Moms are important

I have an excellent father

His strength is making me stronger

God smiles on my little brother

Inside and out

He's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house

And I had space to run

And I had the best days with you Taylor Swift

This month has been rough and I constantly find myself missing/wanting my mom. I also keep hearing and learning things from the woman around me about being a mom and the importance of moms. So I want to take this opportunity to say thanks to my mom for everything. She is an amazing person and a great example to me. 

I am also here in the mission learning how I want to be when I am a mom, and that it's no easy thing. 

To all you other chickas out their take advantage of the time you have with your mom, love her serve her, etc. She has given a chunk of her life up for you. 

Love you MOM!

Fun...

'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier

I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist

Like it doesn't exist

I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier Sia

Well this week is interesting. We started the week off really well with a FHE with Hna. Abril and fam, and Hna. Cristina and one of her daughters and our amazing little investigator family. It was really neat and Hna. Latticia(investigator) was in tears by the end. Then we ate SUPER YUMMY bread, and then we talked and laughed our guts out. 

I also learned to make arroz con leche. YUM! Thanks Hna. Cristina for teaching me!

I couldn't eat chocolate all week until Thursday, that really sucked as I love the stuff, but i'm really trying to take better care of myself.

It was the Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah this week. It was a bummer I only got to eat an apple in celebration. My family always eats really good on that day normaly.

Saturday I got to go to the General Women's Conference, I miss hearing the general authorities talking in English, but hey, at least I somewhat understood this time around. It was a bit sad because it made me want to go to the temple, too bad I can't. 

Sunday was the Primary Program in our ward. That was interesting because no one in the ward plays the piano, so the kids had to sing with an iPad, and they kept singing faster than the music LOL. Also our investigator, Lani, got to participate, SOOO CUTE! 

They also had the moms of kids in the nursery carry their kid and say a part...interesting. But overall it was neat. 

Alas, this week ended on a super SUPER SAD HEART WRENCHING SOUR NOTE...I'm getting transfered tomorrow! NOOOOOO! I love my area, the people, and my companion. It's aweful because Hna. Turcios is going home in December and there is a chance that I won't see her ever again. When I heard the news I got really dizzy and Hna. Cristina had to catch me. Then I spent a good looong time sobbing. I will dearly miss this area, but especially the friends I have made here. Hna. Cristina made me promise to visit after my mission. I will be working very hard to keep that promiss. 

Today has been weird and is slipping away all to fast, I hate it! I don't want to leave! Come what may and love it! Packing is a pain after living in the same place for 7 months. I could really use prayers right now. 

Well, love yall! Hope your week is better than mine is currently turning out to be. But I am trying to stay positive-ish. adios Hermana Shingletonxoxox

Bulletproof

I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose

Fire away, fire away

Ricochet, you take your aim

Fire away, fire away

You shoot me down but I won't fall

I am titanium- david Guetta

Well yet again I have been sick, but this time SUPER sick. I have had problems with my stomach and super bad headaches, so on like Thursday I think it was we went to the temple to the doctor there- stomach infection. Nice. So we went home, and then the next day I woke up with a HUGE migraine, I couldn't even move. I tried to get up, and I was super dizzy. It hurt so bad that when I got to the bathroom, I barfed. My companion went downstairs and asked Hna. Kristi if she could go and buy my medicine. I had to be brave and get up and get dressed so that we could go to the doctor... again. I went downstairs, and Hna. Kristi started to give me meds. I hurt so bad I couldn't even open my eyes and I just started crying. Can I just say that I really missed my mom in that moment. Then we headed off to the doctor in the car of a member, but the doctor sent us off to the hospital... not sure why, but whatever. When we got to the hospital I had a hard time remembering Spanish, and I was super dizzy and wanted to toss my cookies again. I also forgot my birthday and said I was born in '49 not '94- nice. Then the doctor came and just said the same as the doctor at the temple, except he prescribed a higher dose of meds.  Yeah right! Then they decided to give me a shot for the pain, as if I wasn't dizzy sick enough, and then I found out that here in Mexico they give shots in the butt! SUPER FUN! I have no desire to live that again.

