Chapter 2 - It's A Small World

Ashley threw us a curve this week.  P-day was on Tuesday this week, not Thursday.  So, now we're feeling bad that we didn't have letters for her to read today, but we we're blessed to hear from her.  Below, find a picture of her MTC group taken this week.  So great to see her with that little black name tag.

Week #2:
"Buenas Tardes!

Ok so my pdays are weird and so the last time I wrote was Thursday, like a few days ago but there is still so  much that has happened and some things I forgot to say last week, so here we go.

SMALL WORLD

Ok it really is such a small world. I would always hear my friends that went to the Provo MTC say oh I saw this person and this person and this person here but I was like, dang, like Im going to a whole different country, I wont know anyone, which was true at first, but it turns out, as I talk to everyone more, we have some mutual friends and its so fun to talk about. It really is a blessing to. A lot of the missionaries that I came to the CCM with are from Utah and somehow we know some of the same people! Like, ok my companion, Hermana Phippen KNOWS SHAYLA SMOOT!! like, mom, please tell Grandma that. She was really good friends with here at school and they lived next door to each other, how crazy is that?!? So yeah, it really is a small world after all.

EVERYTHING IS CORNBREAD

Ok this is mostly just funny, but everything we have here is corn bread. haha the cupcakes are cornbread, the cake is cornbread, and the cornbread is cornbread...its so funny! Sometimes we have so strange food here at the CCM. They like to serve for dessert lots of jello and like different colored jello inside other jello...its really weird. Oh and I eat rice. Every day. Like at least once if not twice a day...but I like rice so its okay.

THE CHURCH IS STILL TRUE EVEN IF YOU GET HIVES

Ok. So, on Friday we actually got to go out proselyting and it was way scary but also really awesome! Like, this was not some fake activity where we talk with our teachers, no. We went outside the gates of the CCM and talked to real Colombians..It was terrifying but also really great. The first guy we talked to talked way fast and we just kind of stood there nodding like yeah, okay, uh huh, yep. And while we were doing this there were some dogs like running around us and brushing up against us and I didnt really think anything of it but then once we got back to the CCM I looked down at my legs and the sides were covered in hives...yeah, I got some medicine from Hermana DuVall and they went away after like a day but yeah...first day out and I get hives...but don't worry, the church is still true!

ANYONE HERE?

Ok so all the Latins and some of the Nortes (North Americans) left last night at like 2 am to go to their missions and the Elders that I came here with were all at immigration so it was literally just us 6 Hermanas here in the CCM...and it was really strange..super quiet.

YOU THINK DRIVING IN UTAH IS BAD...

Ok, no matter what you say, Utah drivers are no where near as bad as drivers in Colombia. THEY ARE CRAZY. They cut people off all the time and merging is crazy. We are usually in a bus and I guess buses have the right of way but its really like Mario Kart. So crazy, so so crazy. Bogota is SO different from anywhere I have every been. There is graffiti on a ton of walls and if there isn't graffiti, there are posters plastered on the walls with announcements and stuff. its so interesting. Don't get me wrong though, it is a beautiful place. There are mountains here that remind me of Utah and I love it!

GOD IS SO AWARE OF US

God is so aware of us and there have been so many times that I have realized it this week. He allows me to see blessings in my life and it really strengthens my testimony. If you ever feel like you are having an unproductive day or uneventful day or just any day in general really, reflect back on the day and see how God has blessed you. I promise you you will be able to see the hand of the Lord in your life. He blesses us in so many ways and they aren't always big ways, but he is aware of us.

DONT JUST LET PEOPLE JOIN A BASKETBALL TEAM

So, on Sunday. Oh, I love Sundays by the way, but I think Ive already said that, but I do. They are great. Anyway, on Sunday Presidente DuVall was giving a devotional and he started talking about how in South America its really popular for missionaries to get baptisms through basketball and other sports because people think oh, if I get baptized I can be on there team and then they have tons of people in South America who don't even know they're part of the church. We have to really convert these people. Its not just about baptisms, its about bringing these people unto Christ and truly truly converting them, we cant just let them join a basketball team.

I know God loves each and every one of us and even if I cant speak the language very well right now, I know that He will help me and help investigators understand what Im trying to say. An Hermana last night read a talk to us about how we dont know everything, but we know enough. How true that is. I certainly dont know everything, but right now, I know enough and I just need to keep working hard. I love you all and have a wonderful week!

Love,

Herrmana Roylance

 P.S. okay I forgot one funny thing. So sometimes, as in a lot, I struggle with Spanish but one of the first lessons we were teaching I was trying to say my dad was an engineer and I guess I said the word wrong and accidentally said my dad was a gangster...yep...we all had a good laugh about that."