Mission Log - October 12, 2016 - Last Week at the CCM!!

Dear Loved Ones,

This week is my last week here at the CCM!!  I'm a bit sad to leave, but super excited for the next step.

The Mexico City Temple is amazing!  This is kind of amazing: there are escalators.  Escalators!!  Inside the Temple!!  It gets me every time.

We had an assessment on our Spanish speaking skills recently.  It was basically a timed response - for example, "Recite your favorite scripture in Spanish.  You have thirty seconds to prepare, go!"  It helped me to see that one, I've learned a lot, and two, I have a long way to go.
 
Four days ago, a little grey bird flew into the window of our classroom so hard it broke it's neck.  It twitched for about thirty seconds, then died.  As you can imagine, it was quite distracting, and our District congregated at the windows, standing on chairs and almost falling on top of one another trying to see.  (Understand the windows are about 5'5'' off the ground.)  Per Hermana Karren's request, Elder Bohn and Elder Slaugh volunteered to go outside and dig a little grave for it.  They did a good job of burying it, and they put two twigs in the shape of a cross over the grave.  It was very cute, and a bit sad.  I felt bad because this experience really traumatized Hermana Karren's tender heart, and she cried a little.  The reason I felt bad was because everyone else in the class was fine, and started up a lively conversation about hunting, pests, and whether animals had literal souls.  Hermana Leavitt took her to the bathroom, and I followed, and after they began to walk back, we tried to help her feel better.

Out of earshot of Hermana Karren, Elder Ficklin and I joked that this could be a Windex commercial.  "Windex - so clean, you can't even see it!"

This past Sunday, we had the opportunity to perform a special musical number for the entire CCM before Devotional.  We performed La Oracion del Profeta, Joseph Smith's First Prayer, in Spanish.  We sang it to the tune of Come Thou Fount, which worked out nicely.  The first verse was sung by the Hermanas, the second by the Elders, the third we sang together with a five- or six-part harmony going on, and the last verse was in unison for the verse, and harmony for the chorus. . . alright, we may have overthought it, but nevertheless, we sounded good, and more importantly, we brought the Spirit.

After the Devotional, Elder Bohn shared a simple thought which I really appreciated.  He said, "It's the Plan of Salvation, not the Plan to Punish the Wicked."  I feel like many view the Plan of Salvation as a make-it-or-break-it deal, but it's really not.  It is a gift.  It is a plan by which we all can be happy, and it was given to us by our Father Celestial because he wants us to have joy.  (See Elder Nelson's Talk from Gen. Conf.)

As we played volleyball one day, an Elder with a hurt hand spiked the ball with his head.  He began to play the ball with his head more, and though it was impressive, is was comical to see the excitement on his face as he expressed the joy of playing with his head to his athletic comrades.  "DUUUDE!  Try hitting the ball with your head, it's so fun!  Hey, man!  Chuck the ball at my head.  Do it!  Doit, doit, doit!"

Ah, fun times.

Well, that's all for now, folks. Tune in next week to hear more adventures.

Hermana Smurthwaite