Mi Fren Pritty

Hi everyone,

Here is Alyssa latest letter and because of the lack of pictures from her this week, you get pictures from me and the adventures of Stick Alyssa :) For those of you that don't know, Abby was very sad when Alyssa left for the MTC and extremely sad that Alyssa wasn't able to go to Orlando with us so Stick Alyssa was created to make a sad sister happy!

Abby, Stick Alyssa, Lucy and Emma (Alyssa's cousins)

Mainstreet U.S.A, Disneyworld

Stick  Alyssa and Abby

Beach in St. Petersburg, FL

 

When Alyssa saw Stick Alyssa she wanted a Stick Abby

 

Okay first off my new comp is Hna. Chavez, also from Guatemala, she is a rock star! Haha, Next I got the dear elders (she means any letters that were written to her on Dearelder.com, which is a fantastic way to write to her as she gets a letter in hand and it’s free for you!) and some letters but no packages. The problema (yes it would appear she has started speaking Spanglish J) is we only receive mail Every 3-6 weeks, when we have cambios (transfers) or when the zl´s have their meeting with president. So I might not get my packages until December… Well more Christmas presents for me right?? But I love receiving letters so keep em’ coming!! But if they want me to send them a letter they have to be patient and I have to have their address. 

Hna. Gonzalez is now with Hna. Johnson, my friend from the mtc.

Sorry if your Christmas package gets there late, I haven’t even bought stuff yet. Also I am sending a package home with clothes and stuff, please look for it and tell me when it gets there. 

We set another baptismal date and she seems excited.

Okay so I am officially a foreign missionary… I had to shower with rain water yesterday because we haven’t had water for 3 days…. Yeah not pleased, and then when I woke up this morning we had water… really not pleased.

HAPPY PANAMANIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY/ MONTH!!! They seriously celebrate all month…

Here is something I found online that explains Panama's Independence Day and their celebrations

Panama Independence Day

Independence Day: November 3

Independence Day is a public holiday in Panama.
November in Panama has lots of Independence celebrations. On November 3 is celebrated the Independence of Panama from Colombia in 1903, also known as Colon Day, that jumpstarts Panama’s Patriotic Month. While on November 10 is the day that Panamanians remember the ‘uprising in Villa Los Santos’ against the Spaniards; and finally on November 28 is celebrated the National Day, a celebration of Independence from Spain in full for Panama.

History of Independence Day

After achieving independence from Spain on November, 1821 Panama became a department of Colombia for the next eight years. The Gran Republic of Colombia was by then composed of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Panama federalist forces still tried to fight for Independence once again for Panama, and almost got it in 1831, also later between 1840 and 1841 a brief independent state was created, and finally during the Thousand Days War, which devastated Colombia and Panama. But still Panama was part of Colombia and no agreement was reached between Liberal Panama parties and Colombians. In 1903, the United States and Colombia signed the Hay-Herran Treaty to end the construction of the Panama Canal, but the Colombian Congress did not pass the Treaty on August 12, 1903. Panamanians wanted the canal finished and were angered with the Colombians, so were the United States that decided to support the independent movement for Panama. A warship was sent to Panama to protect Panamanians from the Colombian armies, and in November 1903, Panama proclaimed its Independence from Colombia.

Independence Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

Panama celebrates the Independence from Colombia with big parades in Panama City, there are traditional folklore dancing in the streets, where both children and adults dress in traditional costumes, wearing a pollera and a montuno, and dance El Tamborito or El Atravesao, traditional dances. The tradition is mainly kept by schools who prepare themselves to parade on the streets all year long. Parents spend a lot of money instruments and uniforms for those in a marching band.

 

Also there is a lot of American influence here, so they speak a little bit of Spanglish, for example a flash light is a fra ligh, windshield wipers are winshi wipuh, fren is friend… etc. etc.

Now to respond to your email, Hna. Gonzalez is in Chorrera and her knees are alright, but they still hurt. Kipp is in David (the hottest part of the country) and Jensen is in Arrejan (dont know how to spell that) (it’s Arraiján). We have a new greenie!! Woooo I’m not a greenie anymore!! His name is Elder Bitter and he is from Utah but I don’t remember where, somewhere north, like by Lagoon I think.

