MTC #1 "Orange Passion Fruit Guava"

Hola Familia!!

My first week here at the MTC has been the longest week of my life.
First day I walk in and meet my lovely companion. She is the sweetest person I have ever met and is so funny!! We are pretty bad at distracting everyone cuz we love to talk!
So, I walk in and everyone is speaking in only Spanish. I am also the ONLY person in my class who didn't take at least one Spanish class. So I was wayyyy behind (notice the was, because I'm starting to pass everyone #giftoftongues).

Halfway through the day I was pretty sure the teachers were asking about lunch and I wanted to look like I knew something so I opened my mouth to say, "I want food!" which is "Yo quiero comeda" in espanol. Unfortunately I mixed up comeda with hambre (hungry), but even more unfortunately I mixed hambre with hombre (man). So the first thing I said in Spanish at the MTC was "I want a man!!" Everyone died laughing, mostly because they knew I had no idea what I even said. I did get one thing out of it; I will never forget the Spanish word for man!

Everyday is wake up, exercise, then 11 hours of class, crammed with lunch and teaching our investigator in between. There is absolutely NO free time.

The food gets its own paragraph because it is just amazing. They have this juice (orange passion fruit guava) that I just inhale. Yeah we are fed like kings. It's really not healthy haha. But me and hermana decided no more deserts because we don't want to get fat!

I have learned a lot so far and I have learned so much about the gospel! Spanish is hard, but I have learned that the gift of tongues is real!!! My coolest experience so far was on the second day. My teacher asked a question and I raised my hand to answer and was surprised when the answer came out in perfect Spanish! Everyone just stared at me for a while and started freaking out, "el don de lengues! Es verdad!" I've also had really cool experiences with our investigator, but I'll have to tell you later since I'm out of time!

Anyways, I love you SO much!!!! I'm already super homesick and probs will be for the next 18 months!
Adios!!
Hermana Hallsted

Mailing Info

Letters ($1.15-$1.20)

Sister Haley Hallsted

Panamá Panamá City Mission

Edificio Barlovento, 11B

Avenida Italia

Patella

Provincia de Panamá, PANAMA

Pouch Mail (see instructions below) ($0.49)

Sister Haley Hallsted
Panamá Panamá City Mission

P.O Box 30150

Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

Packages 

Sister Haley Ann Hallsted
Panamá Panamá City Mission
Edificio Barlovento, 11B 
Avenida Italia
Patella
Provincia de Panamá

Phone 507-213-3180 (phone # needed for package info label)

Pouch Guidelines

You can send two kinds of letter through the pouch: either a postcard or a letter on one side of a single sheet of paper. These are the only types of correspondence the pouch mail service will accept. The service does not accept envelopes or packages.

If you are using a piece of paper, the sheet should be folded into three parts, as is commonly done to insert a letter into a business envelope. The top edge of the sheet should be fastened with tape on the top edge only, no closer than one inch to either side. They recommend a single 8 1/2-inch x 11-inch sheet of 20-pound paper (the equivalent of paper used in most copiers).

Write your return address in the top left corner. Apply a stamp to the top right corner of the tri-folded paper or post card, and mail it to Church headquarters at the SLC address.

Setting Apart & Saying Adios!

Haley's Farewell!