Sunday, April 15, 2012

Love is a battlefield


Schwartz Clan,

Business first: is the gov on crack? I'm flattered they think I'm trying to launder from them, but alas taxes were taken out of everyone one of my paychecks so you shouldn't have to be paying anything, or I'm getting robbed and that's injustice and if I could I would fight for my rights! MAAA, SEND ME CLOTHES!!!! So I thought I had gotten enough light clothes, but I was in lala land. I've been fine so far, but I'm going to hate myself soon. Ma, there are missionary guidelines you have to follow and you can find them on lds.org under missionary stuff (ask JMack to help you out if you get lost). Do not, I repeat, DO NOT send me leopard, zebra, giraffe, or any kind of animal print. I am not going to be a Cheetah Girl here on the mish mish. Oh and let J know that Shade shirts are too short-sleeve for my mish. Yes Ma, I've been eating fine. I got some flax seed granola which is rockin my world, but I keep it light for breakfast and lunch because at night we get FED. Ohhhhh especially Familia Moran. And is the email not working for you? If not, just reply back to these ones I'm sending you. But still send it to the VC because I literally live 10 steps away so it's about the same amount of time anyways, plus I'm living in a member's guest house which is luxury up the wazzoo, so I would prefer not to be in an apartment. How are my cousins doing? Roscoe's bday is coming up soon isn't it? Give me an update on them and tell my sober brother to email me or write me. The cousins can email me too because they're family, fyi.

So fam, I may have freaked Hna Falcon out a little bit this week. So I've been thinking about how I could be more sustainable here on the mish, cause it's hard to be super environmentally friendly, but I have come up with some solutions. Candlelight showers. Call me crazy, but they are so bomb! I light some candles to save electricity but the perk is that it's super calming and a nice start to the morning. Hna Falcon comes downstairs to darkness which is weird, but saving the environment one candle at a time right? Haha another funny thing. You know how there's that mexican stereotype about Chihuahas? Not a stereotype, it's real. Almost every family we've met or gone to their home has a chihuaha, no joke and I just laugh.

It was a good week fam. I say that with full sincerity. I actually felt like a real missionary this week, which was refreshing. The night of the dress rehearsal for the Pastorela (the Easter Pageant here), we had to go to a dinner appointment with Hna Felix, who is 6 months preggers and gets offended if we don't show up at her house for food, so we couldn't cancel but Hna Falcon is one of the leaders for the VC so she had to do trainings for the Pastorela and so she put me and Hna Larson (love her, we were in the MTC together) together to go to the dinner appointment. And besides the fact we were an hour late (we haven't been on time for a single lesson/dinner etc, and the hispanics don't care because they're never on time either) it was a really awesome experience for me. I got us there without getting lost, I felt like myself when chatting and I gave the lesson and it was good to know that I can actually do this. I don't do it as well as Hna Falcon, but that's why we're compas so I can soak it in while I'm with her.

Pastorela-rama=]. Holy schniekies it's increible. It's a play about the life of Jesus Christ and it is hardcore. They use real babies, donkeys, sheep, shetland ponies, people, fire, water, etc. And the effects are sick. It's a cross between Fiddler on the Roof and the 10 Commandments, minus my bff Charleton Heston (dude, would be SO TIGHT if he was still alive and in it). I'm basically obsessed with it, and have seen it every night, including both Spanish nights. Oh and who did I run into to my surprise? Elder Mack! He looked so presh with his matching tie and pocket square haha. We took some Mexican family photos and I got to meet his comp, and ugh so great=]. But get this, so our branch goes to English classes and the English class teacher bought chicken for his whole class and saved seats right in front and Santiago got to go and hang out with everyone and feel more a part of the ward and he loveeeddd the pageant and cried. He is so precious, my word. And then Miguel and Glenda also came the last Spanish night with their grandson and they got great seats up front and live and loooooved it too. and Sheila and Rene came and liked it! (They're this couple, she's so into the church and ready to get baptized but Rene is still on the fence, so we were happy they came) and Blanca and her hijas came! (she is golden, loves the church and the family and everything we believe in and knows that it's going to help her family, her husband's in jail in CO right now so she works a ton) and they loved it too. Ugh the Pastorela so bomb!!!!! Sis Andersen and I have already mastered the angels' dance/movements so we're going to come back after the mish and be angels. But they have these guys dressed up as Roman soldiers walking around and I swear I see Christian Heather's hubby everynight, cause their hair is long and he just looks like Christian...but it's not I checked.

As for General Conference (it's those videos that mom plays every sunday with the old guys on them who talk about church stuff), Santiago attended all the sessions=]. And the first session when President Monson came out, we said "Santiago, that's the prophet!" and he was SO EXCITED and I was super joyous because he was just so excited to see the prophet! Bless my heart. Sometimes I forget how truly awesome it is that we have a prophet, alive here on the planet, to help guide us and seeing Santiago's expression just was so presh. And Miguel also came to a session and he enjoyed it as well. We haven't seen Julio in a while so hopefully we catch him tonight. Haha it was funny after the Saturday morning session, I got this craving for Brookwood Grill's croissants so I hope you went there as tradition says Ma. As for the talks, I listened to it in Spanish, so maybe understood 50%, but I'm pretty sure I understood what was necessary and it doesn't really matter because my investigators received the answers they needed.

Famfam, this mission is a battlefield of love, kid you not. Last night I was on the phone with a bipolar/alcoholic/suicidal man who was thinking about pulling the trigger on the phone. There are people out there in the world who feel alone, who feel hopeless, who don't think that they are worthwhile. I talk to them everyday. But the beautiful thing that I love about the gospel is that I get to tell people every day that they have great potential, that they can become the people they are meant to be by relying on their Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, that they aren't alone but they have a Father in Heaven who loves them even when they don't love themselves. The gospel brings hope and it brings light to those who are in dark places, I know because I've lived it and it's only brought me peace and joy. You gotta fight for people, because every person is worthwhile and important.

Love ya, peace out.

Hna Schwartz

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