Hola!!!

Hola!!

Everything is going great :) ...So Im still in the visitors center, but we are half visitors center and half in the area; which I really like because then I have a bit of variety.  My companion, Hermana Contreres (my trainer aka "madre") is great and yes I still like her haha, she is silly and weird like me so we get along...and she tries to speak english sometimes which is nice but also funny.  She is from northern mexico.  My spanish has its ups and downs...sometimes I just feel like an alien who has entered a planet where no one can understand me and I cant understand anyone...its a bit overwhelming and sometimes makes me sad because I just cant express myself the way I want to.  But I am improving, and in reality it is only my first/second week so im trying to be optomistic about it.  But there are also times when I feel like I was really able to say what I wanted to and was able to understand and communicate like a real person, so that gives me hope.  Usually we are in the visitors center one day and in the area the next.  In the visitors center we have shifts of working at the front desk, giving tours, and working in the telephone center.  Its usually not too busy so we spend a lot of time watching movies and studying when there arent people...movies about the gospel of course, which is nice becuase it helps me with my spanish too I think.  I really enjoy giving tours...it is similar to the temple square visitors center, there is the statue of Christ and a room about prophets and the restoration and the Gods plan for families video with the rooms all decorated cool, and theres also an area about mexican history, and a childrens area that is pretty cool.  We gave a tour yesterday to three people, two were members and the other wasnt but her son who had recently died was a member and so she was investigating...we taught her about the prophets and the Book of Mormon and we watched Gods Plan for Families and told her that she would be able to see her son again. She said that she was sure that she would see him again, and we set a baptismal date for her for march 30th! I am so happy for her.  Also on sunday we had a choir program here and a lot of people came and we gave tours afterwards. In our area (every other day or so) we just met a new investigator and taught him about the book of mormon, and we usually try to visit recent converts and less active members too...and we eat with members also which really doesnt give us much time to be out...we leave at about noon and have to be back by 6 usually or sometimes earlier if we have a shift at the visitors center too.  Church was good, its prettty much the same set up but a little different, except they didnt have anyone who could play the piano, so hermana fowler played...me and my companion and hermana fowler and her companion are in same ward, at least for now, and we taught the gospel principals class to less active members that came to church...there were only two, and four of us teaching, and during relief society I completly zoned out...I find I do that sometimes here in Spanish speaking Mexico...oh and they didnt ask me to introduce myself or anything.  And we usually would have ward council but we didnt last sunday...I would tell you why but im not sure becuase I dont understand half of the things people tell me :).   I havent gotten sick yet knock on wood...Hermana Fowler and her companion did though, but they eat at members houses everyday becuase they are only in the field not the visitors center... and I guess they caught a bug :(.   Tell Jayda that is awesome and to keep it up! If you take a trip have fun and send me pictures! But all is well, im adjusting, and I love all of the other hermanas here in the visitors center.  Oh and most people call me Hermana Jung, or make some comment about it being a chinese name or make a comment about brigham young, which is funny.  I appreciate everyone who has written me! I will try and write back!  Anyway, some of the other hermanas are waiting for us, we are going to go buy corn on a stick with mayo...supposedly I have to try it becuase its delicious, but it sounds gross to me..and maybe ill try the crickets too.. Love you, Have a great week!

Love Hermana Young

In Mexico!!

Hola a Todos!

I am finally in Mexico City after 11 whole days in the mtc! Me and my companion Hermana Fowler arrived together last night and Presidente Anaya and his wife picked us up.  They are very sweet people.  We are staying at the visitors center for the Mexico City Temple for about 4 weeks in dormitorios. Some missionaries are only at the visitors center but they put all of the americans in the field..so I will be in the field later, since we came early and not during a normal transfer period, I think that is why we are staying at the visitors center mostly.  Today I got my new Companion, Hermana Contreres, who is from mexico. It is funny becuause although I can understand and speak the language, at times I cant very well...I just met her today, but there have been a few times when she says something to me and I stare blankely lol... but I love her already, she is very nice and she understands english too so the language barrier is not too bad.  Our mission president committed us (me and hna fowler) to read the entire book of mormon in spanish, and he said that will help us with the language.  The actual temple is closed for basically the whole duration of my mission...but it is a beautiful temple.  It is hot and sunny here, but it was definitely cold last night and this morning when I exercised outside.  So far I have eaten tortillas and eggs and then we ate burger king for lunch, our mission president said to never eat the street food becuase it will make you sick. Today is pday so I havent started teaching anyone yet or anything but I cant wait to.  Yesterday on the plane on the way to mexico I sat next to the sweetest mexiacan lady who had been in Georgia visiting her daughter,  she only spoke spanish so it was good practive for me, I talked to her a little about the gospel and she said that it was so beautiful and she even got emotional, and, I told her that it was the spirit that gave her the feeling of peace that she had.  It was an awesome experience, I love being a missionary, and being a representative of Jesus Christ! I havent seen much of mexico city yet but so far the people are so nice and welcoming and I am excited for the next 17.5 months.  !Dios Les ama a todos sus hijos y hijas, incluye usted! Hasta Luego!  

