That sounds like a personal problem to me

Hola mi Familia!

I have not yet gotten my letters yet, but I am on the look out for them, I would suggest not sending anything else while I am here in Mexico because I am not really sure how long it takes and I rather you not send it and I not get it, sooooo just wait until I get to Arizona to mail anything else :)

Wednesday- I was sick, like I told all of yall in last weeks email, but because I was sick Hermana Egbert said she was going to teach the lesson, which I was grateful for because I felt horrible. Before we went into our lesson two other Hermanas and myself got a blessing from the Elders in our District (it was there first time ever giving one) It was really good. 

Thursday- The 4th of July!! Everyone wore red, white, and blue- all of us were verryyy patriotic. They decorated the comedor (the cafeteria) with red/white/blue streamers and table cloths. We had pulled pork, corn, fries, it made us all feel at home. Then one Hermana got on the microphone and started singing the National Anthem, so that led to all of us singing along and it was cool, everyone screamed afterwards. I wore my whale scarf, and Hermana Wade loved it. (Also, there are always gun shots going off around us, we always ask the natives what that means, and they always say that they are fireworks.... at nine oclock in the morning.... IIIIIII dont think so.... but nothing can get to us because we have a literal brick wall around the entire CCM, nothing is getting through :)) that means mom... dont worry.

Friday- We found out that Jorge, our first investigator, is now our new night teacher. There was noooooo way that they would trust us new missionaries that dont know anyyyy spanish to teach someone interested in the Gospel. BUTTT yeah, his real name is Victor, so we call him Hermano Victor. He. Is. Ridiculous. He speaks both english and spanish realllly well, but to us he only speaks spanish, Which I know will be super helpful, but it is also super stressful.  Hermana Egbert knows the language really well.. which sometimes I wish I knew it as much as she does, but I just have to keep remembering that we both have different strengths. 

Saturday- So, Saturday was the worst. Hermana Egbert and I got up to go to breakfast and while at breakfast, I started to feel WORSE.. which didnt make sense because I felt great thursday. So after breakfast, I didnt feel better so I went BACK to the doctor and they told me I just needed to go back to the casa and sleep it off, I needed to rest and not worry about other stuff. That really crushed me.. because I wanted to be able to go to class and learn, because I didnt come out here to lay around and sleep, I came out here to learn, grow, and be taught. But I knew that it was the best fro me.  But anyway, we both fell asleep around 8 while everyone else was out at classes adn stuff and I woke up around 9 and i felt horrible, so we got dressed and went to look for our District in the normal classroom we are in but they werent there, but we found our zone leader and I asked for a blessing, which was perfect. I didnt feel better right away but I felt more at paz (say it like pause, means peace.) and that everything was going to be okay and everythiung was going to work out. 

Sunday- Sunday and Wednesday are seriously my favorite. Sunday was fast sunday, but the doctor told me not to fast, so I didnt, I ate food. I hadnt eaten anything in like five days because I felt so sick... so I guess thats good I ate food. Our Zone Leaders and their District were all leaving this week and so they all got up and bore their testimony, which was pretty awesome. AND unlike last sunday, I knew pretty much everything that was being said. So that made me really happy. Can I just say that I love singing in Spanish?? It is seriously so special. but, anyway, we had sacrament, then we have devotional, so last weeks was a devotional that was previoucly recorded from the Provo MTC by Elder DAvid A. Bednar and then this weeks was a recording from Elder Holland, which was SO spiritually empowering and something that I really needed t ohear. Then we went to dinner, and then after dinnfer, we always have a movie, so this weeks movie we watched the Joseph Smith movie, which was really good. One thing that has really stood out to me and has been in my head since watching it is in the movie, after Joseph gets tarred and feathered, Emma asks Joseph why they mhave to go through all of this and he says, ´Maybe we are asked to swim through deep water.¨ Which is so true, especially while I have been out here, that there are times when we are asked to do things that are hard, or that we are not comfortable with.... like a mission in general... but... if we put our faith in Heavenly Father, he is gonig to be there and help us through, no matter what we are facing. While watching it, I noticed the little guy who plays Joseph in the movie and I thought HEY! He is in Summit ward right now! I know him!! After the movie we went back and talked with our District about our favorite parts of the day and all that we felt and that we learned, I love that, I love being able to talk to our district about stuff like that, we are SUCH a strong district.

Monday- We started teaching a new investigator, who is actually our morning teacher... so thats fun. We taught her Monday morning, and that was the first time that I spoke spanish without having studied it... or written it out, I strictly was led by the spirit in what I needed to say. I know its weird thinking that you can be led by the spirit when the person you are teaching is already a member, but it is true and that was cool. I actually understood what I was saying as well, so thats a plus. Hermana Egbert complimented me on how awesome it was that I had done that, and I have noticed that one of the hardest things for me to do our here is to accept compliments from people and I dont know why... I guess I just dont go searching for them so when people say stuff like it I just think to myself... uh.... ahaha... 

Tuesday- I was teaching one of the Elders (Elder Sims)  in one of our classes about how to begin teaching and our teacher was right there and so she told me to say as much as I could in spanish and then do the rest in english and so I asked questions in spanish, and then when I got to ask him if we could pray, I siwtched to english and I could feel the Spirit so strongly. It was somehting really simple, but asking to see if we could say a prayer because that is how we learn and grow and Christ hears us... so awesome. Our District sang at the Devotional last night it was mix of Hark All Ye Nations and I Hope They Call Me On A Mission. IT was really cool. We had a live devotional prodcasted from Provo with Elder Neil L. Anderson, which was SO cool, they scanned the audience so many times so I looked for people I knew that were there in the Provo MTC. I have learned that I need to humble myself. I need to stop worrying about whether or not I know enough spanish, or enough scriptures or if I get along with my companion well enough, but to just let Heavenly Father kow that I am here, and I am here for Him.


