Hola From Mexico!

Hola from Mexico!!

Okay, well Mexico is way different than the United States, but I´m so excited to start my adventure! When I got off the plane I new how the Elder felt when he said, "Elder, thats not the language I learned in the MTC!" Man, I can´t understand a thing!! Ha its really hard honestly and really frustrating, but I know I am being blessed with the gift of tongues because everyday it becomes just a teeny tiny bit easier to understand and be understood. So we arrived in Villahermosa late Monday night and then Tuesday morning we went to the mission office and wrote a letter to our trainer, but we didn´t know who our trainer is...so I was a little confused. Come to find out we have a devotional where we read our letter to the group of trainers and the trainers pick the missionary they want to train...pressure say what?? But my trainers name is Hermana Aguirre, and she is seriously THE BEST trainer in the whole world! She has only been out for 4 1/2 months but she´s solid! She´s a native from Tijuana Mexico and speaks next to no english, but it´s good because my spanish needs a lot of help! She is so patient and so willing to help me with anything! I feel bad because I feel like she does everything, it´s probably like she has a 3 year old child, but she is still so kind to me! We actually are really similar, from the few things I can talk with her about, we have come to find we have many of the same interests and goals in life! AND we got transfered to the Ciudad de Carmen! It´s the only island in our mission. It´s beautiful in its own way, but it´s definitley not paradise! Ha Mexico is VERY dirty...there is garbage everywhere which is taking a lot to get use to and there are a MILLION dogs on the street. It´s very hot and the sun is super powerful, I´ve managed to already fry my neck and face, but I hope my skin will be able to adjust. We live in an area called the Reforma. Its full of very very poor people and very wealthy people. Of course we live in a poor area, but I always feel safe and protected! There are definitely a lot of borrachos walking around, but they´re actually pretty funny to talk to cause they just mumble and stumble along! I get a lot of stares and whistles...that makes me a little uncomfortable, but that´s just their culture. I constantly get cat called and check out but its only because I´m white, cause that definitely didn´t happen in the states!! But the scariest part that I´ve had to adjust to is the streets. They are SO scary!! There are no lanes painted on the street, no laws at all it seems. We ride in these little volkswagon vans and they are so scary and we´re flying across seats as the driver swerves in and out of traffic, but this is life in Mexico! The showers are freezing and a salamander lives in our shower, so me and him just stare at each other daring each other to move as I shower...ha I´m having to overcome my fear of insects and reptiles really fast!! Ha its taking a lot of adjusting and it definitly is pretty hard, but I´m positive it will be a good experience and I will see a lot of miracles here!

I want to share one experience we had Friday. We went to a the Zavala Family´s house to visit them and we asked them for referals. When we asked, there little 6 year old daughter Caren stood up put on her shoes and said, I´ll show you where all of my friends live! So she led us from house to house in her neighborhood and we got a few appointments set up, when we thought she was done, she told us she wanted to go to the next neighborhood, but in order to get to the next neighborhood, you have to go past a lot of industry parks and there aren´t any lights, so we tried talking her out of it because the road is pretty dangerous. But she wouldn´t drop it, so we finally gave in and walked to the next neighborhood. As she walked us up the front path of this house me and my companion looked at each other because the spirit was so strong as we approached the door. Little Caren rang the door bell and a man answered the door. As we explained that his friends, the Zavala Family, had refered us to them he looked confused. Come to find our Caren had never met this family in her life, she just chose a house at random and rang their doorbell! But as we talked to him about the Book of Mormon and how the gospel can bless familys the spirit was so strong! Caren then led us to one more house that she had no clue who is was, but as we talked to the lady who lived in the house, the spirit was there as well. Little Caren saved the day!!! That little girl is so amazing and just follows her heart for everything! She is definitley spunky and knows what she wants, but I love her!! The Lord works in mysterious ways and Caren is one of them! I can´t wait until I can finally have a grasp on the language and culture and dig deep into the work that needs to be done in this city. I love you all and I can´t wait to see what adventures Carmen has in store for me! Please pray that I may continue to receive the gift of tongues..I need all the help I can get! Stay strong and keep the faith!!

Con amor,
Hermana Pasley