Como una Latina

HOLA! How is everyone doing? DearElder works here but it takes
forever. I just got DearElders from Oct 26&28 yesterday. So I feel
like I'm a little behind on the times. This week has been awesome and
it went by crazy fast. I have a couple things I'm really excited to
share with you...haha. 

First, we took a group picture
of our Branch with the MTC President and his wife. Word around here is
they give us a copy and send one to our parents, I don't know if it's
true but I hope so. Anyway for the picture they separated the
Hermanas and the Elders and told us to line up from "mas chiquita to
mas alta" or shortest to tallest. Now these Latinos down here are
pretty short so I was feeling pretty normal ya know? But then we
started lining up and I am the second shortest person! The only person
shorter than me is my roommate Hermana Espanoza, and we're basically
the same. All the Latinas got a real kick out of this situation. I was
the only Norte in the short group with the Latinas;The Latinas kept
teasing me and saying "como una Latina" (like a Latina). But then they
all were hugging me and telling me how much they love me and
how much the people will love me because I'm short like them, so I'll
take it! 

 We got to go to the Temple! I spent a whole
week looking at it out my bedroom window and on Tuesday we got to go.
Of course it was gorgeous, even though it is super tiny. I could
hardly believe I was sitting in a Temple in Central America, is this
real life? But the cool thing was even though I'm far from home when I
was in the Temple I felt at home, i knew what to do, I knew I belonged
there. I don't know if that makes sense but that's the best way I can
describe it. Oh and my district here has some great Elders in it, sure
they get a little crazy and unfocused at times but I love them. Four of
them waited for all of us Hermanas to come out of the Temple so we
wouldn't be walking down the street back to the CCM alone. It was the
sweetest.  

 Some other happenings. Let's see. Spanish
is coming slowly but surely. It's weird, mostly I just know alot of
gospel words, yet when I'm teaching I feel like my Spanish is way worse
than when I'm just chatting with the natives. Those chats are probably
the slowest conversations they've ever had, bless their sweet hearts.
But I was pretty happy because the other day I was talking to a couple
Hermanas and a Latino Elder came up and told me I spoke good
Spanish...of course there was the implied, "for a gringa" but I'll
take it. I still have so much to learn and so little time. Although it
is pretty awesome when you're teaching a lesson and even though what
your saying is terrible Spanish the spirit is super strong. The Spirit
speaks English, and Spanish and doesn't really need perfect words to
be felt. This next week we are going out contacting on the street with
our Latina companion. That should be pretty fun. I'm excited. And in
like a week and a half we get to go tour Guatemala City. I'm pretty
pumped about that. They took our cameras away but we get them back for
that, so I'll be taking lots of pictures. 

I have been pretty left out of politics down here, which isn't necessarily a bad
thing, but I do know the election is soon, I'm excited to hear what
happens though. I heard Romney is ahead in poles...true?

 I was so happy to get DearElders yesterday. So much good
news! Daddy and the "Franks Hearing" was great to know and all the
cool stuff Mommy told me. I will be writing a more personalized
letter home today and if I have time to a couple others. Last week I
mailed letters to Aimee and Grandma and Uncle Scott so look out for
those. Should be there by next month sometime lol. 

I want to share something our teacher talked about this week real quick.
He said that when problems arise in the field and in our lives we
should bring our leaders "Solutions not problems". I thought that was
so true and wanted share. Its like the Brother of Jared in the Book of
Ether with the stones. Great story in ch.3 and 4...check it out! I
think its those chapters, no time to look sorry. My time is up sorry.
I love you all so much. You're in my prayers always. Love, Hermana
Giossi.