Yes, they do celebrate valentines day here :) We've gotten a couple valentine cards from people hehe, so cute! So, those rice crispy things sound amazing...too bad they wouldn't really last 6 weeks in a box :( And also, SOOOOO CUUUTTTTEEEEE.....I can't wait to meet the new addition to the family! I am happy to be an auntie now :) What's her name?! And who takes care of her when kiki is at work?! This reminds me, a member's dog had puppies this last week and um...one of them was abnormal--saddest thing EVER! It's eyes were on the outside of the body, along with the intestines.....ew and sad!!! I couldn't look at it! These poor animals here...breaks my heart.
So i'd like to just mention a few funny traditions of the people here that you wont find in America:
1. Favorite pass time is tweezing the grey hairs out of family members' head. Seriously, EVERYONE does it to EVERYONE. And the weird/gross part is they like put all the hairs on the persons arm or leg so they can see every grey hair that comes out. EW.
2. Breast feeding is as normal as scratching your head. The woman will breastfeed anywhere, doesn't matter who is around or what they are doing. The best is when we are teaching lessons and they just whip everything out--even when bishop is our fellowshipper. It's just normal and they don't try and hide anything haha!
3. Normal not to wear bras, and the girls dont shave their legs and they REALLY should. Like none of the women here shave legs.
4. LBM's are completely accepted here, normal to have them, normal to talk about them to everyone. Learned that one a long time ago but especially yesterday after church. I had LBM and so sis estrada told one of the members to ask bishop for some medicine for it. Within 1 min everyone in the church new that I had LBM and talked about it openly. Awesome, my favorite thing to talk about with other people. Thanks.
5. I've mentioned before that they freely call you as you are (fat, ugly....) still not quite used to this ...sometimes sis estrada will just say to me "you're belly is big" or "you're getting fat" Thank you, how very sweet of you.
6. People's names here kill me, here are a couple i've run into: Lady Victoria, Lovely, Precious, Pearl, Princess, Transfiguration Crystobal, Purification, Weinchalls....that's all I got right now
Cute story, we have a baptism this coming saturday (yay!) he is the absolutely the cutest kid in the world, if I could adopt him, I would. His name is Eugene and he is 11 yrs old. He is so stinken smart and remembers everything we teach and everything he reads. Before we even start the lesson he tells us what he learned from his reading assignment and that is pretty much the whole lesson haha, he says everything we would say! Anyway, I asked him the other day how many times he prays in one day, he said 7....we were super suprised haha, he said he prayed over every meal, even mariendas (snack time) and he told us the day before it was only 6 times cause he didn't have a marienda. It was just cute, maybe you had to be there for it. I attatched a pic of him.
Now time for my realization, I sent this to my mission president and would like to share with you all:
"I would just like to share what I have been learning over the past week as I have reflected on zone conference. I am not perfect. That's it....that is what I got out of zone conference. Now, let me expound because this has been one of my biggest eye openers on the mission and it is in the process of making me a better person and missionary. Though I know I am not perfect, I have always tried to portray myself as such to other people. I gave myself an expectation that I felt like I needed to live up to just to show others that I was super righteous and did everything right. As I'm sure other people do, I have always wanted to please people and make them like me by trying to hide my weaknesses and mistakes. I will say right now that this is a hard expectation to live up to. This last weekend I realized how important weaknesses and shortcomings are and what it means to show that you aren't perfect. It doesn't mean that you are weak, it means that you know and realize that you need your Savior. To me, that is a strong person. I am slowly coming to accept that I am not perfect and should not expect others to think I am perfect (plus, how boring is that?!). This isn't an easy thing to change but it is something I want to change. I am not perfect, I make mistakes, I don't know everything, and sometimes I don't follow all the rules. I do try my best though even if sometimes I fall short. I know I have a Father who loves me the way I am and is trying to help me become a better daughter. I know I have a Savior who WILL make up for what I am not and what I cannot do. I have felt Him close this past week and I have felt ever so grateful for this realization.
I now want others to notice my weaknesses and along with that, notice my reliance on a Supreme Being because I know I need the power and strength that can only come from above.
President, this is a work in progress but I just want you to know that I am okay with not being perfect and I know that this will help me on my road TO perfection. Thank you for your patience, love, counsel, and support"
Learning is my favorite thing to do, I am especially grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow under the influence and direction of Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. I know He is mindful of all of us and mindful of every weakness and imperfection. How wonderful that He does not reflect on those things, for I know that He truly "looketh on the heart."
I love you all, hope your valentines is wonderful and full of LOVE!!!
Sister Carroll
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