ONE FULL TRANSFER

Well I've officially been out almost one full transfer! I blink and then I'm already typing up my next email! Some things from this week:

I had "Return and Report" this last week, it's where all the new missionaries get together with President, Sister Huntsman and the APs to talk about how everything is going. It was so fun seeing the people I was in the MTC with, they are fam for life! Everyone is changing so much, I'm so proud of them all and can't wait to see what we are all like at the end. :)

Our apartment has been having lots of "visitors"....Google "Silver Fish" and then you can see what these visitors looked like before becoming bug juice. Basically they're like spiders on steroids...instead of having 8 legs, they have like 24 legs so it's like a mixture of a centipede and a spider and they are known to crawl in your vents and drains. Ohhh and they range in size from a quarter to the size of your palm! We've been averaging on 3 a day now so I'm getting really good at overcoming my fear of killing creepy crawly things. I kill them, Hermana Bliss cleans up the mess 😏😎 #dreamteam 

Saturday we went to the temple with The Rocho Reyes family. They are a returning family after being inactive for 9 years. Percy and Lizbet are members and they have two kids, Katarine (she likes to be called Tiny Hermana) and Justin who are 9 and 5. Lizbet and Percy are married, but have been separated for a while. They are now trying to work on things for children so Lizbet asked us if we could go to the Temple Visitors center with them! We watched Meet the Mormons and had a wonderful time. Lizbet reeeaaalllyy wants to receive her endowments, so we talked to her about preparing for that and I loved seeing her desire to enter into the House of the Lord. I'm so proud of this family, I loved seeing them learn more about the sacred ordinances and covenants we can make in the temple that make it possible for us to return to the presence of God and for families to be together forever! 

English classes are going great! Everyone has such a desire to learn English, and let me tell ya....English is so confusing and the rules make no sense sometimes so props to these people! Teaching it has really made my appreciate learning Spanish for a second language. Hermana Bliss and I split up and teach the different levels. We have lots of members, non members and less actives show up each Thursday so it's a great opportunity for everyone to meet new people and a great way for us to do missionary work and serve others. 

I just wanna say being a missionary is SO FUN and I love being here with all these people. Have an awesome week everyone!

Hermana Harley

Funny word I learned this week:

Fire hydrant in Spanish is la bomba de agua which directly translates to bomb of water☺️ hehehe 

Today for Pday we went to Arlington Cemetery, sooo neat! Oh and we barely missed Obama nbd 

MAY!!!

I can't believe its already MAY! Time just flies! I'm so excited for Cinco De MAYO! Wooooo its gonna be a fiesta here! 

I don't have much time, so I'll just share a few things.. I apologize if this doesn't make any sense :) 

This week had its ups and downs - I'm still adjusting a lot, and learning Spanish isn't easy. But it's all good, I'm doing pretty well :) There's a lot I need to improve on, but I realize that the biggest thing is time and just working hard every moment to try to be better. 

They already have me speaking in church! I was approached by the first counselor in church yesterday and he asked me to speak this coming Sunday...for twenty minutes....in espanol. For those of you that know me, I am not too fond of public speaking in English, much less Spanish ;)  Fortunately, I am speaking about two of my favorite things....my sweet mother and my mission! 

This week I invited someone to be baptized! His name is Luis, he's 22 years old and just the absolute best! He is keeping his commitments and loves everything we've taught him. We were going over the Plan Of Salvation again and we shared some of our favorite scriptures and THEN , for my first time ever, recited the statement I've been practicing for the last two months...."seguira el ejemplo de Jesucristo y se bautizara?" :) :) :) I don't have words for how awesome it was, I choked up saying it because I felt so much love for him. I didn't understand everything he said in response, but he said wants to be baptized, he just wants to make sure he is completely ready and that he is 100% serious about making a covenant with God. I couldn't be sad he didn't say a definite yes because HOW COOL is that! He values the covenant he is going to make with God so much! He is going back to El Savador because of his visa and wants to make sure he stays good. I have so much respect for him and his desire to come unto Christ. 

Every Saturday we invite everyone to play soccer. Hermana Bliss and I have almost all of our investigators and other people there and its so great to hang out with them and show them that we are real people, not just missionaries who wear skirts every day. Now, these people know how to play and I never played soccer before the mission so I need some practice for sure, but I am obsessed! IT IS SO FUN!! I even scored a goal!! They're all so nice and want to help me learn!

This Thursday, Hermana Bliss and I start teaching English classes! We think it will be a fun way to do some service and get to know more people! 

It's been pretty cold & rainy here but today was perfect and actually kind of hot. We went on a hike at Great Falls with all of the DC South hermanas - so I got to see my old companions!!! It was SO good to see them!!! :) 

Can't wait to speak to my fam!!

Les quiero 

Hermana Harley