going to Mexico City, North and Southeast mission though.

It hasn´t really hit me that I am on a mission.  It feels like I have been here forever and I will be here for a long time but I leave for the field in 2 weeks.  Crazy.  

The gospel is amazing.  I read Ether 12:27 wear it talks about weak things become strong and I can´t help but think that every weakness that I have becomes my strongest asset out here because I am able to testify about how the gospel has helped me during those times of troubles.  I wouldn´t give any of my trials for a better moment.  Those trials have made me who I am.

The gospel is oh so good!  I love you to pieces!  Let me know if you got my letter please!  

Love ALWAYS and FOREVER!

Hermana Drew

Hermana Spencer, me and Hermana Johnson

Hermana Short, me Hermana

Week two in the CCM

MOM!!!!!!!

Aaaaahhhhh I am so excited to write you again!  Life was pretty good this week but my companions and I got a little frustrated and we broke down.  I felt so bad for our Elders but they were really nice and they gave us blessings.  I love my district!

My companions are amazing!  I love them a ton!  I am still adjusting to having to be with someone constantly but I love it!  We get along great and we help each other with everything!  Yeah Hermana Johnson said that she knows Abbey too!  Crazy how small this world is!  Speaking of that..my companions both go to UVU!  Hna. Johnson is from Kaysville, UT and serving in Cacun, Mexico Mission and Hna. Spencer is from Farmington, UT serving in the Merida, Mexico Mission. They are both 19 Hna. Johnson turns 20 in March and Hna. Spencer just turned 19 in December.

Me, Hermana Spencer & Hermana Johnson in front of the

My clothes are great!  They are the perfect length and we I took the perfect amount.  I haven´t worn somethings yet but I will get to it!  The weather changes a lot here.  In the mornings and nights it cools down a lot but about noon day it is really hot! Did Tay show you that picture of my tan line?  Also my hair is the definition of huge everyday!  Everyone loves it though....

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I laughed so hard when I read your email to McKenna!  Sorry I didn´t leave good enough instructions!  It can be a little frustrating!

My Elder´s are great.  We did struggle with staying focused in study time but we are back on track!  

Crazy story!  I was talking to this Elder here from Portland Oregon and I told him that´s where my brother in law served.  Turns out they were way good friends!  His name is Elder Kerns and he will be serving in the St. George, UT mission, Spanish Speaking!  So Crazy!  I was amazed when I heard that!  He says to tell Robert to email him.

Also I found another website that does packages missionarypackagemx.com or mydearmissionary.com.  It only takes a day or two for the packages to get to us but don´t use it if it is crazy expensive.

My Spanish is coming along great!  I am so proud of myself when I can speak a full sentence without thinking about it!  Also I can understand my teachers better!

Oh yeah and today we got to go into the City and take care of some stuff for our Visas.  It is so beautiful!  I love the City!  I am very excited to serve there!  I was a little bummed because we weren't able to have street tacos...but I have my whole mission for that!

A famous statue in Mexico City

I love you so much Mom!  Thanks for all you do for me!  

Hermana Drew

A view of the houses outside my window at the MTC

Another view outside my window

MTC The first email

MAMA!!!!!

Can I just say that I am so excited to email all of you!  My fingers are really excited too and I can´t control them, so I apologize for all of the spelling errors, especially because I am typing on a Spanish keyboard.

The flight was amazing!  It felt like I was on a roller coaster at some points.  I was laughing because it tickled so much!  I will send you some pics of my last view of Utah and my first view of Mexico City!  Don´t worry as group flight leader I got everyone here safely! 

I am in a trio with Hermana Johnson and Hermana  Spencer!  They are both really cute girls and they help me so much!  We started the language the second day and all of the teachers here do not speak any English to us.  I was so proud of myself when I could understand what they were saying! Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed in the classes because I am really tired and I have studied so much but I just always think about how I will be able to speak like a native! (Note from Mom, In Caitlin's setting apart the Stake President told her she would speak like a native.) Also we taught our first lesson on Thursday in Spanish!  All I can say is the gift of tongues is real!

