Feb 14, 2013 Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

This second week was MUCHO better! :)  I had more confidence, I felt calmer and more focused. I participated more, and I rewarded myself for the Spanish I was learning daily. :)  My District, we're laughing way more, and I'm asking all the right questions to understand Spanish sentence structure and stuff. :)  My District, we LOVE saying "Oreos" with a Spanish accent.    

All the Latinos have told me they like my eyes because they are clear and light. We hermanas LOVE calling Elder Gallagher "Alder Gal-eh-gerr" at least 20x a day.  "Ahh mi madre" means "oh my gosh!"  We say that all the time, and "entonces" means "soo..." :)  

Since the elders and sisters stay arm’s length from each other (good rule) and don't touch except for handshakes, we do hand-hugs at the end of a handshake.  As you give someone a handshake you finish by patting the tip of your thumb on the back of the other person's hand.  It’s sort of like giving a person a pat on the back, and is a big, BIG hit here in the CCM. The Latinos especially think it is funny!

By the way, there are pigeons in the DR EVERYWHERE!  The "palomas" mock David ;) (family joke from when twin David tried -unsuccessfully- to catch pigeons while our family was in San Francisco for a Kodaly choir event back when I was in 5th grade in 2004).

After a very sad, heart-felt goodbye to the three other districts that left Tues. Feb 12th, my companions and I moved into the bigger bedroom to join the other 2 hermanas in our district.

I now have THE BEST place to sleep!  Top bunk, next to the ONLY clear HUGE window that overlooks the entire temple, a forest of palm trees, and the ocean.  I really lucked out.  :)  And my close friend Rosa slept there too, when she was a missionary back around 2007.  

View from Hermana Bean's window



Santo Domingo Temple at night

Three of my teachers and I were talking Wednesday, and they asked me to sing a chorus of "Then You Look At Me" and "God Bless the USA." They were talking in Spanish really fast, all excited, afterwards, and it was a little funny to me.  They didn't know I “sing” sing.

CCM Sister Missionaries

My district went shopping Tuesday.  We sister got new PJs, chips and chocolate.  The Elders got 10x more food!! 

Today (Feb 14) we had Elder Rasband of the 70 come.  I conducted my district's special musical number (half sung in Spanish) and it was a huge hit!  Elder Rasband had me read scriptures standing next to him, and involved me in his lesson a lot (but then again, I was sitting front and center).  Elder Rasband told a story about trying to make missionary assignments with the guidance of President Eyring a couple years ago. 
Anyway, life is good, and I'm enjoying the CCM more all the time. :)  We'll see what this next week brings.  

Happy Valentine's Day!!  Write me!  Love, Hermana Bean

"Forest" of Palm Trees

P.S. I know the Lord is helping me a lot.  He is blessing me with small and large things. One of my blessings is getting to sleep by the window which overlooks the beautiful lit-up temple each night, and seeing the incredible view of the ocean and palm trees every morning.  SOOO pretty.