First Week Of HMTC!!

Hello everyone!! I AM FINALLY A MISSIONARY!!!! I literally couldn't be any happier. This has honestly been the longest wait of my entire life. But, I trust in the Lord and his personal timing for me, and I know there was a reason so I could meet up and be with all these amazing people I've met so far! Today is my first P-Day and I've been really looking forward to it because it's been a long week with a lot of classes, workshops, and spanish mentoring. Darcy even came into town so we could have some much needed family time together.

My companion is named Elder Madsen and he is an absolute stud. He's from Kaysville, Utah and he has such an awesome story. He's 20 years old and he joined the Army National Guard after a year of college. He wasn't really that interested in the Church until he was struggling with some trials and he prayed for the first time in years and he received an answer and comfort. Then one thing led to another and with some help from the April 2022 general conference he decided to serve a mission! My district is absolutely amazing and I love them so much. 3 of us are going to the Puebla South Mission and are all looking forward to that.

My teachers are absolutely amazing!!! My morning class teacher's name is Hermana Reyes and she is so sweet and kind, but she also keeps it real which is great. She has such a strong testimony as well. And my afternoon teacher is Hermano Mun. Hermana Reyes described him to us on the first day as "un poco loco" and that fits the description pretty well. But we absolutely LOVE Hermano Mun. I will never forget the first thing he said to me when I told him I would be serving in Puebla. He told me that "I look like a Poblano (which is what they call people from Puebla) and that if I told him I was from Puebla he would believe me." So I think I'm going to take that as a compliment I guess haha. The other week he was telling us about all the slang he's learned from past missionaries and we now we start every meeting with "What's Poppin Party People?!?!" and we end every meeting with "Let's Blow This Popsicle Stand!!!" We also taught him what's crackalackin, Gucci, and what GOATED means, and it is now part of our regular vocabulary. He brings that energy and el fuego to our classes that we need. They both don't speak english great, and we like to think of it as they are teaching us Spanish and we are teaching them English haha.

Just a quick spiritual thought here too. This past General Conference there was an overarching theme of needing to be more Christlike. The one that I want to point out is patience. Mosiah 23:21-22 says,"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people." So, be patient with your trials, with yourself, and with the Lord. He will always direct thee for good. I promise you that. And you have the rights to the same promise that Joseph Smith received while in jail, that the trials will be for your good.

Anyways, I hope you are all doing good! I also want to apologize for how long this email is. They won't ever be this long, and I just had so much to say this first week! Love you all!!

Pictures!

The setup

Districto 11E y Hermana Reyes

Hermano Mun being too pure for this world