"Don't ask what the smell is, It's Mexico City"

get ready for a long one. 

¡Hola! ¡Vive en Mexico!

Arriving in Mexico City was crazy. I got to sit by Hermana Emerson and Hermana Christianson on the plane, they moved us together in first class.

Blooper of the week, When we went through customs, the first thing the man at the desk asked was "are you a member of the Klu Klux Klan?" He pointed to where I accidentally wrote "caucasian" rather than "American." He was actually pretty offended. Hahaha woops, didnt help I was wearing an all white dress. My bad. 

The drive through the city to the CCM (MTC) was intense. I think it is polite to cut people off here. Imagine 1-15 during rush hour traffic, bumper cars style. Mexicans love to use their horns. Men with machine guns lined every street corner to welcome us to the city. 

I love the "mountains," or hills here. The encircle the CCM on every side. Tiny, neon colored cement houses cover every square inch of the mountain, and at night they light up like a christmas tree. Takes place of the stars, there are no stars here because of the city and pollution. The city is .... very ghetto. Haha. People everywhere, graffiti covering everything. Stray dogs and cats..

And then... you reach the white pearly gates of the CCM. It is set up here like a little community. We each have our own houses. We are casa 26. The grounds are perfectly maintained, always. Every street is lined in bright purple Jacaranda trees. So beautiful. The Truman show is the perfect description of the CCM haha. People probably look down into our little bubble and wonder what kind of a cult we are running in here. 

Putting my nametag on for the first time was so cool. Mi primera companero is Hermana Pua-nana-la Ribucan. She is from Maui. I love her, shes the cutest. We have a room to ourselves, its so nice. 

Every night we go to sleep to the sound of music and parties just outside the 15 foot barbed-wired walls, never-ending sirens, dogs barking/ fighting, and the occasional gunshot. Despite it all, there is no safer place than the CCM. My distric, (5 hermanas, 6 elders) is the smallest distric in CCM history to come and go. 

I love the hermanas in my district. We will be friends for life. Were really like a 5 way companionship, always together. Two of them have boyfriends so I have someone to cry with and hug my teddy bear with at night hahaha. 

Sleep is all you look forward to here. And food. Youre so exhausted all the time. Emerson shared her melatonin supply with me... bless her heart haha. The food is so good. Authentic. Dad- the best mangos and papaya every, so ripe you peel them. Every meal consists of beans and rice basically. Even for breakfast. Tamales, enchiladas, etc. I stick to fruit and nutella haha every morning. Thank goodness for nutella.I wonder how many pounds of nutella the CCM goes through every week. This morning as I was getting the juice I drink every day, Jamaíca juice, an elder ran up and said "Hermana, you dont drink the Jamaíca juice! Youll pee for days." It all made sense. We had all been peeing at least once every hour for days. Lesson learned. 

Every day during gym time we play volleyball with the zone. Elder LaToushe nicknamed me the Snyper when they figured out I could hit. Haha. Love it. We have a dream team going here. Dad, youd be proud. 

Theres an Elder here from Pittsburgh, Elder Fergusen, I call ASAP Ferg, haha- hes my Pittsburgh expert. 

Bad news- I made my first MTC joke today. I knew the day would come. RIP my sense of humor.

My district leader is the epitome of cheesy. I call him Elder Idaho. Today I asked if I should get chicken or pork and his real answer was "hermana, what do you feel is right?" So yeah.

My spanish is really coming along. I think in a Spanish accent already. Turns out it was hiding somewhere in my head all this time. I know the most in my district haha. i am literally a walking dictionary, and translator for everyone. 

It can also be very discouraging. You think you know it all until you are in a room with your investigator. It can be so discouraging. They say to learn a new language it takes at least 600-1000 hours of instruction. We will have a total of 100 hours here during the next 6 weeks.. so its really up to us. We pray for the Gift of Tongues every day. And it is real. SO real. I have learned more spanish in the first week here than I did during my four years in high school. It is very humbling trying to learn the language. Basically- it sucks. Hahaha my brain hurts. 

What everyone says about forgetting English is true. Its been one week and I am forgetting words and spelling. SPelling was always my strongsuit. 

Some good news- I dont mis my phone at all. Yeah I would love to pick up a phone and call or text, (a certain special somone in particular,) but I am proud to say my addiction has been broken. Haha

Here are some tips for surviving the CCM: 

Dont ask what the smell is- its Mexico city. 

Dont ask what the meat is

The toilets flush like gas pedals, germaphobe heaven. 

Dont wear all white in the airport

Dont look at pictures from home if you dont want to cry

The elders will harrass you about your boyfriend

Dont drink the Jamaíca juice

MOMS TO DO LIST

Call the SLC airport and see if they found my SD card por favor. 

Send more pictures

Send picture of plaque in church

SEND COPY OF PATRIARCHAL BLESSING
USE MISSIONARYPACKAGEMX.COM rather than dear elder. Dear elder doesnt work here

Post mision email and address on ssearsco mission account

Text Hunter and see how hes doing