Summertime Sadness

Think I'll miss you forever

Like the stars miss the sun in the morning sky

Later's better than never

Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive (drive, drive)

I got that summertime, summertime sadness

S-s-summertime, summertime sadness

Got that summertime, summertime sadness~Lana Del Rey

HOOOLAAA! Well this week was the last week of games for team Mexico in the world cup. Sadly, Holland killed them. The Mexicans are calling foul play and say its all just politics. teehee. I am actually pretty bummed. All my favorite teams except the US are dead, but c'est la vie.

I bought a Mexico team jersey this week...and pants and a jacket. YAY!

This week we had a lot of success! We had a baptism on Saturday for this old guy we have been teaching, he is nice, he used to be a boxer and singer, kinda interesting. It was a bit of a miracle that he got baptized because he has bad knees, my comp and I were praying the whole time.

The man is Martin. The sister is my comp.

Also this week my comp and I went with my "Kristi" to visit a family we have been teaching. They have all the lessons, so I shared a the talk on gratitude by Pres. Uchtdorf, it was really neat. The mom of the family started to bear her testimony without even realizing that that was what she was doing. Then I had the feeling in your heart where it starts racing like mad and its hot, and the thought come to me that I needed to invite them to baptism for the 5th of July, and they accepted! Sisters have been teaching them for seven months and at last they said yes! It was amazing! I wanted to laugh and cry! I am so happy for them!

My companion and I have been a bit..ok, she was a  lot sick, but me not so much. The crazy thing is when she's SUPER sick she does not take care of herself. It's stupid, and its all because she wants to be "brave" etc. Whatever...

Now I have to say thanks to my old boss who randomly one day decided to clean certin things with "fabuloso" I HATED the smell at first it made me sick and gave me a headache, but after a while it got better. Thank goodness I got used to it because I use it ALL THE TIME here. haha!

It's been a bit chilly here lately, but honestly I like it better than when its hot. My comp is dying though because in her country, its SUPER hot! I like the weather like fall. Its beautiful and rain...rain is my fave!

Sometimes its hard because randomly my heart and thoughts go back to people, and things before my mission that are now gone, I've got that summertime sadness...but I have to keep going and kick those selfish thoughts. 

Today we get a new mission president, that will be interesting. 

For those of you who know me yall know that I never have long nails or my nails painted but ha! I grew them out and "Kristi" painted them for me. FUN STUFF! Its hard to feel feminine in the mission so I am constantly looking for things that can make me feel girly. This color is crazy and its only for pday, but its fun.

Well next week is transfers dun..dun..DUN! I am pretty sure I will be transfered, I guess I just have to wait and see. 

Well love yall! Hermana Shingleton

Breakaway

Grew up in a small town

And when the rain would fall down

I'd just stare out my window

Dreaming of what could be

And if I'd end up happy

I would pray (I would pray)

Trying hard to reach out

But when I tried to speak out

Felt like no one could hear me

Wanted to belong here

But something felt so wrong here

So I prayed I could break away

 I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky

And I'll make a wish

Take a chance

Make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

But I won't forget all the ones that I love

I'll take a risk

Take a chance

Make a change

And breakaway~Kelly Clarkson

This week was weird, in some aspects it was really good, and others it was a bummer.

For one I got two new BEAUTIFUL skirts from my sweet awesome member neigbor. They are super comfy and I love them!

I look like my Grandma Barbara in my new skirt

It rained EVERY day this week, YAY! I love rain, and its easier to work when it is not flaming hot outside.

The world cup is going on righ now and its a pretty big deal for the Mexicans, I am rooting for Mexico, America, and France. I want a Mexico team jersey, but don't have money right now...sad. Sadly, Mexico is not doing too hot, but its mi gente. lol. Its also hard to do missionary work when Mexico is playing because everyone is watching the game.

Alright I'm going to take some time and write about food...this week I ate a soup that was basically egg drop soup but with spinach it was really good!

Carnitas, arroz(rice), y nopales (cactus) YUM!

Cantalope wáter YUM MY FAVE

Milk comes in a box and until opened doesn't have to be refrigerated

Pancakes are better here, they are sweeter and we eat them with Lechera instead of maple syrup.

Here they have stores called pollerías where they sell... well...pollo(chicken). They are some of THE nastiest things I have ever seen in my life. Full chickens head and all with blood dripping down, and flies everywhere. YUCK! And they are yellow....why? IDK. And the best part is you can watch the people cut them up right before your very eyes! I don't mean to paint a picture that will make ya'll sick, but welcome to Mexico!

We had a FHE with an investigator family this week and with my sweet Darling neighbor and her daughters that was AMAZING! It was about the atonement and you could feel the spirit really strong. I think ...hope that this family will get baptized soon.

