First week in the field!!!

Hola everyone,

       First week in the mission has been really hard. I think it´s the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. I was sooo excited when I got off the plane. I just wanted to go to work right away. That all changed when I had to go through immigration. I had no clue what was going on and the people were yelling at us. They kept wanting to know what we were doing in Panama. After they yelled at us and we were like crying they let us go and get our bags.. We got out really fast. When we got out of the airport there were some missionaries and other people there to pick us up. The first night we stayed in a hotel and for dinner we ate pizza. It was an awesome hotel. Although they did have a bath tub right in the middle of the room.... weird. Then the next morning we woke up to go to a meeting. This is where we would get new companions. I cried so much like a little baby because I grew so close to my companions. I miss them a lot but its okay. Its part of the mission. The area in Panama I´m in is called Santiago. Its right in the middle of Panama. No AC in my apartment and bugs everywhere. But its actually pretty nice. The hardest part so far is everything is just really different. The people, the language, EVERYTHING! My companion is from Idaho so she is about the only person I know that speaks English (Which is good for me).

So this week we did a service assignment for an older lady in the ward. She is like 80 or something. So we get to her house and she hands us two machetes and tells us to chop down her trees. Not just one or two trees but a whole mile of trees. Lets just say we didnt finish and that we all have blisters. It was actually pretty fun! We all just made a game out of it.

The showers here....... Lets just say that I´m wide awake after I take one. They are soo clod. It feels really good after a long hot day so I´m not complaning.

So my first meal here.... After I ate I thought I was going to die. The food here is just about the same thing everytime. Rice, beans, chicken, or some type of meat. So its not that the food is bad. It´s just..... well.... for example. There were four of us at the table, they cook as if there were 14. So we ate about 5 plates worth of food. I have never eaten so much food in my life. I was full for about two days. lol. Now that I think about it, its pretty funny.

I sang in the choir at church yesterday. In spanish. I had no clue what I was saying but it sounded really nice. the choir director really likes me and wants me to do a solo at a talent show we are having next month. She also wants me to country dance lol... Shes crazy. I guess we will see what happens.

So my first lesson... I didnt understand anything at all. I just kinda sat there and looked dumb. Then at the end my companion asked if I wanted to say anything. In my head I was saying NO!! But for some odd reason my mouth just started to move. I had no clue what I said but the investigator shook his head and said okay. I think I invited him to church. Well atleast the spirit did. The spirt has really helped me alot since I have been here. Thank goodness for that.

Of all the hardness that the mission is.. I love it. Well I will love it. I dont speak the language and just feel really left out all the time. Someone told me that they were going to ripe my eyes out of my head lol... I didnt know until I got home and my companions told me. haha. BUT I understand that nothing is going to be easy. The language will come with time and then it will be great. The hotness will not go away but thats okay. I am just really talking to God alot and asking for help. Everyday this week I have cried and wanted to go home but then I always pray and get that comfort. My companion is great to and she helps me out alot. A mission is hard.. No one said it would be easy, but everyday gets better and better. Although I have had some hard times, I have seen many blessings since I´ve been here. We were on the bus and the cops pulled us over and asked for everyones ID or passport. I didnt have mine because the mission pres. took it and is keeping it in a safe. He says that we all have to have them locked up so he keeps all of our passports locked up. He was supposed to give me a copy of it but never did. So I was about to go to jail. Then as he made it to my seat he said.... your fine. Heavenly Father really helped me out there. Now I have a copy and everything is okay. Being a missionary rocks!!!

Well Im not sure if there is anything I missed but the work here is moving foward. God has work for me to do and I got to do it. I love you all and miss you all but Panama needs me. Things are going great here and I love it.

-Hermana Patrick