Area #2

Mi Familia!

Thanks for the letters and pictures! I'm so glad you had fun in California! I'm jealous, especially of Six Flags! There's one of those here and I want to go so bad!

So I'm in Del Rio, a small town (although I think the biggest of the border towns) not too far from the Mexican border. I love it here! It's so quaint and cozy and the sky is so big! I'll have to email some pictures home. Down here there are 4 sets of missionaries: 2 of sisters and 2 of Elders. We all attend both the English and Spanish branches. One set of sisters and one set of Elders cover the north, and the others cover the south. Whoever happens to be in that area and whoever we find there, we teach. I'm in the north. As it turns out, almost all the Spanish-speakers are in the south, so I'm using English a lot more and Spanish a lot less. But that's ok. It's been kind of cool to have the change.

It is seriously so beautiful here. The north side is probably the nicer side of town. Most of the houses are small and cozy, but they're nice and kept up, at least for the most part. We went running last week through our cute neighborhood, with the must beautiful sunrise I've ever seen. I was in heaven! And part of our area goes way out to the lake, where there is just open land. It's really cool! I seriously love it here. Del Rio is awesome. 

We live in the safest part of town. Our apartment is really nice. Like, really nice. We even have a working dishwasher! We live with the South sisters, Hermana Isham and Hermana Clark, who came down from San Antonio with me. They are awesome and I have really loved living with other missionaries. Way better than living alone!

My companion is Hermana Ludeman. She's great! Actually, I'm replacing Hermana Christensen, my MTC companion. Weird, huh? Anyway, Hermana Christensen just finished training Hermana Ludeman and now is in San Antonio. I was able to see her for a second as I was coming and she was going. Anyway, Hermana Ludeman is great. She knows her stuff and she knows the area, which is so nice because I know nothing. She's kind of taken charge while I'm figuring it all out. I think we'll get along pretty well. Hermana Ludeman has already been such a good support to me, someone to talk to when I need it. I'm so grateful for that. 

Oh, and we're on bikes down here! Well, we share a car with the other sisters but since their area is farther away and they go to more dangerous places, we only end up getting the car on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and even on those days we'll be biking probably. I LOVE biking in Del Rio! When you get past the heat and tired muscles, it's so fun! I just love going through the cute neighborhoods and seeing all there is to see. It's a lot better than being cooped up in a car all day. Although I've only been here for 5 days. I might change my mind.

It is so hot here. Yesterday we found the tiniest lizard on the sidewalk outside our complex and stopped to take a picture. We soon realized that it was dead...completely fried on the cement. It was sad. We brought it inside and put it in the other sisters' room to scare them. Haha, he's still sitting on an Ensign on our kitchen table. I named him Frito.

I really love the people here. They're a lot more Texan than those I found in Austin. They've got their drawls and cowboy boots and antlers mounted to the wall. And they're so humble and good to us. I'll write more about specific people once I know them better. 

We had a fireside last night for the Spanish branch about how to use Preach My Gospel as members. Only 12 people showed up including the Branch President, but I think it went pretty well. It was fun to teach in Spanish. I am amazed at how much better my Spanish has gotten. And I don't say that to brag, it's a straight up miracle. We try to speak it to each other here and I'm going to keep studying hard. I want my Spanish to improve while I'm here even though it's mostly an English area. I'm not worried. (Haha, can you believe that?)

I think Del Rio is really calming me down. Especially because right now I'm kind of relying on Hermana Ludeman, I'm just not as worried about everything being perfect. I've decided that I'm way too hard on myself and I'm done being like that. I'm done! It's a horrible way to live. I've been studying the Atonement like nobody's business lately, just eating it up. I'm coming to realize that I really don't have to be perfect. And I mean, I've always known that but I think I've always interpreted doing "all you can do" as something that is honestly unreachable. I'm not expected to do absolutely literally everything i could possibly, conceivably do. I'm just expected to love the people, try to improve, and trust Jesus Christ. You're right Dad, it's not the external challenges that get me, it's the internal ones that I create. I make my life hard by multiplying the the things that are expected of me by 10.  But as I've been trying to calm down, I have been so much happier. I feel better about myself because every tiny mistake I make doesn't hit me with such a hard blow. I think this is something I'll always have to work on, but I'm getting better. It feels good. :)

phew. That was a scattered email. I feel like there is so much more to tell you! It will just have to come a little at a time. I love you all! Keep reading the Book of Mormon and praying. That's seriously all I would ask you to do. Do the little things and stay close to God. Because nothing is more important!

I love you all and so does God. Have a great week!

Hasta luego!

Hermana Lund

Pioneer Day Celebration (pre-transfer)

Pioneer Day

Del Rio

Del Rio