"Hermana Sanchez. That's me."

Holy crap I'm in Mexico. When did that happen? I feel like I have been here forever, but alas, it's only been a week.

I'll start with this. I have gotten three emails asking if I have pooped my pants. It hasn't happened. Yet. When it does, all I'm saying in that email is, it happened. You'll know.

Saying goodbye to one of her favorites, Sister Peters

Hermana VOB and her traveling companions!

Anyway, the day I flew in the president and his wife picked us up and went back to their home and had dinner. It was bomb. The next day I got my companion. She doesn't speak English. Honestly in the beginning I was like "well crap how is this going to work?" I can tell you that I have learned more this one week I have been here than 6 in the MTC. It is such a blessing to have a native as my companion. She is so dang cute. She reminds me of the bird in Rio named Blue. She looks like him, her mannerisms are the same, she sings like him (in the kindest way...) haha man I just love her. I may not know like anything about her personal life but that doesn't matter.

Oh mi digas, our place of living. Probably the dirtiest place I have ever been. You want to know why? Elders lived there right before us. Dirty little punks. We spent the whole day cleaning. I'll attach pics. It's a super cute place, though. My favorite is the bathroom, right next to the toilet which doesnt have a toilet seat, the shower head is right there. All in one. Hahah I love it. Right behind our apartment is a soccer field and every night I get to fall asleep to the sound of my favorite game. It's the best. Oh we live like in the heart of the city, Tepotzatlan. Kinda of a touristy area. We live right behind this massive Catholic museum thing. It's gorgeous. 

Have I talked about the dogs? Well I don't think I have ever seen so many dogs in my entire life. They are flippin everywhere. Some want to eat me, but for the most part they're nice. I think. Our main transportation is walking obviously but also combis. They are like van taxis. Every time I get in one I'm pretty sure I'm gonna die, good thing I'm a protected missionary.

Crazy story. We were waiting for a combi when a woman broke out into hysterics. We went over to try and help and she literally collapsed in our arms. She came around and we found out her daughter was kidnapped and someone called her and told her and thats why she passed out. It was awful. She would come around and then just started bawling and then pass out again. We called her friends to come get her and that was it. Super sad. Two other sisters wanted to teach the plan of salvation and get her address to visit. Oh missionaries.

This week I was able to give English lessons. It was so awesome. Then we taught the first lesson to this family and they were super recpetive. We gonna get them for sure. I get to teach the little boy once a week and I just love it. The people here are so different. There is so much love. You can just see it in their faces when they look at each other and how they treat each other. Man I just love love! It's the best.

Oh man. So adults don't ever tell me if I'm saying things wrong in lessons. The children, whole different story. They just laugh at me and are straight up like you talk weird and incorrectly. It's awesome. Also I have been spelling te amo wrong in my emails so that's cool. No shame. Oh one of the member families asked me to pray in English cause they think it's cool so I did... except I couldn't even think how to pray in English. It was so wrong and awkward, good thing they couldn't understand a single thing.

Since I'm an American, I get free food. I will be looking at something wondering what the heck it is and they just give me some to try. I ate some sort of fried pig thing. I thought it was like a really large chip. No, no it wasn't. Fried pig something. Who knows. We eat with members every day. They feed us like we are going to die. Seriously so much food. Most of it has been good. I just can't look or think about it. Just eat. My stomach has only hated me once since I have been here so that's good.

Usually it rains in the evenings but one day it rained a little earlier and I didn't have my jacket. So by the time we got home I was completely soaked. It was so much fun though.

How cute is she?!?

Hahaha ok in Sacrament this Sunday the bishop was introducing me and tried saying my name and then just gave me a new name. Hermana Sanchez. So that's me now.

It's been a great week. I love this place and the people, even if I have no idea what they are saying. They are so kind and loving. This is going to be the best year and a half.

Until next week,

Hermana van Overbeek aka Sanchez

*Haley just asked me to remind everyone that she LOVES getting dear elders and would love to hear from everyone ;) All you have to do is go to the dearelder.com site, choose her mission (Mexico City North), click "write letter," add her name, and voila! Write away! Bonus, writing a letter to her mission is free when using dear elder!