It is Getting Crazy With All the Nuns Here

The biggest news this week is that a nun came to church. When we got to church all these people came out into the foyer, 'a nun is here! In the church! You need to teach her!' Everyone was going crazy! And it is true. There she was, in all her nun finery. She stayed the whole 3 hours, asked lots of questions, and wanted a Book of Mormon. From what I gathered, she lives by a family in our ward and they invited her. And she loves the Mormons which of course is great. There is a possiblity that we could be teaching her this week...

 

I got my hair cut and I got new glasses. I didn´t have enough time in the mornings to properly do my hair, so I decided to donate it. And my eyes are pretty much allergic to Spain, so I haven´t been able to wear my contacts.

 

I have had quite a few people think I am Spanish. That is until I start to speak. That is when I will work on perfectly a few phrases to really confuse people!

 

There is a lot of work going on here in Pamplona. In the next month, we(hermanas and elders) have 5 baptisms scheduled. We are constantly staying busy, teaching and finding. It is a lot of hard work but definitely worth it.

 

A couple funny things have happened with learning the language this past week. I was trying to explain to my companion that I was the oldest in my family and ended up saying that I was the best...those words are super close in Spanish.

This one happened to my companion. We have been teaching this older man Felipe...he has been ´taught´ by missionaries for about 40 years. Anyways, he loves English and was asking my companion what 'under way' meant. She thought he said underware(?spelling?) and began explaining that to him! He was pretty embarrassed.

 

Thanks for all the support! I love you all a million misunderstandings in Spanish!

And Here We Have Pamplona

I have arrived. After two months, I have made it to my first area. And my sanity is still intact, Miracle of Miracles. Pamplona...seriously this place is absolutely gorgeous. I am in absolute awe everywhere I go. You can just feel the history everywhere, and I LOVE IT! But along with that, I am more exhausted then I have ever been. I honestly fall into bed everynight. My journal is really suffering...

I got here on wednesday, and it has been straight to work. I have two companions, Hna Church and Hna Culverwell. They are both amazing missionaries and are already teaching me a ton. I get to share what I can in our lessons. Most of the time I can kind of catch the guist of what is going on. It is not easy those. Sometimes my brain is just like ´hold on´ because I am concentrating so hard. There is quite a bit of work to do in this area. It has just been the two sisters here since July but a companionship of Elders is also coming to Pamplona, so there will be five of us here. Which is great. This area has only been a ward for about a year. The ward members are awesome and so nice...at least from what I could understand! bahaha

I honestly sometimes can´t even believe that I am here, that I am a missionary. It is awesome to be able to be a small part in helping people change their lives. I already feel such a love for the people here, something that I never thought would be possible. I am excited to be here and to be working hard.

I love you a million walks down the Pamplona streets

Dust and Mud, Roar of the Sunday Crowd

I have arrived in my first area...drum roll please...Pamplona...home of the run of the bulls and delicious pastries. It used to be part of the Bilbao(?) mission.  I can´t even believe I am here!!!

Love- Melissa the Beautiful

(PS  Go here to see a picture of Melissa)

Pepper Ann, Pepper Ann Marching in Her Own Parade

So, the great news of the week is...I have pink eye! I know, awesome! Which means glasses all day every day!

 

The true news of the week is that on Tuesday, I will take a train to Barcelona! This is great because 1. I will be out of the MTC and in the field, and 2. I get to ride a train! Honestly, why do I love trains so much? I am beyond excited about that especially when I learned it is a super fast train. Tuesday can not come fast enough!

 

Eight other missionaries will get here on Saturday, including my two companions from the MTC. Then all of us but one will be heading to Barcelona. Visas seem to be coming faster because none of these missionaries coming have been out in the field. They are all coming straight from the Provo MTC. It will be great to have my companions with me, even if it is for a few short days!

