Friends and Family,
I made it to the field! It is so hot here I am basically melting. I
am in Phoenix for my first area. I am serving in an English Ward and a Spanish
Branch so I get to speak both languages, which is so fun.
Before I forget I will say a few things that happened before I got
to the field. Sunday was my last time going to church at the MTC and, just my
luck, I was picked to give the talk in Sacrament meeting! It was a little scary
because they just call on someone random and you get up and give your talk in
Spanish. I spoke about having faith in Jesus Christ. I did all right other than
when I read a few versus of scripture in Spanish. I butchered those so hard - I
felt bad. But all is well, Brother Gerny said I did great so I am just going to
take his word for it because it made me feel good! On Sunday night I watched
the Character of Christ video by Elder Bednar again. AMAZING. I learned so much
and everything I learned was different than from the last time I watched it my
first Sunday in the MTC. After that, my district and some of the other members
of my zone met up in our classroom to say goodbye. It was so sad and I am
already missing them! We sang Joseph Smith’s First Prayer in Spanish to the
tune of Come Thou Fount. Holy - it was beautiful. It was so loud and powerful-
probably because we had more people in the tiniest room than was probably safe-
but it was an amazing an emotional experience. I’m sad to leave them but I am
so happy to be here in Arizona.
My Companion is Hermana Martinez. She is the best. She has such a
great sense of humor, we have a ton of similar interests, and she is fluent in
Spanish! Basically she is just a dream. The only problem is that she is not the
best at directions so we end up getting lost some times. BUT we are in a car so
I am counting my blessings for sure!
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| We took this picture like 30 seconds ago so we'd have more than one picture to send...my bad |
We got picked up from the airport by my mission president and his
wife and the assistants to the president. They are all so nice. I really love
my mission president. It helps that Hermana Martinez is close with him so I can
joke around with him too. They drove us to a park where we ate outside and I
kind of felt like death in the heat. It was 110. Then we went to the mission
office and the mission home where we did some orientation. Next, we had about
twenty minutes of practice of street contacting before we left to do it for
real! I was basically about to pee my pants/skirt. I got put with Hermana V,
who is now my sister training leader. She was so helpful and made me feel so
great. We went to a slightly sketchier neighborhood where we just walked around
and talked to people IN SPANISH. We passed out about four pass-along cards, and
someone accepted a Book of Mormon! It was the craziest thing! We also visited
one of the families that Hermana V teaches because we were in her area. We
ended up teaching them a lesson about Faith and Hope. I feel like all the
Spanish I learned in the MTC was a lie. Real people talk about 200x faster but
I understood about half of what they said. I also got to speak a little and
they complimented me on my Spanish (but I kind of feel like it was a pity
compliment). But I loved it! They were so nice. And now I am a little less
nervous to street contact, although it is still pretty scary.
After street contacting we had dinner in the mission home and
watched an AMAZING video called Missionary Work and the Atonement by Elder
Holland and President Eyring. Everyone go look it up on Youtube right now,
because it makes me cry every time. Not really, but I love it so much. It made
me extra happy because it was the video that my district and I watched a bunch
of times in the MTC. So it was very comforting. The sisters left after that and
we walked down the road to an apartment where we stayed the night.
The next morning, we watched a safety video and had to take a mini
driving test (I passed, go me!). Then we got out trainers and our assigned
areas before the big transfer meeting where the missionaries who aren’t new get
with their new companions. Hermana Martinez and I got a little shout out at the
end because President Sweeney asked if anyone had questions and he thought Hermana
Martinez did because we were already laughing and joking with each other. Then
we packed up our stuff and went to our area.
Once we got to the area, Hermana Martinez and two other Elders who
are in our ward with us went to dinner at one of the stake councilor’s house.
It was great but it made the fact that I am a real life missionary so much more
real (side note, my new favorite dessert is blackberry cobbler). After dinner
we went to a meeting with the ward mission leader, the bishop, the missionaries,
and some of the ward missionaries. It was cool to be a part of it, but I didn't
know any of the people from the area so I didn't have much to contribute. While
we were there the bishop gave us a referral so after the meeting we drove over
to say hi. We made an appointment so we get to teach her tonight! I am so
excited because I got to be there when we first met her. I have so much hope
that she will become an investigator because I know this Gospel is true and can
help her and I already love her so much! After that, we contacted another few
houses and talked to a couple that only spoke Spanish. It was kind of scary but
a good learning experience.
Today we got to go back to the mission home because I forgot my
overnight bag like the ridiculous person that I am. It's about a 25-minute
drive, so I felt really bad. Two other Hermanas drove with us just for fun.
They are so funny and I love them. It was kind of fun to be in the mission
office when it wasn't full of all the new missionaries (21 came in with me)
because I got to talk a little more with the office staff and the President, so
that was cool. They are all so funny.
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| The two hermanas (on the left) that went back to the mission home with us |
We got back and dropped my stuff off, and now I am typing this email
from a VERY slow computer at the church family history center. I got my iPad
yesterday, but I have to do some online training stuff until I am allowed to
officially use it. Once I have done that I can technically check emails
everyday, but I don't want to get distracted from the work that I love so I
probably wont actually be checking it everyday. But I will be emailing on
Mondays. This week p-day is Wednesday because it is a transfer week.
Hopefully I remembered to say everything that I have done, but it
has really only been a few days sense I talked to you last.
I love and pray for you all! Have a wonderful week! The Church is true!
Much Love,
Hermana Doxey
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