I did get your letters in my suitcase!  (We all wrote letters of encouragement and sneaked them in her suitcase before she left.) I read them often and I am so grateful for all the advice that you have given me!  Seriously I am so lucky to have an awesome family like you!  Love you tons!  I do miss you guys though!  I wish that we could all serve a mission together!  Like the Duggars do! (from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting)  Ours would be so much better though!

Elder Huffaker is is my district!  Crazy right!  I will send a pic of my district!  They are amazing and so great to be around!  It´s like my family away from home!

Please send pics of aunt B´s addition!  I want to see your amazing talent!  The buildings here are so nice and they have the best garden beds!  It´s like a picture from a magazine!

I really am doing so great!  Everyone helps me so much!  We study all day long and then teach for 40 min at night.  Sometimes I wish I wasn´t speaking Spanish so I could focus on the gospel because it is so good but Heavenly Father would have sent me somewhere else if He thought I could not handle it!  

The food here is amazing!  On my first night we had corn dogs! haha Not what I expected!  But don´t worry I have had my share of Mexican food and Dad, all of the Americans here can't handle the heat but I think is it so delicious!

Most p-days we get to decide what we want to do but today we got to go to the visitors center at the temple!  It seriously is the coolest visitors center ever!  We watched this video about families and you can bet your bottom dollar that I cried!  The best thing though is that even though we may not be able to spend all of our time on earth together,  we will get to spend eternity together!  I love you so much!  

For the rest of p-day we will get to do laundry, play in the gym, email, and study.  Guess what!  I get to play tennis sometimes!  Best thing ever!  

The City is so beautiful!  They use every part of the city!  There are trees in the middle of the streets and parks under overpasses!  There is a lot of trash in some places but I love it here anyway!  Traffic is crazy busy!  The drivers only will stop if there is a red light and that is only a possibility.  There are no road lines so you just go where you want.  Also some of the people here will sell things in the middle of the street during traffic stops!  They are so smart!

Well that's all I really have to say about this week!  I feel the spirit so strong here and I love it!

I love you tons!

Hermana Drew

Last View of Utah

 First view of Mexico City

Me & Hermana Johnson & Hermana Spencer

My District in front of the MTC

A selfie with my district minus two Elders

The Adventure Begins

My whole life I have wanted to serve a mission if the opportunity came.  I remember when I was sixteen somebody was asking me about what I am planning for my future.  I remember saying that serving a mission would be "cool".  The day that I would serve a  mission seemed so far away.  I would go to school and work on my degree then when the time came I would put my papers in and head off on my mission.  Just like many other girls, my mission came closer, due to the missionary age change.  That day during conference my sister called us and said that she was ready to serve a mission.  In January of 2014 she left for the Canada Halifax mission.

I knew that serving a mission was something that I wanted to do. The big question was if Heavenly Father wanted me to serve a mission too.  I started praying, reading scriptures, looking at my patriarchal blessing, asking my parents, and going to the temple. I was playing the waiting game for two months before I got my answer.  The next question was when.

My family is a middle class family.  Every family member who is able to work has a job.  We don't go on many vacations and we have our monthly budgets.  We already have one missionary out, how are we going to afford two?  There have been many money struggles in my life and times where I shouldn't have been able to afford living somewhere or going to school.  During these times my testimony of tithing and fast offerings grew.  I know that because I was obedient, Heavenly Father blessed me and my family.  I worked during the summer saving up as much money that I could. I got another job during the fall and I am currently working a seasonal job.

It took a few weeks for me to get my call and during those weeks we kept pulling pranks on each other.  I started with bringing in a white envelope and waving it in the air saying that it was my call but in reality it wasn't.  There were many more events like this.  My mom finished the pranks with putting my call inside a church envelope that was addressed to my dad.

The Call inside the envelope

Mom being secretive

Called to serve in the Mexico City West mission

I had so many thoughts of where I would serve but Mexico never crossed my mind.  I was really excited when I read those words and I though of all my family and friends who were already serving. I already loved the Mexican Culture so much!  It is a blessing to serve the Lord and help others feel the Savior's love.  Viva a la Mexico!