For those of you who didn`t know, my second word spoken as a child was `taco`. We should have know long ago that this was a sign about my love for Mexico because I really do LOVE IT HERE.
My grand adventure started off with a bang, and I mean that literally as my flight out of Hartford to Atlanta was delayed an hour as we boarded due to a thunderstorm. (Oh, Connecticut. Not so ready for me to leave just yet.) Normally, that would have completely stressed me out, but I had a three hour layover in Atlanta, so it was okay. Also, quite wonderfully, I made friends with a beautiful and inspirational lady named Amy, and that was a blessing.
In Atlanta, I rode the underground subway in the airport for a bit (so fun), got some pesos, and then went over to my boarding gate. For those of you who do not know, as a missionary I have to have a companion (another sister missionary) with me at all times. I was given instructions to find other missionaries on my flight and be their temporary companions until I got to the CCM. The other missionaries were not hard to find- the young men, or Elders, were particularly easy to spot as they were all wearing suits. And that was the story of how 5 elders became my first companions.
I am in Mexico City, and if you thought the smog was bad in Utah it is even worse here. All the missionaries are in a 94 compound called the Centro de Capacitacion Missional (the CCM) or in English, the Missionary Training Center. There is a super thick super tall cement wall topped with barbed wire, and it is essentially a little city inside a much bigger city.
We arrived in Mexico in the rainy season, where it thunders every day from about 4 to 10 pm. It is really quite beautiful, but that being said, our bus had to plow through streets-converted-rivers to get to the CCM. In many ways the CCM reminds me of the Manhattan Temple, you completely forget that you are in one of the 10 largest cities in the world until you stop and listen.
My companion and roommate is Hermana Fuller. Hermana means Sister in Spanish. She is going to the Iowa Des Moines Mission. She is a little bit shorter than me, with curly brown hair, pretty eyes, and an even sweeter personaloty. She is darling and she goes along with my shenanigans, which, is always a good thing.
Here in the CCM I am learning how to be a better missionary, and also how to speak Spanish, Sign Language, and Bird. The Spanish is coming along surprisingly. On my second day here me and mi companiera had to teach our first lesson to an investigator (a nonmember learning about the church) who spoke 0 English. THAT was about as stressful as that time I took my driver`s test, which is to say one of the most stressful experiences of my life. But it has all gotten better from there. I have learned more spanish in one week than I did in one year of french. What would yall do if I came home and I do not remember how to speak English? Ha. Just kidding that will not happen. But it is my goal to know spanish so well that it will happen- so be prepared.
As for the sign language, Hermana Fuller took ASL in High School, and when she speaks Spanish she also usually speaks ASL with her hands without meaning to- and also when she does not know a word- so I do know a bit more sign language than I did a week ago. Hermana Fuller is also gracious in the fact that she puts up with, and apprently even likes, my constant whistling, humming, and signing. Soon after our arrival I was one day studying Spanish in our classroom and there was a bird perched in the tree outside the open window and it was calling. I began to mimick its call with my whistle, and I now can get the birds to sing back and forth with me. Hermana Fuller affectionately refers to me as ``Snow Beauty`` for my apparently desirable ability to sleep, and my Snow White similar bird calling.
Here in the mission we are organized into districts, and zones. A zone is made up of several districts. My district has three companionships, myself and Hermana Fuller, and then Elder Shepherd and Elder Ebeling who are going to the Indiana Indianapolis Mission, and Elder Fitt (Washington Everett Mission with Elders Martin (Colorado Colorado Springs Mission) and Orgill (Iowa Des Moines Mission), who reminds me a bit of Jarrett. I love my district. As Elder Ebeling is very fond of saying, ``We know how to laugh when it is time to laugh, and how to be spiritual when it is time to be spiritual.`` We are a fun group. I am very impressed with the Elders often, especially how mature they are most of the time. But then again, I have only known them as Elders, which probably makes a difference. They have labeled me as the ``Mom`` of our district. Hermana Fuller and I are Sister Trainers, which means that we are in charge of the sisters in our Zone. (Like Zone Leaders, but for girls) Two of our Hermanas are going to the Massachusetts Bostons Mission. You guys will love them :) And don`t worry I am taking good care of them in answering all their questions, warning them about New England Spelling and pronunciation, and making sure they know they are going to the second best mission in the world, the first being Houston Texas of course.
Today we got to go to the Mexico City temple visitor`s center. I know that the temple is the real reason that I am here- so that families can be together forever. I love all you guys and I hope you know that I know that what I am doing and teaching is true- no matter how bad the Spanish. :)
All my love,
Hermana McCurdy
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