 

Just one quick hilarious story. One night our teacher told us that this was the MTC, not Hogwarts. Elder Jones and I thought that was hilarious. We decided the MTC here is kind of like Hogwarts because the food seems to magically appear. Then a few days later, who should show up? An Italian Harry Potter. Serio. This Elder totally looks like Harry Potter, glasses included. And now of course we are taking a train...bahaha

 

Spanish is still coming along. Every saturday, we go to a park in downtown Madrid and do real contacting. It is pretty much the most terrifying thing of my life. Since there are no other sisters in the MTC, I got to go with some sisters who serve in Madrid. I did the first part-hello, how are you- and then when I couldn´t understand anymore, they would take over. Then they would give me an opportunity to bear my testimony about families, the Book of Mormon. I actually loved it. The sisters were so nice and helped me with my Spanish. Even though my Spanish is awful, it is amazing to be able to testify about things I know are true. But if people can´t understand, it doesn´t matter as much because the spirit is what counts. It made me excited to get to Barcelona!

 

I wanted to say thanks to everyone who has written or emailed me. I love it and appreciate it. I definitely feel the support.

 

Love you a million train rides on the Hogwarts Express

 

P.S. If you do email me, if you could include your home address. I won´t be able to email you directly back, but I can write a letter! And who wouldn´t want to get a letter from Spain?

 

 

Still Be Three Days Till You Say "I'm Sorry"

Greetings to All from Sunny Spain! Things this week have been a little crazy. Most of the missionaries left on tuesday, leaving me as the lone sister! Which is not horrible except that everyone keeps calling me Hermana Jones...Elder Jones is the only other Elder learning Spanish...can´t say that isn´t a little akward. I do have my own room now. I also have four beds to choose from...I plan on sleeping in a different one every night. It is a little weird being alone as a missionary. They are always talking about being with your companion...and now I don´t have one. So I do what I want. Of course within the missionary bounds.

 

I have been ordered starting tomorrow to only speak Spanish. This is because I am the worst Spanish speaker. Truly. I am pretty sure this means I will be practically a mute. Apparently my American vocabulary is too complex to translate into beginning Spanish. Which makes me feel good about my English and horrible about my Spanish. Just keep swimming swimming.

 

All the teachers here are pretty great but Hermano Lopez is especially awesome. He served his mission in Boise Idaho and has some great stories. Like how everyone thought he was from Mexico. When they would go to members homes to eat, often they would say 'now these enchiladas are probably not as good as the ones your mom makes' 'well actually this is only the second time I have had enchiladas...' Okay maybe that was one of those things you had to be there for. He also got introduced to eggnog while in the states, a delicacy Spain does not have. He believes that the tree of life had little bottles of eggnog. Oh goodness.

 

Elder Jones and I get along pretty good. We are learning to work together and teach. His Spanish is much better than mine, so I can learn a lot from him. He is constantly looking up random phrases in Spanish, which is hilarious. Last week it was ´she is up to her old tricks´. I think we are getting along because he offered his brother to me...to marry. awesome. All this while dangling a picture of his family in my face. 

 

I only have two weeks left here, then I am off to the real world. I am a little nervous but pretty excited. That is one thing that keeps me going when things are hard. This gospel makes me happy and I am excited to share that with people.

 

I love you a million glasses of eggnog, not found at the Made in America stores

Shower? Who needs to shower?

Hola! ¿Como la va? Bahaha as you can see my Spanish is progressing nicely...except that everyone talks so so fast! I am still trudging along at Spanish. It gets a little easier everyday and I am understanding more and more. And only two and a half weeks before I am in Barcelona for reals!  I can´t even believe that I have been out for 5 weeks.

 

The Spain MTC is so much different than the Provo MTC, definitely more relaxed. There are about 15 of us who are here for MTC training and then random bunches of Elders who are just here passing through. Most of them have been out in the US waiting for their visas. Next week, there will be only 9 of us here. A group of missionaries will be leaving, which means....I will be the lone sister! Ahhh! The one good thing about that is I will have my own room with my own personal bathroom! It definitely be an experience without a real companion. There will only be two of us speaking Spanish- Elder Jones and I. He came in at the same time and is also serving in Barcelona. He is kind of hilarious, mostly cause he loves to tell me what girls think. Pure hilarity! "you understand because it is that girl emotion stuff". Bahaha

 

I have already taught a bunch of lessons in Spanish. I feel a little bad for the people we practice on because it takes me for.ever. to get through one subject. Lots of pauses and lots of umms.  The teachers here are great. Both of mine served missions in the US...one in Idaho. They are good at letting me take my time, which I appreciate! The MTC is right on the temple plaza, which I LOVE! At night it just lights up the sky-ahh I can't even describe how beautiful it is. It makes me happy everytime I look at it.

