JOY'S THIRD WEEK IS OVER!

Week tres is terminated!

Joy Ashton

This week flew by. I can’t believe it. 

I wish I could send more pictures but we aren’t allowed to send them on these computers because the ccm is afraid that we’ll download viruses onto the computer from our cameras. But we do have some cute pics.

Two sad things happened this week. Hermana Silva went home because she was really sick. Because she went home, our trio was split, so Hermana Houston was not only taken from Speth and I, but she was taken from our room and our district. Saying goodbye after spending ever hour of every day together for 3 weeks was like saying goodbye at the airport again. It stunk.

But teaching in two is so much easier than three because when one person is done talking the other person doesn’t have to wonder who will speak next. 

Today we were let out into the world of Guatemala and people stared. Yes. I am a bright, white American with a plaque and a book. We got to take a tour of the second oldest cathedral in Guatemala City today and then we went to the plaza right in front of the palace and were set loose to talk to real people. It was so cool and Speth and I were nervous at first, but Speth started talking and she was on fire. She was holding actual conversations with people. One of the people we were talking to basically said I sucked at Spanish but it was cool with me because I understood what he said. We started talking to him when his kids ran up to Speth and me because they wanted a picture with us. That also happened when we went to the Guatemala Central Market. We were buying matching rings that are suns with our engraved names-- we put Hermana and our Last names-- in them and a family got really excited to see us and all got a picture with us. If there is a lame rule in this mission, it is that we can’t hug the kids. They are the cutest little people in the whole world! 

At the little shop where we got our rings we were talking to the lady behind the counter and when we gave her a Book of Mormon she said she got chills and she showed us her arm and she had goosebumps. That was probably my favorite part of the day. 

After that we went to Wendy’s and it was so good. They only had vanilla frosties but let me tell you, it was the best thing I’ve tasted especially with the fries. I don’t know why it was so good but it filled me up really quick. 

Since Houston moved out of our room, we got two Latina Hermanas to replace her and apparently they may have had lice but I am not sure. They were really sweet but they also thought we had an evil spirit in our bathroom. That was comforting. And bless all the Latinas for singing because even they don’t know the tunes they still sing with their whole hearts. 

I killed my first spider here this week. We were all in the bathroom brushing our teeth and I was moving away from the sink to let someone else spit and I looked down so I wouldn’t step in a puddle and all I could see was a furry, scurrying spider the size of a quarter coming toward me. All I could say was " NO NO NO NO!" all the girls were confused as to why I was yelling NO and why I had run out of the room, but I grabbed a shower sandal and came running back in to see Hermana Howarth up on the counter and Hermana Houston backed into a corner. I killed the spider still with my toothbrush in my mouth. It was pretty gross but so funny to see the girls when I came back in. 

I have never been more thankful for Sundays in my life. We learn nonstop here and if we did not have a Sunday and a P-day to break it up, I think I might crack. Blessed, blessed day of rest. 

Our lessons are getting better but it is still pretty difficult to learn a language. Who knew. I can’t wait to be fluent. I will only speak Spanish to my children so they can have the upper hand in this world. Being bilingual from childhood would be such a blessing. 

I love you all and I am praying for all of you! I love hearing what is going on in your lives!

I wish I could send pictures but you will just have to wait until I get out to the field. 

Handshakes and High fives,

Hermana Ashton