Professional Volleyball Players (?)

Hola Todos,

This week has been pretty good, much better than the last! I learned so much this week. It is the most amazing opportunity to be here (once again), I know I've said that before but it really is so so true!! I love it with my whole heart; there is no place I would rather be and I know I am supposed to be here. There's no doubt.

Monday we played volleyball again, we are starting to do that for every exercise time haha and we're basically professionals now. It is so fun!! Our whole district plays sometimes, but the elders somestimes will go and do something else instead but its okay haha. BUT I keep bruising my thumb!! my poor pulgar (thumb) has become purple almost every time, lol I don't know how I keep hitting the ball with my thumb?! 

Tuesday we had an AMAZING devotional! It was with the missionary executive directors of the church! Elder Brent. H. Nielsen and his wife spoke to us, and it was the best fireside here yet. They answered so many prayers and questions. His wife spoke about how a mission is like running a huge race; you may think at the beginning that you are not capable or ready, but with the Lord's help you can do it. You have to just keep going, be diligent, and once you start getting in the 'groove' you will get the runners high, and you will love it and make it to the end! I loved that so much because it relates to me so personally, as I remembered times that I have run, and I thought of the same analogy with a mission and running before myself anyways too. Elder Nielsen and his wife are like angels. After the devotional, we always do a district review, and this time, the spirit was so strong! The love of God was so powerful. To say my district is amazing is an understatement; I know without a doubt that we are all meant to be together. I am so so so blessed to have been put with each of them. I am always so shocked and amazed at their testimonies and abilities. It will be so weird to go to my mission in Argentina without any of them..they're like my family. One of them is going to Salt Lake though, so he'll get to see some of my extended family here!! I hope they love that elder and get to know him well too!! (elder Paez, look for him Christensens!)

Wednesday we had to change classrooms! So we moved to the new beautiful buildings! we were sad to say goodbye to our old classroom though, it was homey! haha, it had character but we like the new buildings too. We moved to the 6th floor of one of the new ones, called T4! It is pretty high, and there are 1000 windows so it's scary kinda to look down! I'm afraid of heights haha! We also had another TRC lesson, with a member that time finally! It was pretty good! We also got 18 NEW MISSIONARIES in our district that day!! only 6 sisters, and 22 elders in our zone! The sister training leaders, in my district are hna. stirling and hna. (hermana) bowman. So they took care of the sisters mostly, but we still all have gone and met them haha. They are so cute but very little, like a lot of them are short haha!

Thursday, we had another TRC lesson, but this time it was AMAZING! The BEST! Daniella is learning so much! It was so so good! Me and my companion felt like crying almost! We taught so much better, about the plan of salvation! And we knew the answers to all her questions and we spoke so much better Spanish!!!! It was so rewarding afterwards, we were literally jumping up and down haha! It was the best feeling. There is no words to fully describe it. That day we also did an 'all Espanol day" but a lot of the district still doesn't have very good grammar, so it is kind of not helpful because we all speak still not great spanish, grammar wise.

Friday we did an espanol day again. But the grammar is still not perfect haha, so it really is just 'Spanglish'. We taught Omar that night, who is really our teacher haha, but it was a good lesson! Me and Hna. Mallett are learning how to be more united in our teaching!! This morning we went to the temple again, and ate there afterwards with the elders. We have memorized like 6 things in spanish so far as well, and I love learning it. I can't wait to speak it fluently jajaja! And I like the Argentine accent too!! I like speaking with it, one of my teachers served her mission in Mendoza Argentina so that is a blessing to learn it from here! 

I feel like I have tasted the sweetest fruit, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The story in the book of Mormon that I encourage people to look at, is the story of the tree of life. In 1 Nefi chp. 8, it talks about the tree of life, symbolizing the love of God, being 'most desirable.' It is one of my most favorite stories. Quote: "charity is not an act of kindness or love. It is a state of being that one aquires after several actions; it is a state of being and a part of your nature, in your soul."-Elder Dallin H. Oaks

PICTURES TO COME! (I'll attach them next email)

Hermana Chelsea Martines