 

The food here is delicious...and we eat lots of it. Serious. Meat, rice, potatoes, some kind of vegatable, fruit and bread...add a little dessert to that and bam an Madrid MTC meal. Plus we have twice a day snack times. Hopefully I won´t weigh 300 pounds by the time I leave this place but luckily it is all fresh and delicious! I am still working on enjoying the fish but I am taking it step by step! And of course I can´t forget the Nutella, the love of my soul. So delicious!

 

I hope all is going well. I love being here and learning so many new things. It is amazing and I already love Spain! Yeah for public transportation!

 

I love you all a million slices of Spain bread with Nutella.

Madrid Spain MTC Address

I put Melissa's address at the Madrid MTC on the sidebar, for those who like to send letters through the mail.
Karen

And here we have Spain

Well I have arrived in the great country of Spain! It has been a long week, emotionally and physically.On Friday I got called down to the Travel Office, where they told me that my visa had arrived and that I would be leaving Tuesday. It was a bit of a shock. I had just come to terms with spending all 9 weeks in the Provo MTC. So I was little...sad to leave. I loved my district...Even after just 3 weeks I felt like the Elders were my brothers. And I adore my companions. We had just expected that we would leave together.

 

Since I was leaving, I got to speak in my zone branch on Sunday...in Spanish. Lets just say that was an adventure and I pretty much slaughtered the beautiful language. Then i was able to bear my testimony in English. Which of course I am much better at. I got a little emotional but of course before that I had to throw out one of my famous one liners...´I am feeling kind of sick, so I might Ralph everywhere´ Yeah that will bring them to you.

 

I spent the next couple days getting everything packed. I hadn´t really done any laundry on my P-day beacuse I thought I would be there for longer, so I had to hurry and do all that. I managed to fit all my things in two bags...both under fifty pounds. I am pretty much a master packer. It was hard saying good-bye to my district...we all wanted to hug but that is not allowed so we just had to settle for several firm handshakes. Hugs all around for my companions.

 

Then I left at 5 in the morning yesterday. Boarded a bus at the MTC, boarded a plane at the SLC airport, flew to New York...concrete jungle where dreams are made...boarded another plane to Madrid, tried to sleep on the plane, failed, arrived in Madrid at 7:30 in the morning-madrid time. Now they are keeping us up till 6.30 so that we can get over our jet lag. Which means two days awake...not gonna lie, I am feeling pretty sleepy right now! What I have seen of Madrid so far is beautiful. Tomorrow we get to explore the city a bit. The MTC is right by the temple...my room overlooks it. It is absolutely gorgeous.  There are about 20 people here at this MTC...most of them not learning Spanish. This will be a crazy adventure.

 

Now I am off to try and stay awake. I am pretty sure I could sleep standing up at this point. I love you a million views of the Madrid temple.

First Pictures

Do you see the nametag...it is craziness.



Ba ha ha... me as a missionary in front of the Provo Temple.
Possibly the only day I have had time to do my hair.



Breaking News

I just heard from Melissa.  Her visa came today, and she will be leaving for the Madrid MTC tuesday morning! Horray!

September 9, 2010

Goodness it sounds like it has been a crazy week for everyone!


I honestly don't know if I have that much to write about because everyday is pretty much like the next. We got our first 'real' investigator this week. All of the teachers have profiles of people they taught or family members so that we can have a real teaching experience. Our first investigator is 'Sarah' aka Hermana Barker. She is going to be pretty tough to teach because Hna. Barker was once Baptist. Seriously Baptist...like engaged to a Baptist pastor serious. So she knows all the hard questions to ask and she will play it tough. But it should be good because we definitely need some practice. It is hard teaching lessons to other missionaries because they don't always take it seriously. I know I don't.

