Oh man, oh man. This week has been a crazy one. Time is so weird in the mission. It seems like forever ago since I emailed, but in reality, it hasd only been one week.
There's all sorts of fun stuff that's going on here. The work is going along well and I'd like to think that my Spanish is, too. But it can always improve and be better. We're teaching some interesting people, but that's to be expected. The work is great.
I guess the most exciting thing that happened this week was on Friday. We went to a cincineta [I wish I had a Spanish keyboard], and it's basically a sweet 16 for the Hispanics, but it happens when they're 15. It's their 'welcome to womanhood' party, basically. Anyways, since it was for a recent convert, our zone leaders told us that we should go for the daddy-daughter dance and then leave. This thing was in Pasco. Well, we got there at 6 which is when it was supposed to start, but according to HST [Hispanic standard time], it started basically at 7. So by the time it was 7:30, we decided that we were going to leave because we hadn't eaten anything since 11 that morning, so we decide to leave. We start heading for the door and everyone and their mother stops us to talk to us. Whether it was give us a referral, or just whatever. So, we don't get out of the place til 8. We get in our car and head out of there. While we're pulling out of the parking lot we see like 5 police cars and I go 'oh look, police cars' and nothing else is said of it. Now usually when we hear sirens or see lights, we slow down and check it out - in a Tom sort of way. But, with this we didn't. We just wanted food, I guess. So we get home later that night and Brother Chandia calls us and asks us where we were. [Brother Chandia works for the Pasco police] We told him we were at home and he asked if we were at that party and we said that we were, but we had left early. He told us that there had been an armed robbery at that building where the party was at at about 7:30 and they stopped the kids and stuff, but there was all sorts of concealed weapons and just, yeah...real dangerous stuff. That explains all the police cars, but then we were thinking about it and we were like HOLY CRAP. We were going to walk out that door at 7:30 and if it hadn't been for all those people wanting to talk to us, we would have been in a really bad situation. So, miracles happen every day and sometimes it takes a little bit to realize what they are, but they're definitely happening all the time.
The other exciting thing that happened to us yesterday was that we were over to a recent converts house to help with some stuff and do some service. She offered to make us breakfast and we were pretty excited because she lives in a clean house and won't feed us weird stuff. Except, she cooks with a lot of oil, as most of the people we see do. But I don't know how much oil went into Hna. Dunoskovic's and my system, but we were hit pretty hard and it didn't agree with us...AT ALL. We felt so terrible all day long - like there was a huge brick of crap sitting in our stomachs. We just didn't really eat anything at all the rest of the day. And it only got worse. At our dinner appointment, we didn't have huge appetites, cause, who would? But, Hna. Dunoskovic is allergic to beans, peas, etc. and we ate chili last night for dinner. And so even though she didn't eat the beans, the fact that the beans were sitting in there and had been cooking in there with it all day long - that didn't make her tummy feel better. I felt so bad cause I was like what can I do for you? I mean, the only option was to eat the chili. And not to eat wouldn't have been an option. Oh man, it's nuts.
It was Chinese New Year on Sunday and we went to a Chinese house to eat. It was so good. I'm not quite sure what I all ate, but whatever it was, it was good. Didn't agree with my system the next day, but it was good on Sunday.
I've definitely been humbled being on a mission. These people we teach here have nothing. I mean, we always had heat and lights and food and they're lucky if they have all three. I always had a job and they're lucky if they can find one. It's a really humbling experience to work with these people and try and help them. I'm not sure how well I do, but I try. We were at this investigator's house on Sunday and she wanted us to eat a donut. We were like oh can we take it home? But she insisted we ate it there. It doesn't help the experience when you're eating something she just cooked and you see cockroaches crawling all over the walls and stuff.
Other than that, things have been going good. I love Hna. Dunoskovic. We get along so great and we just have fun together. She's teaching me a lot and I appreciate it so much. I'm so glad that I get to stay with her for as long as I do. I'm probably going to 'kill' her. And I hope I do. She needs me as much as I need her. We're really good for each other. And I love it because we just get up in the morning or when we're planning and night and we just want to go kick butt. We just want to teach and it's fun to have the fire with someone. It's a lovely experience.
Well, I don't think there's anything else I have to say. Sounds like things are going well at home. WOOHOO. That's what I like to hear. We have all sorts of good stuff planned for this week and I'm catching up on my journal writing. I'm trying to be a better writer and I'm glad that these things are getting blogged so I don't forget some of the stuff. Because I'm just filling in bits and pieces of January in my journal. But it will get done.
When you see Alex, give him a hug for me and tell him that I love him. I was going to write him a letter today, but then I figured he'd probably be gone before I got it to him. Oh, tell Dad that I have a Penguins of Madagascar toy for him and I have a painting that I did today to send home. It's pretty good. But you just gotta buy a frame and shove it in there. It's pretty. It's got a temple on it. One of the ladies in the Cascade ward is a really talented painter and she gave us all a lesson today. It was fun.
Haha, Brother Chandia is awesome. That whole family is great! I'm so blessed to be in this area with them because they treat me as one of their children and they're just so willing to help in any way, shape, or form. And Brother Chandia also wants to tell Clint: Be safe and watch your six. I think that's it. Six = back? I'm not sure. I guess he'll correct me if he read this and sees it's wrong. I'm sorry! :-D
I love you. I love being a missionary. It's the greatest thing I could have possibly done this far into my life. Although I do miss home and my friends and my family. But you know what? I have time for this. I owe this much to my Heavenly Father for all that He's done for me. I'll never be able to repay that, but I'll certainly try. Until next week.
Love,
Hermana Pleshek
There's all sorts of fun stuff that's going on here. The work is going along well and I'd like to think that my Spanish is, too. But it can always improve and be better. We're teaching some interesting people, but that's to be expected. The work is great.
