Unbelizeable!

           

HERE WE GO WITH THE BELIZE PUNS… for the rest of my life. 

 

I am in Belize. and I am in love with Belize already. I wish I could describe it appropriately. But I will never do it justice. Never in 6 billion years. Just satisfy yourselves to know that it is stunning--absolutely stunning. 

 

When I first found out I was going to Belize...after only six weeks in El Sal, I was in utter disbelize. (haha sorry that one was sooo lame). I literally thought the AP (Asst. to the President.  This is another young missionary) was lying to me. but then I got a plane ticket. (for first class btw??? first and last time in my life I will fly first class. But it was enjoyable)

 

The Pupusa ladies

I was actually really sad to leave my area. I love the Hma's in my house. I love the crazy neighbors we had. I love the Pupusas and the orange juice and the Spanish. I love my ward. I

just LOVE IT .

 

But. Belize. It’s spectacular. It really is. We have a cute little house which is about 80,000x nicer than my apt in El Sal. When I walked off the plane it wasn’t one of those big fancy ramps right into the airport, it was a staircase like the one the Beatles came off of in that one picture that everybody knows. So I’m coming off the plane like 'HELLO WORLD' and its tropical and there are Creoles everywhere and they are speaking Creole and I am just having a genuine ball only walking down the stairs. The majority of my dreams came true in that moment bc Belize is a combination of the Caribbean, Africa and Britain, Asia, India. (if you’re confused on why...google Belize. The diversity here is amazing) Seriously how does it get better? 

 

My new companion is a Latina also. But she speaks English too which is so nice. Turns out that communication has some real perks. 

 

But before I get too far, I want to share some experiences I had right before I left. First off. When I got the news I was going to Belize, I was super pumped to tell Hma Stewart--my bff. (We live in the same apt but she is in another area). We became very good friends in the past six weeks and she just came back to El Sal from Belize so I was looking forward to sharing my news. 

Hma Hirschi and Hma Stewart

 

Well the Scott Hirschi is my blood demanded that I pull a fast one before coming outright with the news. So when we were all home that night together  I acted very sad and informed Hma N and S that I had some news (Hma A was in on this with me). I proceeded to sit down, and maintained a somber attitude. haha then I started crying (this is a skill I didn’t formerly know I possessed, but I can cry on demand??) and after a few minutes I told the sisters that I had to go home. Then I slowly looked up and cried 'PSYCH IM GOING TO BELIZE!' and at this point I’m pretty happy. But. BUT. Hma Stewart was crying!! Oops. I got her good guys. I got her good. Probably a little too good actually!



 

Then a family in the ward wanted to have a little goodbye dinner for me before I left. I obliged them and showed up for dinner. There were about 10 of us enjoying this dinner, when suddenly one of my friends, Samuel, who is about 25 years old, decides to change the subject of conversation. So he says to me, I kid you not, 'Hma Hirschi how much do you weigh?' OUT OF THE BLUE. And I think I stared blankly at him. Then I said, 'Samuel, you just committed a criminal offense in the United States' and the American sisters laughed with me, but everyone else was like, 'oh yeah, how much do you weigh??' And then. AND THEN. They started shouting numbers out, guessing my weight!!! What sin is this!?!? 

 

After that we had a super interesting conversation about cultures. Because in the US, you don’t ask a woman that question ever. But in El Sal, it the topic of dinner conversation. They just don’t really care about their weight too much. They consider it endearing to call someone fat...'gordita'. So there is a fun fact for you. Maybe that experience was the most surprising culture shock so far. 

 

Also... sorry for the organization in this email. Everyone in Belize speaks English, Spanish, and Creole. Creole is like degenerated English but it is a legitimized language and I can’t understand them very well. We’ll see how much I pick up. 

 

I’m excited to be here. It’s raining today and it makes me miss Seattle. It was so hard to leave El Sal but I also trust that this is where the Lord wants me and I can’t wait to work with the people. I know this is the work of the Lord. I saw part of a movie last week on a bus while I was traveling to San Sal. It was about a man who was trying to save his marriage and he kept serving his wife in little ways...but whatever he did she rejected. She wouldn’t take the flowers, drink the coffee he made, or eat the dinner he’d prepared. So this guy is chatting with his dad about his frustration and he says, 'how can I love someone who rejects me?'. And the dad is trying to help his son understand our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ...and then I got to thinking... How many people reject the Savior--even after all he has overcome for us, and still He loves them. With a perfect, unending love. We are so impatient with people--especially when we try to serve and our efforts go unnoticed or unappreciated. But I know that I need to remember that it is possible to love those who reject us. Because the ultimate sacrifice was rejected--the perfect being who suffered all our pains and sins has been rejected--and he still loves every single sheep. Every single human being.

 

It’s unfathomable to me. The more I learn the more I realize I don’t know. I love being a representative of Christ. Read the scriptures. john 14:15 yeah?? http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/john/14.15?lang=eng

 

 

That’s all I have for now. Stay righteous. Here is another Charles Dickens novel for you all. Thanks for the support and letters. I can’t wait to share more of Belize. The church is true. 

 

Love always, 

SISTER Hirschi

(English!!!!)