March 23, 2010 "Estoy Nadando en el Rio"

I got canned and they sent me back to the VC (PS It was brand new, so no garbage in there)

Alyssa Nelson. Apaprently we went to high school together? I met her when she got off the bus. I think she's out in Lawrence, KS. She is a cute girl (well, sister missionary now)

Big news!!



I got switched to Spanish-speaking and am serving in the Riverview ward in Kansas City, Missouri. I am back at the VC and trying to adjust. And let me tell you- it has been an adventure! Sometimes, it's like I'm drowning.



My companion's Hermana M. Her family is from Puerto Rico, but she grew up in New Jersey. She is GORGEOUS and really sarcastic and hi-LAR-ious. She is very patient with me and encourages me to speak Spanish all day long. I don't even know what to say. It is a dream come true! Seriously.



A few people have commented that my accent is very natural, which made me feel good. I just need to learn how to conjugate verbs because I never really learned. And what in the world is vosotros and why don't they teach it to us in high school? It's all over in the scriptures; don't they know?! My goodness.



I am full of mixed emotions. When President called me, I was at Cookees, the local drive-in down in Pleasanton, KS. I started jumping up and down on the phone. Then when I hung up, I told Sis Hafen the news and she said "So you'll be back at the VC, huh?" And it sunk in. No more cows. No more water towers. No more humble country folk. I did not feel ready to be back at the Visitors' Center. But, it's like Sis Hafen said, it really is the only familiar thing to me.



The language is coming along OK. Sister M is a wonderful teacher. Yesterday, I helped teach part of the lesson instead of just my testimony at the end. It felt great to be able to help Heavenly Father's children hear the Gospel in their native tongue. I love the Hispanic people! They give when they have nothing to give. I feel I have a lot to learn from them. I am grateful beyond words for this opportunity to stretch and rely on the Lord more as I do my best to learn how to communicate my feelings in Spanish. Also we just commit everyone we meet for baptism and they say yes. I wonder why it's so much easier with Hispanics...probably because they all say yes.



Here are some Qs my mom asked: "How will that work out with you having to travel into Kansas City? How far is it? Will you go with only your comp. Or team-ups? Tracting or referral only? Will you have to study espanol or just wing it? Do you live back in your old house or somewhere else?"

We live in Inde, but we drive to Kansas City when it's proselyting time. Our area is about 20 mins away. BUT our companionship is in charge of all the Spanish-speaking people in Indep, so we can visit any of the wards to try one person. Kind of weird. Just me and my comp drive to KC. We have teamups sometimes, but the problem is that everyone in the ward is so poor, they can't just come get us and drive us around all day....so we haven't had any yet and the other hermanas haven't had much. We have SOOO many investigators, so many people who are interested and progressing that we mostly visit them. Remember that we only have about 4 hrs of proselyting time. We haven't tracted at all yet, but we can if appts. fall through. Yes, I have one hour of language study, but I do it everyday at the VC while I shift so it doesn't cut into proselyting time. Our new house!! Oh my gosh. It's adorable. Some members donated it to the Church and it's all fixed up and WAY too cute for missionaries. I'll send pics. It's adorable. And we have our own washing machine and kitchen, etc. Super nice!

I can understand most of what is going on in lessons and at church (the ward has one sacrament mtg in ingles and one in espanol). I get confused sometimes with the questions people ask me about myself. But it's neat because I can feel more than I can hear/understand and so Heavenly Father steps in and helps me communicate. Like this one appointment- it's a part member family where the daughter has just started to get interested in the church. She is already a mother at age 13 or 14. The whole lesson was in Spanish and then at the end, I just told her that even though I didn't get everything, I could feel God's love for her more than anything I had ever felt. I started crying and she just looked at me and said "I know." She wants to get baptized as soon as possible, and I felt impressed to tell her that she needs to be sure she reads the scriptures everyday. On the way out, she said "Sister, you also need to be reading and studying everyday. It's the only way to learn Spanish. You can do it!" Isn't that interesting? I was trying to help her learn the language of the Spirit. Turns out, no matter what you are doing, you need to work hard and then find the strength through the Lord to do it.

And also my district leader is Elder Ben Cisternas, from Northridge Stake. He and I are buddies. He and his companion also serve in Riverview with us. I am so so so excited! He is great. And it's fun to talk about Orem stuff with him.

The other day, Sis M and I both felt prompted to talk to this one women (Hispanic). Another woman showed up. We got talking and figured out that they were Jehovah's Witnesses. But I kept my commitment and asked them if they knew of anyone we could visit. It was so normal to do. Then we get back in the car and Hna M goes "Sister, you just asked a J-Dub missionary for referrals. Who ARE you?!"

The first thing I learned was how to pray, bear my testimony and say "Estoy alergica a pescado". :)

Man, I love this work!! I hope you can feel my excitement somehow! This change feels so right. I know it's from God. He lives ,and through His son, Jesus Christ, He directs this work. I know this.

Yay! Estoy feliz al servir aqui, espeakin' da spaneesh.

Con amor,

Hermana!! Adamson