I guess the most exciting thing that happened this week was on Friday. We went to a cincineta [I wish I had a Spanish keyboard], and it's basically a sweet 16 for the Hispanics, but it happens when they're 15. It's their 'welcome to womanhood' party, basically. Anyways, since it was for a recent convert, our zone leaders told us that we should go for the daddy-daughter dance and then leave. This thing was in Pasco. Well, we got there at 6 which is when it was supposed to start, but according to HST [Hispanic standard time], it started basically at 7. So by the time it was 7:30, we decided that we were going to leave because we hadn't eaten anything since 11 that morning, so we decide to leave. We start heading for the door and everyone and their mother stops us to talk to us. Whether it was give us a referral, or just whatever. So, we don't get out of the place til 8. We get in our car and head out of there. While we're pulling out of the parking lot we see like 5 police cars and I go 'oh look, police cars' and nothing else is said of it. Now usually when we hear sirens or see lights, we slow down and check it out - in a Tom sort of way. But, with this we didn't. We just wanted food, I guess. So we get home later that night and Brother Chandia calls us and asks us where we were. [Brother Chandia works for the Pasco police] We told him we were at home and he asked if we were at that party and we said that we were, but we had left early. He told us that there had been an armed robbery at that building where the party was at at about 7:30 and they stopped the kids and stuff, but there was all sorts of concealed weapons and just, yeah...real dangerous stuff. That explains all the police cars, but then we were thinking about it and we were like HOLY CRAP. We were going to walk out that door at 7:30 and if it hadn't been for all those people wanting to talk to us, we would have been in a really bad situation. So, miracles happen every day and sometimes it takes a little bit to realize what they are, but they're definitely happening all the time.
The other exciting thing that happened to us yesterday was that we were over to a recent converts house to help with some stuff and do some service. She offered to make us breakfast and we were pretty excited because she lives in a clean house and won't feed us weird stuff. Except, she cooks with a lot of oil, as most of the people we see do. But I don't know how much oil went into Hna. Dunoskovic's and my system, but we were hit pretty hard and it didn't agree with us...AT ALL. We felt so terrible all day long - like there was a huge brick of crap sitting in our stomachs. We just didn't really eat anything at all the rest of the day. And it only got worse. At our dinner appointment, we didn't have huge appetites, cause, who would? But, Hna. Dunoskovic is allergic to beans, peas, etc. and we ate chili last night for dinner. And so even though she didn't eat the beans, the fact that the beans were sitting in there and had been cooking in there with it all day long - that didn't make her tummy feel better. I felt so bad cause I was like what can I do for you? I mean, the only option was to eat the chili. And not to eat wouldn't have been an option. Oh man, it's nuts.
It was Chinese New Year on Sunday and we went to a Chinese house to eat. It was so good. I'm not quite sure what I all ate, but whatever it was, it was good. Didn't agree with my system the next day, but it was good on Sunday.
I've definitely been humbled being on a mission. These people we teach here have nothing. I mean, we always had heat and lights and food and they're lucky if they have all three. I always had a job and they're lucky if they can find one. It's a really humbling experience to work with these people and try and help them. I'm not sure how well I do, but I try. We were at this investigator's house on Sunday and she wanted us to eat a donut. We were like oh can we take it home? But she insisted we ate it there. It doesn't help the experience when you're eating something she just cooked and you see cockroaches crawling all over the walls and stuff.
Other than that, things have been going good. I love Hna. Dunoskovic. We get along so great and we just have fun together. She's teaching me a lot and I appreciate it so much. I'm so glad that I get to stay with her for as long as I do. I'm probably going to 'kill' her. And I hope I do. She needs me as much as I need her. We're really good for each other. And I love it because we just get up in the morning or when we're planning and night and we just want to go kick butt. We just want to teach and it's fun to have the fire with someone. It's a lovely experience.
Well, I don't think there's anything else I have to say. Sounds like things are going well at home. WOOHOO. That's what I like to hear. We have all sorts of good stuff planned for this week and I'm catching up on my journal writing. I'm trying to be a better writer and I'm glad that these things are getting blogged so I don't forget some of the stuff. Because I'm just filling in bits and pieces of January in my journal. But it will get done.
When you see Alex, give him a hug for me and tell him that I love him. I was going to write him a letter today, but then I figured he'd probably be gone before I got it to him. Oh, tell Dad that I have a Penguins of Madagascar toy for him and I have a painting that I did today to send home. It's pretty good. But you just gotta buy a frame and shove it in there. It's pretty. It's got a temple on it. One of the ladies in the Cascade ward is a really talented painter and she gave us all a lesson today. It was fun.
Haha, Brother Chandia is awesome. That whole family is great! I'm so blessed to be in this area with them because they treat me as one of their children and they're just so willing to help in any way, shape, or form. And Brother Chandia also wants to tell Clint: Be safe and watch your six. I think that's it. Six = back? I'm not sure. I guess he'll correct me if he read this and sees it's wrong. I'm sorry! :-D
I love you. I love being a missionary. It's the greatest thing I could have possibly done this far into my life. Although I do miss home and my friends and my family. But you know what? I have time for this. I owe this much to my Heavenly Father for all that He's done for me. I'll never be able to repay that, but I'll certainly try. Until next week.
Love,
Hermana Pleshek
What an amazing girl! I can tell the growth she's experiencing even in just a few short weeks and letters since getting out in to the mission field. I am so glad she has a companion who loves the work and has the vision and fire of a true missionary! That's a great blessing in itself! I'm loving reading all these updates and really need to get a letter snail mail to her SOON. I need her address though. I can't remember where you posted it Heidi...if you get this can you send me her mailing address? Thx.
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