I will hopefully have some pictures to post soon but I will probably put them in a separate email.  Love you! 

Off To Mexico!!

Yesterday I traveled to Las Vegas to get my visa and now I am ready to go to mexico city.  We are flying  at about 8:30 to ATL airport.  and have a layover from 2:15-4:55 Georgia time on Monday, this Monday the 17th!! I am not sure what the time difference is but just make sure you answer your cell phone when an unknown number calls you! I am using a call card that has limited time on it, and each new call takes away 100 mins or so, so I will probably only call you and can talk to whoever else is there...if you want to invite others, but if not that'[s okay too.  

Love you and I will talk to you on Monday before I begin my in field mission in mexico city!

She finally emailed!

Hola! 

Everything is going great. It is VERY hard but also VERY rewarding and worth it! I really love it so far, and I have learned so much and grown so much within the last week its insane!.  My P-day is Tuesday in the mtc so make sure you write me by Monday :) and there is also a website called dearelder.com, and whatever you send to me will be printed out and put in my mailbox everyday which would be wonderful....I think it is only for while In the MTC though.  (side note from Amanda- you can send dearelder letters even after she's in Mexico just select Mexico City East Mission and they will print and send your letter for free. See the 'contact me' page above for more contact info)

So after you dropped me off, I was rushed from place to place and then I met one of my teachers and he led me to a room to do a computer orientation thing, and that's where my district and zone were waiting for me...I was the last one to arrive since my name starts with a Y.  I love my companion! Her name is Hermana Fowler and she is from Wyoming, we get along so well and I already love her.  I will send some pictures too.  And we are both going to the same mission.  I am in an all girl district...we call it a "sistrict" and because we are in the advanced track we are supposed to be leaving next Monday.  However, my companion and I have not heard from the consolate yet...and we need to travel to either Boise or Las Vegas or Salt lake to make a visible appearance to get our visas before we can leave, so perhaps we will be her an extra week. But just make sure to answer calls from unknown numbers because I will be able to call while at the airport.  I wish I knew my travel info but I'm sure it will all work out fine.  I LOVE the girls in my district and everyone in my zone so much, as well as my branch presidency and everyone, and my teachers.  Our district has two teachers, Hermano Drapper and Hermano Rock, they are both wonderful and make classes fun and full of good stuff!  The language is for sure a challenge but I am surprised at how it isn't overly difficult for me, I was definitely intimidated at first knowing I was in advanced classes, and we really don't spend anytime on learning the language, just learning how to be good missionaries, but i understand basically everything and my speaking abilities are growing!.  They have all of the Spanish speaking missionaries on the West campus which is a mile or so away from the main MTC campus, Its fun because you get to practice Spanish with everyone :) and today (Pday) we got to go the the temple and take pictures and eat at the main campus (the orange juice tastes fine but it isnt orange juice haha) , and I bought a couple journals from the bookstore there too because I have already used 1/4 of the journal I had....I take lots of notes.  Anyway, I am loving it, there are times when I doubt my language abilities, but I just have to remember to keep practicing and trying and that it is only my first week! Teaching "investigators is really fun and also scary....but I have learned a lot about teaching and learning to truly love the people.                                                                                    

my camera is not very good quality....but I will send you more pics from my companions camera later is possible, but I don't have time today! these pics are of me and my companion Hermana Fowler and the group is my zone after the temple today :) 

I miss you a lot, but keep praying and doing your best with everything.   I Love you a bushel and a Peck and a hug around the neck! 

I will let you know my travel plans as soon as I find out and am able to write you...don't forget the dearelder.com thing

tell people to write me! 

Te Amo mucho y Dios le ama tambien :) 

ps. tell grandma I didn't have time to respond to her email but you can forward this to her.

I'm creating this blog to update everybody on Mariah's mission.  I just dropped her off Wednesday February 5th at the Provo MTC.  She is really excited to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  She will be serving in the Mexico City East mission. While she's at the MTC her address is:

Sister Mariah Nicole Young 

MAR17 MEX-MEXE 

2023 N 900 E Unit 850

Provo, UT 84602

Her email address is:

Mariah.young@myldsmail.net

When she emails me I'll update this blog.