The land that was flat

So México really is beautiful, in its own special way. I know there are areas that are more tropical, and areas along the shore. There are mountains and trees and crawling creatures. But my part, is very much so a desert. We had a lot of wonderful rain and monsoons last week, but they have not made it any more green! It isn´t bad, its just different. Basically its rather brown. And we do have mountains, but really they aren´t any bigger then Blue mountain back home. (Collingwood) So really, we have some big hills. But aside from our randomly potruding big hills, it is very flat. I mean, I don´t mind, it means we don´t have to go hiking up and down hills all the time! But I am so used to having the shape of the land back home, that here I never know where we are. All of the streets run north-south and east-west, and are as straight as can be! 

We managed to mostly stay out of the rain this past week. Although, not going to lie, sometimes it was completely intentional that we got wet! And at some points, the humidity this week almost made me feel as though I was at home. At other points it was just, well, humid. The rain really didnt affect the wildlife too much, but it did some pretty good damage to some of the streets. Most are paved, but we dont have any sort of drainage, so it just turns into rivers. And then when the rivers come across unpaved parts, it washes away a lot of the sand. Theres some areas that can only be driven on by trucks right now, but half of the people here seem to have trucks anways.

It isnt a problem for us though, because this is a walking mission.  Honestly though, cars would be too much trouble. They would get way too hot and we wouldn't be able to meet so many people! Oh, and whenever we have to travel any distance, we have the busses. They are pretty decent, and some of them even have air! But the best part is, ALL of the busses are standard.

We got to go in to the offices this week for the 6 week meeting thing. Honestly, Im not exactly sure why we had it, I believe it is part of the first 12 week program that all missionaries do. But I got to me my whole generation- all 11 sisters and 2 elders! I finally got to meet the Hermana who I found with the same call before my mission. She and other Americans were sent to the Mexico MTC because they got their visas earlier. Anways, I was actually able to understand fairly well what was going on, and the missionaries gave a lot of good talks... or presentations. (English is getting harder all the time. Good and bad!) 

My favourite was a demonstration an Hermana gave about the Book of Mormon. She was speaking about how its so very important in our lessons, and for the investigators. Her example, was 2 book of Mormons. First she grabbed two books and put some chunks of pages into the other book. It took almost no effort to seperate. She had taken them and interwoven every single page. (She brought it pre.woven) Kind of how Myth Busters did with two phone books once. Then, a few people try to pull them apart, and werent able to. 

This is how we need to treat the Book of Mormon. If we simply read a peice here, or a verse there, we arent really doing anything with it. But as we take the time every day to read and ponder and pray about every verse and every story, every parable and every piece of doctrine and apply it to our lives, we can have that bond. I know that it really is the word of God and can help us even in the hardest of times. Remember to not just hold the Iron Rod, but to cling to it. As we interweave our lives with the Book of Mormon, we can have great strength.

Hermana Crawford

A Canadian in Mexico eating Chinese Food

So last week, I really wanted to share this oddity with you all, but the computer just would not have it. I ate some version of Asian food three or so times last week and thought it was pretty entertaining. It is very similar to our Canadian Chinese food, but with more of a spicy sauce. Next time anyone orders some, try putting some lime and sraracha sauce on top. It actually is not all that bad!

 We also had a Mexican version of Sushi. Now that is.. well something very different then what I would consider to be sushi. It basically was some sort of meat, as in cooked chicken or beef, with avocado and philly cream cheese, wrapped in sticky rice and fried on the edges. Very very different.

Otherwise I really enjoy the food here. We eat refried beans basically every day, which I rather enjoy. We also almost always have tortillas, corn and flour. Generally though we eat a lot of soups, and a lot of pasta. Whether pasta in our soup, or spaghetti like, or a pasta salad. And the members feed us every lunch.  I´ve been sharing a scripture with them afterwards a fair bit this week. I feel as though I am able to somewhat explain and share in Spanish. And sometimes they even understand me ;)

This week in general has been very wet. We got RAIN. It was probably one of the best moments. My trainer has been here for 8 months now, and this was the first storm she saw. That was a little depressing to hear, because I love a good storm. But it helped to cool things off rather nicely so we are greatly enjoying the weather at the moment!