Haha sorry I don’t know the reference but I know it is somewhere in 3rd Nefi and I know that the verses are right, just not the chapter. It’s a scripture about Jesus being the rock of your foundation and when the winds come all is well but if you are dumb and build your house on the sand then you are in trouble. Sorry about that… (I found it, it is 3^rd Nephi 14:24-27, she said in her last email that this scripture sounds like the story of the 3 little pigs) http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/14.24-25?lang=eng

If you send any food then hide it. That is my advice. My madrastra (step mom) Hna. Chavez thinks that I could train in January when she (Sarah) gets here, and so does Gonzalez, so if I get out of this area this next change it is very possible. I am going to try to get them to hype me up to pres so I can train (: haha

Okay who was she for Halloween?? (Abby was Sophia the First for Halloween, Disney Jr. cartoon character) because I don’t know who that is.

 

Tell Brooke (our old next door neighbor who got her mission call last week to the Guatemala, Guatemala City East Mission) congrats for me, Kaylee (one her best friends who also got her call last week to the Hermosillo, Mexico Mission) emailed me and I am so flippin excited for her!! Woo Spanish!!

So you are gonna be mad at me…. I forgot my camera cord at home… Haha so no pictures this week!! Sorry.. (never fear Sister Carmack saved the day, she posted tons of pictures on her blog this week low and behold there was one of Alyssa and Hna. Gonzalez and I think the new Elder Bitter is sitting next to her) Also about the package I sent home with my clothes, there is an envelope in there with your birthday present. It isn’t much but it’s something.

 

No but all is well, Hna. Chavez doesn’t like the house either haha! (remember from a week or so ago, this is the “ugliest house” in the mission according to Pres. Ward) Both her and Hna. Gonzalez plan on saying something to pres. about the hills (their area is really hilly and full of stairs and her companions knees took a beating) so it is possible that I could get out of here the next change!! I hope because I really want to train Sarah!! I don’t know what else to write. This week was kind of boring for letter writing, a lot of working. Our area is kind of hard, we have only had 3 baptisms in the last 2 months, 2 of which were mine and Hna. Gonzalez´s.

Oh so funny story, in our zone we have lots of inside jokes and lots of English words that we use. For example a word that we use is freaking. Like all the time. So it is very common to hear one of us say something along the lines of hace freaking calor! Or it’s freaking hot!  Haha yeah I love it here, it’s awesome! Everyone is awesome and so chill. Okay so we have 6 new people. E. Bitter (Syracuse, Utah I just asked him), E. Weston (S. Jordan, Utah), E. Juarez (El Salvador), E. I can’t remember his name (Guatemala) Hna. Chavez (Guatemala) and Hna. Hoff (Wisconsin)

Elder Bitter doesn’t speak much Spanish and his dad (Astudillo) doesn’t speak much English so he will learn quickly!! This week we were teaching someone and I asked this guy a question and I ended up asking him 4 times and yeah and the 3rd time he looks at my comp and says I can’t understand her, she doesn’t speak Spanish, and so my  comp replies, no she speaks Spanish, you just aren’t listening to what she is saying. And earlier this week Elder. Quimiz (My dad) called to remind us about our meeting and half way through our conversation he was like wait who is this? And I was like uh.. Hna. Wandell and he goes OH HERMANA WANDELL!! YOUR SPANISH IS SO GOOD!! I thought you were Hna. Chavez! You sound like a Latina!! Haha yes!! I can speak Spanish!! No but really I can tell my Spanish has improved a TON!! Or in Panamanian Un poco ton. Okay Choa choa!! (I think she means Chau – the Spanish word for the Italian word Ciao)Te quiero mucho!! (I love you)

Para siempre Dios contigo! (God be with you always) Oh and Love you tons!! TTFN!!

P.S. Ahh man!!! I love Bish Mo though!! Are they not in our ward anymore? Or Denise or anyone??? (home ward got split last Sunday L, I knew she would be sad L)
 

Stick Alyssa and Abby

Scheels Gigantic Fish Aquarium

 

Stick Alyssa and Abby

Epcot

Stick Alyssa and Abby

Our typical mode of transportation at the grocery story