All For the Good, of Course!

Here is Hannah's latest letter! She also begged for letters, so get writing! Two ways to write:

Pouch Mailing Address:
Spain MTC
P.O. Box 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

Address:
Calle de Templo No. 2, planta 4a.
Madrid
28030
España

¡Hola familia!

Wow. I can´t believe it has only been a week since I emailed you last. Some crazy things have happened. All for the good of course! 

I´ll just start with last Thursday after I emailed you. We went to Peurte del Sol. I don´t really know what it is because the teacher that took us is from Barcelona but it is beautiful and old. I´m pretty sure Samantha Brown went in that episode of Madrid that I watched. Then we went to this amazing Cathedral. I don´t even know the name of it. I we just walked down these narrow streets lined with shops and it was just so surreal! I AM IN SPAIN! We ate chocolate with churros. Yummm.

So Friday I was sick. Like really sick. Just stress and everything else was getting to me and I felt like I was going to pass out. But I was so afraid of missing out on something that I didn´t tell anyone (bad idea). So then I was in class and I had to run out to the bathroom to go throw up. SO embarrassing. And we were studying future tense and now i´ll never be able to speak in future tense. I slept for a few hours and then felt better. Not great but better. Hermana Read said she prayed to have more time to study and that’s what she had to do while I slept so im pretty sure it was her fault. :P

 And then it was Saturday. I still felt a little sick but I wanted to go to the park sooo badly so I didn’t eat anything and went anyways. I was paired with Sister Silva, the sister from Brazil. That was a major challenge because she doesn´t speak any English at all and only a few words in Spanish. But she was a go getter. She was not afraid to approach anyone, the only problem is is that she only knows how to say hello and introduce us in Spanish so I had to take the conversation from there. Most people didn’t want to listen of course. But we actually ran into to a lot of people that would rather speak English with me! This couple from Britain asked me where they could get a copy of the Book of Mormon and I was so excited I baisically threw it at them. Gosh my grammar is becoming awful in English. Its worse in Spanish of course but I can´t tell as well. Anyways, I did find one Spanish girl who said she wanted to learn more. She kept making sure I understood that she doesn’t believe in God, she just wanted to learn more. That’s what they all say. I love going to the park because I feel more like a reall missionary and like I´m acutally doing something productive, And I don´t have to sit inside all day. Oh the president took a picture of me with the British couple. Hopefully he sent it to you?

Sunday was good. I had to say the closing prayer for sacrament meeting. In Spanish. Super stressful. Afterwards one of the senior couples asked me if I came already speaking Spanish.  I just don’t understand. I really don’t know as much Spanish as the rest of my district.

And then it was Monday. I geuss I will just tell you all of Monday. Monday I decided to fast. So of course we had my favorites for breakfast. Then we had to teach my most difficult teacher. I felt like the lesson went pretty well but then she told me I shouldn’t be afraid of saying everything I want to in Spanish. The problem is is that I don´t know how to say everything I want to in Spainish. I felt so frustrated. The for lunch we had pasta and pinapple upside down cake. That’s right like my two favorites from home that we have never been served before on the day I was fasting. More blessings to me right? Before we left for physical activity I left all of my stuff in the classroom. This is important for later. Then for physical activity we decided to be brave and go play soccer with the elders. The got to the field and saw them playing and ran straight back to the CCM. Just you watch a group of people all bigger then you running and yelling. It looked too dangerous for us. I ended my fast woth the pizza party. It tasted like home. Dominos Pizza. With coke (sin caffeine). Mmm. It was to say goodbye to both the portugese missionaries and the MTC president. So then we went back to the classroom and my things were everywhere. My American money was dumped on Hermana Reeds desk , my purse was upside down on the floor and my wallet was underneath the computer desk. I had about 50-80 euros stolen. Elder Nickerl, an Elder in my district, had over 150 taken. Right from the MTC. They didn’t take my cards but it was still sort of devastating. Apparently Security had chased out a group of teenagers earlier but hadn’t realized they had taken anything. Its difficult because we are in the same building as the distribution center and The apartments for senior missionaries and a few other things.While they called the police our district(hermans read and I and 3 elders) sat in our classroom and sang hymns. It was exasctly what I needed, super peaceful.

Tuesday the Portuguese missionaries left and the Sitteruds. It was actually kind of heartbreaking. We sang God Be With You Till We Met Again to them. Then we gpot our new President, President Lovell. I love them already. And Tuesday was the day we braved the soccer field. It was a lot less terrifying without the Portuguese Elders to be honest. I almost participated a little. Mostly laughed.

Wednessday I actually played for real. That’s right I have becaome a soccer player. Or futbol as the locals call it. No I am not any good. Its kind of hilarious watching the difference between how the elders play with us versus how they play with eachother. We told them how terrified we were to play with them and begged them not to injure us so now everytime one of us goes near the ball they all back up. They are super afraid of hurting us. One the other hand two of the Elders received bloody noses yesterday from balls in the face. Hahahaha.

And today is Thursday. Two Sisters from Russia came this morning. And we had orientaion from President Lovell. He was one of the frirst missionaries here in Spain in the 70´s. I like him a lot.

Thats all I can think of right now and I have to go to lunch!

I love you!

Hannah

Hannah and Hermana Read

The coolest picture ever.