Day After Day...

"Ev'ry day

Like the one before

Little town

Full of little people

Waking up to say: HOLA! here goes the baker with his tray, like always

The same old bread and rolls to sell

Ev'ry morning just the same

Since the morning that we came!"~Beauty and the Beast

There really isn't to much to say about this week...We had a baptism on Tuesday, and it was really great. You could feel the spirit so strong, and what I loved most about this baptism was how involved the ward got. The young men in the ward of really taken these "chicos" in and are super good friends.

The rest of the week was pretty bland. Tons of our appointments fell through, etc., but it was an alright week...I think. Things are a ton better with my comp; we are finally starting to be friends I think, instead of just dealing. Transfers are in a week, and I am SO not looking forward to that. I am finally seeing success, my comp is my friendish, and I love this area! I will just have to wait and see though. 

This week I have actually been sick quite a bit, that's no fun, but c'est la vie or I am pretty sure in Spanish that's asi es la vida... or something to that effect. 

I have missed my mom a TON! Sometimes missions get lonely, but I'm alright. 

I am teaching Hna. Krisiti English when I have time and it's really fun, I drew pictures with the words beside them, they are pretty cute I think. Hna. Kristi says when I go home she wants to try and come to the States and visit. FUN! I would love to have Mexican friends visit. I am really going to miss lots of people when I go home. 

I just read that my youngest brother is big enough to mow the lawn...wow! My family is growing up! When I go home no one will be a little kid anymore! SCARY!

Well love y'all! Hna. Shingleton

Dream a Little Dream of Me

Stars shining bright above you;

Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'.

Birds singing in the sycamore tree.

Dream a little dream of me.

Say nighty-night and kiss me;

Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me.

While I'm alone, blue as can be,

Dream a little dream of me.

Stars fading but I linger on, dear -

Still craving your kiss.

I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear,

Just saying this...

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you -

Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you.

But in your dreams, whatever they be,

Dream a little dream of me.

I have always been fascinated by the 30's and 40's- the music, the fashion, the stories of strength, family, and sacrifice. I often think to myself, "If I wasn't born in this time period, I would like to have lived and been a young adult in the 40´s." It just so happens that this time period was the time of my great grandparents. As a kid I always loved going to their houses and talking about what their lives where like. I loved to look at photos of cute grandmas with victory curls and happy dresses, grandpas in their military uniforms, etc. 

The song above is my favorite song in the whole wide world. It has a lot of meaning for me. It reminds me of ties I have with a friend, my mission and how I'm so far away, how I'm still waiting for my man, my great grandparents and World War II, and always it has really made me think of my Great Grandma and Grandpa Gwynn. They where/are so in love and I always loved this about them. When my Grandma Dot passed away a few years ago, this song came to my head. My poor grandpa was all alone without his "sweetheart" I remember thinking, "When I grow up, I want to marry someone who will love me like he loves her." Their love makes me think of another song by Lana Del Rey, "Will You Still Love Me".

When I'm no longer young and beautiful?

Will you still love me

When I got nothing but my aching soul?

I know you will, I know you will

I know that you will

Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?

Dear lord, when I get to heaven

Please let me bring my man

When he comes tell me that you'll let him in

Father tell me if you can

Oh that grace, 

He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds"

Yesterday, my mission president called; he talked for a bit with my comp asking how we were and how's our area, then he asked to talk with me. I was like, "Why in the world does the president want to talk to me?" Then he told me that my Grandpa Gwynn had died. I began to cry. I love all my great grandparents, but I have always been closest to the Gwynn's. It was\is such a strange feeling, I knew when I saw him during Christmas that it would be my last time seeing him in this life, but it still hurts. At the same time I was SUPER happy because now, my sweet great grandparents are together again, and together is where they belong. The thought also came to me that now I have both the Gwynn's to look after me while I´m here in the mission. I don't like when big things happen while I'm out here because it makes me so helpless and estranged, but it will all work out in the end and it's for the best.

This week I actually spent some time helping people with family history. This work is yet another form of missionary work, it's just as big and important as the work I do out in the field. It's frustrating and difficult, but it's such  blessing, and I love how I can feel close to my family, and the strength it gives me in knowing of their legacies. I want to live up to my heritage. Please family get going and help our family. 

