Sunday, December 7, 2014

last week at CCM

Ok, last week in the CCM! Talk about busy!
                Thursday was Thanksgiving and I helped Hermana L. cook Thanksgiving for everyone in the CCM! It was so fun and crazy. It wasn’t nearly as good as our thanksgiving though mom, I just wanted Pumpkin pie and Pauline´s goodstuff. We got to watch Meet the Mormons and see a live devotional from Elder Bednar in Provo. He did a Q&A and they let us email him questions. It was really interesting! Also, that night, we built a blanket fort and put our mattresses on the floor and slept there… worst idea ever! I did not sleep at all.                                                                                          This week in the park, my companion was, a Portuguese sister from Cape Verde and she only speaks Portuguese! It was really fun though. We understood each other about 95% of the time and pretty much all of the people in the park spoke Portuguese and English, not Spanish. So it was really great! We met two really receptive people, one on the Metro and one in the park. The  one on the metro said she´d never read the Bible before and was worried to read the Book of Mormon, but we assured her that she´d understand it. We suggested that she think of a question before reading, pray, and then pick a place to start reading. She was actually on her way to catch an 8 hour bus to Barcelona and she said she was so thankful for the book so she´d have something to read on the bus. She said she´d try what we suggested. In the park, we met a guy named D from New York. He said he´d never really heard much about the church. For Christmas, at the park, we have been giving away “The Living Christ” so we talked to him about Christ and said that would strengthen his testimony and faith in Christ. He also took a Book of Mormon and said he would come by to see the temple this week! I hope I see him. He was really interest and had lots of questions! This coming week, our last time in the park, our companions are our normal companions. Im excited, but I wish I could be with Hermana F! She´s the best, and Im sooooo gonna miss her after this week when she leaves for Barcelona.
                I gave a talk in Church Sunday! I got called up to give the last talk. The topic was Obedience. I think I did alright. I stumbled on some words, but other than that, my Spanish even surprised me!        
        Michela and Joel! There is an elder here who lives super close to you! He´s actually in your stake! He went to your ward every morning for seminary. His name is Elder P, though I doubt you know him. He´s really great. If you happen to meet his family ever, let them know he´s an awesome missionary.
                We learned how to teach the Law of Chastity this week. It was super funny. Our teacher pretended to be an investigator and used words we´d never heard before that pertained to the lesson. It was crazy, but such good practice. Then, we taught one of our investigators the same lesson and it went so smooth!
                How are Ash and the baby? Hopefully doing better. Cant wait to see pictures soon! I´m getting way excited to have another baby in the family.        
        Today I´m going to the royal palace with Hermana F  for pday. We get to take a tour. Im really excited to see it and just to spend a day alone with her. I really do love this girl! What a sweetheart.
                We learned subjunctive this week and they basically said, “ok, everything you´ve been doing for the last 5 weeks when speaking Spanish, is wrong”… so good luck to me in the field because now I feel like I know nothing again!
                We met the first Patriarch of Spain this week too! He is the sweetest man you could ever know. He just has a light about him, definitely the light of Christ for sure. I felt so blessed just to meet him and talk with him for a brief minute.
                 Also, this December, we are doing the “He is the Gift” campaign. I hope you’ve heard about it. If not, go to christmas.mormon.org
                President J is coming Sunday to interview me. After that, that night he will give a devotional for the whole CCM. Im so excited to finally meet him. I leave Tuesday morning too! I will go next door to the stake center, drop off my stuff and then go with the J´s to the mission home for Lunch. I´ll have another interview and then come back to the Stake Center to get my stuff and meet my trainer. Since I leave Tuesday, I will be emailing this Monday too. I don’t know the exact time, but it´ll be early morning for you no matter what time it is.
                Anyways. I love you all so much! Im keeping busy and am super excited and nervous for the actual mission field. 6 weeks have flown by! I love you all!
Love,  Hermana Griffin