T1W4 Being a Missionary is Awkward!

Dear Family,

How is everyone? Thank you for the valentines, letters, packages, etc. All of the candy is already gone I'm ashamed to say--but good thing we run every morning. I've lost some weight through all of it! This week has flown by.

Last p-day we played tennis with some elders that live in a really nice area. It made my month! I'm pretty rusty but it was ok because I think Ben is even better than these elders.

The highlight of the week was going to the temple. Once a transfer we have the chance to go with our zone to do a session. It was interesting this time because the sign-language elders are in our Zone. There is a deaf branch that meets in the same chapel as us. One of the sign-language elders is deaf. It's even more interesting that in his spare time he has learned quite a bit of Mexican sign language. That's when they get to work with us Spanish missionaries.

Anyway, back to the temple. We had a special session for the deaf elder. It was great to sit in the Celestial Room where the Spirit is so strong and receive revelation for specific people we are teaching.

One of the families we are teaching, Nacho and Alva, have to get married before they get baptized. I put their names on the prayer roll at the temple and the next Wednesday we found out that they had gotten their marriage license! They have a few things to work through before the wedding happens, but they have to do it within the next 30 days, so we are excited to be planning a wedding. They both want to get baptized and have two sons that are so cute!

We made 20 lessons again this week.

We taught a really nice family this week for the second time and we brought a member that was really excited to go with us, Hermano Robles. It turned out to be a very interesting lesson. He probably invited the family to church 20+ times and told them the church is true--double that. Even still, we are grateful.

I love the taco trucks down here. Every block there are these buses/trucks turned into a on-the-go taco stand. They sell all different kinds of meat and put this delicious meat with some fresh avacado on a warm tortilla- 2/$1.50. We like the fajita meat and the barbacoa (pork) the best. The also have these tortas which are like the same meat except on bread. Oh yeah and paletas- these ice cream type bars that everyone likes. I'm not too much of a fan.

This week I really learned what it was like to recognize the spirit leave. As we began teaching this one 20 year old boy he had already listened to the testigos de jehovah- or Jehovah's Witness. He asked us a lot of questions with his already preconceived notions. It was very clear when we would invite the Spirit back with a scripture or refusing to argue. Something I like that we do is sing at every lesson. We carry our hymn books and ask them to sing to. It is funny because for most of our investigators it is very awkward. Being a missionary is all about being awkward.

Anyways I hope all is well back home. And thank you for you love and support again. We have a Zone p-day up at a members house with food and pool so I'm excited.

Love Camille

Oh and p.s., my comp is beginning to see my loopy/crazy laughing attack side that you guys all love. Pray for her. Haha.

T1W3 Personal Records!

Dear Family,

Mom and Dad, thank you for the Valentines package. I loved everything there. It's funny how well you know me. The cd, soup, sheet music, gummy hearts, knee highs, pin--everything! Hna. Draney and I enjoyed the cookies and brownies the second I opened the box. I wore the blouse yesterday to Church and everyone loved it.

I've pretty much been pulled in as the ward chorister for everything--the YW musical number, sacrament meeting, and Relief Society. Hermana Draney has been pulled in as the accompanist for everything too. The Bishop always tells us how much he appreciates our help. We are hoping to teach the women how to lead music at an upcoming enrichment.


Texas is great. The land isn't too pretty--and I haven't seen a white person who isn't a missionary in a couple weeks now--but I am loving the work. Everywhere we go people pretty much just follow us because they want to learn more. The mission has a goal of 20 lessons a week. Our zone's average goal is 12 lessons a week. The week before last we got 19 lessons. We tried so hard this week and finished with 21 lessons and 14 new investigators. These were both personal records for Hermana Draney even with over a year in the mission! I refused to negotiate lower when setting goals for this coming week so we're going for even higher and better. Haha.

This week was full of teaching! We are working with the members a lot more and it is helping our investigators get to know the church. Monday night very late we got a call from the Zone Leaders. They exchanges planned for the next day. Hna. Draney says that usually you know way before hand but this was very surprising. What was even more surprising that me- the Greenie- was the one to stay in the area. Hna. Draney says she thinks they were testing me. That meant I was the senior companion- and had to lead the lessons, get us to all the appointments and deal with all of the investigators. My companions for the next two days were Hna. Ramirez and Hna. Friezsel. It was fun being in a threesome. We made taquitos and had a fun night getting to know each other.

This week we also had a Zone meeting and Zone conference. Zone conference was amazing. It was our zone and another zone and President and Sister Hansen focused on setting goals to develop the Christlike attributes found in Preach My Gospel. I encourage everyone to look at the end of that chapter for the Attribute Activity. It helps evaluate where your weaknesses are. It has helped me from day one in the MTC really focus on becoming a true disciple of Christ.

