Hablo Espanol

Well, I've already hit the ground running in San Jose. I'm all set up in my new apartment. It's not a place I would ever rent, but that's the life. ha. It is very clear there used to be Elders living in it. For some reason the walls are black...they should be white. I bleached the heck out of them so now I can sleep at night without fear of the dirt monster coming to get me. We are obviously in the Latino part of town so there is plenty of Spanish coming out of my mouth - most of it's wrong, but it still comes out. My companion is a gringa, but her Spanish is excellent. She's been studying it for years and is basically fluent. I stand out like a sore thumb, but a cute one. Yesterday they called me up to bear my testimony, of course. I heard him say my name, that is the only way I knew he was asking me to come up - I didn't catch much of the other words. So I got up there, gave my childlike testimony and smiled real big. If they had no idea what I said at least they can enjoy my smile. The people in the Spanish ward are so so so nice. They were all hugging and kissing me - not the menfolk of course - and it really made me feel at home. It's a little hard to pay attention in church, I mean, it's already hard enough in English but when you have no idea what they are saying it's even harder. They asked me a question in Sunday School and I just stared and smiled and cried out 'ayudame' which is kind of my fall back. Since this mission has no tracting, we spend a lot of time out in the streets talking to people. I get to use my Spanish a lot doing that, but I still get to give my English a work out as well. San Jose is a beautiful town and I'm excited to get to know it more as well as all the souls I can save. ha. My mind is already racing with things I can do to help the people here. It's gonna be great!

 

The final days in the MTC were weird. Most of our district left for Costa Rica on Monday morning so it left us 3 San Jose girls all alone and we even lost one of our teachers. Luckily our other teacher came in to babysit us and practice Spanish lessons with us so that wasn't so bad. At 'In Field Orientation', the Friday before missionaries leave, we are all gathered for some last minute training. I forgot my name tag and didn't realize it until we got to the workshop. My companion always brings her extra (something I should probs do) so I asked to wear hers for the morning until we went back to get mine at lunch. All was fine and dandy until lunch when the MTC President sat down at our table. He looked at me and then my name tag and back at me with a really confused look on his face. "I have a confession..." I started. "I forgot my name tag and I made my companion give me her extra.". He had a good laugh and we enjoyed a nice lunch. Well during the final devotional for all the departing missionaries, about 500...he stood up and said there was a Sister that tried to trick me this week and he called us up to the stage. He asked for the real Hermana Hyatt to stand up and she did all beet red and then he turned around and said and now who is the fake Hermana Hyatt and I stood up in shame. He summoned me to the pulpit, put his arm around me, told the story and then said how great I was. My name, or my fake name, will now go down in history forever. Good times. Later in the cafeteria I spilled an entire bowl of red jello saladish thing...everyone stared at me and I got it all over my dress. It was super awkward, but pretty hilarious. All in all there were some great final days for me at the MTC. Disaster.

 

I'm excited to be here in San Jose doing missionary work. We are already off to a great start. We've had several wonderful lessons, we've heard some super CRAZY stories and I've had normal food at members' homes. My companion is super sweet and a hard worker so we will be a hard working missionary team looking for souls to save and lives to bless. Just in the few days I've been here we've already been blessed by several tender mercies of the Lord and even a few miracles. I can't wait to see more. I've really learned how important it is to wake up every day and recharge yourself with the Lord's power. We need it to survive as missionaries and I can really see how it can bless the rest of our lives. I've been recharging my spiritual battery with the scriptures. Every morning I read and I read and I let the words of God seep into my heart and soul. It's amazing how far those words can get you during the day even if you are just reading about more Lamanite wars. There is truth on every page of the Book of Mormon, it is dripping with juicy bits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they have become so very precious to me. It's now my full time job to tell everyone I can what this book can do for them and I'm doing just that. What a blessing!

 

I can't thank everyone enough for all the support you've given me. Blessings are coming your way!

