Week 1 in the mission field

one week down in the mission field. I cannot believe this is real life. What in the world. So many things have happened this week and I dont really even know what to say so if this email doesnt make any sens i am terribly sorry. Okay. So I LOVE my companion. Seriously love her. Her name is Hermana Boudesocque and she is so great. The whole mission came to the transfer conference because it was the last one before President Jeppson left so I got to see all the missionaries!! Literally all of the missionaries I talked to told me that Heremana Boudesocque is the best and that she is going to put me to work. They were so right. hahaha she is so awesome. She goes home this August and I hope that I am the kind of missionary she is. She is so bold and we are so similar is so many things!! Except the spanish part. Her mom is Colombian so she could understand spanish perfectly before the mission but couldnt speak it super fluently. Now her spanish is so beautiful so im hoping that rubs off onto me.  You will not believe this. I have been assigned to the Princeton area!! When President Jeppson announced that I could not believe it. This is the SAME area that I visited when I came to New Jersey last summer (and no President Jeppson did not know that). Hermana Boudesocque couldnt believe that either because she has never been in an area so south before. Which leads me to my next point. my comp and i were doubled in, which means that both of us are new to the area. It was very overwhelming at first cause we just had a big binder of names and didnt know anyone or where anything was. Its so funny cause ill be driving and then I will recognize certain places like "oh I got my nails done there!" or "Oh yeah definitely got a smoothing there" or "I remember shopping in that J.Crew and Vanessa left her keys in that Urban Outfitters" the fact that I am here is so crazy. The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways. 

I CANNOT believe how many hispanic people there are. I laugh every time i think about when i was worried that i wouldnt pick up spanish since I was state side hahaha literally everyone we teach and contact speaks spanish. There are areas were we go and just walk around and talk to people on the streets and they all speak spanish. They are mostly from Guatemala and I feel like a giant around here because these guatamalan men maybe make it to my shoulder. We have also taught people from Mexico, the Dominican Republic (WOW they are so hard to understand hahah), Peruivans, Colombians, just so many people. 

In our mission, we have to get at least 10 contacts a day. That scared me to death because going and talking to random people, espicially in Spanish is so nerve-wracking. But now its just super fun because 1) Hermana Boudesocque and I run into the craziest people (thanks to mexico losing in the World Cup last night, and can say that i am on my way to mastering drunken spanish) and 2) They actually want to talk to us and wonder why the heck this blonde chick is running to catch up with them while talking in Spanish  

I have found that before teaching appts, on the way there, I feel such a nice calm. Thank heavens, because Mallory before the mission would be so freaking out. I am surprised that I am able to understand almost everything during the lessons. I know for a fact its not me though. Its all with the help of the Spirit. I have felt the Spirit work through me every time I testify of something. Every where we go we have un Libro de Mormon in our hand and every time i start to feel awkward because of how many people are staring at me, the words of Peter pop into my mind. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ". And guess what. If i repeat that in my head enough, I comes true!! 

We are missionaries in a Branch. We have enough members to be a ward, but there are so many inactive members. I didnt realize how many there were until we went to church and the attendance was so low!! We have a lot of work to do here and I'm so excited about it. Oh and from the pulpit the branch president asked us to come up and bear our testimonies. So that was super cool and it was so strange to be up there as a missionary for that branch. I feel such a responsibility in helping the members and strengthening them! 

So many things and its only the first week. Everyday is a rollercoaster but the ups are never far from the low points. I love you all and I know this church is true. I couldnt be more grateful for the opprotunity I have to be on the Lords errand everyday all day.