Startin to Speak Espanol

This week has flown by! Time in the MTC is different than time in the regular world. One day feels like a week, and a week feels like a day. On Monday my companera y yo taught a new TRC investigator named Rosi Delgado. She wasn't very responsive during our first lesson, which was tough. We teach her again tomorrow and I might invite her to be baptized. Nothing brings the spirit like a baptismal interview! I'll let you know how that one goes. 

On Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) my sweet teacher, Hmo. Thompson, gave us each an illustrated children's libro de Mormon en Espanol. Then we watched The Nativity Story. I'd never seen that particular film before and it really touched my heart. 

It snowed on Christmas day! I have a suspicion that all of the missionaries from Arizona and Samoa were praying really hard for snow. God really does answer prayers! Elder Nelson and his angelic wife spoke to us in our Christmas Devotional. I sang in the choir with the rest of my Hermanas. Elder Nelson talked about the doctrine of Christ. How it is one doctrine, but has many different facets. Sister Nelson told us how we can have Christmas every day of our missions. In the afternoon I was able to call my family. I am so grateful for the support of my family! I feel blessed that they are the people I get to spend eternity with. 

After phone calls everyone in my district had red eyes and wet cheeks. The mood was considerably lightened once we were back in the classroom. Elder Camp had just finished praying over his sack dinner when his ginger ale rolled off the desk and exploded. Every inch of the classroom was soaked. Luckily my companion took most of the blow for me :) I teased Elder Camp that he must have blessed his meal that it would nourish and strengthen him. Heavenly Father must have decided that his meal would be a little more nourishing without soda. We have too much fun as a district :) That night we watched the movie "Ephraim's Rescue." It is so much better watching movies with two thousand other missionaries. Everyone covers their eyes during the kissing scenes. It's muy divertido! 

On Friday we were surpirised to learn that our investigator, Paz, was actually Hma. Ferrel - our new Maestra! She is beyond wonderful! I am convinced that I have the best district and best teachers in the whole MTC. 

Sunday was amazing! I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about recognizing el Epiritu Santo. The whole thing was in Espanol! El don de lenguas is real! For our evening devotional we had two very special guests: Richard Elliot (The Mormon Tabernacle choir organist) y David Archuleta!!!!!!!! We arrived very early so our district could get good seats. We were only a few rows away from the pulpit. Richard Elliot is an incredibly talented musician. I loved his renditions of hyms, especially "Go tell it on the mountain." David Archuleta's talent is mind-blowing (and for some sisters, heart-melting). He sang lots of songs including Glorious, Come come ye saints (a personal favorite), a french christmas hymn, and If the Savior stood beside me (another personal favorite.) I felt the spirit so strongly as his voice filled the whole room. It was an experience I will never forget. 

I love the MTC! It is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but I feel angels cheering me on and walking by my side. There is nothing I would rather be doing right now than be a missionary. This is happiness and I am lucky enough to share it with others. I love you all and am eternally grateful for your support.

Yo se que Dios es nuestro Padre Celestial y nosotros somos sus hijos. Yo se que el Evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero. Yo amo el Libro de Mormon! Amo Jesucristo y Su expiacion. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

Con amor,

Hermana davis

Ashley made personalized sugar cookie name tags for Aubrey's district!  They loved them!

Aubrey and her companion Hermana Booth from AZ.

All of Aubrey's Hermanas!  Sister Baird in her right is her laughing companion!

Elder Rogers, Elder Camp and Elder Mellor in her district

It's my first day! First day!

Aubrey's first email was labeled:  "It's my first day! First day!", a quote from her all-time favorite movie "We Bought a Zoo."

It was a joy to get her email today!  

Hola familia!!! Como estan?

I am doing really well! I am writing this while my laundry is drying, so hopefully no one steals my clothes. My camera isn't connecting this week...lame. Also, these keyboards are tough to type on - so excuse any typos. After I walked into the MTC I received my name tag! Then I went to my class. My teacher is the best ever! His name is Hermano Thompson. He is super funny and sarcastic while speaking Spanish. He is from Hawaii and grew up speaking a pigeon dialect. Any time he tries to speak proper English he has an English accent. It's muy bien! My dear companera is Hermana Booth. She is blond, short, 23-years-old, and awesome. We have a hard time focusing together because we laugh all the time. My district is freaking awesome as well. We only have tres elders and seis hermanas!!! We are the only district in our zone. In my district are Hermana Tuila (from Samoa going to Mendoza Argentina), Hermana Valentine (from Crane, OR going to Mendoza Argentina), Hermana Baird (From Rexburg, ID going to Vahai Blanca, Argentina) - Little note about Hermana Baird: We are the same person, for real. I can never focus when Hermana Baird is in the room. We laugh so hard at meal times - I think I'm starting to develop a six pack.

We also have Hermana Norton (from Arizona going to Cordoba, Argentina) Me and Hermana Booth (from Arizona going to Spokane Washington), Elder Camp (From Washington going to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), Elder Mellor (From Utah going to Seattle, Washington), and Elder Rogers (From Utah going to Mendoza Argentina.) I'm the only one in the whole MTC that I know of who is going to Comodoro Rivadavia. My companera and I have begun teaching an investigator named Paz. She is from Chile. It is a miracle that she understands our spanish - I have a suspicion that the Lord may be involved ;)

Today is our last lesson with Paz. Then we teach a new investigator. This week we did a service project. Hermana Booth and I cleaned out drinking fountains. We had to wear safety glasses because we were using a dangerous acid. I will never use drinking fountains again! Just kidding, I'm always thirsty these days. 

One of my favorite times of the day is gym time! We usually play volleyball with the elders. One time the volleyball was headed straight towards me. It was too low for me to hit and I thought that we had lost it. Then the ball bounced off my shoe and Sister Norton slammed it over the net. All the elders think I'm an athlete now.

Hermana Booth accidentally ate a pudding cup with soy in it. She is allergic to gluten, soy, and a few other foods. She developed hives on the inside of her body and it became extremely painful for her to move or be touched. I had to take her to the front desk, where they called the doctor. We rode in the MTC van back to our apartment. It was very scary, but the wonderful elders in our district gave her a healing blessing. All the Hermanas took turns staying with her at night. I love how our district serves one another! Hermana Booth is doing much better now. 

Sundays at the MTC fill your spiritual cup. I loved choir and the talk by Elder Bednar titled "Character of Christ." Sometimes I feel overwhelmed at my responsibility to be a representative of Jesus Christ. However, there is always a way to accomplish what the Lord wants us to do. The atonement is the only way for me to be a missionary. It is the only way any of us can do anything. We are nothing without Christ, but to him we are everything. That is what I want you to remember this Christmas. How miraculous it is that Jesus Christ chose to come down and pay for YOUR sins. Jesus Christ is the greatest gift anyone has ever received. I love you all and hope that you turn outwards this Christmas in serving others and pondering about Christ. If you do, it will be your best Christmas ever! 

Much Love,

Hermana Davis

December 17th, 2014. MTC entry day!

December 17th at 12:45 our family took Aubrey to the MTC.  There were many tears but our hearts truly filled with joy as Aubrey announced, "Ok, its time for me to be strong!  I'm going to work hard!"  Then she walked away, turned to give us one last smile and off she went!