Week 11 in Gijion!

3/24/14

My week has been so busy! Sorry about last week’s letter, Carmelo and Vickie took us to this park and we had a barbeque, so it didn’t leave much time for emailing, but it was really good!  Our fecha (baptismal date) is Manuel. I am super excited for him. We have his baptism all planned, Hermana Zitting is going to sing and He asked be to speak on the Holy Ghost.....wish me luck! He had his interview on Saturday and his baptism is on the 29! He has been amazing and such a good influence on Malú. She has changed so much trying to be a good influence for him and she comes to all our lessons with him. She has such a strong testimony, she has just had a really hard life. It is sad when people go through certain trials, but it has been really cool watching her progress little by little. I have really grown to love her. Spencer is so right, I have learned so much to love others. It is hard sometimes when they aren’t doing what you ask them or doing what they know they are supposed to do, you get so frustrated because you love them so much and want them to accept what you’re saying because you know how it will bless them. But people still have agency to choose even though they know it is true.

I gave my FIRST talk yesterday in sacrament meeting!!! It was about following the prophet, I also talked a little bit about the importance of conference and how we can receive revelation and feel the spirit while we watch. It went so well!!! It was ten minutes and all in SPANISH! I wrote it all by myself. I feel so much more confident in Spanish now. It is funny how learning a language works. You feel like you’re not progressing and then all of a sudden you jump up a level. Then you feel like you’re not progressing again, and then you jump up a level again. It’s like a series of plateaus. It is super frustrating sometimes, but it’s good to feel like I’m doing better. Everyone said they really liked it. I told Hermana Zitting that I just need one chance to show everyone how great I am and then they’ll love me. Until now, I’ve been "the one that can’t speak Spanish." But now they know that I can and that I am so great! It is really frustrating at first when you know that people would like you if they could only understand you and you just want so bad to speak English all the time because you can understand them, you just can’t communicate back. But it is getting so much better and I can really tell a difference.

We also had intercambios (companionship exchanges) and I went to Oviedo again, but this time I was with Hermana Johns. She was in the MTC with me and is really self-conscious about her Spanish. It was terrifying being the stronger one. But I did it. We had a couple of lessons and we taught English class. It felt like I was training, I definitely am not ready to train, but I feel a lot more confident.

This Monday is transfers and Hermana Zitting is going home! I am so excited for her. I really didn’t want a companion who was going home because I felt like it would make me want to go home. But I am really excited for her and It has made me want to be the best missionary I can be so when I go home I will have the chance to feel like she feels and feel accomplished. It has been a huge blessing. I love Hermana Zitting and am going to miss her so much. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about my next companion. I had it so good with Hermana Zitting. But I know I am going to love her no matter what! I think I am mostly nervous about area training and being the one who knows more about the area. Because I dont know a lot. It will definately be interesting.

Wednesday is my 4 month mark!!! Can you believe it? 4 Months!!!!! That is so crazy! I am almost a third of the way done. Time is flying by so fast, which is sad because I love it here and I love being a missionary. It really is crazy how fast your mission flies by. I feel good though, things are going great and I’m doing a lot better with facing disappointments and rejection. You get to the point where it is sad, but you know you did your best.

Well, I am so excited to hear more about the family and Joseph’s papers! Tell everyone Hi for me and that I love them!

I love you guys! You´re in my prayers!!!¡Les amo! Hermana Brumble