Week 1 - The CCM (Missionary Training Center)

We were able to email back and forth with Hayden for about an hour yesterday.  It was GLORIOUS!  He is doing so well and just loves it there.  He loves learning.   

Hi Mom,

How are you doing Mom?  It has been cool here.  Lots of palm trees.  It is weird to be speaking in English.  My companion is pretty cool.  I was made District Leader which was a huge comfort to me. It was as if the Lord was straight up saying, "See Hayden, see how I have prepared you?"  When I talked to my Branch President about it he said it was interesting I said that because he had felt very strongly about choosing me.  Our Branch President is funny.  He is probably about 35.  He is from here.  He is awesome, I like him a lot.  

Yes Mom, I will answer all of your questions now.  The week is way busy, we have like 15 hour days. We wake up at 6:30 and go non stop until 9:30 at night.  It is cool here.  We learn Spanish because all we do is talk in Spanish.  The second day here we already had to to teach a lesson to an investigator in Spanish!! haha  They just start throwing you into it haha but it's awesome.  The food here is funny haha.  There is a breakfast that we like to call soggy chips. haha  It's basically just chips drenched in hot sauce haha. We have classes all day long, it is insane.  My teachers are awesome and they really love us.  They are two young Mexicans who are like in their mid 20.  They have been really good to me and it is fun to joke around with them.  Yes they give us time to exercise and we go hard. haha But I am out of shape.  I found some good competitive people to play ball with.  I am still really good. haha  I was scared I had lost my talent, but ya I'm still good.  I am definitely out of shape though.  I played two games and I was like, ok I'm done haha.  We literally have no time to study because we go right up until we have to go crawl in bed.  

Go on www.missionarypackagemx.com  because then you can send me letters and I can get them the day you send them.  It's awesome and I would like it because I'm missing you guys.  You can also order me Krispy Cream and I would be very happy if you did haha.  

I can get to know everyone, we talk to everyone.  The Latino missionaries that are here are crazy haha.  Like you go to talk to them to practice and they will be like "soy de Alaska" or something (that means I'm from Alaska) haha.  I think there are about 700 missionaries here. Yes, I have met Elder Carr, kind of.  I haven't really talked to him.  He is in the advanced Spanish classes so he is not in our district, but ya I've seen him and I will talk to him the next time I see him.  I haven't met Elder Rusch yet, but I think he is here now.  

Tell everyone I am sooooooo grateful for their support.  I'll check the blog when I get to the field but for now tell everyone to go ahead and write me. 

I love you so much Mom.

Hayden

Hayden has been blessed with great leadership skills but he doesn't necessarily like to be the leader.  That is something he learned a great deal of this last year.  That sheds some light on why being made District Leader was a comfort and assuring to him.  

 This picture has significance.  Hayden was so excited to get his name tag.  He asked me multiple times before he left, "when do you think I will get my name tag?"  That was one of the first things he said in his last email, "I got my name tag and it is awesome!"

Thank you so much to everyone for your hugs, cards, messages of every kind, love and support.  We are so grateful and it has helped us get through a long first week of adjusting.  Hayden has felt it and has also expressed his thanks.  We love you!!!