May 26, 2010 Wednesday
Dear Family!!
You are the best! Mom I am glad you are taking care of college kids and Swedish bikers. I want to be just like you! You really are the "Laurel" Mom! Josh is lucky you got to go with him to Six Flags!! That sounds like so much fun! Dad/Sharah: Birding sounds fun. It sounds like you two have been real pals this week.
Thanks for the emails from Grandma Donna and Grandma Jean! Mikayla and I also got emails from Karin--hilarious. I hope McKenzie adjusts to the idea of another sister. I also got a letter from Mikayla and Katie Horne. So good to hear from them. I love that Mikayla is so determined to laugh...at least an hour every day.
Yesterday we had interviews with the President. I didnt really have a reason to cry except that I have only been here three weeks and it is hard to adjust, never the less I cried all through the 15 minutes...runny nose and everything, so he went out to get some toilet paper for me. When I came out of the interview, I went into the bathroom for 5 minutes to wait for my face to look normal again. Finally, I came out. I joked with the elders that were also waiting that I had allergies all of a sudden in the interviewing room...weird huh? Of course, Hermana Waters thought I was serious and told me how she had had an allergic reaction to a tree the day before. I think I need to work on my jokes so that everyone knows Iḿ kidding. I blame Dad and Uncle Roy.
President Watkins just said Poco a poco. To study Spanish he reads a chapter of the Libro de Mormon every day, studies Preach my Gospel in Spanish for a few minutes and then reads half of a page to a page of the grammer book we have. Im going to do the same thing.
Dad, I gave up on the zeta for now, partly because the majority of the people we speak with are from South America. The important thing is that people understand. I dont know how it was when you were here, but I think there has been a huge migration from South America to Spain within the last ten years. Almost everyone we talk to from South America has been here less than ten years. I know this may be a skewed sample of Spain because I only talk to people in my area (in the city) and that are willing to talk with missionaries.
I have to go, just know that I am so grateful for all the blessings our family has received from knowing the gospel and obeying the commandments. I know the Lord supports us in our trials. I am so grateful for trials because we learn how to take care of others who suffer. That is what the Lord did for us. The other day I prayed and then looked in Preach My Gospel for instructions on how to be happy...I was sure there had to be a section labeled: How to be happy. What I turned to was the Atonement. I realized that Christ has suffered beyond comprehension to save souls. What a little sacrifice is it for us to give up our time and our own interests to help those same souls? Ironically, learning that a big part of life is sacrifice made me a lot happier.
I love you!
Love Hermana Moulton
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 19, 2012
Transfer 1, Week 2
Ha,ha Family...just read your emails...so funny...I´ll write a letter today!
Yesterday I had a breakdown...so my comp and I sat on a bench so I could cry for a few minutes...but then a nice old lady sat down and talked our ears off. I don´t understand old people or Spainards so I just smiled for most of it...but I don´t think she could hear us anyway so it all worked out. Most of the people we talk to are from South America. They are easier to understand. I can hardly understand the native Madridians at all.
This is a really crazy Spanish speaking mission because we have all the different Spanish accents you can think of...Dominican, Peruvian, Bolivian, Equadorian, and then all the different places in Spain. The only Spanish I haven´t heard is from Mexico. I speak half my words with the zeta and half without...but it doesn´t really matter...the most important thing is understanding what they say. (Still working on that). I honestly think I will be able to understand the majority by the end of this transfer. My comp and I need to work on speaking Spanish to each other more consistently, we are just both so new. She is great.
So here is the reason for the breakdown: at church we had 3 or 4 people that we were trying to make feel comfortable...but I still don´t feel comfortable...I don´t catch the side comments and some of the humor so it is hard to be aware of how they are feeling. It is at moments like these, when I don´t know what to say but I feel responsible. Then that's when it hits me that I am going to be here for a year and a half....But, just so you know, that feeling doesn´t happen too much. I felt worlds better after I had a little breakdown. It was good n healthy. I am learning so much.
We are working with great people. Great days are when we teach a lot and feel that we are actually helping people.
Oh yeah, here is the schedule:
7:30am wake up/exercise
8:00 shower/breakfast
9:00 Personal study10:00 Companion study - plan lesson, share insights...lots of fun
11:00 Spanish study/get ready to leave
11:30 Proselyting time then we have two hours for "medio dia" to eat and study.
