HAPPY EASTER!

Hola Familia and friends! I have been at the MTC only 18 days... so crazy! The first week felt like a month long, and then the weeks just seem to go by quicker and quicker. I literally feel like it was just Pday for me. Time here just feels so surreal and weird, haha I can't even explain it. But I love the MTC! I am finally in the habit of putting my name tag on every day, I know what foods to definitely stay away from, and I can tell the buildings apart from one another and I even know what each building is... Woohoo! My district had the opportunity to host the new incoming missionaries! I ended up hosting this cute girl from Hong Kong who didn't speak any english, so it was a little tough. And of course since she didn't speak any english, my mind automatically assumed she spoke spanish so I kept saying things to her in espanol. She was very nice, but probably thought I was crazy. Hahaha 

over half of my zone is leaving on monday and I am so sad! I was blessed to have the opportunity to meet them all and I know without a doubt that they will all be incredible missionaries. Also, a couple of Elders in my district just found out that there are leaving on wednesday to finish their MTC time in Argentina....estoy muy triste! 

My zone is hilarious. The newest thing during lunch is to play "Real Life Fruit Ninja." The object of the game is to go up to someone eating a banana, and right after they peel it and are about to take a bite...you just slice it in half with a butter knife. Its hilarious. Its the little things in life, ya know. 

so if we are ever late to class, our "punishment" is to do a door approach in front of the whole class, in spanish of course. So, my companions and I were late one day and had to do this. We knocked, our teacher acting the role, peaked out through the door and asked us what we wanted. i began talking and said that we were missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints, she was hesitant to let us in because she said she was catholic. I began to say that we have a "mesaje" for her....her eyes lit up, and she opened the door right away! The class was laughing, I didn't understand why. Instead of saying we have a message for you, I said "we have a massage for you." Ha whoops. 

I now have 3 investigators! I love them all so much, even if they aren't "real" investigaTors. I am learning so much. I am learning that everything is centered on the Atonement and Jesus Christ. Its so great.

The spanish is coming along! I memorized my missionary purpose, the invitation to baptism and the whole first vision in spanish! Its hard to not let the language be a barrier when teaching. I always feel like I can never be myself in lessons or express my real feelings about something I am so passionate about. But, I look back at where I started the first week and I know I am getting better! I just can't wait for the day that I will be able to talk to people and really get to know them and their needs and share all my feelings :) 

Tomorrow is Easter and a general authority is coming to speak! I don't know who but I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is Holland ;)

 Its amazing how quick our hour of time goes by, but I want to share a quick scripture with you that I found this week in my scripture study. Alma 26:12. "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in His strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." I am so grateful for the sacrifice of my Savior. Because I Him, I can be freed of sadness, pains and afflictions. Because of Him, I can be happy and do all things. I love being a missionary. I love putting my nametag on everyday knowing that I am a representative of Christ. I can't wait to share the message of Christ with the people in my mission. 

If you haven't had the opportunity to watch the new #hallelujah mormon message video for Easter, PLEASE take the time to watch it at mormon.org. I am left speechless when I think of the sacrifice that He made for me. I can't even begin to express my gratitude. :)

Have a wonderful Easter, Christ loves you! 

♥Hermana Harley

The Singing Zone

This week has been great. Last pday (my pday is saturday by the way) I was able to go to the temple with my Zone and it was incredible, just what I needed. The temple just brings so much happiness, it was weird to leave the gates of the MTC and go out into the real world but I loved it so much. 

My Zone at the MTC is a singing Zone, meaning Choir is a must according to President :) In choir we are singing "This is the Christ" which is a perfect song as Easter gets closer. Hearing everyone sing the sweet words of that song is so powerful. The spirit is just so strong when we sing that song. The idea of Christ sacrificing himself for me and all my pains, afflictions and sins just leaves me speechless. I am so excited for Easter in the MTC. 

I love my district so much, they are family. Everyone just really wants to be here, and we have all worked so hard to be where we are. We are all so different, yet so alike at the same time. I am constantly laughing with them! I am meeting so many people at the MTC, it's just awesome. I'm so proud of all the missionaries here, the sacrifices they made to be here and the desire they have to be a servant of the Lord. 

I've taught 4 more lessons with Leo! Also, Leo is a pretend investigador I forgot to mention that in my last letter. He is actually one of my teachers (Hermano Blake) an is awesome. But I learned so much teaching him as an investigador. My companion and I had a couple bad lessons but I would say that those were the lessons that we learned from the most!  have learned that I need to keep the lessons simple, speak from the heart and always follow up and see how they are feeling because this is about them. My spanish is coming along, it is pretty difficult not being able to express my feelings when I feel so passionately about something but I look back to week one and I know I am progressing! 

This week my companion went home to work on some things for herself, it was really sad to see her leave because I love her so so much and we got along so great, but I know she needs to be home right now. I was so blessed to have her as my first comp, I know she is where she needs to be now. She is such a loving, charitable and overall Christlike person, it was such a privilege serving with her. 

Thank you everyone for all the sweet letters and packages! Shoutout to The Breakfast Club ♥ They mean so much to me. 

Have a great week, 

I Love you all,

Hermana Harley

Si Se Puede

I have made it through 3.5 days at the MTC! I still can't believe I'm here but I know that I am right where the Lord wants me. The first day was incredible! My companion is Hermana WEBSTER! She is from Washington State and I actually knew her before the mission! I had the opportunity of meeting Hermana Webster through one of my old roommates so it has been a huge blessing having her by my side. We get along great, we have a lot of things in common. We both love exercising and peanut butter. So we are a perfect match. Her and I are both called to serve in Washington DC South Spanish speaking so I have a feeling we will be serving again together when we can actually understand spanish. :) 

The language has been hard but el don de lengues (the gift of tongues) is a real thing! I feel like Elder Calhoun in Best Two Years, when he heard dutch for the first time--I have that same blank stare pretty much all the time in class. But, its only the first week, and my spanish can only get better! :) My teacher is Hermana Imbler and she is awesome. She only speaks spanish to us, which is hard, but I have seriously learned so much that way. I feel like all I hear and think is spanish. At night, when I'm trying to fall asleep all I can think about is my teacher speaking spanish.  Its so cool, whenever I write I find myself writing words in spanish. I know the Lord is helping me. 

"Si se puede" is my companion and I's motto! It means "We can do it." This week we had the opportunity to teach our first lesson to an investigador....en espanol!!! His name is Leo. He is an 18 year old from California, his family means a lot to him and he is interested in learning more about the gospel. So Hermana and I prepared a lesson on families We began with a prayer and went right into the lesson. It was so hard understanding him but he was very patient with us. We asked him more about his family and if he believed in God. It was very obvious that he cared a lot about his family. I asked Leo if he believed in God, and he said kind of. I began tesifying to Leo that he was a child of God and how the gospel blesses families. The spirit in the room was so strong! Hahaha and yes of course I started crying while testifying to Leo. Hermana Webster and I could barely understand anything Leo was saying, but the Lord made it possible for Leo to understand our broken spanish. The gift of tongues is so so real! We shared Alma 26:37 with him and he said he loved that scripture. We taught Leo how to pray and we challenged him to Pray to God to feel his love for him. He prayed right then and there and said he felt the spirit so strong. AND that he felt God's love! It was beautiful.  

I have definitely been humbled this week. I have never prayed so much in one day, but I know I can only do this with the Lord' help. I don't have much time, but a scripture that really helped me this week is D&C 50:13-20. I know the Spirit is the only way I will be able to teach people. This is the Lord's work and I am just his pencil. 

I love you all, have a great week! 

Hermana Harley