We have a family, Alva and Nacho, and their two sons, who are really close to baptism. We feel they are both ready, but they need to get married first. They were going to get their marriage license on Monday but their oldest son got really sick with pneumonia and was in the hospital. It is amazing how hard Satan tries to get in the way of the work. Hna. Draney and I are both way excited to plan a boda (wedding) for them! We are hoping they will have a date this week.

Friday night was the ward Cena (Dinner) to celebrate el dia de San Valentin o dia de los enamorados. We went and had some good food, mingled with the members and took off just as the baile started (dancing).

Dad, you should go out with the missionaries! It helps so much to have the testimony of a member!

Thank you for all your love and support. I love how I get more mail from elders I met in the MTC than from my sisters though!! Haha, it's true but I understand everyone is busy. I love you still. Always remember that the Lord is mindful of each one of you and your needs and desires.

Love,

Camille

T1W2 Working Hard!

Dear Family,

How is everyone?! Too bad there's no free DearElder out here--but I would still love mail! 1415 Greens Parkway Houston, TX. This week has been full of teaching. The mission goal is 20 lessons a week and we were so close but only were able to get 19. Which is still impressive.

We found 3 families that we have been teaching and 2 individuals. Their circumstances are all so humble. This one trailor has a trailor that is bare, but they have great faith and the children all sit down for the lessons. My madre(Hna. Draney) had her 1 year mark this week so we went out with the elders in our district to TGI Fridays to celebrate. The elders in my district are a lot of fun. All 6 of us are in the same ward- Louetta Ward. We all work together though we have different areas because the elders had our area before we arrived so they know the recent converts and less actives and investigators really well.

The Louetta Ward is amazing in their missionary efforts. They have a ward mission plan for each family to prayerfully think of one referral by a certain date. They also have split night every week where all of the men that are available meet at the church and take the 4 elders out to their appointments. What they also do is ask for one sister or brother to accompany us each day. They call out in Relief Society "Ok who is available Tuesday evening?" This is important because we really want lessons taught to investigators with a member present. The bigger this number is the more people make it to and feel fellowshipped at church on Sunday. Investigators or "gators" have to go to church to be "progressing" which leads to baptism.

We are so excited because everyone we talk to is interested in our message. Everyday is just packed with "citas" or appointments and by the end of the night we both just come back to the apt. plan for the next day and pass out. We are working really hard.

Saturday we were assigned to work one of the pulgas. Pulga means flea in Spanish and is a "flea market"- not really because it is just a bunch of people selling junk--but there are a lot of people that pass by and we have a booth. We were there for 3.5 hours and did so well! All of the elders couldn't believe how many referrals we got. You have to pretty much jump out in front of the person and get your message out and ask them questions before they can lose interest. Hna. Draney loves it and she got me really pumped so we went in with a good attitude. It helped my Spanish a lot because I was just talking non-stop for the whole time--really fast.

We were fed by a less active sister last week names Hna. Espinoza. She had everything setup and taught us how to make pupusas. They were delicious! They are kind of a ball of masa, or dough, with a pork mixture inside then pressed flat. You put chile sauce on top with a cabbage mixture. The sauce was bien picante or reallllly spicy. I am slowly getting accustomed to hot food. Pupusas are an El Salvadorian thing and another El Salvadorian sister invited us over this week for more pupusas, so we are excited.

I hope all is well back home. As I testify to these people, especially the ones who are inactive members, I realize more and more how much I believe this message I share to be true. Our belief that this is the true church should begin with the Restoration. If that happened- then God speaks to us today through a prophet who gives us commandments out of pure love and concern. Though is may be hard, our obedience is the only thing we have to show our love to our Father in Heaven.

I love each of you. Ciao!

Camille

T1W1 First Week in the Field!

Hello from Houston!!

How is everyone?! It was good to speak to everyone on Wednesday! Sorry, Emma, that we couldn't get you. Answer yourrr phone next timeee! The weather is gorgeous down here and I am loving life. We work very hard and it just makes us so happy.

I got in Wednesday and President and Sister Hansen were waiting for us outside security along with the assistants. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. We got back to the office and had some quick interviews a bit of orientation then headed out tracting. Hna. Hollenbaugh and I went together and were able to find two people both Spanish speaking that were interested! We did so well. We had dinner made by the Senior couple that works the office and went back to an elder's apartment to spend the night. There were four of us sisters and we had a lot of fun. The next morning we went over to the President's house and had breakfast. After breakfast he announced who our trainers were. My companion is Hermana Draney from Pasco, Washington. I love her. She has been out just about a year and is a great missionary. We took pictures, and then went and did a session at the Houston temple with all the Greenies and the trainers.

