The Adventures of Hermana Patten: Part 6

 Ah hola amigos!! 

I feel like it's been forever since I've written because so so much has happened! Because of that, this email will probs be pretty long. Just a forewarning. You can definitely just skip to the pictures at the end if you want, I know that was a favorite pastime of mine as a non missionary lol. Anyways, if you do, just know that God loves you so much for ever and always!!!

Okay... so since I last wrote, I finished at the CCM/MTC (duh, I'm in Nevada now haha). Our last couple days went a little like this:

- Lots of goodbyes (and tears). We said goodbye to Hermano Santiago and Hermana Sanchez, our teachers and that hurt because they were so amazing. On Sunday, we said goodbye to most of our district. Monday, we said goodbye to the rest. (BTW, Monday was probably the weirdest day of my life because we had NO SCHEDULE and so much time... with not a lot of stuff to do). Saying goodbye to my district was also mega hard but it's okay because I know that they're doing great great great things in their missions right now.

- Testimony meeting!! Everyone shared their testimonies and how much they loved the gospel and how the CCM has helped them grow and the spirit was SO STRONG ah I love the gospel and those people with my whole entire heart.

- We also had a fiesta where everyone brought all the food we had and we played uno and set off confetti that one of the girls had from the fourth of July. It was so fun. And it rained literally torrentially and it was so cool.

- Last devotional... the man playing the piano decided it would be just fine and dandy to play God Be With You Till We Meet Again... and that song cuts me right to the soul everytime. Anywaysss yep tears happened for the third time on my mission (yayyy goodbyes, everytime😭)

Alrightyyyy now for the travel.

- Again, we woke up at the crack of dawn. And by that I mean literally before the sun at 12:40. We had a nice little nap, drove to the airport, and vibed for a long sec (literally 4 hours). Flew to Dallas, vibed for another four hours. FINALLY flew to Reno!!

- When we were flying over Nevada... there was nothing. No people. Hermana Anderson said "I guess we're gonna go convert some cows" and idk what it was (prolly my sleep deprivation lol) but I think it was the funniest thing I've ever heard. Don't worry, we landed, and there are actually people here😂 and lots of slot machines right where we landed lol

- THE BROKEN SUITCASE MIRACLE. Okay so basically my biggest suitcase got ripped to shreds in the airport and it was quite sad. All my stuff was fine though, and American Airlines gave me another one. Then later, I was talking with an Hermana who was my companion for like 14 hours and who was going home Thursday,  and she said she couldn't fit all of her stuff in the two suitcases she had brought! We duct tape mine back together and she took it home with her!!! Basically God knew she needed help with her luggage and stuff, and even though it was something so small, he was looking out for her. My hardship (which ended up just fine) became her miracle. God really does work in unexpected ways :)

NEVADA AND ELKO

- Okay so I got my trainer. Her name is Hermana Rivera and she is absolutely splendously fantabulously amazing and cool and all things good. She's so patient with me and my learning curve and my... inability to switch back and forth between languages lol

- Our area is in Elko! It's so hot here but the sunsets are amazing! And it's this cute little but not like... mega tiny town with lots of cows and tractors and people who think they're cowboys. Also I saw the biggest bug I've ever seen in my life here... which is so weird bc I thought the mexico cucarachas were gross but this ascended even above that.

- Apparently California is on fire again so the air quality is super bad... the mission president said that if it gets worse we might have to wear masks when we go outside so please pray that doesn't happen😬

- TORNADOS. Okay. Obviously I know they weren't real. But we drove past a pillar of smoke that was swirling suspiciously. AND while we were doing comp study outside, there was a dust tornado thing and it was huge!! It was so cool.

- We live with members! I haven't met them yet because they're out of town, so I'm excited for when they return. On the long drive from Reno to Elko (like 4.5 hours) Hermana Rivera told me we lived in a shack in their yard, but it's more like this cute little shed thing. Good vibes only.

Spanish.

- Okay so basically my brain is so confused. In Dallas I accidentally said lo siento (I'm sorry) and gracias to like 6 people. And then in Elko I was trying to introduce myself to an elder in my district and I debated so hard about whether to call myself Hermana or Sister that I accidentally just told him my first name and then got super flustered. Oops. I also have a really hard time remembering which people we teach in English and which in Spanish. 

- I can understand about 90 percent of what most people say in Spanish! (Except for this one lady where it's like 10. Maybe. On a good day). I also decently contribute to most spanish lessons! Gift of tongues is real yall!

- Everytime I tell people I'm learning Spanish, and then Hermana Rivera asks to start with a prayer, they say they want me to say it. Which I'm fine with, I love saying prayers, I just think it's funny.

The People and Miracles.

- We did service at a food bank and a car wash and got to meet so many people and it was so cool and so fun.

- I love love love the people here, they are all so amazing. They all love hugs (definitely something for me to get used to) and always try to offer us water or soda before we leave.

- The other day I had an impression to leave a note on a car. And then we got a text back!! Whether or not it will go anywhere, we'll see, but it was still cool.

- People that are never home were home yesterday!

- We had this lesson with a woman named Luci who has had such a hard life, and she was telling us all about it but also about how she chooses just to trust in God and take everything one day at a time. The spirit was so strong and I literally felt so much love for this woman I've never met before. It was so amazing to see her a little bit the way God sees her and know that He loves her, and me, and you :)

- Another lesson we had was also so cool. We talked to these women about their experiences at church the past week (because they came for the first time, yay!) and they told us how different it felt and how they felt peace and joy and loved it. Then they told us how grateful they were and how cool they thought it was that we had sacrificed our time and money to come out here and share about God. It was so cool and really came at the right time for me because I was missing my family a little and it just reminded me why I'm here. And why it's worth it :) Valer la pena, as they said. And I know with all my heart that it is!

I'm so grateful I'm here! I'm so happy and I feel the spirit all the time and it's so cool... so I guess I'll just finish up with a spiritual thought.

Thought of the week: 2 Nephi 4:19-23... "Nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh. He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me. Behold, he hath heard my cry by day and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night time. " 

I love this scripture so much. I know God is with us always, just as He was with Nephi, and I'm so grateful for a Father in Heaven who loves us always, no matter what, unconditionally and limitlessly... and I know He wants to hear from us so if you haven't for a while, I invite y'all to go pray. He's listening and waiting for you to reach out to Him so He can gather you into His loving arms :)

I love you all so very much and hope that everything is going well!

Paz Fuera,

Hermana Patten

Pictures: (sorry there's a lot and they're not gonna be in order buttt)

- various pictures of me and my MTC district (plus and minus Hermana Sanchez, Hermano Santiago, and our branch president and his wife)

- SUNSETS IN ELKO

- me and my new awesome companion 

- me and Hermana Anderson and our trainers (that was also a hard goodbye bc she's in Carson and I'm in Elko... like 5 hours away or something ridiculous like that)

- some missionaries in our zone at a Chinese place after our carwash