 

xoxo,

Hermana Hall

Final Countdown

Well, here I am in my last week at the MTC. I can hardly believe it and now I'm starting to feel like I want to hide under my bed and skip my flight so I can stay here and learn how to speak Spanish and be a missionary. Yikes! But it is time to go. It is hard to believe I have been here for 2 months already. I am going to miss a lot of things here at the MTC, I really had a great time and learned a ton. I finally smelled the cream soda tree last week and they are right, it really does smell like cream soda but you also look like a total idiot sticking your nose up a tree. When in Rome. I also finally cracked one of the really uptight teachers around here with my sweet wit...and my awesome new bible jokes. I'll share my favorite with you. You might want to sit down - Who was the most profitable female in the bible? The pharohs' daughter. She went down to the bank and took out a profit. hahahahahaha. Oh man. That one slays em. Once again keep in mind I have been trapped in the MTC for 2 months, things are super funny now.

 

We were at the gym, walking around the track and practicing Spanish vocab the other day when some of the Elders were sprinting by us and taunting as Elders do. I told the Hermanas the next time they come around lets just start running too. I have no idea why. Again, being in the MTC for 2 months does something to a person. Anyway they came around and were about to pass us when we all started running so obviously the Elders started running faster...and then so did I. I got right up on their heels and they turned around with sheer panic on their faces and picked up the pace...now it was go time! For one full lap I was giving them a run for their money and they were totally horrified. It was so awesome. I probably broke some rule about competition or scaring the Elders. Oops. It reminded me of the time I almost beat Gavin. The look on a guys face when a girl can run just as fast or faster than them is so priceless. hehe. Good times.

 

I just finished memorizing the first vision in Spanish. It was taking me forever, so I decided to put it to a beat and that worked except now when I say it, it's got a sweet rhythm. Oh well, the Latins will love it. And me. Hopefully. Yesterday we taught a returned missionary volunteer and he asked how long I had been here because my Spanish was pretty darn good and I was so excited! I think he was just being nice because I am pretty sure at times I was not making any sense whatsoever and possibly even speaking Italian. Luckily we had a substitute teacher the other day and he taught us all the secrets to Spanish. He finally showed us the magical, conjugating pattern and how all of those tied together. It was like a light bulb went off and I was super excited all day. Now I just have to be able to actually put it into practice...which happens to be the hard part of Spanish.

 

During Music and the Spoken Word this Sunday, the awesome voice guy was talking about taking a look at the world around us. How often do we get out and take 'field trips' to explore what is right outside our door. He reminded all of us to slow down and enjoy the beauties. I really liked this. As I look back just a few months ago I can see how fuzzy things had become to me. I let my eyes be ever so slightly clouded by that jerk Satan. It's clear now as I am about to leave the MTC, how much I can appreciate this place and what it has taught me. I want to soak up all the spirit and knowledge I can because I know things outside these doors are not cozy. In fact, the work we are doing is nothing near easy, but it's glorious. Elder Holland speaks of this work and said it is hard because, "salvation is not a cheap experience." It is certainly true and as missionaries we are to take this non cheap experience and share it with people who have no idea why they need it. It's hard, overwhelming and exhausting, but the rewards are endless. In this work, we are all asked to take small steps towards Gethsemane before we can find the joy and everlasting peace that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. It is like that famous saying whose author I can never remember (if there is a real author and it is not just Mormon folklore), "I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it." I can add my testament to this now without hesitation as I am being prepared to bring this message to others, my own understanding and testimony has been solidly fortified. There is no greater glory than through Jesus Christ and as we come unto Him and ye shall want for nothing.

 

Wish me luck in Cali!

 

xoxo,

Steph

Emergency Exit

Well this week was something. Our teacher has informed us that we are only to speak in Spanish all the time...so that is fun. Sometimes I cheat and spell out an English word. I probably shouldn't cheat, that's not going to help me, but I'm a cheater. Whatever. I have learned again the super handy nature of sound effects. As the twins recall, mine are super good. Especially my gun sound affects, but I never really need those here. I have also been beefing up my miming skills. Most of my investigators chuckle at me when they figure out what I'm saying with my waving of hands and random sound effects. It works though. One of the Hermanas in our room received this crazy, ridiculous and totally old lady, Victorian sign with flowers and medallions and all kinds of flashy objects that says "Everyone smiles in the same language." You see this sign the moment you walk in our door and it reminds me that even if everything else fails me, people can still feel my spirit in my smile. Thank heavens or I might end up leading the children of Lehi off a cliff. Oops.

