Week 1: Exactly where I need to be

It is impossible to fail when you do your best & when you are on the Lord's errand.

~Elder  M. Russell Ballard

Kali is exactly where she needs to be. She is so happy to be on the Lord's errand serving a mission and helping others draw closer to their Savior each day.

If you didn´t see before I made it safely here and right after I finished emailing I met my companion. Her name is Hermana Wilson and she is from Syracuse, Utah. She is the cutest person ever and I can honestly say I have the best companion ever. She is so good at Spanish already. It is unreal. She talks to all of the natives who are here like it is nothing but it definitely has helped me a TON because I can just talk to her and she can automatically help me. She is going to serve in the Texas Houston East mission. I also met my district and they are already like my family. Pretty much like a bunch of little brothers lets be honest but they are hilarious. They have a hard time focusing but I guess that is what happens when you are an 18 year old boy! We are all going back to the states for our missions so I thought that was way cool. We have missionaries going to Denver, Minnesota, another elder going to LA, Oklahoma city and Twin Falls!! He wasn't too happy when I told him that it snows there haha. I love these guys though. I learn so much from them everyday.

So the Spanish.. it is actually coming along a lot better than I thought that it would and knowing high school spanish helps a little bit but really not that much at all. It is true when they say that you learn about 2 years of Spanish in one day here at the CCM. For a few days I was struggling because my companion is so good at Spanish but I have to keep reminding myself that I have only been here for one week! They shared a quote with us here from Elder Holland that said, "You are going to make 1,000 mistakes during your mission so you might as well start now." I definitely did. I told some natives that my name was Star Wars but my companion accidentally said that the only thing that separates us between God is death and dead fish so I don't feel as bad!

We have an investigator and his name is Roke and I love that guy. We have a baptism date for him on August 29 and I am so excited. We have taught him about the Atonement and about how God and Jesus love him and are always there for him and he absolutely loved it. He commited to read and pray about the Book of Mormon to see if it is true. But the best lesson that we have had so far yesterday. We talked about the plan of salvation and we tried follow the spirit more than just reading our lesson. Some phrases came to me that I didnt even know that I knew. And then at the end when we were testifying I had a prompting to talk about Grandma and how I know, because the spirit testified to me that I will see here again. AND it was all in Spanish!I felt the spirit so strong that I started to cry a little and so did my investigator. I left that lesson so happy and excited to get to Los Angeles.

I love this place so much. The spirit is so strong here all the time and we are constantly making new friends. I have had a few moments when I have felt that this is exactly where I am supposed to be! I honestly would not want to be anywhere else! :)

I love this gospel so much and I know that this what brings joy into my life especially sharing it with other people.

I love you all and can't wait to talk to you next week!

Love,

Hermana McMinn

PS I had quesadillas AND Frosted Flakes for breakfast this morning so I am in heaven!!