10:00pm (or 10:30 if we are teaching) home...start planning for 30 mins
11:30pm Bed
So, cool story: on Saturday we were literally running from cita to cita and didn´t have time for a medio dia. It was great, but when our very last cita canceled it was very tempting to go home half an hour early...of course we didn´t though and in that last half hour we found a menos activa who is really excited to meet with us and an investigator who invited us over to her house on the spot. Not bad. Moral of the story: Be obedient, preseverar hasta el fin.
Many of the people that are here from South America are here for work and couldn´t afford to bring their families. Everyone works so much here.
I have to go...I will right you and Mikayla this week....I´ll send my address with the letter...I can´t remember it right now.
I love you!!!! Super lots
Hermana Moulton
Ha,ha Family...just read your emails...so funny...I´ll write a letter today!
Yesterday I had a breakdown...so my comp and I sat on a bench so I could cry for a few minutes...but then a nice old lady sat down and talked our ears off. I don´t understand old people or Spainards so I just smiled for most of it...but I don´t think she could hear us anyway so it all worked out. Most of the people we talk to are from South America. They are easier to understand. I can hardly understand the native Madridians at all.
This is a really crazy Spanish speaking mission because we have all the different Spanish accents you can think of...Dominican, Peruvian, Bolivian, Equadorian, and then all the different places in Spain. The only Spanish I haven´t heard is from Mexico. I speak half my words with the zeta and half without...but it doesn´t really matter...the most important thing is understanding what they say. (Still working on that). I honestly think I will be able to understand the majority by the end of this transfer. My comp and I need to work on speaking Spanish to each other more consistently, we are just both so new. She is great.
So here is the reason for the breakdown: at church we had 3 or 4 people that we were trying to make feel comfortable...but I still don´t feel comfortable...I don´t catch the side comments and some of the humor so it is hard to be aware of how they are feeling. It is at moments like these, when I don´t know what to say but I feel responsible. Then that's when it hits me that I am going to be here for a year and a half....But, just so you know, that feeling doesn´t happen too much. I felt worlds better after I had a little breakdown. It was good n healthy. I am learning so much.
We are working with great people. Great days are when we teach a lot and feel that we are actually helping people.
Oh yeah, here is the schedule:
7:30am wake up/exercise
8:00 shower/breakfast
9:00 Personal study10:00 Companion study - plan lesson, share insights...lots of fun
11:00 Spanish study/get ready to leave
11:30 Proselyting time then we have two hours for "medio dia" to eat and study.
10:00pm (or 10:30 if we are teaching) home...start planning for 30 mins
11:30pm Bed
So, cool story: on Saturday we were literally running from cita to cita and didn´t have time for a medio dia. It was great, but when our very last cita canceled it was very tempting to go home half an hour early...of course we didn´t though and in that last half hour we found a menos activa who is really excited to meet with us and an investigator who invited us over to her house on the spot. Not bad. Moral of the story: Be obedient, preseverar hasta el fin.
Many of the people that are here from South America are here for work and couldn´t afford to bring their families. Everyone works so much here.
I have to go...I will right you and Mikayla this week....I´ll send my address with the letter...I can´t remember it right now.
I love you!!!! Super lots
Hermana Moulton
Thursday, May 13, 2010
May 12 cont.
This is Irma Almeida. She we a blast. All three of the portuguese sisters were amazing. Tis was taken in the Plaza Mayor in Sol.
May 12, 2010
Dear Family,
I am sending you some pictures at your request. I request pics in return, please.
I will send three at a time to be sure they make it!
This is my district and one of our teachers from the Provo MTC,
in the room where we spent three weeks together.
They were awesome. I learned a ton from them.
These are all the Hermanas that were in my Zone in Provo...
We were also roommates for three weeks.
The pics take a while to load.......
so meanwhile I will tell you about life.
I feel great physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, are there any I am missing?
My companion, Hermana Smith, is great and I am learning day by day how much I can learn from her. She has learned how to follow the Spirit-each day she leads us to contact people that are open or have heard of the church. She is organized and obedient and we have a good relationship and open communication...more so everyday and that makes things so much better. I hope we can stay together for a couple more transfers. I am learning a lot of humility...like how much I need to learn to rely on the Lord and my companion. I can see when I am, where I have been, and where the missionaries who have been here longer as far as language and knowlegde and gifts of the Spirit, and I have gained a testimony that everything in this life is poco a poco...little by little.
