Adios Mexico...Off to Oregon!

I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow!  I am SO EXCITED.  We leave here at 8:30 in the morning, our flight leaves at 12:25, we connect through DFW and arrive in Portland at 8:20 at night so it'll definitely be a long day of travel. 

Not really too much has happened since I emailed last week.  I think I actually forgot to tell you about the devotional we had last week.  We had one of the Area Seventies, Jorge L. Saldívar, come and speak to us. One of the things he said that I really liked was to "Ver con los ojos del Salvador" or "See with the eyes of the Savior".  I thought that was so powerful, to see with the Savior's eyes. When thinking about it, I realized that applies to more than just seeing PEOPLE with the eyes of the Savior; it's also about seeing opportunities like He would. Christ was so good at teaching and always took every opportunity as a teaching moment and so I think looking at things with His eyes includes moments, opportunities, trials, everything. 

We had the girls from the other district over on Wednesday, after they emailed their families for the first time, just to talk and vent and bond and it went really well. The other Hermanas from our district came too and so it was just a nice little girl's chat. We laughed and talked and ate ice cream and it was great. 

We played kickball on Thursday!  It was really, really fun. We "challenged" the other district in our zone, they came and we all had a blast.  It was a really nice final district bonding activity. 

On Friday, we had an all day field training session. It was cool because we learned things that we never had the opportunity to learn in the classroom setting. We talked a lot about working with members, faith, finding, and miracles. My favorite little snippet from the day was a quote about miracles: "Miracles are the natural result of the correct application of true eternal principles". 

The Hermanas from the districts that were leaving this week got to watch the Women's Broadcast on Saturday while all the other Hermanas are going to watch it next week during the Priesthood session. Seriously Mom, you should move to Mexico because I swear NOTHING can ever get started on time.  (Hey, I resent that remark!  I'm only sometimes late.)   Dad, I'm sure it would drive you insane because it definitely drives me insane sometimes.  We went to the room at 5:45 because it was supposed to start at 6:00 but no one showed up to get the broadcast set up until 6:20. He just kind of showed up, didn't say anything, put the broadcast into Spanish, and then left even though we tried to tell him PLEASE keep it in English. The Spanish was fine; I could understand everything they were saying but I felt like I would've got more out of it if it had been in English. I'm hoping I'll just be able to watch it next weekend when I have an iPad!  

 Waiting for the broadcast...

 (Before you ask the question, I don't know if the Elders watched the broadcast too.  She just had this picture in the same email 

with the one above and that title.)

I really feel a sense of satisfaction with the work I've put into my calling as "Sister Training Leader". We've put a lot of time and effort and thought and prayer into it and it's definitely paid off.  I feel like we were led by the Lord and were able to really assimilate the girls well and make them feel comfortable and loved. 

 This is us with one of our new sisters, Hermana Brusch.

We're taking pictures with the others tonight.

We had a lot of goodbyes this week. Our teachers, members of our districts, members of other districts. It's a strange feeling that I've spent the last six weeks of my life here and most likely I will never step foot in Mexico City again after tomorrow. 

Hermano Gutierrez, my morning teacher. 

He's the one who fixed my watch.

 

Our district with Hermano "G"

 

  Our district with our night teachers,

 Hermano Murillo and Hermano Polo

 Hermano Polo would always walk through the background of our lessons 

pretending to pick his nose so that was kind of a joke in our district.

  Every Sunday, after the video, they do a "tribute" to the people who are
 leaving and then we all sing "God Be With You Till We Meet Again".  

Here's some pics from the powerpoint tribute to us...

I participated in a choir in front of the whole CCM!  See!  I am 
trying to do things I wouldn't normally do. 
We sang "All Creatures of Our God and King" 
and it was beautiful!  I have a video, too.

 

This is Elder Faris from my district.  Apparently, his dad grew up in Asbury Park and was really close family friends with Lynn Wirth!  Weird, right?  He's actually been to their house before in Pennsylvania 
(really close to where we now live...such a small world!).  

He's also from Oregon so he's given me a lot of info! 

I'm just really excited to get to Oregon. I know the last six weeks have been part of my mission (and a real essential part) but I just feel like my mission is ACTUALLY about to start. 

I feel really blessed to have had the experience that I had here.  My teachers, my districts, the Presidency, they were all so wonderful and I've learned so much.  I feel really comfortable in my Spanish but I'm sure my language confidence will get shaken when I actually get to Oregon and people aren't speaking slow, simple Spanish for me.  I feel more comfortable in Spanish now than I did after I'd taken AP Spanish. It's amazing how fast you're able to learn here.

My next email will be from Oregon!!!  Can't wait. 

Love,

Hermana Meise

Note from Mom:  She is SO happy and SO ready and we are as well.