Poppin' Bennies (& other drogas)

Allllllooooooooohaaaaa all you papayas!

This week en the CCM was a week full of sickness. We all had sore throats and were coughing like no other and our noses were stuffed to the brim (ew!). Elder Clarke got addicted to taking Benadryl at night (he goes back to the residence hall and "pops some bennies" and actually took way too many one time jajaja danger) and we're all basically full of dayquil so that's the jam forreal. Also I've just been playing music all week long (shhhh don't tell) because what is life without some slack key guitar! Es no bueno, I tell you that! Oh also, at Sunday devotional this week, this girl played the harp and it was some straight up folky-ness that I needed. All I wanted was to like build a campfire in the middle of the CCM and have one meeeean testimony meeting while playing some uke or something. 

We learned some new words this week: Saz, one that Hermano Kartchner taught us, means like "dang it" but I think only in Mexico but we were all just like screw it, saz, we say it anyway! Nuesos means nuts so we say "what the nuesos" all the time and my favorite thing to say is "verdad that." Espanol is crazy hard but our distrito is killin' it I think - we have good times together. 

Today we went to the temple session at 7 (we had to wake up early as nuesos) but it was crazy cool! The last two times I've been through I've just been freaked out and there was too much going on in my mind to like figure stuff out, but this time (even though I was smallkine falling asleep) I got to the celestial room and just full on cruised. I felt a peace like no other - it was bomb. I think Heavenly Father was like "hey I'll give you a break for 10 minutes, just clear your mind" and I felt so peaceful - whether it was because I was drugged up or it was from the spirit, I don't know (jaja jk I know). But in all seriousness, I love this gospel and this message we have to share with the world because it is a message of peace - we want people to feel this peace and this love that God has for us (even in an imperfect church) because it's the jam! I love it. There have been moments this week where I've felt it so strong and I'm grateful for that.

We taught our first TRC this week, which is teaching someone who is an actual investigator. Our past lessons were teaching someone just acting like an investigator. Her name was Mercedes and we were in there for a full 45 minutes just chatting with her! We brought some pictures of our familias and showed them to her and then she busted out all her pictures of her familia on her phone and showed them all to us I loved it! It was crazy to be able to have a full 45 minute conversation with someone who is a native Spanish speaker. The gift of tongues is real! 

This week I've gotten packages from my parents, the Shumways, and the Jarmans, and letters/emails from tons of missionary friends & aunties & uncles! I feel crazy blessed and just full to the brim of goob vibes. I think God is looking out for me (through all these wonderful peeps en mi vida). I think one day He is with me all day and I have this great, full on bomb day, and then the next day, He's like "aiight let's see how she does on her own" and kinda lets me get at it, and it turns out to be the worst day ever, and then He picks me back up again the next day (I know He's always with me, but I think some days more than others). He is for sure letting me learn and I'm crazy grateful for the good and the bad. I'm learning so much it's nuesos! 

I love you all with all mi corazon! It's pa'ina time here at the CCM jajaja but this biz is way powerful. 

Lots of love,

Hermana Elkington