Me and Hermana Smith...not the greatest pic, but we are standing on the balcony of our piso....cool!
Fam and friends I love you...I hope these get to you...it took awhile
F.Y.I. We are allowed one hour to email immediate family only...and then the rest of our hours during prep-day to write to anyone else.
We are allowed to print off talks or whatever you send us.
Love you all. Thanks for the emails!!..
Tell Grandma C I got her emails and Thanks!! I´ll write her soon.
Love Hermana Moulton
I am sending you some pictures at your request. I request pics in return, please.
I will send three at a time to be sure they make it!
This is my district and one of our teachers from the Provo MTC,
in the room where we spent three weeks together.
They were awesome. I learned a ton from them.
These are all the Hermanas that were in my Zone in Provo...
We were also roommates for three weeks.
The pics take a while to load.......
so meanwhile I will tell you about life.
I feel great physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, are there any I am missing?
My companion, Hermana Smith, is great and I am learning day by day how much I can learn from her. She has learned how to follow the Spirit-each day she leads us to contact people that are open or have heard of the church. She is organized and obedient and we have a good relationship and open communication...more so everyday and that makes things so much better. I hope we can stay together for a couple more transfers. I am learning a lot of humility...like how much I need to learn to rely on the Lord and my companion. I can see when I am, where I have been, and where the missionaries who have been here longer as far as language and knowlegde and gifts of the Spirit, and I have gained a testimony that everything in this life is poco a poco...little by little.
Me and Hermana Smith...not the greatest pic, but we are standing on the balcony of our piso....cool!
Fam and friends I love you...I hope these get to you...it took awhile
F.Y.I. We are allowed one hour to email immediate family only...and then the rest of our hours during prep-day to write to anyone else.
We are allowed to print off talks or whatever you send us.
Love you all. Thanks for the emails!!..
Tell Grandma C I got her emails and Thanks!! I´ll write her soon.
Love Hermana Moulton
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 5, 2010
Dear Family,
Today is my second day in the mission field and it is prep day. (Tues) Can you say surviving? I am so grateful to be here but I have never been so grateful to go to bed as I was last night either. I realized that an attitude of gratitude is the only thing that will help me survive this week...so here goes:
Gratitude list:
-I have an awesome companion!!!! Hermana Smith. She was the one I looked up on Facebook back in December and Mikayla and I went to Cafe Rio with her. We are also temporary companions with Hermana Balden (till friday) who is on her last transfer. She is always laughing and joking around and she knows what sheś doing. She is saving us right now. Did I mention that our area has been white-washed and this is only my trainerś third transfer? Hahahahahahhahhahhahaaahhhhaha!!!!! Love it!!!! We don't know anyone here.
My list isn't turning out very list-like....I will try again:
-We just bought a ton of great fruit muy barato.
-I contacted a woman reading her Bible on the Metro last night (First person in the field!!!)...we offered her a Book of Mormon and then got lost in her response...we were pretty sure she was turning us down until she jumped up to get off, turned around and said something like: "well aren't you giving me your book?"
-The Chinese stores which are all over the place, have everything you could ever want!!! Super cheap as well.
-My shoes are good...bought new insoles today
-Am I allowed to list AWESOME companions twice?
-I know I am supposed to be here.
-My eyes have been opened and I know I'm going to learn a ton if I live through it!
-Everything we could ever need as far as food, computers, stores etc. It is all within a two minute walk from our great piso.
-I get to talk to my family on Sunday!!!! (Mother's day)
-I just ate an amazing pear.
-I'm super healthy even though it feels like I pulled something in my leg (Don't worry...just a light tug of a pull ;)
-We taught a family last night...the wife and daughter are members, the husband can make the best empanadas of my life...some sort of white cheese in the middle served hot with sugar sprinkled over the top
(On the Mother's day phone call, Shayla said they were starving and the empanada's saved their lives!! Oh thankyou for feeding the Hermana's)
-I understand enough Spanish to skip that heart attack....believe me, I don't understand everything and I need I lot of work but I am not dying so that is nice.
