More of Mexico

I´m not really sure when the last time I blogged was... oops! And since I´m paying by the minute, I´d rather not find out.

In the last few days we´ve had so many great experiences! On Saturday we spent most of the day in San Cristobal shopping and sight-seeing. I stuck pretty close to Merrit and Nancy, the two of the girls I´ve become good friends with. I got some fun things, including jewlery and a dress that I´m pretty excited about.

Sunday had the amazing opportunity to go into San Cristobal again to go to a LDS ward. The people here are so nice and were very welcoming to the huge late group of gringos that showed up right before the sacrament was passed. After the meeting they let us use one of the unoccupied rooms to have a brief testimony meeting. It was such a great experience to be in a room, amongst new friends, in a new country, where I can communicate very little, and know that we all have the same beliefs. The spirt was strong and I´m very greatful for the chance I had to partake of it. After churhc we went into San Cristobal again, for more shopping and sight-seeing. Most of the group bought more things, but I tried hard to refrain. Although, I did break down and by some juices from the corner store near the compound we´re staying at. (More about the compound later...)

Monday we went into Bautista Grande and worked with the people. Because I´m on education I spent time in the schools and got to teach one of my lessons. (Bubbles for those who were curious.) In the morning we were in the preschool classrooms, which are 4 and 5 year olds and in the afternoon they taught in a 3rd grade... I think. Spanish is a second language for the community we´re in, and the children learn it in school. Which is something we didn´t know before. Luckily the teachers of the preschool were super nice and were willing to translate for us. It was definately a tender mercy!

This week there is a HUGE celebration in Chamula (a city between the village we´re working in and San Cristobal - where we are staying) so most of the village went there to worship their Saints and party. From what we´ve been told there is a huge party with lots of drinking and dancing. Earlier this week they were talking about going, but I´m not sure that we really will. I hope not...

The place we are staying is a trade school. It´s called La Albarata. They train students in quite a variety of trades, including baking, woodwork (which is beautiful, yet very simple), technology, metal work, and some others that I can´t read on the walls. It´s pretty nice, and we really can´t complain much. They feed us three meals a day (we take lunches with us to the village), have showers (which are sometimes hot and sometimes cold - and are terribly short! I´ll bring photos.), have bathroom facilites, a computer lab, kitchen, garden areas, an auditorium, and some other facilities. The beds are all bunk style and in a room the size of our living room, kitchen, and family room there are about 9 sets of bunk beds. Things get a little squishy for about half of the girls from our group that are in my room, but it´s okay. We all seem to get along pretty well.

I wish I could express all I´ve learned since coming here and seeing the poverty these people live in. I think the one thing that continues to strike me as super important is that I´ve been terribly blessed; not only to have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, but also to have been born in America, to a good family, and have so many material blessings, and also that the people here are children of the same Heavenly Father that I am. As I keep these two things it mind as I work along side with and serve them, I find my heart breaking knowing that after this trip there is a chance I´ll never see them again until after this life is over. Last night we practiced the songe we´re singing for the closing ceremonies in the village (Leaving on a Jet Plane¨¨by John Denver) and I started to tear up. Oh how I love the people here!!

This experience has been so perfect for me. The dynamics of the group and the people we´ve been able to interact with has changed my life forever! I´ve been provided opporunities to share my testimony both formally and informally and hopefully been a good representative of the Church. I´m exicted to see you all again, and take a nice long hot shower without anyone else in the same room. :) I´m definately staying safe and enjoying all I´m learning here. I´ll try to blog more frequently before we come home, but I look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Love you all!!
Brittney