I also now can not eat chocolate, things with grease, lunch meat, etc. So what am I supposed to eat? It's a pain. 

Yesterday we had a FHE with our new investigator family and Hna.Kristi and her family. The little girl wanted to wear my name tag, so I let her then she said, "Ok, I'm Hermana Shingleton and you are Hna. Lani (her name)."  Then Hna. Kristi said that if Lani was me, she had to give the lesson, so that's just what Lani did- she gave the opening prayer and then gave the lesson on what she learned in primary that day and then was all like, "And now my companion, Hna. Turcios, will share a bit", and then my companion shared something. Then Lani closed the lesson and had me say the closing prayer. SOOO CUTE! 

I'm almost done with reading the Doctrine and Covenants.  Yay! It´s really neat, I've learned a lot from it. Next stop... El Milagro de Perdon (the miracle of forgivness) in Spanish! That will be an adventure!

Well that's pretty much my week. love yall! 

Tick Tock...

What an amazing time

What a family

How did the years go by?

Now it's only me

Tick tock

Tick tock

Naturally I'm worried if I do it alone

Who really cares 'cause it's your life

You never know, it could be great

Take a chance 'cause you might grow

Oh, oh oh--Gwen Steffani

(note the song above in it's entirety is not a good song, I just remembered this part from when I was little and it fit the week, so, yeah, don't go listening to it.)

This week was AMAZING and a bummer all at the same time! 

I was SUPER sick, but I had to just keep working. Yuck. Then, we had our first zone conference with the new president. It was really great...the parts I got to see. I was super sick during the conference; I had a HUGE migrane, was light-headed and just wanted to cry and die. SO MUCH FUN!!!! My president noticed that I was suffering and was all like, "Are you all right?"  I tried to be brave and said, "Yeah, it's all good." Then we had to stand up to go practice something, and I almost passed out. That's when President's wife came over and had me go lay in their car and sleep. Embarrassing, but gracias Señor! It was funny, too, because she offered me some Ibuprofen, and I just started explaining in Spanish that I had already taken two. That's when I remembered that she doesn't speak Spanish, and I had to remember English. lol. I ended up with three pills in my system that didn't even touch the pain. Nice. After the meeting President gave me a blessing.  Can I just say that I am soooo grateful for the priesthood. I really needed that blessing for more reasons than one. 

Today is Mexican independence day, so the other day on Friday our stake had a Noche Mexicana. FUN! FIESTA FOREVER! My companion and I put on traditional clothes and it was sooo much fun! The only sad part is that we only got to be there for like one hour because we had to leave at nine. It was interesting though because the stake president asked the elders to help in the flag ceremony...hmmm all of them were gringos, not exactly the most respectful move. The elder who carried the flag only has like three or four weeks in the mission and pretty much does not speak Spanish. Yup it was kind of a disaster. But what ev. 

I wore a HUGE skirt that weighed a TON, but it was SOOOOOOO pretty. I felt like the Mexican version of Cinderella.

We also ate pozole which is a soup thing with puffed up corn...think wheat that has been put in water all night...that's what this corn is like, then you put, cheese, cream, OREGANO(without oregano it's not so good), lettuce, etc. It's sooo good, but I was waiting to eat tacos al pastor and wanted all the space in my stomach for tacos, but my triste companion force fed me her pozole. Yum, but ugh pozole fills you up FAST! 

This week we also got a new family to teach, and they are amazing. They are even inviting their friends to listen to us. The little girl is ADORABLE! She is seven and she LOVES it when we sing hymns. So cute! 

We also visited an older lady this week who ALWAYS recites poems when we come over. She writes a lot of them, so this week she had her son type her favorite up and print it out so that we could read it with her. She had us take turns reciting it, and well she always wants us to read it dramatically and talk with our hands, too. So, this time I did just that, and boy did that just make her day, but then she was annoyed with my companion for not being dramatic enough. Hahaha!  Can I just say I adore my companion! She is the best! lol.

