This is it! I leave at 7:00 am on Monday for the Salt Lake City airport. We fly from there to Dallas and then from Dallas straight to Torreon! I am so excited. A little nervous of course, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". And although I'm not yet the missionary that I hope to become, I feel like I have made enough progress to be prepared to enter the field. I'm pretty comfortable with Spanish, which is a HUGE blessing, and I'm so excited to be immersed in the language.
I don't feel like I have much to say this week, but here are a few random thoughts:
I've picked a Spanish hymn as my personal anthem for the mission. It's called "Placentero nos es trabajar" and I love it because it talks all about spreading the Gospel. The first verse translates as: "It's our pleasure to work in the vineyard of the great King Jesus, and our honor to teach Your people Your law and Your light." I love it! That is the attitude I try to have about missionary work, because it really is such an honor to be the Lord's representative.
The two movies my district quotes the most often are "The Best Two Years" and "Nacho Libre". Apparently, according to my MTC teachers who have served in Mexico, Mexico is pretty much exactly like the way it's depicted in Nacho Libre. Apparently it's just hysterical to watch once you come home from your mission because you realize how accurate it is. So that's probably going to be the first movie I watch when I get back (;
I am so excited to go to Mexico, but I will miss the elders and sisters in my district here at the MTC. Because we're an intermediate group none of us are going to the same mission (which is usually the case), so I won't see them for the rest of my mission. We have become so close- you really have no other choice when you're together for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. And I'm so thankful for the teachers I've had here at the MTC. We were lucky and got to interact with more teachers than most MTC groups get to, because when we first came in there were only two districts in our zone and there are about 8 teachers for the zone. They are all incredible teachers of the Gospel and have given me good examples to look up to.
These next few days are going to fly by. We have in field training tomorrow during the day, and then get to celebrate the Fourth of July tomorrow night. I am so grateful for this country we live in. I am so grateful for the wonderful family and friends that I have and for my membership in the Church. I know that this Church contains the fullness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I can't wait to begin sharing it in Mexico! Hasta luego!
con mucho carino,
Hermana Southard
Ashley with her mission President and his wife and other missionaries going to Torreón.
Ashley with her mission President and his wife and other missionaries going to Torreón.