I feel as though I am able to speak a lot more spanish every day. As Hermana H. keeps telling me, poco a poco. But I also felt like I wasn´t able to understand very well this week. I really want to be able to communicate with people more, but it´s hard. Generally I can pick a few words out, but then I am left to basically guess the rest of the sentence or question. Or sometimes, they talk so fast or there accent is so thick that I don´t catch a single thing. Hermana H. is great at helping me out though, and people are generally very patient.

We had another Junta de Zona  (Zone Conference - a missionary training conference for all the missionaries in an area) this past Friday, and we all got this months Liahonas! I really really enjoyed the article Becoming Perfect In Christ by Elder Gerrit W. Gong. I really recommend that everyone reads it, You can find it.... 

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2014/07/young-adults/becoming-perfect-in-christ?lang=eng

....It talks a lot about the pressures we put on ourselves to do things, and how we really should define what is perfect. I found one part very applicable to myself, as it spoke of how we should not solely measure our successes by our ability to do what it is we seek to accomplish, but more so by our desires and commitment to doing it.

The reality is, serving a mission is hard. I knew that coming in, as I had many missionary and return missionaries tell me that. And I really do not speak much Spanish. And yes, it really is pretty hot, especially for someone who has never lived in a desert. I have a lot of people ask me if I am sick when they shake my hand, because they think I have a fever! But as much as those things can be difficult, they don´t really matter. I heard a story in the MTC of a family motto which said I Am A (insert family name here), And I Can Do Hard Things. 

So as much as those things are hard, I know the experiences I am having, and will have here, and all that I can learn are more than worth the effort. And the reason I am here is because I have a message to share that I know is true, and can help peoples in their lives more then anything else. It truly is the gospel of Jesus Christ restored on the earth, and we really do have a Saviour who knows all of our sorrows and worries and struggles. I hope whatever thing it is that you are finding hard, you can find whatever it is that is worth it. Because we really have so much more good then we realize. As said in 2 Timothy, I have fought a good fight, I have finished (this) course, I have kept the faith.

Or as Meet the Robinsons puts it: Keep Moving Forward

Happy Belated Canada Day!

Hermana Crawford

NB: Hermana Crawford has requested written letters "The mail actually works decently well here! Missionaries get letters fairly regularly, and Dear Elders all arrive pretty well too!"

Moving Day!

I'm feeling much better and we were able to work a lot! We taught over 20 lessons, and were able to talk to a lot of people. I feel as though I am learning a lot and able to speak more everyday. I need to learn to speak less in English, because it's just too easy to do so when you have an American companion and are trying to communicate! But nevertheless I do feel as though I am able to apply what I know and learn more constantly. And I love trying to communicate with native speakers. They are all more than willing to help me improve and learn more, and are patient and general able to get the gist of what I say. Not that I say much yet! There was this wonderful family we visited with this week with 3 little boys and a little girl. She is 4 years old and speaks WAY more spanish then I do. It was great being able to be with their family nonetheless, all of the kids were more then excited to try and help me learn new words, and the 8 year old was very bright. He answered essentially all of the questions throughout our lesson!

We also moved from our rather large and smelly house to a smaller and newer house. We had a small second story to our first house, which had a bedroom and a washroom, and it smelt something awful. Luckily the entrance to the upstairs was arranged just so that we could block that part off. But, some days this smell would leek through the door. It was fairly central in our area, and the new house is more along a border, but our area isn't that large so it really dosn't make that much of a difference. Anyways, when a member offered us to rent her house, we jumped at the chance! So we spent most of the day moving and are running a little late.

I learned that sister missionaries only serve in just a few cities here in the mission.  Sadly, these areas do not include the one part of Hermosillo that gets snow! But apparently it does get down to about 15 celsius here during the night in the winter, so I have some cooler weather to look forward too. All in all, the heat was a lot better this week. It wasn't so shocking when we left air conditioned areas. Actually, I am starting to find air conditioning a little chilly sometimes, instead of just almost being relieving. I still run hotter then basically everyone here, but I have hope that I can continue to adjust to a desert climate!

Hermana Crawford

.... living in Mexico

This has been quite the week! It started off really well, one of our investigators committed to a baptismal date. And we were out working hard all day Tusday. Then that night I started to feel pretty sick. I did not get much sleep and by the time morning rolled around it was pretty clear that I had managed to get the usual adjusting stomach bug that every missionary gets. Nothing too out of the normal. I also had been getting some pretty good bloody noses with this desert environment.
So, we went to the doctor and got a week worth of antibiotics and I was sent to an ENT to get my nose cauterized. (I do not remember how to spell that. sorry!) President gave me a blessing and we were told to rest for five days, and we start back to work tomorrow. 

