Hermana Emily Jones: I love it here at the CCM!

June 16, 2015

Hello family and friends!

It was so wonderful to open up my inbox and see so many emails from the people I love. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. I know that they are helping me. I won't be able to individually answer everyone´s emails right now but as I get faster I will do better, I promise. Much of my time is taken enjoying the notes from all of you.

Okay! So basically I love it here at the CCM (pronounced say say em-may in Spanish, and is short for Centro De Capacitacion Misional Mexico) which is the Missionary Training Center. Pictures cannot do this place justice. It is BEAUTIFUL. There are so many palm trees and regular trees and spongy green grass and pretty flowers and birds chirping all the time and I love it. The first morning there I woke up to the sound of tons of birds singing. One sound I don´t particularly love is the sirens. I hear police and ambulance sirens out in the city at least 5 times a day but we are safe and sound here inside the gates of the CCM.

The food is so good. I am eating a lot of Mexican food and Mexican versions of American food, such as hamburgers. Es muy delicioso! The water here is totally safe to drink so that has not been a problem. I am quickly learning that bug spray is my new perfume. For some reason the mosquitoes really love me and no one else, so that has been fun...good clean fun.

I love the wonderful Hermanas (Spanish for Sisters, which is what the women missionaries are called) in my district who I live with! Not going to lie, I was really sad at first because the other four Hermanas and the two Elders who reported with me, who are going to my mission, are all in a district together and I am the odd man out. But, I absolutely love my district so it is okay :) I also know that there is purpose in this and that it is important to adapt to any situation...that's just the way I like it. My companion Hermana Clark is a violin performance major and economics minor at the U of U, knows a ton of Spanish and is awesome. Hermana Royce is so sweet and nice and takes care of all of us. Fun fact, Hermana Guerlain is a 3 or 4 time all state rugby champ. She is sssssoooo funny and basically says whatever is on her mind. Our Elders are great! My companion, and the two other Hermanas from my district and I share a room together. Saturday night into Sunday Hermana Royce and my companion both got super sick but Hermana Guerlain and I remained healthy. We are all healthy and well now.

Haha, as it happens I became a granola chick faster than my mother probably thought I would. The first morning (Thursday) my closet, with all of my stuff in it, was jammed and none of us could get it open. All I had available to me were my glasses, name-tag, and the night clothes that I slept in. Thankfully my companion, Hermana Clark and I, are the same size so everything I wore on Thursday were hers. I could not brush my teeth or hair, wear deodorant, wash my face, put on makeup, or anything. I looked and smelled super cute...I am sure. Thankfully that night we got it fixed so I have been able to look like a decent human being. Also, I no longer use body lotion since it only makes me sticky and the wet air here takes care of miniaturization.

There is so much more I wish I could write! There is so much to say and literally no time to write it all. Basically, I love it here and overall am doing really well. The Spanish is coming. Matt, congrats on your driver´s license! I knew you could do it :) And Jackson, thank you for the email! When I read that the Blackhawks won I cheered aloud and said YYYAAAAYYYYYY the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup! An Elder (what we call the young men missionaries) in the computer room sounded disgusted and said "ugh, don't say that." It was funny. Big shout out to my friends and family in Chi-town, my hometown. Thank you for all of the updates on how people are doing and what is going on. Also, thank you for taking care of my Face Book and blog for me! I wish I had time to send more pictures but trust me I have quite a few to send you over the next few weeks.

Hermana Clark and I have taught a man named Jesús three times already. I was nervous the first time but it gets better and easier each time. I love teaching and look forward to the lessons! I already love the people as well. Everyone is so friendly, happy and funny and willing to put up with Americans who can´t say very much haha :) Real quick, a "generation" is all the people who arrived at the CCM that day. There were 27 sisters and 19 Elders who came on I think three different flights last Wednesday with me. I have seen more people from school so that is fun :)

Okay, I have to go now but I love you all so much and pray for you every day. Thank you for your love and support. Until next week!

Love, Hermana Jones :)