 

Speaking of our room, we are getting two new sisters today. They won't be in our zone, but we are told they are Spanish speaking and this will mean there are now 6 girls in our tiny 4x4 space. I had to pack up most of my stuff last week because I was using 3 closets. hehe. So I felt generous letting them have two of mine. I also made their beds which are the last two top bunks. Making a top bunk is the hardest thing in the world. Each one took me 30 min. I had to climb up, climb down, shake the bed, pull from underneath - I broke a sweat! I hope they appreciate my sacrifices. ha.

 

Yesterday I had to take my 'sick' companion to the Dr so I figured I'd make use of my wait and see if they could check my poor eyes out since I can't read 'EXIT' signs anymore. They don't have an eye Dr here at the MTC so they had to send me off campus. I got called to the front office after lunch and was told to wait for a shuttle, but first I had to sign my life away saying that I'd be good while off campus and I wouldn't buy any food/drink for me or anyone else and that I wouldn't rendezvous with anyone. I never thought about doing that until they mentioned it. Anyway, we got in this dark van and headed to downtown Provo. I felt like a dog going for a ride - I stuck my head out the window and enjoyed all the flashy signs and fresh air! It was so weird, but being locked up in here for 2 months it was amazing how cool PROVO looked to me. We had a blast at the eye Dr. He was the funniest, most laid back doctor I've ever been too in my life. Who knew that taking a 10 min drive to the eye doctor would be such an adventure. Oh how it was.

 

We are told the MTC is at full capacity right now. I guess it's busy season - and we can certainly feel it. The Devotional last night was packed and lots of missionaries had to go into the overflow rooms. My companion and I were a bit late, but we got the cushy seats near the front reserved for the senior couples, but just after a few minutes an usher came up and offered us front row seats! It was so exciting! I felt like a VIP - front row seats for a General Authority - I'm so fancy! Well about 10 min into the talk my companion starting some freaky convulsions. I couldn't figure out what she was doing, was she going to spew right there? Was she about to pass out? Was she dying? She blubbered, I have to go NOW. So there I stood in the very very front row of a full auditorium of 3000 missionaries, in front of a general authority, making a b-line for the exit. Once we got outside she just had to cough. Um. No comment. But then came running around the corner all the MTC security guards and the organist because everyone thought my companion was dying and EVERYONE could see us leaving in a hurry. Pretty sure we were on camera. How embarrassing. I'm pretty sure I'm banned from the front row for life.

 

With my companion being 'sick' so much this week, I've spent a lot of time by myself studying. That's been super weird and I'm shocked I don't fall asleep. That's a miracle in itself. I've had a lot of time to read the scriptures and talk to Heavenly Father in prayer. I never noticed how similar Moroni and HeMan are. It's true, go read about it. Anyway, I've am continually realizing how important the Holy Ghost is in the work of the Lord. It's very obvious here at the MTC the role he plays in conversion - not just the investigators, but each missionary. It's super clear to me that with the Holy Ghost, I would have nothing to say in Spanish and nothing I say would carry any weight to any one else. The Holy Ghost is the teacher and he sanctifies us. As we are sanctified by the Holy Ghost our entire perspective on everything changes. We long to be closer to Christ, to learn more, to feel more, to serve more and to hope more. As I look back on the past 5 years of my life I almost want to go back in a time machine and punch myself in the face for not taking advantage of the teachings of the Holy Ghost. His lessons centered on Christ, pointed directly at our own hearts, are absolutely beautiful and life changing. The MTC is a special place where missionaries are protected and sheltered so they can learn how to utilize the tools the Lord has given all of us because once we get back out in the world, that's all we have. I've been struggling with regret the past week about my slow realization of the teaching power of the Holy Ghost. I'm saddened that it took the Lord pushing me to go on a mission for me to realize what treasure I'd become so lazy with. It is only now that I can feel the power so strongly it's impossible to deny, that I can see so clearly what was missing before. That realizing, like poor Zeezrom's fever, is very painful. Please don't let the guiding, comforting, and teaching spirit of the Lord drift from your hearts. I promise that as you draw closer to Christ and cling to the sanctifying spirit you will find true joy, direction and purpose in your life, for it has truly saved mine.

 

xoxo,

Hermana Hall

 

P.S. Mom, you mentioned loving the new LDS videos. I can't get over the accents. Every time I watch one, and we've seen them all a million times, I picture Zoolander or Ben Stiller from Dodge Ball. I can't stop it now.