I have never told anyone this before, but sometimes I like to imagine when I go to heaven that I'll arive in armor, bright shiny silver armor, I want to shout victory and be surrounded by my family, all the people I have ever helped through all the types of missionary work I've done. I want to hug my loved ones and sing praises to mi Señor. It´s a weird nerdy dream I know, but it makes me happy. I don't want to lose anyone. 

We had a baptism on Saturday, it was good, and  I think it will really help in the life of this man and his family. I hope that one day all his family can come to a knowledge of the Gospel.  Tomorrow we will have yet another baptism for two boys who I really think of as my brothers.  Their mom and two sisters were baptized a few weeks ago and already their family has really changed for the better. They are more united, they say they fight less, they look softer, and are super active they go to all the activities. I won´t be suprised if the mom gets a calling soon. This family is amazing! 

On Sunday, the mom came to me and my companion and told us that she and her daughters had been talking when they realized that one day my comp and I would be transferred, and that one day we will go home to our different countries. She started crying and said, you two are very special to our family and we don't want to lose you. Please give us contact info so we can stay in touch. This family is so good! I can see the boys going on missions, and the girls getting married in the temple. 

I guess this week really is me focusing on FAMILY, family of all types, blood, super close friends, wards, etc. We are all family, and through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and sacred temple work we can all be together for eternity. This is what I love most about the church, the hope and knowledge it gives me, that as President Uchtdorf said, "There are no true endings, only eternal beginnings"- or something to that effect. 

Random fact of the day- I love the bagpipes, and every time I hear them I want to stand up and do something big and cry. It's similar with all Celtic music really...hmmm...I wonder why?

Tomorrow will mark the 6 months here on my mission (5 months in Mexico).  WAHOO!  I only have a year left.

Love yall! Hermana Shingleton

Umbrella and Mosquitos

When the sun shines, we'll shine together

Told you I'd be here forever

Said I'll always be a friend

Took an oath I'ma stick it out 'til the end

Now that it's raining more than ever

Know that we'll still have each other

You can stand under my umbrella~ Rihanna

This week has been pretty good. I liked it. I got a package from home, YAY! With tons of jerky! Jerky doesn't exist here, so I was super happy. 

I ate pumpkin seeds, yum! Three magnum ice cream bars this week... YUM. YUM. YUM! Oh, and two hamburgers! 

I finished my personal progress! I just need to get it all signed off etc. and LISTO! It was a really good learning experiance and helped me to study more efectivly. 

It rained a ton, and I found myself singing and dancing the umbrella song, well because people kept loaning us their umbrellas and we had a million by the end of the week! It was pretty funny.

Something random, I miss reading. I want to read books again, I have a strange craving to read The Lonesome Gods. Also everyone keeps talking about a book that was written by one of the prophets I cant remember which one, but it´s called the Miracle of Forgiveness...I think I had to just translate it from Spanish. I want to read it so bad, but I can't get it in english here. So if anyone wants to send me a copy, I will love them forever! 

I also freaked my companion out this week because I woke her up in the night because I was sobbing hard in my sleep for like an hour. She told me that she was scared and not sure if she should wake me up or just leave me be. Weird. I normally don't talk, sing, snore, or anything in my sleep. 

This week we are going to have another baptism. God is really blessing us in our work. Its amazing!

Two of my BFF's in the whole world Hermanas Luque and Santos

There are TONS of mosquitos right now, and I have bites all over my legs. It sucks! Good thing I brought meds for that. I find myself singing a song about mosquitos by Vennesa Paradis...not sure if that´s how you spell it...because when somehting itches or and insect bites here we call it a pika. UGH! I do not like mosquitos!

I also learned how to make personalized mugs with sand blasting this week. Its weird I know but thats what one of my investigators does for a living so he helped us to make three mugs each. One of the mugs has a picture I drew of my comp and the other a picture I drew of myself. SOOO CUTE! 

I painted this - This one is of me.