So...Dear family and friends, I love you love you love you.
Love, Hermana Moulton...that's what their calling me these days.
P.S. Can someone call Katherine and tell her how happy I am for her and Matt? So great!
Today is my second day in the mission field and it is prep day. (Tues) Can you say surviving? I am so grateful to be here but I have never been so grateful to go to bed as I was last night either. I realized that an attitude of gratitude is the only thing that will help me survive this week...so here goes:
Gratitude list:
-I have an awesome companion!!!! Hermana Smith. She was the one I looked up on Facebook back in December and Mikayla and I went to Cafe Rio with her. We are also temporary companions with Hermana Balden (till friday) who is on her last transfer. She is always laughing and joking around and she knows what sheś doing. She is saving us right now. Did I mention that our area has been white-washed and this is only my trainerś third transfer? Hahahahahahhahhahhahaaahhhhaha!!!!! Love it!!!! We don't know anyone here.
My list isn't turning out very list-like....I will try again:
-We just bought a ton of great fruit muy barato.
-I contacted a woman reading her Bible on the Metro last night (First person in the field!!!)...we offered her a Book of Mormon and then got lost in her response...we were pretty sure she was turning us down until she jumped up to get off, turned around and said something like: "well aren't you giving me your book?"
-The Chinese stores which are all over the place, have everything you could ever want!!! Super cheap as well.
-My shoes are good...bought new insoles today
-Am I allowed to list AWESOME companions twice?
-I know I am supposed to be here.
-My eyes have been opened and I know I'm going to learn a ton if I live through it!
-Everything we could ever need as far as food, computers, stores etc. It is all within a two minute walk from our great piso.
-I get to talk to my family on Sunday!!!! (Mother's day)
-I just ate an amazing pear.
-I'm super healthy even though it feels like I pulled something in my leg (Don't worry...just a light tug of a pull ;)
-We taught a family last night...the wife and daughter are members, the husband can make the best empanadas of my life...some sort of white cheese in the middle served hot with sugar sprinkled over the top
(On the Mother's day phone call, Shayla said they were starving and the empanada's saved their lives!! Oh thankyou for feeding the Hermana's)
-I understand enough Spanish to skip that heart attack....believe me, I don't understand everything and I need I lot of work but I am not dying so that is nice.
So...Dear family and friends, I love you love you love you.
Love, Hermana Moulton...that's what their calling me these days.
P.S. Can someone call Katherine and tell her how happy I am for her and Matt? So great!
May 3, 2010
Family!!!
Tomorrow I leave the CCM and get to meet my trainer and start doing real missionary things! So excited/scared/motivated. Our district has been so great. We are not exactly the most focused group in the world...we have a lot of funny Elders...there are just six of us in our class so we got to know each other pretty well. We sang "OCHENTA" (hymn #80 in the Spanish himnario) twice today as a sort of closing ritual...it was sort of our theme song. I´m afraid we don´t sing it very reverently.
This Saturday on the metro we met a lady that had been learning about the Gospel but then moved and lost contact with the missionaries. She gave us her contact info and I passed it along to the missionaries. It is amazing how the Lord puts people like that in our path! Rule number one: Talk to everyone. It can be so hard to open my mouth when I don´t know Spanish...but good always comes of it!
Dad...it hit me finally today how much we are building up on the labors of those that have gone before us, and it is so cool to know that You came before us. I imagine that missionary work in Spain is totally different now than when you were here because there are so many more members and chapels, not to mention this beautiful Temple!! It is crazy to think that the Church has only been in Spain 40 years!! I wish I had more stats about this...maybe you can do some research :)
Good Family Home Evening idea: Watch "On the Lord´s Errand." We watched it just this morning. It´s all about Pres. Thomas S. Monson and it has some pretty cool stories....I think everyone would like it....just get some popcorn and soda and it will be a party!
Josh: Do you have an email address?
Sharah: You should have Jacob or Mom or Dad let you get on their email and write me...what´s going on in 3rd grade!!!
Jacob: Thanks for sending me the pictures of the chicks...so cute!!
I love you!!! Hope things are going great there. We have heard so many Apostolic promises that the Lord takes care of our families while we are serving missions and I trust that so much.
Love Shayla.
