Week 5-Feb 11, 2011

Bonjour ma mere!!

Guess what? I've been here for 4 weeks this past Wednesday!!  Now it is week 5, we are halfway through.  Then I am headed for Switzerland.  YES!!!!

I am learning how to get more organized in preparing to teach.  My way to prepare talks, as you probably know, was to just sorta wing it, with a little bit of preparation the night before.  Or the morning of.  Well, that doesn't work so well with giving lessons, especially in French.  I have to actually plan out what to say, and what I want to say, and practice it, or I end up just reading it from Preach My Gospel or the scriptures or another source.  Also, we are learning the value of asking investigators questions.  Not just any questions, but effective questions.  Yesterday, we practiced contacting.  Brother Howden was our contact.  So we knocked on the door, and when he answered, we gave him an overview of the first lesson, explaining that God loves his children, He sends us with families, He calls prophets even in Bible times, He sent His son to the Earth, then there was an apostasy, and finally the Restoration, the Book of Mormon, and Prayer.  That was when Brother Howden, as an investigator, told us that he was atheist, so the message didn't mean anything to him, and he closed the door.  Then he reopened it, and told us that we should probably ask questions before we just dive into giving a shpiel of something.  Yep. Good advice.  It is a good idea to listen. 

I am seeing so many people here from home and college and school and everywhere!  Do you know Jacob Jensen and his younger brother, Jason?  Their family is in the 35th ward, I believe.  They are here, they arrived this past Wednesday.  And also, remember I told you about Squirrel from college?  Well he is here, too!  And it sure takes alot of self control, when I see him, to not yell out, "Squirrel!!!"  Laugh.  The first time I saw him, it took self control to not run over and give him a hug!! He is known for his hugs, and picking you up and spinning you around.  It is fun. 

The French language is coming along, slowly but surely.  I am good at most reading, writing, and listening.  I am also good at speaking, just slow at it.  But I will practice beaucoup. Beaucoup beaucoup.  I am also learning a few phrases in Spanish, haha.  Not in class, but when I am in gym or at night, when I am around other sisters who speak Spanish.  I know how to say that I am a missionary, and ask where are you from and where are you going, and how to say what's up.  It sometimes surprises me when people respond.  That may sound weird, but it is because when I was learning, I'd say a question and they'd say, "Very Good!!" Not answer the question.  So.  Anyways.

Love you!! The church is true!! God loves you!!

Love sister Bartlome