Our Visas for sure didn't come, so we will probably be here for a couple extra weeks. It shouldn't be too bad. I love my companions so at least I get a couple extra weeks with them.

We are no longer the youngest hermanas in our zone. We just got 4 new hermanas yesterday. It is always nice because hermanas are always in short supply. I don't know them very well but they seem like a lot of fun.

Okay so this is like the lamest email but I don't have much to say! I am enjoying the MTC. Trying to work hard. Spanish is still difficult but I am trying hard. Hopefully my Spanish brain and my English brain will connect soon!

Love you a million Spainsh words!

Love- Melissa the Beautiful!

September 2, 2010

Hola!

This may be the extent of my Spanish words...just kidding I know how to say I am a missionary and that I love Jesus. What else could there be? I honestly can't believe that I have already been here for two weeks. The days go by super super slow but then it feels like the weeks just fly by. I got word that I will not be leaving the MTC next week. Visas are slow right now so most likely I will be here the full 9 weeks. I was a little sad about that but I have really started to love my zone and district, so in a way I am glad I am not leaving.

So just a couple of fun things about the MTC. I pretty much adore my chair. We sit in a classroom all day, which would be terrible except that I have the most amazing chair. It reclines and is super comfy. I really want to take it with me when I leave. I might even write an ode to it. I consider my chair an MTC blessing.

And then there is the free box. I cannot even explain how awesome the free box. Pretty much hermanas when they are leaving put anything they can't fit in their suitcases, in the free box. I found a brand new pair of American Eagle jeans...in the free box! And they were just my size. Another MTC miracle. Sometimes there is even delicious food. Wonder of Wonders Miracle of Miracles...name that.

Okay so I pretty much love my district...8 little Elders, beautiful boys. Sometimes I get a little annoyed because they are so crazy but they have amazing testimonies. Mostly I just want to bottle their enthusiasm because they already love being on a mission. I need to work on that!

One of my companions, Hermana S, has broncitis(?). So we actually got to escape the MTC on Saturday and journey to the outside world! And by that I mean the BYU Health Center and Rite Aid...so nothing too exciting. It did feel a little weird to be in the outside world. Everyone one is jealous cause usually you don't get to leave unless you are super sick. Hna. S is getting better. The majority of the week we spent up in our rooms, while she slept. It kind of stunk to miss class, but what can you do.

I am not going to lie, being here at the MTC is hard. It is easy to get discouraged with the language. Then there are just these moments of pure joy, when I get to share my testimony about the Savior or hearing someone talk about the changes that have come in there life because of the gospel, and it all feels worth it.

I love you a million pairs of perfect fitting jeans from the free box.

-Melissa the Beautiful

August 26, 2010

I have been here for over a week which is just craziness. It feels like forever but in a good way! My companions are pretty awesome. We are all pretty different but we get along well. A lot of time we just end up laughing about things and have to be like 'focus!' and get back to work. Hermana P has the best facial expressions and knows tons about Spanish, so I am already relying on her. Hermana S knows a line from every movie and is very outgoing...which helps me, since I am not!


Most of the day we spend in the classroom...pretty much on our own. We wake up have personal study for an hour, then head to breakfast. I feel pretty healthy here because all I eat is fruit and salad. Plus drink lots of water! Mostly because all the other meals are heavy on the meat. But pretty much everybody thinks I am this super healthy girl. I have got them all fooled. Though on Wednesday and Sunday they have Ice Cream...Cocunut Joy...Just skip all those fun and games and head straight for the Ice Cream!

We have two teachers during the day. Hermano Milne and Hermano Ruseke. Hno. Milne is the same age as me...which is hilarious. He is really knowledgable about the gospel, so I feel like I am learning a lot form him. It is pretty humorous because he is always making these sound effects...makes him seem my age. But he knows how to teach with the spirit. Hno Ruseke is much more serious...He kind of reminds me of a Jedi master. He also knows the gospel like the back of his hand and has been working us hard to learn the doctrines.

