Week 5 Awesome 4 days since last PDay and yet quite a bit happened. This is probably my last update before I head to McAllen on monday! I am so nervous and yet so excited. The people that I get to teach are in for a treat, hopefully they like me - more importantly hopefully my companion likes me. No time to stress about it now though so heres an overview of the most eventful things from these last few days... AUG. 22 - This was last PDay so I gave a quick update on the morning but that night we threw a little party for Scheffler that night and had an ice cream party at the tienda in the afternoon. While in the store waiting to buy my ice cream I met a group of native speaker boys. We were standing in line together for 20 min and I think a real bond was formed. I was laughing and they were laughing because I couldnt understand and yet we were still communicating. My whole district and teacher, Meastro Cayetano, were in line in front of me and they were dying as they watched the whole conversation unfold. My teacher said to some of the other elders in line, "They like her because she is happy and funny." I love that! I know that my spanish is nowhere near perfect here and it will only be worse there but I think Ill be able to make a difference just by being funny and happy. Not to mention today one of the same natives bought me ice cream from la tienda just to be nice - wonderful! Anyway lesson learned, Ive decided Ill just always be happy and the language barrier wont be an issue. AUG. 23 - Embadazado, my fake investigator profile "Sophie" found out she is 3 months along pregnant and our missionaries had to teach us about the law of chastity. That was rough for them but they did so good! The whole situation was a surprise attack on them and not what they had prepared for but they handled it with ease. I was so proud of them and they expressed so much genuine love and care, I know that we are learning how to really help people. AUG. 24 - (2 months since my birthday) Sundays are always a good wake-up call to how I am doing on personal goals and what needs to improve. I went to work hard on finishing my spanish scripture marking system particuarly in the bible - it looks awesome! They are colored by lesson and the tabs are broken down by topic within each lesson. AUG. 25 - We took our "goodbye CCM" picture today, heartbreaking but we looked adorable all day since we were matching in red-white-blue coordination. Some of the otra hermanas decided that they wanted to re.write lyrics to a particular song - John Denvers "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and make the words about saying goodbye to our elders (so awkward). Anyway 3 of us are not super keen on the idea of singing it or being apart of it at all so we are going to be doing interpretive dancing or make a funny speech to go along with it to be hopefully more funny and less just weird. _Also I finally talked to this boy who looks exactly like Craig Ballard, we took a picture and Ill send it home but not gonna lie he was pretty cute. After we took the picture he asked if I would send it to him and he gave me his email - he was walking towards the bus to leave for Chile when we took the picture. Elder Scheffler took the picture and said that he was making a move and though I didnt originally think of it like that I got excited at the idea that he definetly was; guilty._ AUG. 26 - Saw a moth the size of my head this morning. I got moms package of letters and stamps with some pictures which was a happy surprise. It got me a little sad at the idea of leaving the CCM now that I am comfortable just like it was difficult leaving home when I was so comfortable there. My biggest fear is feeling completely alone and not being able to relate to the people around me but I know that fear isnt what I need to be focused on right now. Phil. 4:11; we need to be content in any state that were in without focusing on our own wants, I shared it as a devotional scripture and I replaced the word content with happy and I know as we just decide to be happy in whatever challenges we face, well be happy. Thanks for the continued support. I feel so lucky to be here right now and to be going to texas on monday and to have all of you in my life! Keep being good and strive to always get better!! Te todos amo, mucho! XOXO H Boo Crawford