Well hello my dear ¨family¨!
Let me explain the quotations: I had a funny little experience this past week when we were teaching one of our investigators named Jessica. She´s a really inquisitive, somewhat skeptical person with a whole bunch of questions about the church. That´s actually what I prefer--someone with genuine interest. Anyway, we were teaching her the plan of salvation and I pulled out the picture of the family that we took the day I went to the temple and I told her all about how happy and grateful I was that I was sealed to you all for eternity. I thought she´d be touched by that but instead her response was to stare incredulously at the picture, narrow her eyes and say, ¨Why do none of them look like you? You´re so much darker than the rest.¨ I guess when she saw all the blond, blue-eyed people, she didn´t believe they were my relatives. I assured her that YES, that was ME in the picture and YES, that was MY family. She didn´t believe me. In fact, she looked at me as if to say, Everything you have just taught me has been invalidated because of this fabricated story you´ve weaved about this so-called family of yours. If it weren´t for the presence of Ben in the picture, I don´t think I would´ve been able to convince her. Guess I won´t be showing the fam picture in any more lessons! That sure backfired.
I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed Conference. I remember when I was a kid, Conference seemed like it lasted FOREVER. Now it flies by. I don´t even feel like we had conference this weekend. It definitely pays to be in the city, though, because I had the privilege of sitting next to Sister Ward during the all of the sessions. It´s broadcast by satellite in all of the chapels and there are three languages in our chapel: Spanish, English and Kuna (the Indian language here). We were in the English room, except for the Sunday morning session when the satellite went out and we had to watch it in Spanish via Internet. I understand it just fine but it feels weird hearing a voiceover in Spanish of all the apostles. I´m pretty sure there were some jokes that were lost in translation. Pres. Monson would suddenly bust up laughing and I had no idea why. The translator had a difficult time.
Anywho, I loved Conference. I love that Pres. Monson right off the bat talked about the importance of missionary work. I think my two favorite talks were President Monson´s talk about gratitude and Pres. Uchtdorf´s talk on simplicity, though truthfully I enjoyed them all. I´m so grateful for the counsel and advice of the Lord´s chosen servants in these days. These men are truly inspired. I hope you all review the talks with your families.
Things in the city are going well. Little Hna. Calderon is awesome and she just cracks me up with some of the things she does. All of my companions have been so different from each other but she is truly special. I´ve got plenty of stories to tell you all someday :).
As Dad pointed out to me, I am already halfway through the mission and so begins the downward climb...doesn´t feel like it, though. Even though it´s the hardest thing I´ve ever done, I really am grateful to be here and I love the people--however crazy, drunk, or weird they may be at times. Panama´s a special place.
Next week you won´t be hearing from me on Monday because we´re going to the TEMPLE on Tuesday! Woo hoo! So expect a letter then (don´t have a heart attack, Mom).
Love you all and happy October!
Hna. Brewster
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