Hermana Lund in Texas

The sisters from Camille's MTC district at the Alamo

Camille's first email from Texas:

Mi familia!

So I'm in Austin! My area is called Riverside B. The Riverside ward is a big Spanish ward that has 3 areas within it; there's 7 of us missionaries in the one ward. Riverside is a great place to learn Spanish. We're actually not supposed to teach in English, we're supposed to refer them to the English-speaking missionaries. And the people are so, so great. I can't believe how nice they are. First of all, all people in Texas are just nice. And second, the Hispanic culture here is just friendly. It's actually sometimes a problem we run into here because we're not sure if the people we're talking to are really interested of if they're just being their friendly selves. I guess the missionaries here often have to drop investigators because they realize they're not committed to living the gospel, they just like the missionaries to come. We've actually dropped a couple people just since I've been here.

Church yesterday was great. I didn't understand most of it but you know. I met almost everyone. And I played piano in Sacrament Meeting! Usually my companion Hermana King or our bishop will play, so they're happy to have someone else who knows how. And I'm glad I get to use it!

Oh yeah, so my companions! Yep, that's plural. Hna Hearne is my trainer (she's been out 10 months) and Hna King is the missionary she was already training when I got here. There were 21 new sisters in our group and there just aren't enough trainers to go around. My companions are great. They are super sweet and great teachers. The people here absolutely adore them. To be honest, though, I've really been struggling with the whole trio thing. First off, my companions are SUPER good friends already. And they are both just so different than me--super nice and outgoing--that there has been some serious third-wheeling going on. They are so nice and we get along, but yeah. It's been hard for me. I've been trying so hard to contribute but I don't even know what's going on half the time! And it's not really their fault. They we are all just trying to help our investigators and they happen to have all the information already. But we've talked about it a little about giving me more of a part to play in lessons and I think it will get better as I figure out what's going on. I really hope so. I just feel uncomfortable and out of place right now. I've always been bad at adjusting to change. The first week of a new semester is always awful for me. And here I'm adjusting to EVERYTHING. Everyone is new, every place is new, the language is new, everything is new. So yeah. It's been rough but I think I'll be ok in a week or two. 

Spanish is good! I can't understand much but that's expected. :) I can understand my companions just fine but the natives just kill me! The first full day of teaching just about finished my brain off. I was concentrating with all my might for about 8 hours straight trying to understand what was going on. By the time I got home I was just spent, and I've been tired ever since! 

What I've come to realize though is that I just need to talk. It doesn't matter if I mess up. It's hard because in the MTC I didn't have a choice. There was only me and Hna Christensen in the lessons and if I didn't know what say I had to figure something out fast. Here I have the luxury of sitting back and letting my companions do it all. But I can't do that! If I want to qualify for the gift of tongues, if I want to have the Spirit helping me, I need to put in my part. So yeah, I've been trying to just speak up. And the people here are just so nice that they don't care. And if you really have to speak in English for a second, they usually can understand. 

Since I've been here I've felt a ridiculous amount of feelings. But one feeling I haven't yet felt is nervousness. It's crazy! I'm not nervous going to lessons, playing the piano, meeting the ward and having to speak in Spanish, never! At the MTC I would get so nervous going into lessons but here it's no big deal. I think it's a blessing from God. He's just letting me have this one off for a while as I'm adjusting. I've really appreciated it. :)

Oh, and let me explain the title: there's an idiom in Spanish--No hay de que--that basically means "don't mention it" or "it's nothing." They've expanded it to an nonsense saying: "No hay de queso, no mas de papas," which means something like, "There's no cheese, no more than potatoes." It's totally nonsense but they think it's really funny and I do too.

There's so much more I could say but I don't have time! Have a good week and a good Easter! I love you all and am praying for you!

Mucho amor,

Hna Lund