Hey!!!!

So I don't know how much time I have to write so don't mind my spelling mistakes, etc. My password wouldn't work so I had to change it probably 5 times and wait 30 plus minutes for it to work.

So my first week in Guatemala has been great!!! It is so beautiful here. It is the rainy season here so it seriously rains everyday here!! I think that there has been to half days of sun shine!! I love it!! The temple is just a block a way and I see it when I go down to breakfast every morning. It is super small here. there are only about 100 ish missionaries here and there is only one building. It is quite the difference from the 2200 missionaries in Provo and 19 buildings!

I absolutely love the food here!! It is a lot like Dominican food and has A TON more flavor than the Provo MTC. They told me that a lot of missionaries have to adjust to the food but I'm totally loving it!

It is super humid here and my hair actually is loving it. Hahaha. I love all the weather and rain and sun!! I have actually had to use my cardigan a lot because the Elders in my district are always hot so they set the AC to 68. Not my favorite. There are 8 Elders in my district now. And now I am back into a trio. Hna McKnight moved down to a beginning class and Hna Jerez is now with me and Hna. Olsen. It has been good. I'm learning a lot. So in total there are 11 missionaries in my district. I still think my first district is hte best but it has only been one week. I have learned tons of Spanish here. The other day I had an interview and I was able to say everything I wanted to in spanish!! I am super happy about that! It isn't as spiritual here because I think everyone focuses more on spanish here. Don't get me wrong I feel the spirit every day but there aren't has many big moments. Next week Elder Clark from the 70 is coming to talk to us! I am really excited for that. All of our other Devotionals are videos of old devotionals at the Provo MTC. They are amazing but nothing compairs to the actually presence of the speaker! Something that I like better here is that I get to interact with the CCM President, Pres. Steimle, a lot more!! On Sunday we, the north american sisters, get to spend time with Hna. Steimle and get to know her.

I am really looking forward to the time when I cna get my point acrossed bettter in spanish. Right now there are 6 Hnas to a room and my 4 roommates, not including my comp Hna Olsen, are all Latina. Some of them know English and all of them help me with Spanish.

On Sunday I had the opportunity to give a talk in sacrament meeting!! All in Spanish. I did read what I wrote but then just bore my testimony with what I know. I didn't have that part written. The hispanics were impressed with that part nad how well I s[oke when I have the spirtr!

Gotta Go!!!\

Love you All!!!\

Hna. Pelaez

Note: This is Mom. Just in case you don't know (like I didn't) if you send something to the pouch it can only be one page. It can not be in an envelope. You fold the page in 3rds and write the address on the outside in the middle section. So, you can write your letter on the other 2/3-top and bottome. Clear as mud? If you don't understand call me and I'll try to explain better.

Guatemala

Hey!!!

I am in Guatemala!! I got in super late last night. I was supposed to land at 8:05 but I landed at about 9:50 and then didn't get to the CCM until almost 11. I am so super tired!! It is weird being the minority... In a way. There are about 109 new missionaries and only 30 of them are latin. I am part of history. Haha. This is the largest group of North Americans to be here. It is way cool. Being here has definitely humbled me. I am not nearly as good as I thought I was at Spanish.... A few times today I felt like crying. But I just need to remind myself to calm down. Anyways.. When I first got here it was raining really hard. I LOVED it!! I am looking forward to the times when I get caught out in the rain. :) It is really humid here. I feel like it is muggy all the time! My address for the Guatemala MTC is this-

Melody Last Name (don't put Hermana)
Boulevard Vista Hermosa 23-71, Zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1
Guatemala, Guatemala, C.A. 01015

I am still companions with Hna. Olsen but Hna. McKnight has a new companion. I was really looking forwad to a new companion but I obviously still need to learn something from Hna. Olsen. I haven't gotten to know really anyone from my district but I should soon. I'm in the intermediate class.... We'll see how that goes... I might send letters by pouch but I'm not sure yet. I alwasy write more than one page. Mom--will you keep an eye on my bank account daily?? I'm scared of not having money. Melissa-- Dax was in my first district but then I got moved. I will still see him tons though...

LOVE you all!!!!! Hna. Melody

Arrival in Guatemala

Well, I was able to talk to Melody on the phone for a few minutes this morning. (This is Mom) She called from the airport in Salt Lake City. She said that she thought she would be able to call when she got there--which was supposed to be at 8:05 PM. (The time in Guatemala is the same as Utah) But, it is now 10:00 PM and she has not called yet. So, I am assuming we will have to wait for an email. I kinda wish she hadn't told me she would call, because now I have been waiting all night and feel very disappointed. I know we will hear from her soon, though. I have put the address for the pouch where you can send letters. Melody did not know the Guatemalan MTC address yet, so I will post it as soon as she tells me.

August 12

Hey everyone!!

I can't believe that I have been here for two weeks!! I swear it has been so much longer than that! Sometimes I feel like its been less than that but it is crazy! I forgot my notes again so I hope I can remember everything!