April 29, 2010
Dear Family!!
The park this week was amazing!!! Each week we change companionships. This week I went out with Hermana Ackerman.
Here´s why it was amazing: We saw one guy passing by us on his bike in the other direction...then about 40 minutes later we met him at a corner in another part of this HUGE park and he was sort of waiting for us and he started the conversation. He said he wanted to make some changes in his life and he wondered what we were teaching and if he could come to our church to see how it felt. Serious...this really happened!! twist our arm... I did most of the conversing because H. Ackerman is newer to Spanish but she shared the First Vision and her testimony about it and it was so sweet. We shared a scripture in Moroni that applied to our conversation...something I´d read just that morning!!!! Then we asked him to take the Book of Mormon and read Moroni 10:3-5, marking it with a pamphlet from the first lesson. He said he wouldn´t just read those verses but I would read the whole book. He gave us his contact info so other missionaries could come teach him. He used to be Catholic and he is from Ecuador but he´s been in Spain for the last 10 years.
Here´s why it was amazing: We saw one guy passing by us on his bike in the other direction...then about 40 minutes later we met him at a corner in another part of this HUGE park and he was sort of waiting for us and he started the conversation. He said he wanted to make some changes in his life and he wondered what we were teaching and if he could come to our church to see how it felt. Serious...this really happened!! twist our arm... I did most of the conversing because H. Ackerman is newer to Spanish but she shared the First Vision and her testimony about it and it was so sweet. We shared a scripture in Moroni that applied to our conversation...something I´d read just that morning!!!! Then we asked him to take the Book of Mormon and read Moroni 10:3-5, marking it with a pamphlet from the first lesson. He said he wouldn´t just read those verses but I would read the whole book. He gave us his contact info so other missionaries could come teach him. He used to be Catholic and he is from Ecuador but he´s been in Spain for the last 10 years.
After this, Hermana Ackerman and I walked away stunned and bawling like any normal Hermanas after witnessing a milagro.
Not for blog: (Again, I use my disgression. . . .Yes, for blog. What life lessons!! wow)
I´d been trying to figure out how to fast and how to use it in my life... like in Alma 26: 21-22 (I think) Anyway, I fasted on Friday and I really think that that had something to do with the miracle at the park.
I have to go right now..but I love you!!!!
If I don´t email again today, tell Grandma Jean how much I appreciate her emails!
April 29, 2010
Hey family!! These pics were taken from the Elder´s side of the building that we live in!! If Elder Waite had aimed his camera an inch more to the left you would see the windows of the sisters´ side of the building! Beautiful huh! I just came from there five minutes ago!
April 23, 2010
Dear Mom and Dad,
I love you!!! I sent a letter on Wednesday so that should get to you soon!!!!
Where is Shalese going to live in Vegas? What is she going to do?
It sounds like things are good there. I´m going to stop worrying about you but I'll keep praying for you!!!
Sounds like a pretty crazy time for Josh with dog bites and stitches from broom hockey. Cool work....remember scars are manly.
I´m learning so much about who we are! We are children of God. I have to write you a letter because I´ve learned so much and I don´t have time to get it all it this email.
Elder Hinkley and his wife came and spoke to us yesterday. He looks so much like his father but he is taller. Eight of us got to be in a quick focus group and he asked us what we liked and what we might change about the MTC. It was cool to feel like he trusted us and wanted our opinions.
Dad, can you scan the picture of you when you were missionary age so I can show people? I sort of doubt it, but do you remember a boy with the last name Arjona? He is probably 45ish now and teaches here (amazing-he is the director). He was converted when he was 10 or 13 or so.
What about Jesús and Aurora Valle from Leon?
About Mostoles, Leon etc...currently all the sisters in the Madrid mission are serving in Madrid. Maybe that will change when Bilbao and Madrid are consolidated, but I´m not sure. Hopefully, I´ll get to serve in those places but right now it doesn´t sound like it. We´ll see. I met Pres and Sis Watkins yesterday. They seem really neat and down to earth...Turns out that all the "high-ups" in the church are pretty down to earth :)
Love you!!
Love Shayla
Sharah: I´m glad you are obsessed with Love. (From visiting Shalese at BYU)
Jacob: Email me!! you are supposed to be the computer guy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)