Week 3

Not gonna lie, this week has been tough. I have never cried in front of other people so much in my entire life. It's embarrassing, but humbling. I think my good friend Cristal Burgoyne described a mission so adequately: It's like trying to board a train that's moving 100 mph. Ohhhh yes it is. It very much is. But I feel like I'm trying to do that, but in a wheelchair. With a blindfold on.

Learning the language has been a struggle, but the challenge is exciting. I don't feel too nervous about attempting to talk with the kids from Brazil, Venezuela or Mexico, but I am deathly afraid of the possibility of having to speak in church. 

Hermana Darley? Afraid? Ohhhh yeah. 

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but every Sunday in Sacrament meeting, Presidente Doll selects eight random people to come up and give 5 minute talks, and they have to be in Spanish. And Pres. Doll waits until after the sacrament has been passed before announcing his selections. Now I know how the people in the Hunger Games felt... The only difference is that nobody stands up and yells, "I VOLUNTEER!" When you get called up to speak. Nah. People just kind of stare at you sadly (or laugh quietly) as you do the walk of shame up to the pulpit, and deliver your message in your Gringo Spanish. But the huge sigh of relief that passes over the rest of the congregation is a really funny sound.

In other news, last Pday mi compañeras and I wanted to find a certain store so that we could get some snacks and stuff, so we headed out with the directions that the Elders gave us. Well ended up getting a little lost and walked for about 20 minutes in the wrong direction. And all along the way we heard whistles, catcalls, people asking us for pictures, etc. etc. etc. Then this guy came up to us and asked us for money, then he asked about our nametags and shook each of our hands in turn. But after each handshake, he kissed my companions on the cheek. And this wasn't the usual quick peck on the cheek that you typically get from a Chilean. This was more like a smooch. I was just going to shake his hand, but I got a smooch on the cheek, too. As we were walking away, it took me about 30 seconds to process what had happened. 

Yeah, the rest of District 6 had a good laugh about that when we all met in our classroom afterwards.

Anyways, as for spiritual matters, something pretty cool happened a couple days ago: 

So Hermana Naegle got sick, and my tripanionship was supposed to teach a new "investigator" that day. Hermana Chapman and I were super nervous because we kind of depend on H. Naegle to help us understand what's being said and fill the awkward silences since her Spanish is currently the best. But H. Chapman and I had to go in to the lesson without her, and we REALLY had to rely on the Spirit to do the teaching. We said a prayer beforehand that we would know what to say and do for our investigator, and honestly, I barely remember what we said or did, but ultimately, we found the need of our investigator, and we have the perfect segway into the next lesson! I was thanking Heavenly Father like crazy for that. I learned that silences are okay because they allow the Spirit a little more time to talk. 

Anyways, that's all for this week. 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

Ciao!!!