There are 8 Elders in my district. They are all going to Honduras...they are pretty funny and are starting to warm up to us. Apparently they are scared of girls...but it is all good because we force them to sit by us at lunch!

I am doing pretty good here. Every hour I feel like I am feeling a different emotion but I always go back to being happy. Elder holland came and spoke to us on tuesday about working hard and not wasting a minute, so I am trying to embrace this opportunity and sieze it. I miss you all and think about you all the time! I love you a million bowls of cocunut joy!

Love- Hermana Roberts the Beautiful

First Letters

We received two letters from Hermana Roberts yesterday.  The second one repeats some of the first one, so I will edit a bit.  (the second is a form letter the branch presidency had them fill out.)

August 18, 2010
Dear Family,
Ha ha, they say I need to tell you that I am A-okay.  Which I am.  It was rough the first five minutes but I am good!  I have two companions-Hermana P and Hermana S.  We are lucky and have three!  H. P is from Arizona and H S. is from American Fork.  The first day has been totally different then I expected, but better not scary.

I actually saw a couple of people I know.  I saw Kiera M. and talked with her.  I caught a glimpse of Ryan C and a girl I know from school.  I wasn't expecting to see anyone I knew the first day!

Things are a little crazy, but not as bad as I was expecting.  Though I kind of feel like all we do is sit in the classroom and eat...I think they are trying to make us gain a million pounds before we leave...but I am determined that won't happen!

I miss you all and can't wait to hear from you!

Melissa the Beautiful

August 19, 2010
This is again a note to say I have survived the first 24 hours.  I didn't fall out of my bunk bed, choke on a piece of chicken, or injure myself on the exercise machine.  So it is all good.  I am expecting many letters.  I miss you all.

Melissa the Beautiful

P.S. I eat salad and fruit -so healthy!

In Which Hilarity Ensues And I Pack For My Mission

I have been looking for a sweatshirt to take on my mission. Unfortunately, the girls section of most stores are filled with sweatshirts that have sparkles or the word 'Peace'. So I ventured to the boys section for a wider selection. It was there that I spotted it...the perfect sweatshirt. Light blue with flower designs on the front. Nothing too crazy.

It wasn't until I got home that Emily pointed out this

The pretty flowers and birds formed a skull!

In other news, I leave for the MTC tomorrow. Barcelona baby...by way of Provo. My mom will be posting my emails on my blog, so anyone who is interested can see what I am doing. I put my email and address on the sidebar for those who want it! See you all in 18 months!

I'M Moving Out

This is what my room looks like.

Bare. Messy. Sad.

Finding a cute durable suitcase is harder than it seems.

I have more cardigans and scarfs then shirts. I can't help it. I love cardigans.

I may have cried when I packed away my books. I am just really attached to them.

I also have an obsessive amount to Sharpies. The better to write cute letters with.

I have watched the first three Seasons of Bones while packing my room. And I even got rid of stuff.

Kimber told me she would be sad when I left but she wouldn't cry. Keep a stiff upper lip.

This Is The Final Countdown

Only 23 days till I leave for the MTC.

I am set to go. I have every color imaginable in my favorite pen.

I Drove All Night

I went to California to visit this lovely lady. And I had a blast. The beach, sleeping in, Eclipse, friendship bracelets, delicious food, 'I remember you', San Francisco, rollerblading, mission advice, Celine, late nights, RACHEL.

Make Me Some Ugly Hair

Fireworks. Cousins. Awesomeness.

Most of these pictures were taken by Scarlett. Which would explain why they are so cool.

Looks Like the Love child of Zac Efron and Jesse McCartney

Do I love JB? Yes. Which is one of the reasons I am glad Emily is coming home this weekend. Then I will have someone to listen to Justin Bieber with. And I know she will love this video. Plus it is a Remix...with Usher. bahaha.