I have so much to tell you about this week and only like another half hour so lets see how fast I can type. AND I am feeling very popular and had THIRTY-TWO emails to check. Wootwoot thank you people.
So first of all the plane ride, haha m and d we made some people behind us cry when they saw us say goodbye... a few women came up and comforted me but when they asked how long I would be gone they did not have much to say they would just pat me on the back. Pretty funny. Now, not then though.
So, mom. You are the best... the handsoap, mints, shoes and starburst have come in handy more than I ever could have imagined. I swallow my pride and announce that it took me a whopping 5 days to wear my least favorite shoes, and they are like walking on clouds. So mom and Brandi, you were so right.
Katie and Jake... those letters and photo album... and moms card, which I found when I landed in Mexico made me cry but seriously brings me so much comfort. I love reading those when I miss home.
So waking up here is hard because I did not bring an alarm clock so my comp wakes me up and I'm not sure I like waking up to Hna McCormick... moms angel voice saying sweet shan was like 100 times better. Super fun and I am learning to be more pleasant in the mornings.
The teachers here are obsessed with my last name. Hna Picante... haha it is funny they all think McCormick is weird.
Sleeping here is fun... not. All I hear are the party animals beyond the gates, gunshots (all day, everyday), fireworks, the train, and sirens.
We had an earthquake, a baby one, evacuated and you could tell the Californians from everyone else. People were freaking out. I could not help but laugh.
Brandi!! Your perfume saves me and the sleeping stuff. Seriously makes me so happy.
So gym time is hilarious and Katie tell Hailey this... the girls in my district all do insanity I feel like hailey and it is so fun and hard and awesome and I love feeling sore. We even did it the first night!! I love getting gym at 2pm to work out daily. Some girls were so sore they stopped coming... and talking to me haha kidding.
So one night after class three other hermanas and I were talking and laughing and I was like you girls are great but do you ever just miss your friends?? we all laughed then I could tell tears were coming so i put my head down and that was so embarrassing. They all felt sad for me. I am definitely having the hardest time but it is okay because it just shows how close our family is and how lucky we are to have each other.
Sunday night devotional from Pres. Uchtdorf was amazing and he was at Provo MTC (they always are) and we were live and he gave all missionaries an apostalic blessing and it was amazing and then after... because a group of missionaries were all packing to leave so they were saying bye and the polys (Polynesians) did a haka dance and it was so great.
I really miss chocolate and driving around and singing to music so do that for me and enjoy those things haha. then last night devotional from Oaks (sister AND elder...lucky us) was amazing and sis o said appreciate this time to unplug from the world and to be selfless and that is what I will do. It is great doing church stuff 24/7 because we are always being uplifted.
So I have sent each of you family members a letter and use US stamps YAY but hopefully it wont go through customs because that takes like 2-3 weeks.
By the way, remember how I rolled my ankle? Still hurts... so weird. But only when I put pressure on the side of my foot.
The drive here was outrageous. No lanes, no rules our bus driver stopped in the middle of the freeway to shut a window and everyone goes around him. So unlike the US. And all of the houses are literally ontop of eachother and painted and so cool but people are out and about on the street everywhere. Looks like the movies
K minor setback..... my camera wont upload to this comp or another comp. So sad I could cry I have some good ones ;(
So we get so bored sometimes some weird things are fun to do like yesterday in our district the Elders tried to guess the sisters first names. I guess they think I should be a Sarah or Violet. Cool.
They say the water here is totally fine, and yet make us drink out of these $100 filter bottles they gave us.....
Also my comp needed pesos so we went to the ATM only to find like 4 fully armed guys with bullet proof vests on as they took care of the money. Definitely not in america anymore.
So karma for me... my comp likes to teach lessons by singing. I say you are flying solo.. and you better believe she does haha I refuse to sing. She is good and sweet to me. She is did a year at Weber state and has never left home and we are so different and I am already seeing how blessed I have been. BYU, newport beach, the list goes on and on.
I am so mad I listened to the clothes rules. I am already outfit repeating and I should have left the extra toiletries and brought more clothes! But what I did bring, I LOVE and my shoes. It is all so great.
I am so bummed the temples foundation is being fixed so we only get to go to the visitors center one of these weeks. So sad.
I am so grateful to be here. I love the spirit I feel here all the time. The hermanas are so great and there is one like Dev Greenlee and I love here. She is going to Arcadia CA. I love being on a mission and seeing myself turn to prayer and our Heavenly Father more and more and seeing things change about myself. If this is just week 1, I cannot wait to see what else is in store!
I love you all so much. Family: you are the absolute best and I think of you all the time and look at the clock and do the time change and wonder what you are up to.
I love you with all my heart, hope you are doing well.
Hermana McCormick
