English is a Blessing!

¡Hola!

First reason why English is a blessing, on Tuesday night we got to watch a devotional that was broadcasted from the Provo MTC. Elder Holland spoke to us and I was truly spiritually fed. But the reason why English is a blessing, because they broadcasted and spanish translation one and then just the english one, is because the power behind Elder Holland´s voice when he is talking to you is remarkable! It truly is a blessing to be able to hear and understand his talk in his own voice! Moments like that I am so very grateful to know and speak english! Some really good quotes from this talk is:

 1. "Make your own personal conversion and stick with it." Whether you´re a missionary, was a missionary, or neither it applies to you!   

 2. "We are all God´s investigators, don´t disappoint him."

3. "Obedience is the first law of everything."

4. Open your mouth and talk to people. The moment you don´t open your mouth and share what you know to be true is the moment that you are letting Satan win. Something I really liked that he shared is that the worst thing that Satan can do to you is bind your tongue. Be like Joseph Smith and overcome that opposition and share what you know, or pray for revelation from God.

Elder Holland truly is called of God and I really  enjoyed the opportunity to hear from him and recieve specific guidance as a missionary!

Another reason why English is a blessing is because I got to hear the temple session in english today, because there was so many of us that speak english here that they could do one session for us! It was amazing and I had a fantastic time at the temple today! 

Not much else to report on other than my spanish is coming along. I love you all and thanks for all the support! I´ll report back again on tuesday!

Amor, Hermana Cordon

This picture is my district again!

Skip Frustration and Go to Work

Learning a language is hard work, and my brain gets so overloaded with Spanish everyday, that I don´t even know what`s going on by the end of the day.. haha :) But at least I get little english breaks here, whereas in the field it will probably be entirely Spanish all the time, until I have a companion that speaks English. But I am honestly looking forward to when I am forced to speak Spanish all the time, because I definitely will learn a lot quicker when I don`t have a fallback option. I definitely found myself getting frustrated this week with spanish and not really being able to understand it, but I just have to remember that learning a language takes time. Hopefully this week will be brighter and I will remember that I just need to work hard and to not give up on myself or the Lord. 

Well, not much has happened since the last time I emailed, except that every latin missionary left this morning and we are getting a whole new group tomorrow. I am definitely going to miss all the Latina Hermana`s though, because they are all so sweet, but I am sure the next ones will probably be just as awesome! Oh and 9 more norte Hermana`s are coming in this week, which will be fun helping them to adjust to life at the CCM!

On Sunday my MTC President shared a really cool devotional with the Norte missionaries in our english meetings. It was by Elder Bednard to missionaries a couple of years ago. But the main message of it was that you need to know the doctrine before you can understand the principles or apply the applications. So basically, you need to understand the doctrine of the atonement, before you can truly understand what repentance is, and once you understand both of those you can actually understand how to repent. I thought it was a really good reminder about how we just skip to the applications and not really explain the doctrine of why. It was a good thing to hear as a missionary, to remind me of what I really need to be teaching investigators. If you understand the doctrine, then you have a real desire to actually follow the principles. 

Well this week my district switches rooms and instructors and basically it will be spanish in every class the whole time, except to tell us what a word means if we don´t know it. It will be interesting, but it will increase my spanish learning so I´m excited! And it also means only 2 more weeks with my current companion, because the final 2 weeks I`m with a latina companion, so I`m gonna enjoy these last 2 weeks with someone that is struggling with spanish just as much as I am!

I hope everyone is having a great week and thanks for all the support and prayers! Love you all!

Love, Hermana Cordon

Call home for "Mother's Day"

Editors Note: The rules have now changed and missionaries in the MTC during Mother's Day or Christmas are able to still call home but might be on a different day. So Micaela was able to call home today on Skype. It was great to be able to talk to her and see her enjoy the MTC. She is also enjoying her companion and district. She is loving learning Spanish and is trying the best she can and is learning ALOT! 

First week is DONE!

¡Hola!

The MTC is hard work, learning Spanish is hard work, and focusing when you´re tired is hard work. Though most things about the MTC is hard work, I´ve enjoyed it! My district is a lot of fun, it´s all Norte´s (North Americans) and all of us are always laughing about how we don´t understand anything, it makes the frustration of not learning spanish not so bad when there are other´s struggling with you! :)

My favorite day this week was sunday, because besides sacrament meeting and relief society all my meetings were in ENGLISH :) We were able to go in depth in doctrinal subjects and we combined with the other Norte district and got to have really good conversations. It was a good reminder why I am on a mission and why I want to share the gospel, because I just love the Gospel so much! Especially when I can understand what they are talking about. haha :)

I can definitely feel the Lord´s hand in my time here, because I understand more than I probably should being here for only and week, and I can remember a lot more words that I only learned once or twice. It´s wonderful. The Lord truly is remarkable and I truly love this Gospel!

Oh I got to go to the Colombia, Bogota temple today and that was cool! I truly love going to the temple and I´m gonna miss being able to go once I get to the mission field. But, I am doing a different kind of temple work :) 

Thank you for all the love and prayers! Have a great week!

Amor, Hermana Cordon

P.S. this picture is me and my district

I Made It!

Leaving from the Salt Lake Airport Tuesday Morning

Well I made it to the CCM (Columbia Missionary Training Center) safe and sound! 

I got to travel with my entire district from Atlanta to Colombia, which was really cool! My companion is Hermana Brimhall and I get to live in the same room with the other american sisters also! There are only 5 american sisters in the entire MTC which will be a lot of fun, we are all becoming friends already! And there are two elders in our district as well and all but 2 people in our district are going to the Ecuador, Quito mission. 

I officially have my nametag now and it´s crazy!

Hermana Cordon