Woke up later again today—Hallelujah for Sundays! It was like 10:30 am or so and the shower was free and working! Church was at 1 and I think we were all tired. Christina slept on my shoulder the last ½ of Sacrament meeting. During Sunday School two investigators thought it was absolutely hilarious that Kassandra had English scriptures. They want to come to English classes and I feel bad turning people away right now. I am actually lucky and grateful because my friends that want to come to English classes are all advanced, so even though they didn’t sign up, we’re letting them come because the Advanced class is the smallest. We all got settled in Relief Society when some American ladies came in and had the sisters announce that we could get up and go to the English Relief Society class that they were starting. It was nice and it was a good lesson on patience but Hermana Fenn (an older sister missionary who was called to help build the temple with her husband) almost had an offensive attitude in the way she was speaking about the culture and assuming we all related and felt the exact same way she does. Yes—it’s hard to be here if we don’t speak the language and it is a completely different culture but just to merely plug along with the attitude of just enduring a hardship instead of actively trying to improve something of the circumstances isn’t positive and doesn’t contribute to a wonderful learning and growing opportunity. I totally understand that it would be hard for this Sister but I just don’t relate. I LOVE the culture. I love the people, the language, even though it’s foreign and can be frustrating once in a while. She is kind of almost bitter about a lot of it and it was pretty surprising to see an older sister missionary speaking and acting like that and in the things she told us, she almost believes she is providing a safe haven for us for 1 hour each Sunday from the culture. In my mind, it only will create rifts between us and the local, wonderful ladies of the ward and I love them! I understand like all of Relief Society in Spanish and I feel like attending the English class will only inhibit my learning and understanding. I totally support this sister and feel bad she’s had a hard time but I won’t be going back J Also, she told us that when her kids were growing up and they were having a hard time, etc she would tell them “Nobody really cares. Nobody cares that you have had a hard day or have a hard test or are having relationship problems, etc. Put a smile on your face and fake it!” My mouth seriously almost dropped open at that. I cannot even IMAGINE a mother telling that to her child! Our family cares SO much about each other, maybe too much sometimes haha but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Way interesting!
Zicri was in our ward today! I also saw and talked to the brother who took us to do humanitarian work back in November, and finally…I saw Luis!!! I was super excited to see him and talk! He will come to English classes too hopefully (and Luis—I know you read this so just know how fun it was to see you! Haha) The family Esther and I were talking to saw me excuse myself and just run up to Luis and give him a huge hug and greetings. The brother thought I had been a missionary here or something and Esther just laughed and said “No…but everywhere she goes she always had people surrounding me saying ‘Kenna!!’, etc! It’s way cool! And she was only here for a week.” Like Brian said—“it’s gotta make you feel good”. That’s exactly right. I felt GREAT after church! We stayed there til 5:30—a whole hour and a half longer than when church ended!
I love the Latin culture that after like 10-20 minutes of talking to someone they just want to invite you over and give of themselves to you, etc. I love it!
I then made dinner with Kristen and Kassandra—we made pancakes, eggs, and fruit salad. We took some to our favorite security guard, Andres. He lives 3 hours away by the Guatemalan border. He takes a bus 3 hours to work, has a 24 hour shift, and then goes 3 hours back home. He’s only at home with his wife for like 16-18 hours. I don’t know how he does it! He has such a patient and supportive wife and I also don’t know how he lives off such little sleep. We talked to him for a bit and he might come to church with us next Sunday—I hope so!
Finally, we had a team meeting that lasted FOREVER tonight. I gave a schpiel about how Habitat empowers us even though it’s not super fun in the moment but you feel great afterwards, especially when thinking about what it’s going towards. Turns out, I’m actually not going to Habitat Monday—oops. Haha.
Ok—sorry I’m so freakin long winded—good luck reading J
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