I LOVE my district!! When I first got here I had a test to see if I needed to move up to the intermediate Spanish class. I found out on either Friday or Saturday that I am not going to be moving up. It is both good and bad, but mostly good!!!! I would love to be a little more challenged with the language but I love helps my companions and my Elders with the language!! For one of the class periods this last week my teacher had ME teach one of the past tenses. It was so crazy! I was a bit nervous but it ended up going great! And it definitely hoped me with my ability to use the past tense! I don't think I will havwe to worry about my challenges in the language next week. Haha.

I got my flight plans on Friday!!!! I will be leaving on Tuesday the 17th. I have to be at the travel office at 4 AM!!! Crazy!! I will be so tired! One thing I learned really fast is that I will never feel like I'm rested enough. Hahaha. I am sleeping like a rock but I would love to sleep longer. Haha. Anyways back to my flights. From SLC I go into Chicago. Then from there I go to Miami, Florida. And finally I go to Guatemala!! Crazy!! I don't understand the flying thing at all. Haha. I'm going East to go South. Crazy airlines. :) I won't be traveling with my companions from the MTC. They will be leaving after me. I am excited for the flight experience!!

Ok for Relief Society this week, the General Primary President came to talk to us. She is amazing!!! I loved her talk. I don't remember any more than that I loved it. She told us about the new primary song "I Know My Savior Loves Me". It is so cute!! I can't wait to help all the little Guatemalan Primary children!!!!

Also I have heard from a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy! I don't remember his name but he showed us missionaries some amazing things about the Book of Mormon!! Did you know that all the gospel principles are mentioned in the first three PAGES of the Book of Mormon??!! I didn't but I loved learning about it!!

I was able to go to the temple earlier!! I love it there!!

Well I'm running out of time so I'll say bye!! Write me some letters!!

Love,

Hermana Pelaez

First Week in the MTC

Here is Melody's first e-mail from the MTC!

Hey Everyone!

Wow! I can't believe it has only been a week since I arrived here!! This week has been the longest week of my life!! Ha Ha. and the thing is, I have LOVED every minute of it!! My P-day is Thursday but since I had so much to do last week and I had only been here for a day we didn't get to write. I only have 30 minutes to e-mail so I will have to hurry.

I have two companions and I love them!! They are Hna. McKnight and Hna. Olsen! They are both SO different from me but I am learning TONS from them and loving them more and more every day! In my district there are 7 Elders! I LOVE MY DISTRICT!!!! We have so much fun and have grown so much in only a week! My teachers are Hno. Chandler and Hno. Jensen!! They are so AMAZING!! The only thing is that Hno. Jensen (my favorite of the two) had to quit yesterday so that he could focus on school. We will greatly miss him!!

I have loved getting to know all of my Elders and my companions. I am so lucky that my Elders like to play volleyball. There are 6 sand volleyball courts here at the MTC and I am never lacking in having missionaries to play with. Yesterday it was raining all day so we were worried about not being able to play outside (the indoor court is unavailable do to construction in the gym) but we were able to go out and play. It was a blast playing in wet sand and the rain coming down. :) A few of my Elders are really good! And there are other Elders in the Zone that really know how to play. It has been great!

The Firesides and Devotionals are probably my favorite part!! (Melissa- I saw some missionaries that were learning how to speak ASL translate for one of the meetings!) So far I haven't had any of the Twelve here but I love who has been here. I don't have my study journal with me so I don't remember the names. But my favorite Fireside was about "Doing Hard Things and Being Obedient". AMAZING!! I loved it!!

My Spanish is improving so much already!! I can pray in Spanish and bare my testimony!! I love it!! I asked not to get moved to the intermediate Spanish class and I was blessed with being able to stay with my WONDERFUL district! I am able to help the Elders and Hna. McKnight learn! Hna. Olsen probably knows more Spanish rules and words than me, but I speak a little better so we help each other learn.

What kind of questions do any of you have?? I have so much going on that I don't know what to write! Oh!!! I met an Elder from Dominican Republic!!! He will be going to St. George (I think English speaking). but he was starring at me so I said hi. Then he asked me (in Spanish) where I am from. I figured he wanted to know my ethnicity so I said (in Spanish!!!) that my dad was from the DR. He was super excited! So Keep an eye out for an Elder Lorez(??) Analaine. He is kinda short and looks Dominican. Hahaha.

I would absolutely love to get LETTERS!!!!! It is probably faster for me to get information that way. (Until I get to Guatemala) I will be leaving here in two weeks!! I don't know if that will be enough time. Hahaha.

Oh I was able to go to the temple this morning!!! It was probably one of the (if not THE) most spiritual sessions I've been to!! I was amazing to see all my Elders and companions in the Celestial room!

I don't know what else to tell you other than I LOVE IT HERE!!! I want to hear from you all!! I love you!!!! The Church is true!!! And remember to learn as much as you can about the gospel!!

Love,

Hermana Pelaez

Melody has been in the MTC for 7 days nows. We have received one letter and one note. She is loving it. Right now she is in a threesome with sisters from Las Vegas, Nevada and Fresno, California. She may change though because she took a test and is able to move up to a harder Spanish class. If she decides to it would mean changing districts and companions.

She will leave the MTC on August 17 to go to the MTC in Guatemala. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Melody sends her love.