So basically, I slept a lot this week. I also studied a fair bit. My poor companion though, she started to go a little stir crazy, so we got to do intercambios for a bit and another Hermana stayed with me. It was nice to rest up and get well again, but it was also kind of hard because I really just want to work. I started to get tired of just studying and sleeping all the time, so our house is nice and clean right now! 

We ended up missing out on my first multi zone conference, which apparently was a good four hours long! My CCM companion laughed when I asked about it because she said it was basically 4 hours of not understanding! We also had an activity planned to help the Hermanas in our barrio learn how to follow music, but I guess we'll try and reschedule it. 

One more exciting thing though, I am now a resident of Mexico now.  One more update I am good for my whole mission! I also got to see the 2 others who came to the mission with me. Apparently there is around 11 in total in my generation. 

The other Canadian hermana who came from the provo CCM with me, and myself, are the first Canadian Hermanas to serve in this mission in over 20 years! And my companions generation, who came in December, are the first American Hermanas in over 20 years as well. Its interesting to see the shift.

Hermosillo is still... well Hermosillo. We have to walk in the calle a lot because the side walk on some of the side streets is like trying to hike at Tobermory! But on the busier streets its more like the ones back home.
 
(if you've never been to Tobermory you have a choice of paths beside Georgian Bay - flat rock that is often wet or cobblestone beaches )

The language is still very new. I do feel like I learn a bit more basically every day, and that I am starting to get more used to accents. Our Argentina Hermana has a very different accent, and speaks pretty fast, but I feel like I can actuallymore or less understand her this past week! And It is getting easier with others. My vocabulary is mostly gospel doctrine based though so most conversations outside of that are still way over my head.

Till Next Time!

Hermana Crawford

Feliz dia del Padres!

People know how to party here, I just had never thought that father´s day would be such a big celebration! It was almost comparable to the St.Patrick´s day parties the university students had back home, but without the noise restriction laws. I think that´s probably the best way I can describe it!

I´ve decided to try and convince myself that I like sweating, but for now I simple have managed to accept that it´s a normal thing. It really is hot here. But it´s not necessarily unsufferable. Just the hottest place on the planet last week apparently. It´s nice though, because there is a lot less humidity, and we almost always have a breeze that comes in off of the gulf. I´m already as dark as if not darker then some of the gringas who´ve been here for 5or6 months. Oh, and just to clarify, Gringa and Gringo are reserved solely for Americans :) Hermana M.  and I have a lot of fun with that. Well, when we manage to communicate! We´ve gotten very good at giving each other thumbs up. But honestly, even the people here go on about how hot they feel it is. Most people walk around with bandanas or rags to wipe their faces, and often carry umbrellas as well. Everyone has air and fans. And we have air in our bedroom, which works very well. We basically just spend all of our home time in that room.

It´s beautiful here though. It´s basically desert. Most of the roads are paved, and all of the buildings are cement. Everything is barred, and most places have gates as well. There is a lot of random trees, almost like back home, but none of them are any where near as luscious. We´re very much so in (what I would call in my limited time here) a regular looking community. Just houses basically everywhere! 

Oh, I quickly read through my last email and realized I goofed. I don´t know if it´s because these are Spanish keyboards and I finger tripped, or if I was just simply so overwhelmed by my first day. Potentially both, but my companion´s name is Hermana H.

Also, two fun things, in Hermosillo, they use backpacks. And, they have these wonderful double umbrellas to walk around in the sun with. So today, we took a trip to central to get both of these things for me.  There are a lot of convenience stores, some markets and grocery stores, and random clothing etc. stores around. There we met up with 4 other Hermanas who are very sweet and it was nice to meet some other hermanas in our mission :)

All in all, the whole week felt like a month. I feel as though I understand more, but I only learned maybe a few more words or phrases. It´s a bit strange, because you go in to the mission expecting to have all of the missionary worries, about your investigators, and finding people, and teaching more effectively, and working with the members, and being a good companion. But really, it´s hard to do almost any of those things when you don´t exactly understand what is going on... But I know that´ll come. I definitely know a LOT more Spanish then when I left home. There´s no way I could understand as much as I do now without the time and work I´ve put in, so I´ll just keep pressing forward!