I taught English again this week and it was funny because this one hermana asked me about the song "Get Lucky"  by Daft Punk, and she asked me if I like it, and I told her, "Well it has a fun beat, but it is inappropriate." She was all like, "No, it is fine.  It's about Mexican lovelies." The teacher and I just started to giggle, and we had to explain that it has nothing to do with Mexico, but this hermana would not believe us. Haha sad.

Wow can you believe it I have five months in the mission?!!! WHOOHOOO! At the same time, I still have a loooong ways to go.

Hermana Luque, not my companion, but a friend

This week I made tortillas by hand for the first time. All the sisters in the ward were impressed that I could do it so well. It was super fun! The dough is really soft!

Carnitas...basicaly its pig that they stew in a big metal pot...they taste good but I honestly don't want to know what part of the pig it is

Sopes, I made the tortillas for these. THEY ARE SOOO GOOD!

Well I love yall! Hermana ShingletonXOXOX

Hot & Cold

You change your mind

Like a you change your clothes.

Yeah, you, PMS

Like a ...

I would know

And you over think

Always speak

Critically

I should know

That you're no good for me

'Cause you're hot then you're cold

You're yes then you're no

You're in then you're out

You're up then you're down

You're wrong when it's right

It's black and it's white

We fight,we make up~Katy Perry with a few alterations

Hola peoples whom I love! This week has been pretty good, I gues.

First of all I got to wear my "I read the Book of Moromon" necklace for the first time! There is a story about that, too. My great grandpa gave me this necklace the day before I left on my mission, and I promised myself that I would not wear it till I had read the BOM in full for myself. So, yay!

My BOM necklace

I had divisions with the sister training leader this week, and she said that I am a great missionary, and that I speak Spanish really well and without a gringo accent! YAY! Super happy about that. 

I have found that my two favorite parts of the day are personal study and sleep...thats a bit selfish, but I really do enjoy these two things. I love studying, too, because I can see how it helps me throughout the day as I teach people etc. I just got the conference issue of the Liahona and am loving it! 

I have a huge problem called I am addicted to sugar. I eat so much junk food! Not cool! I have a plan to one day take pictures of all my favorites and post them here. 

I don't have much to talk about this week, but I do want to say please pray for me to have patience and charity because I am currently having problems with my comp, I am trying to be humble about things, but I may just snap one day. I hate that there is something dark and icky right now, but ugh! I only have control of me and my world. 

Well love yall and remember Jesus loves you!

Hermana Shingleton

For Good

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit

As it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder

Halfway through the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good~ Wicked

This is something extra I felt I needed to write. 

I just wanted to say thank you to all the amazing people who have really helped me out in my life. This week I received a bunch of e-mails from people I really look up to and admire, and they all had something I needed to hear really bad. I feel really blessed to have so many amazing people in my life, and I thank God for the opportunity I have had to know all of you and learn from you. I dont know if I have helped any of you in any way, but yall have really, sincerly helped me. Love yall! Cassidi

PACK UP (your troubles)

I get tired and upset

And I'm trying to care a little less

When I google I only get depressed

I was taught to dodge those issues

I was told

Don't worry, there's no doubt

There's always something to cry about

When you're stuck in an angry crowd

They don't think what they say

Before they open their mouth

You gotta

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag

And bury them beneath the sea

I don't care what the people may say

What the people may say about me

Pack up your troubles, get your old kit bag

Don't worry about the cavalries

I don't care what the whisperers say

'Cause they whisper too loud for me~ Eliza Doolittle

Well let's start off with a big, miraculous, announcement: I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON TODAY!!!!!! That's right, I finished it in just TWO weeks! It has been an amazing experience, and I have learned SO much. I set the goal to finish today 6/9/14, and I prayed everyday to be able to reach that goal, and I did! WAHOOO! I have also been trying real hard to liken the scriptures unto myself and wow it has helped so much as I try to reflect the different attributes of Christ and the great prophets, missionaries, etc. in the Book of Mormon. Before I had a testimony that this book was true and good, but right now my testimony is even stronger, and I am trying hard to be a better person because of it. Next stop- read it in Spanish...and then French. hahaha.

I finished reading the Book of Mormon!

My scriptures

This week seemed like it would last forever! It was super slow and long. Uggh no me gusta! On Tuesday I think it was I went to a different area, different zone, and did divisions with another hermana...I think divisions are called splits in the states but I don't know, the lingo here is so different. It was interesting and gave me a better a appreciation for my area. I love my area, it's rough, but I love it. The sister I was with was American, but it was really weird because we spoke a ton of Spanish. lol

Things with my companion are better, there are some things I don't appreciate, but I think we are friends...at least I hope/believe that we are friends, it's hard to tell. 

I don't know why but my health is triste here, I get sick a TON! I think I have been sick more in three months than I normally am in in a whole year, but c'est la vie! haha that's french not Spanish. 

