I have so much to say. First of all, I didn´t have much time to read your emails today, but I printed them and I will read and reply next week. Moday is my P-day now (as you can see:) These keyboards are weird. and this underlines everything in red because it is in english. hahaha.
VERACRUZ IS SO BEAUTIFUL. I really love it here. There are Mango trees everywhere. I still can´t believe I am here. AHH. The people are WAAY nice. They add "ita" after everything in a somewhat childish way, it is super cute and makes me feel like maybe it is ok that I feel like a child all the time here. Learning a language is a very humbling expierence. (pardon my spelling. I can´t spell already and this red line thing is killing me.
First of all, I love my companion. She is seriously so helpful! Her name is Hermana Orta, and she is from central Mexico. I can´t remember the name exactly. She speaks about as much English as I do Spanish. We understand each other pretty well, but it is still very hard. We are both learning.
I am in the same area as Hermana Terry from the CCM! And the same ward, because there is one ward in our area. On our first day here, we were able to sit in on a lesson given. The man and his family were very interested. There are so many experiences I have had. Like coming across someone who really seems interested and gives us their address. That happens all the time. Many lessons. Many people. Lots of spanish. Lots of work. I love it! It is hard, but I love it!
We sang in noche de hogar (family home evening) and hermana Terry played piano. I really am singing a lot on my mission like it said in my setting apart ;)
We are teaching a young girl named Amairani. She is 14 years old and has a boyfriend who is 20. He does not approve of her recieving the lessons. The first time we taught her, her mom heard us talking about the bible and came out to listen and now we are teaching her as well. She came to noche de hogar. The next time we were teaching and her boyfriend was standing in the shadows. We were teaching about the word of wisdom. Eventually, he came and sat down. He seemed very interested. After I bore my testimony, he talked about how we keep saying that we know these things and that he knows that they are hard. We explained to him how things are possible with God. I think he approves of us a little more now. I love Amairani. She can be so stubborn, but I love her. She likes to ask me simple questions so that I can talk more. I like that.
There are so many trees here. And so much art. and MANGOS EVERYWHERE and flowers on every tree. Each house is a different color. Mine is lime green (God knows us). My apartment is big and for here, very nice. I have my own bathroom with a shower.
OK THE FOOD. BUCKETS of HORCHATA. all the time. At one house, they had like 2 quarts solamente for me and my compañera. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
Other cosa, It is hot here. Like super hot. and people keep saying it is cold. "yo tengo frío" ¿como? ¿en cerio? I am like sweating buckets over here. and it is humid. But you get used to it.
My mission president is so nice, and so is his wife. She was so welcoming it made me cry. I love these people!!
Ok, I have to go now, but I love you so much!
Hermana Jensen
Oh, and I am right on the coast!! THE TEMPLE IS RIGHT BY ME. I LOVE IT.
We had to say goodbye to all of our teachers- except a few that we will see for the last time tonight. It has been really hard to say goodbye. I don't know how someone I really haven't known for very long could seriously have such a huge impact on my life. My homeroom teacher, Hermano Noltemeyer, is seriously one of the most inspired people that I have ever met. He loves all the up-beat hymns and he sings them double time and he pumps his arm when he sings (ie: in our lovely desseret, scatter sunshine... it is hilarious). I know that God blessed me by giving me a teacher with a sense of humor. I was so worried that I would never be able to understand his Dominican Republic accent, but I did by the end! He has a very strong testimony and he worked hard for us! He will not be teaching here any more, we were his very last district- he really gave it his all and ended strong. Some of my other fantastic teachers were Hna [Hermana] Ricks, Hno [Hermano] Argyle (who has been home from his mission for about 8 weeks- when he started teaching us he had been home for 2!), Hna [Hermana] Larsen, and so many more. I would go into more details, but they mean more to me personally than they do to all of you:)