Hna. Draney and I are in the Louetta Ward. There are three sets of missionaries here and previously there were only two so our area is new. This is called "whitewashing," because we are both coming in new to the area. It is harder because there isn't someone that already knows the streets, the member's names, the investigators, etc. We've been figuring it out together. This shows that the President has a lot of trust in both of us to work hard and be intelligent about things. The assistants were telling me and Hna. Hollenbaugh that one of us was going to get sent here- it is also called the Spanish ghetto. Hna. Hollenbaugh really wanted to get this area, but it didn't turn out that way. Anyways, we are doing a lot of contacting referrals and potentials as well as visiting all of the inactives and recent converts. We haven't taught a full lesson to any investigators yet but we have great plans for this coming week.

Sunday we went to church and had correlation. It was my first time attending services in Spanish. Testimony meeting wasn't bad, but then hearing people in more of a discussion setting was harder for me to understand everything. I have to pay really close attention to understand. Hna. Draney says, though, that my Spanish is amazing and I am a ton futher along than most Greenies. When the leaders call to check up on us she always tells them that I already speak Spanish like a champ. Several times this week I just had Hna. Draney contact the person on the street because I was afraid of my Spanish but this week I have a goal to let that go and just speak--"Open your mouth" is what they say here. We have an appointment this week with a less active sister who is going to make us pupusas! I'm excited.

I have already seen how much missionaries are blessed and protected. An English family asked us to go home teaching with them our first night here because the husband speaks Spanish, so we went and accidentally left our phone in the car. The next day we had gotten their address when we had the elder's phone to use and we about to go get out phone but we lost the address. After a while of looking around we said a prayer and were able to find the address in the phone book. We found the house pretty far away and the family invited us to stay for dinner--we were just in time for fresh bread from the oven. They also sent us on our way with banana nut bread.

I hope all is going well at home. I love you family and hope you can see the blessings of missionary work in your lives as well. The Church is true.

Con amor,

Camille

MTC Week 10

Hola Familia!

Thank you, Mom, for your letters. I appreciate knowing what is going on at home. Sounds like Miriam enjoyed her little vacay. Emma please write me! Rae- I enjoyed your talk a lot. Always be prepared to serve a mission- because like me, the direction from the Lord may come as a great surprise. Please Facebook Elioma/Elley Osere for her contact information- I keep thinking about her and I am prompted to send the missionaries. Mom and Dad- you are both in my prayers. Please know that. I trust that the Lord will help with any challenges in life if we do our part and have the faith that He is all powerful. How is Clarissa? Who are the boys these days? Speaking of boys, I have a funny story so if I can today I'll send a letter to you, Clarissa, with it. Ben!!! My friend, Hna. Hepner, who called the house, thought Rae was soooo funny how she was yelling for you. I love you all.

This week has been very long because most of our district has been gone so it has just been a few of us. We have been calling in the Referral Center in Spanish which is very hard because people speak very fast and over the phone you can't see their lips. But I was able to send the missionaries to a couple people who enjoyed their free DVDs and Book of Mormons they requested from TV commercials.

We practiced teached a couple of sisters that are in the English as a Second Language Program--straight from Ecuador. They are trying to learn English and as they taught us, I was very humbled by their efforts to speak our difficult language. As we taught them, her patience and kindness with my imperfect Spanish got me really excited for the Latinos that I will teach in Houston. It is funny seeing them around because everyone says "Hola, Como Estas" to them and they try hard to "Speak Your Language"(that your learning) and respond in English.

Also, Sunday night's fireside was quite interesting. It was Stephen B. Allen, who is director of training I believe. This is the third time we've heard from him. The last two times he brought in a couple of the cast from this reality series called the District that was made to teach us how to be Preach My Gospel Missionaries. This time he talked a lot about or diligence in the work. At the end he picked a row in the bleachers "5 rows up and 7 people in- come down to the microphone!" That happened to include me and my comp. It was shocking out of 2000 missionaries. We had to go down and say one thing we left behind to come on the mission. I said a FT offer at PWC. I was the last to go out of the 7 and a lot of people commented because a couple of the earlier elders gave silly answers like "my cell phone" and "cartoons." It's funny that sometimes you really see the age difference. My friend Ally, or Sister Taylor, said to me "way to go for representing our maturity as Sisters!"

I am hoping I do not get hurt today. Satan is very apparent here in the days before departure with the tons of injuries that occur. Sunday night my roommate Hna. Cruz fell while getting off her bunk bed and sprained her ankle. She left to Guatemala yesterday--luckily she was able to get around on it.

I am just so excited to serve. I realize I still have a long way to go in my efforts to become as the Savior in my thoughts, acts, and deeds put I know that my weaknesses are forgiven as I try each day to serve better.

One more time- I am flying Delta 4580 departing at 10:04 and arriving at 2:12pm tomorrow. We are leaving here at 6:00am so we should be at the airport around 7:00am. That would be 9am EST to about 11:20 EST that I would be available to call. My comp's bros and sisters are staying home from school for an hour just to get to say hi. If there is anyway I can talk to Rae and Ben too, DearElder me! I will call each of the cell phones to get a hold of the sisters too.

Love you.

Camille