It's weird, too, because I have this weird desire to study and read, and do school type things right now. 

I think that the weather here is bipolar because it's really cold, then HOT, then it rains, etc. It's like make up your mind sky!

Pretty flowers

This week we got a new investigator, he is this really nice old guy, and when we were teaching him about baptism he was like, "Wow, you have reason in not baptizing babies! It's true they can't sin. And we were like, "OH, A FIN!" So, I am hoping that he gets baptized soon. 

I don't have many super awesome conversion stories right now, the work is slow and hard, but I hope and pray it gets better. who ever says that Mexico is easy is super crazy and should come down here and try it for themselves. But it's good, and I am happy because I am trying to follow the council of Pres. Uchtdorf and have gratitude in my heart. 

And P.S., God gives me all the little things I want and ask for...usually it's food haha, like the other day I wanted a quesadilla with mushrooms and one of the members gave me one, and yesterday I was talking about how I wanted a candy that's made of coconut, and later our neighbor gave me one and they are hard to find here. Etc. And so I am here to say that God answers even the smallest of prayers.

Me with a real live puppy that looks fake

He really looks fake!

Well God Bless! Love yall! Hermana ShingletonXOXOX

Team

We live in cities you'll never see on screen
Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things
Living in ruins of a palace within my dreams
And you know, we're on each other's team ~Lorde

This week has been one of the hardest weeks of my entire life!
I have been sick non-stop with different things, and so our leaders are not happy because we haven´t been able to work a whole ton. Cuz ya know, I choose and want to be sick! LOL.

Then, we have had some problems with some members in the ward. Oh, joy!  And I have had to play senior comp and make most of the decisions. Nice.

There was one day I was SOOO close to calling the president and going home, but my ex-comp and her new comp read me this: "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." Alma 26:27

I had come across this scripture in my first week here when I was feeling homesick, but in this moment it hit me even harder.

This week has been a real struggle, but right now I see that it was necessary. My companion is a bit negative, and worries about dumb things all the time so I have had to learn this week to stay happy and positive, and talk uplifting. I have also had the chance to serve her quite a bit, which has made a us a better companionship. It´s amazing how with just a little service charity can really show it´s self and things smooth themselves out. With the members, I have had to learn grace, to have humility and patience, and the a miracle came of it. By addressing a problem with grace one of our problems was fixed and one sister even apologized for the way she had treated us in the past. WOW!

I keep thinking about how my past life has prepared me to meet the challenges of my mission and all I can say is that I love my Heavenly Father and I KNOW that he has a plan for us, sometimes what he asks of us is painful, but as it talks about in D&C 121...or 122 I can´t remember which exactly, Christ has suffered a million times more than we can ever imagine so if he could go through the atonement because of his love for us we can at least go  through little in comparison trials to show our love and gratitude.

We also had the opportunity to go to the temple visitors center with some of our investigators this week. One of them brought their little sister who is six, she is a doll, but has a TON of energy! I just talked to her and explained pictures and stuff so that her brother could listen, and he was like wow how do you have the patience to deal with her. I laughed and just said I have a lot of experience. Gracias, Abigail LOL!

Today I found out that am the last sister to come to this mission until November or more. CRAZY!

The most beautiful part of this week has been reading the Book of Mormon, OK, more like stuffing my face with it! I read from Alma 14 to 47 just last night! I hope to finish reading by the end of the week. I want to be able to finish my Personal Progress before I leave this area so I have to be quick, LOL. But the thing is that when my day has been rough and sad I just read and I feel so peaceful and like yeah I can do this.

I have also been likening the scriptures to myself, there are tons of examples of good missionaries in The Book of Mormon, and so throughout my day I ask myself, "What would Alma do in this situation? or Ammon, or better still Christ," and it has made a huge impact on my attitude and how I serve others.

The weather here is been LOCO! All last week and today has been quite chilly and it has rained a ton! When it rains here it's like a river falling from the sky. Thanks Grandma D for my rain-boots, they are a blessing! The good thing is that I ADORE the rain! Random fact- the word adore comes from the latin meaning well at least in Spanish to worship. LOL. Yeah.

Random fact of the day- I WANT A REAL AMERICAN HAMBURGER!!!! and BACON! LOL

I was walking with my companion the other day and found out she loves Adele and Lorde, so she asked me to sing a bit, and I remembered the lyrics to the above song -- this part is about here, my mission, in Mexico, it ain't pretty, but we have a purpose, and we have to all work as a team to acomplish the works of God.

I don't have any stories about conversion or investigators right now as the work is hard and slow, but I hope to have some in the near future. Well have an amazing blessed week! Love yall! Hermana Shingleton XOXOX

My district and some investigators at the Mexico City Temple.