OOCHAMA CHA CHA

Hola Peeps!

WoWiE I can't believe I am leaving the CCM on Tuesday. Time is starting to fly by and I am really excited to get out into the field. You can only teach a fake investigator so much... I am really going to miss all the sweet sweet people I have met here. The teachers in the CCM are the best and I love them so much. However, my tolerance for the food here is just about capped. One can only eat cereal, salad, and bananas for so long! And yes, I have developed a reputation as the crazy Hermana who eats healthy. LOL. Despite all my complaints, Mexico has really grown on me and I feel like in the time I have been here I have become more humble, closer to my Savior, and slightly better at Spanish. I should also mention that I have developed somewhat of a skill in ping pong and I am getting better at volleyball. Whoop! Today we got bored of the ping pong table and decided to use the volleyball court to play ping pong. We broke the ball but it was so fun/weird/great.

This week was pretty low key and we have been focusing on wrapping up our studies and getting ready to leave. Last night all the Hermanas in my casa had a transfer journal party. We sat in the hallway, ate veggies straws and cried- (happy tears of course). I have to leave the CCM at 2:30 am and fly all day to get to Cali, it is going to be great, even if all the other Hermanas are leaving me for Chile. ;)  It will be strange to start all over again somewhere and be on my own as I work to improve my language. Speaking of language, I was asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting on Sunday and I was able to give the whole thing in Spanish! I feel so blessed and I know that if I were trying to learn Spanish without the Lord's help I would still be stuck at square one. Square one for me was learning that 'Hello' in Spanish is not 'Hula'.. Oh dear. 

Okay I had better explain the subject of my email... "Oochama cha cha" is from the movie Nacho Libre and is part of a song that plays when Nacho is riding his weird bike/motercycle/cart around. This week Hermana and I saw one of the cool "oochama cha cha" bikes that the landscaping crew uses and we couldn't resist taking a picture. The guy who drove it was watching us and looked SO CONFUSED. Why would two American missionaries be taking pictures with lawn care equipment?? Well... It was funny and that is all I have to say for myself.

Sorry for the short message but I hope you all have a fantastic week, stay safe, and show your gratitude this month. Love you all!

God Speed,

xx- Hermana Tobler

God Bless America... Land that I definitely love. (1 month down)

Holy Smokes...

1 month down, 17 to go. CrAzY? YES. Okay so I really appreciate America. Maybe it is the fact that I am NOT serving my mission in Mexico that causes me to pine after America, maybe it is just that the USA feels safe and happy and wonderful. Yo no se. But I am eager to get to Cali and start sharing this beautiful message with the Riverside folks.

This week was preeety decent. Hermana Krumholz and I are as thick as thieves and are loving life. This week we did a service project where we had to sweep water.... um yeah that was weird but I guess like everything in the CCM, there is a purpose. The weather here is so warm and lovely. It is hard to imagine Utah fall when you are living in such a green place. For TRC this week we had the chance to talk to a native 24 year old woman who has been a member for 4 months! The crazy part is that she is already preparing to serve a mission. She told us her favorite movie was "the Diary of Passion"... we were little confused until I realized she was talking about "the Notebook". It was nice to talk about Ryan Gosling for a few minutes.. HA! Sorry not Sorry!

Okay quick story of the week: This past Sunday, Hermana and I were walking back from our devotional and decided to walk through our old building where we used to study. On Sunday nights, all the lights are shut off in the hallways so it is pretty dark, As we walked down the hallway thinking of the good times we had had in that building, my universe collapsed on me as 20 missionaries jumped out screaming, and ran through us. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time- we were not the Hermanas they were trying to scare and it took about 20 minutes for my heart to recover and the Elders to stop apologizing. I was preparing to meet my maker in that moment. And yes, I am sure that wasn't the best missionary conduct on their part but Sunday nights are crazy around here.

I feel like I am slowly, but surely getting the hang of Spanish. We spend so much of our day studying the dear language and I feel like I can finally see a little progress. This week I bore my testimony in Spanish for my zone (without notes) and taught the law of chastity in Spanish. Wow, that is in awkward conversation in English.. Explaining the importance of having certain morals to to a guy who isn't married and is living with his girlfriend can be even more awkward! It went okay though so I feel pretty optimistic about doing it again. I've said it before and I will say it again, the gift of tongues is real and I am feeling the blessings of it everyday!

Fiesta!! While you all were enjoying your Halloween, 110% of Mexico was preparing for November 1st. Dia de Muerte, (day of the dead). While I totally respect other cultures, I can honestly say that my earplugs play a major role in my life. Those dear sweet Mexicans played their music, danced, sang, drank, ate, and blew stuff up all night long. It is actually super cool to hear them celebrating around us. The CCM is like a mini paradise city within a huge chaotic, and dirty city. Sometimes we see the festivities and we most definitely hear them. I know I am going to miss it when I leave.  

Speaking of leaving... I only have 2 more weeks here! I am going crazy with excitement and nervousness. Here are a few thoughts that I have about being a missionary for a month... 

It is strange how my mentality has changed. Normally I would be thinking about everything I have left behind a lot and everything that I am missing out on, but it is like my brain won't let me dwell on those things. Every time I try to think about it for too long, I am pulled back to the tasks at hand, it is incredible. I feel focused, and determined 22/7. The best way I can describe this mindset, is to compare it with "tunnel vision". All my missionary mind can think about is the work and I believe that is a blessing from the Lord. Cool eh?

We got a new district in our zone here and we love them, here is a picture of all of us today at Lunch. Here in Mexico, lunch is the biggest meal of the day. It makes so much more sense to eat the most in the middle of your day. 

Anyways! I hope you all have a fantastic week, I look forward to hearing from you and I treasure your letters. 

Stay Safe & God Speed. 

Love, Hermana Tobler