Linda Vista – Week 1

farewell to Rivas

Linda Vista, Managua Nicaragua...so I am in the beautiful city of Managua. I am here with Hermana Vanegas who I met my first day here in the mission when she did a mini mission for 6 weeks last year. She is from Rivas so I knew her there too. She has 3 months in the mission. She is funny and says she likes my Spanish since I sound like a Nicaraguan. (She reminds me of Kyra Sedgwick on The Closer except with black hair.) Life is good. I actually told the people in Rivas on Tuesday night that I would be going to Managua with Hermana Vanegas and I was right. She is happy with a North American and on Wednesday morning she said to me that maybe we would be comps. She is cool and doesn’t seem new.  She is really perky and doesn’t need much motivation. I feel like I am the newbie since she knows the area but I am learning my way around so it is all good. It’s cool here in the city and I like seeing the buses and airplanes and more stores and food. I think it is more like home than my other areas, but then I think if you were to see it- it wouldn’t remind you at all of Arizona... crazy how your perspective changes, but it is good. I am in a Ward now and there are lots of good members. There is one older lady that reminds me a little of Grandma Harvey. She is nice. The area is good and the food is good. The mom of a member cooks our food and she does more of a variety of foods and less beans. I actually miss my gallopinto (mixed beans and rice) that I have eaten pretty much every night since I got to Nicaragua. Can you believe it has been a year this week since I left? It has been a crazy start getting all settled in here since we had to move on Friday from the room downstairs to one upstairs. It is a new room the people added on. I would call it a little more industrial style than the other, but it works. It was cool on Wednesday night when my trainer came and stayed with us since she was the only sister going home. That day will come really fast for me but lots to do before then. I am happy and getting settled in here. I have made fast friends with a few members. One asked if I would ever come back and I said yes. She is a 17 year old and the only member in her family but goes visiting with us lots.

I told the man in Rivas that you liked the little box that I sent home. He asked your name, Mom, and is going to make one for you. I haven’t mailed any letters today. I wrote some but I haven’t had a chance to get to the post office. It is close so that is real good. I like the area. I said to Grandma Olive in a letter that my first area was like Saltburn, Rivas like Redcar, and now I am in London.  Life is good here. The members and everyone seem to like me. They are thrilled to have a piano player and it’s a real piano so I am a happy camper. We have a lady to be baptized next week if she goes to church on Sunday. We have an Area Conference on Sunday. I gave a talk yesterday and I think it went well.  I am happy here. I am in the same district with Hermana Sutherland from the MTC. Well, I am off until next week. The gospel is true. Love you tons. alc