I´ll keep trying to figure out how to send photos home, but these computers don´t seem to like my camera. 

Hope all is well,

Hermana Crawford

Estoy en Mexico!

Hola!

I have officially arrived. I can´t believe I´m finally here! My companion is a sweet Hermana from Utah, named Hermana H.  And I don´t understand much of what´s going on quite yet, but I know that´ll come. Hoperfully I get the gist of what´s going on in our first lesson tonight!

Our flights went well, despite having a late start. And it was wonderful to be able to call home! Next time I hear everyone´s voices I´ll hopefully need to be thinking in a different language then I´ve grown acustome to!

I was feeling a fair bit nervous, but now that I´m here it just feels right. Hot. But right :) It really is a desert here, palm trees everywhere! It looks exactly like what I would have figured Mexico would in an almost stereotypical way. But it´s beautiful! I´m in an area called J.  It´s a ward that is split in half with 2 sets of Hermanas. And one of the other Hermanas knows Sister Holly D.!

The mission president and his wife are wonderful. They don´t speak much english, so they had an assistant to the president translate. The elder who was translating heads home tomorrow! It was so exciting to be able to get off of the plane and see them all in the airport!



My companion from the MTC is in the same Zone, so I may be able to see her again soon. Apparently there are under 200 missionaries in this mission.  We also are to finish up our lessons early so that we´re back every night. And a rule I wasn´t expecting- we wear nylons in this mission! 

I´m off to my first week in the field.

Hermana Crawford

What I've gained in the CCM

I can hardly believe I'm leaving! I still feel like I got here last week. I know once my brothers read that title they'll be wondering, but it is in fact possible to go through the MTC and not put on any weight, I'm living proof :) But honestly, this has been by far one of the most trying yet wonderful experiences of my life. Everyone needs to go to the MTC. I don't have much time to email today, but I wanted to share what I feel has been some highlights from my time here.

Working at a Library for two years, you really learn your alphabet. Sorry, but those who haven't, you really don't know it inside out and backwards in the same way. But these skills are extremely useful for looking up words in a dictionary. Especially when you are competing with the Elders or Teachers. They didn't stand a chance...

The west campus is much more beautiful then main, except from here the mountains look like a green screen. Only on certain days with particular sunlight or clouds do they actually look real! I guess that just goes to show how far modern technology has come... But I still can't wait to hike up one! Thankfully Hermosillo has mountains





Missionaries really do have a different sense of entertainment, simply due to not having technology or other books around. This includes having elders who mime kill eachother, almost hourly. And sister missionaries who follow some ducks around for maybe a little bit longer then necessary. (That may or may not have been us.)

These random experiences are great though, because you can make basically anything into a metaphor for a principle or doctrine. Random things such as clouds, turbulence, and ducklings may or may not have taken up a few pages of my journal for this purpose...

I feel as though I have two main things that I have really come to understand though. First:

Work Hard, Try Your Best, Push Yourself. But I learn the most when you stop worrying about what I don't know.

As I came to this conclusion, I started to pick up the language SO much faster. I found that it just simply came easier and I was able to focus better. I also found that I was so much happier instead of being stressed out all the time. We have a quote in one of our rooms from president Hinckley that I feel sums this all up perfectly. It reads:

"Carry on. Things will work out. If you keep trying and praying and working, things will work out. They always do. If you want to die at an early age, dwell on the negative. Accentuate the positive, and you'll be around for a while."

The other thing I realized was something I've always known. One of our teachers asked us to think hard about what is one thing we know will full surety, absolutely no doubts. The thing that is my rock, and where my testimony stands. The part of this gospel that I hold dearest in my heart and desire to forever grow and strengthen. So that I can look my investigators or future children or whomever it may be in the eyes when everything else is wrong and testify of is this.

God is very literally our loving Heavenly Father, and is there for us through it all. He is why we have what we have, and we can do what we need to with a smile on our face and a prayer in our hearts.

I know this is true. That's why I'm serving a mission and desire to share this gospel, because that has brought me greater strength and joy then anything else to be found on this planet.

Hermana Crawford