I love you guys, I am so grateful that I get to look forward to emailing you all of my fun adventures every week.
Love;
Hermana Cordell

First week at the CCM!

So, I would just like to start out by saying that there has been a huge massive nasty virus going around and so we arent allowed to shake hands with anyone or hug people. It is HORRIBLE. And just so yall know... I have it! Myself and Hermana Ivie (she is a Hermana in my casa who is in my room) have the virus so today we went to the doctor, they gave us some medicine, we slept a little and now we are emailing our family! She knows the show Parks and Rec and so we always quote, This is the worrrsssttt... no seriously... this is the worst... and it applies today because it isss the worst! But all is well :)
Okay so this week has been an all over thought process of emotions. I have cried.... not everyday but a lot of the time. It is just a lot to take in and a lot to process.

Wednesday- Soo it was our first night and so we didnt really have to do anything except to just settle in and put all of our stuff away. It was still weird to think about how I really did leave and I really am gone for the next 18 months. My companion, Hermana Egbert, didnt show up until about 7 or 8 at night so I just hung out with Hermana Wade all day and so that was fun. 

Thursday- We had our first class where they talked about what all we would be doing, we all went around and said where we were from, where we were going, how many siblings we have, and what we like to do, so that was a ton of fun, it made me that much more excited to actually learn the language. :) We also had a bunch of meetings for all of the new missionaries at the MTC and Presidente Pratt, who is actually a member of the 70 and is a super cute old man :) We started the meeting by singing Called to Serve in Spanish, and it was SO amazing. I loved it. We were told in our class that if we knew spanish words to use them as often as we could. SO I have begun to notice that I have started writing in Spanish in my journal without even thinking about it so I guess that is beneficial, its so crazy that I am actualyl here, in Mexico, learning the language. We were told that we were the biggest group of sisters to enter the Mexico MTC, there were about 40 or 50 sisters that came with me last week, which is AMAZING! They also so that today we are expecting to get over 140 missionaries, which is INSANE! We were also told we could only take pictures on P-Day and so.. almost all of the pictures will show that I am wearing the same outfit and today I wore the black and white skirt AGAIN and then took more pictures.. ohh well! We also met our branch presidente and he is the CUTEST old man ever. His name is Presidente Gomez and you can tell how much he loves the Gospel when he bares his testimony. He told us we have to prepare a 5 minute talk every week and we never know who is going to speak until after the Sacrament has been passed and he says.. now we will here from.... and so that isnt stressful or ANYTHING. I am the Senior Companion for the first three weeks while and then it switches and we change. We were able to watch people teach investagadores(spanish) which was so cool to be able to see that.  Random side nto about this day.. our branch Presidente kept saying purpose and it sounded like porpoise and it made me miss being able to say that all the time with yall.

Friday- We taught our 1st investagadore and it was HORRIBLE. We knew nothing is spanish so that was awesome. After we taught our lesson we went back to the classroom where we spend most of our day and I just cried because I was so frustrated and I didnt know what Jorge, that is our investagator needed. 

Hermana Egbert turned to me and said, Hermana Cordell I dont know why I feel like I should say this, but I feel like you should share an experience you have had with lost loved ones... which that made me cry even more, but it was a testament that Heavenly Father was there and listening because I felt the exact same way but was scared to actually talk about it. 

Saturday- First of all... there is not much you can do here at the MTC but it is so SO SO pretty. We have 90 acres instead of Provo who has 20. So walking from class to class, we get to go outside and it is the PERFECT weather here. But anyway, we were walking to our classes one day and there were Elders playing with these hard leaves like it was a soccer ball.. so that was awesome.. haha. We taught our investagadore and talked about dad and I cried but the Spirit was there and it was so amazing and so powerful.

Sunday- Sunday was really relaxing and nothing really happened. It was super nice though because Relief Society was in English, so I could actually understand it. We then went to Sacrament guess who was the ONLY new person to give a talk?? ME!!!! so that was awesome.. people said I did really well for only being here for less than a week so that was comforting.. even though I stared at my paper the whole time I was reading it. After we had our devotional prrodcast from Elder Bednar, which was amazing, we watched movies, which I just studied the language because I just want to know it so much better, but afterwards, we went outside and it was raining SOOOO much, but that was fun too. Everything that has happened has been just so much fun! :)

Monday- We didnt really do anything except for classes and teaching Jorge. I thought about how much I missed home.. but I know I am supposed to be here. I just miss being able to talk to everyone whenever I need to. It is definity an adjustment.

Tuesday- Nothing really happened, we had a service project and then we had another Devotional, we have one every Tuesday and so that was nice to end the day with.

And today.... I have done nothing because I am sick.

I love all of you guys. I am so grateful to have the love and support you give me. I love being a missionary even though it is so hard. I wish all of you could be here so that we can experience this together. I love, miss and think about all of you everyday and I am so grateful for the love we have for one another. One of the most important things that I keep learning is that I cannot do this without my Heavenly Father. I need Him to help me do so much, with the lessons I plan, with studying the language, speaking the language, being a better companion and so much more. I have learned even more clearly that this mission, is in no way for me. I am preparing to help those in Arizona.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I will talk to yall next week!

Love forever and ever,
Hermana Cordell