This one is of my companion

Well Love Yall! Hermana Shingleton

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dolly

"You're a grand old flag,

You're a high flying flag

And forever in peace may you wave.

You're the emblem of

The land I love.

The home of the free and the brave.

Ev'ry heart beats true

'neath the Red, White and Blue,

Where there's never a boast or brag.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the grand old flag."

I'm a Yankee Doodle Dolly

A Yankee Doodle, do or die

Born on the Fourth of July

I've got a Yankee Doodle sweetheart

he's my Yankee Doodle joy

Yankee Doodle came to London

Just to ride the ponies

I am the Yankee Doodle Doll!

Well, my second favorite holiday has came and passed, and I must say it was pretty sad. I'm in Mexico, so of course we didn't do anything, and my companion doesn't really like the States, so yeah, that was cool. Anyways, I wore all red, white, and blue clothes and sang some patriotic songs, that was good. A little girl in my ward made me a friendship braclet in the colors of my flag. Que linda! (Cute)

I have to say I am sooooo grateful that I am American, it's such a blessing we have so many opportunities, and beautiful things, our standard of living is miles high compared to here. Gracias Señor I was born in the U.S.A! I couldn't help singing a mix of three pop songs on the 4th it went something like this "So I but my hands up their playin' my song the butterflies fly away its a party in the U.S.A She was and American girl, MADE IN THE U.S.A! haha its crazy I know. 

This week we had a baptism for a really neat family, it's a mom and two of her daughters. It was an amazing experience, you could feel the spirit SO strong, everyone was in tears, and later everyone said it was the most beautiful baptism they have been to. I got to sing Señor Te Nesesito (I Need Thee Every Hour) and Yo se que vive mi Señor ( I Know That my Redeemer Lives) It was a really spiritual experience.

The family we baptized and a few of the hermanas who taught them

Hermana Kristi and me... I look horrid because I had been out in the rain, etc.

This week on the topic of food I ate a cake that was heavanly! It was a tres leches de chocolate...yeah that´s right tres leches CHOCOLATE! I was SUPER FELIZ! I am going to ask for the resipe. One night I was really I mean REALLY hungry and we didn't have anything to eat except...my mortal enemy, PB&J. Yeah, I ate a PB&J sandwich. Not happy bob...not happy, but at least I wasn't hungry anymore.

I also had a nasty cold this week and my crazy comp made me work through it, I wanted to die and I couldn't remember a word of Spanish. Sad day. Then later we went to the temple...the temple grounds to go to the doctor. I have been having problems with my feet for the last two months and the local doctor was scared that my arches had fallen and that the muscles were starting to pull and possibly tear. Well, it turns out that it's just that my shoes I use every day don't have enough arch support and don't have enough of a heel so I just need to change shoes or insert a heel and arch support pad and LISTO!(ready) So glad it wasn't something more serious. 

Well last night sucked, I didn't sleep a wink because I was so scared about transfers and finding out if I had to leave. I also fasted and prayed about transfers, and well God heard and answered, and I have at least one month more here in my area! YAY!!!!!!!

Next week the mission is having a "futball" tournament, we will be playing soccer zone against zone. My zone will be representing Argentina CHE! Said like arehentina chey...I am pretty excited I will now have a soccer uniform for México and Argentina. I can't wait to play!

My Zone

Hna Gurly, Hna. Luque. y yo Idk why but Hna. Luque always wants pictures with me LOL

My new president came last week, and he seems like he is going to be amazing! His wife came in first, took one look at us hermanas, and said "Oh how beautiful you all are!" Yeah, I feel bad for her because she doesn't speak a word of Spanish. The other day my neighbor went to the mission home because he works for the Church and was helping to fix the house and Presidente was sick so he had to talk to the hermana, and it was difficult for them because he doesn't speak English, and she doesn't speak Spanish. So they had to use dictionaries hahaha! Later, my neighbors wife was like why didn't you just call Hna. Shingleton and have her translate. Nice. 

Well I´m happy right now, and I hope you are too! Love ya'll! Hermana Shingleton 

P.S. I think it's going to be hard for me to be called Sister Shingleton when I go home...I like the sound of hermana better.lol