Our first 3 days!

Mi español es muy poco, pero en mi carazón soy una Mexicana! I can’t believe I am writing my first letter from Cuernavaca. This adventure has seemed a long time in coming, but we are finally here. The MTC was beyond words. To have seen all of the members of the First presidency, 11 members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, all of the Presidents of the Seventy, and many other Seventies has been beyond what we could have ever imagined. We have heard a lot about trust and love from the Lord. We have heard a lot about how important is the work of saving souls. We have heard a lot about how we will be blessed and protected. We have heard a lot about loving our missionaries and the people of Mexico, and we have heard a lot about the power of the Priesthood. The Lord has been so good to us and we are anxious to get on with the work of spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I promise you that I will work until I can work no more in furthering the work of Lord and that I will give the Lord my best. May the Lord wear me out. We arrived in Mexico City on Thursday (the 28th) and were greeted at the airport by President and Sister Spanaus carrying the banner they use when meeting new missionaries. They had balloons (in Mexico colors of course) and Sister Spanaus gave me a bouquet of red roses – one for every month we will be here in Cuernavaca. We drove from Mexico City to Cuernavaca (about 1 ½ hours) and we talked while we enjoyed the beautiful countryside. As we passed under the sign indicating we had gone from the state of Mexico to the state of Morrelos (which is the beginning of our mission), Sister Spanaus said that there can’t be two presidents of any mission so they whipped off their badges and we were in charge! We drove to the office and met the elders there – such wonderful young men and they promised that they would take good care of me and do anything we needed or wanted (since then they have accompanied us to Costco, emigration, and then yesterday afternoon to Walmart). Then we came to the mission home. To those of you who have seen pictures – it is even more beautiful than what you have seen. Because of all tile floors everything echoes when you talk. It’s wonderful! Friday we went to emigration and what was going to be a one hour visit turned into 3 because they did not like one piece of information and we had to redo it. But now we are legal for one year. (good news – we got a referral at the emigration office) We headed off to Costco for some food and fans. It’s not quite the same as the US but it has a lot of the same things we had at home (well with the exception of spices, cereal, bread, snacks, soda - hummm I guess it is really different). Bruce went out with the missionaries to teach 2 discussions and eat dinner with members. I stayed home and tried to figure out the washing machine, dryer, and the stove. I had my ipad out on the washing machine using my translation program to read the dials. I managed to get laundry done and bake some brownies, no small feat to be sure. The office elders came over at 6:15 for brownies and ice cream (I couldn’t make what I wanted to because I couldn’t get the ingredients so I let the elders choose what they wanted to have) so we could introduce ourselves and get to know them. In between I tried to get some things put away and get organized. Saturday was Zone Leader Counsel Meeting from 9-12. I introduced us and our family and passed around pictures of our hijos y nietos for all of the Zone Leaders to see. Then Bruce taught about what we expected from the missionaries and on the Doctrine of Christ. He said after that he had been blessed just as Elder Bednar had said in the blessing Bruce received that he would be able to express everything he wanted. We had a report on each Zone and had each elder bear a testimony. Now my Spanish isn’t all that great, but I know the Spirit was there, because I felt it. We had some Q and A (they asked what our biggest concerns were and how could they help us) and then we finished with our testimonies. The bishop’s wife had lunch ready for us and then we took pictures with most of our elders. It was so amazing and the Spirit was strong with these leaders. After the meeting off to Walmart we went – oh yikes that was an experience, it’s pretty different. We attended a baptism that evening that was on the other side of Cuernavaca. Now the city is European in that the streets are very narrow, winding and unmarked. It is however, very Mexican with bright colors, beautiful brown people, small tiendas on almost every block, and stray dogs everywhere. We allowed extra time to get to the building because we had the “we will get lost factor” we had to deal with. We got there with 10 minutes to spare and there was no one there and the chains were on the fence. We were afraid we had the wrong place but at 5:55 the sister missionaries arrived, opened the gates, and began preparations for the baptism that was supposed to start at 6. Welcome to Mexico. There was a man that was attending who said he had just joined the church 3 weeks before. He told Bruce that he had seen the missionaries many times and wondered why they did not knock on his door. He said that just about the time he was thinking that again, why don’t the missionaries come, they knocked on his door. Seeing this man at the baptism, giving the invocation like he had been a member forever, was such a great reminder of why we are here. After the baptism we got completely lost and made the same loop around some homes in a hilly areas of the city several times when we laughed and said we thought we would be still driving on the same street forever (anyone remember the song about the man that would ride forever ‘neath the streets of Boston, and never return – that would be us). We did get home, and without the help of the Assistants I might add. This morning was our block of church – 8 until 11ish. I met some wonderful people and we each bore our testimonies. The meetings were different, with people getting up to greet each other after it began, no piano in Relief Society so people just sing in any key they want, a RS teacher who was determined to give her entire lesson regardless of going over by 15 minutes and having primary children coming in and writing on the chalk board behind her, not understanding much of what was said, and having the RS President ask me if I would sign on the calendar to feed the missionaries, BUT the Spirit was there and these people are very warm and friendly. There was a brother who bore his testimony in fast and testimony meeting who joined the church just 2 months ago and said that he knew that when he came out of the water after being baptized, that we was leaving his old life behind. This hermano was inspiring. This is the Lord’s Church and I am so grateful to be able to share my testimony. Bruce is meeting with the office elders right now going over our schedule for the next 3 months. I sat in the beginning when we were talking about our schedule for the rest of July – oh yikes, there is hardly time to breathe. I have never eaten more sandwiches (because there has not been time to cook anything) in my life. I am thankful for peanut butter and jam because it is quick. Missionaries called last night to ask him if they could go ahead and confirm a sister today even though (with 4 attempts yesterday) she had not been completely immersed in the water. Another called to ask how they could get their dying investigator baptized because she had one leg and was so sick she couldn’t come to church. I have had 6 missionaries sick and have talked to the mission doctor twice already. I don’t think we have a dull moment to be sure. . Bruce said to me this morning that he had never slept better than since we have been here and I told him that it is because we fall into bed at night, exhausted. We just about have the greeting down – for Bruce and the elders (or any man) it is shake hands, hug and pat their backs 2 times, shake hands again – for me and the sisters is it shake hands and then touch cheeks and kiss the air. If you decide to do a “high five” you must follow it with a fist bump and another “high five.” Will I ever get this? I am sorry this is so long but I wanted to just give you a feeling for this beautiful place. I love you all and send hugs to you all. Alynda