When I opened my emails this week I was like wholly cow my siblings are growing up! I'm not old enough to have a sister who can go on dates, an almost adult bro, and another bro who is the same height as me!!! AAAAH!

I was then thinking, "Wow, I`m in Mexico, I'm living mas o menos (more or less) alone.  I'm kind of independent-ish!"  WOW! I took a chance and now I'm beginning to see the growth. Crazy!

Well, I hope y'all have an amazing week! God bless! 

Hermana Shingleton XOxxoOxoXOXx (big hug little kiss little hug big kiss...)

Dont´t you worry...

"My father said,

"Don't you worry, don't you worry, child.

See heaven's got a plan for you.

Don't you worry, don't you worry now."

So, this week my comp and I decided to knock some doors. We came up to an ugly, tiny, white house and my comp said knock this one.  Okay... so I knock. "QUIEN?" (Who is it?)  Ummm missionaries. "Look at the window! NO MANCHES!" (You've got to be kidding me!)  It's a church! Who would have thought?! Thanks, Hermana Turcios! Super embarrassing. 

I also went on divisions (splits) this week, which I don't know if I've said it before, but I hate divisions.  It's one day less with my comp and in my area. At least the sister I was with was nice, and I bought a jar of coconut oil for SUPER cheap! 

I also had the opportunity to eat a lot of tacos this week. YUM!!!! Tacos are FANTASTIC! They are NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, like what we think of as tacos in the states. Sometime I will post photos of some.

I also helped an hermana download and learn to index this week. HA! When I get home I can index in English and Spanish! Fun stuff!

This week I also had my first (that I remember) dream in Spanish.  That's cool.  It rained a ton this week and we got drenched.  I think that might be part of why I am so sick right now. 

Well that's about it for this week. Love y'all! Hna. Shingleton

Glory and Gore

You could try and take us (oh-oh)

But we're the gladiators (Oh! Oh!)

Everyone a rager (oh-oh)

But secretly they're saviors

Glory and gore go hand in hand

That's why we're making headlines (Oh! Oh!)

You could try and take us (oh-oh)

But victory's contagious  - Lorde

Well for starters I have to say that I feel like Santa Clause, and why do I feel like Old Saint Nick? Because little kids all over the world put out milk and cookies for the poor man to eat and he has to eat them all. Well my dear friends it's the same with me, little old ladies offer tons of food, and you have to eat it or they get mad, and sadly it's often gross. Fun stuff!

This week was bloody hot! I got pretty sunburned too. Sad day. Hermana Kristi and Hermana April laughed at my skin because it's so red. Thanks! lol. But it's all good now. 

Random- I miss I mean really, really miss brown sugar, chocolate chip cookies, toffee bars, etc! Nope. No puedo! 

I have been missing the States this week. Who knows why? Some things I miss are clean streets, Target, BBQ, gas stations, etc. Weird, I know. 

This week I will be talking about Mexican sacrament meeting. They start right on time and lock the doors for prayers. If you are late, too bad, no sacrament in the foyer for you. No one plays the piano, so they play the church music off of an iPad. Nice. Hardly anyone can sing, so it's awful, and super hard not to laugh. People who are going to give a talk do not sit on the stand. Interesting. 

This week was a bit sad, too, because we had a baptism service fall through. It was for a kid the same age as my bro, James. His mom gave permission, but at the last second, his dad said no. Super sad day.

Now an apology... For those of you who know me well, you know that I am a letter freak. I LOVE to get and send letters. Alas, here I can't send letters because the post office is really far away and I can't get to it. So, sorry for now no handwritten letters.

The above song I chose for this week because as missionaries we work hard with blood, sweat, and tears, but in the end we will have the victory over the other side. Think about it more, it has a lot of meaning for me now. 

P.S. I'm also sorry for the lack of pics. The computer place we've been using doesn't always work for sending pics.

Well love yall! Cass