El Camino B(:

Dear Family and friends,

HELLO!!! from the land of el camino.(:  that's our wards name.  yep you read that right.  I am in a Spanish WARD! what. it's so weird.  We have an American bishop even. hahah he speaks perfect Spanish though.  but yeah.  I love it here.  San Mateo is awesome!  I feel like I have so much to tell you all... but I don't remember it all. hahah so we will see how it goes.

But I guess I will start with my companion!  Sister Hilton.  She is awesome!! Seriously, I love her so much.  And we are so much alike.  It's crazy.  Shes from bountiful.  But lives on the edge of Centerville.  so shes basically from there. but no she does not know any majors or crowders or colbys. hahah I asked.(: but she did go to viewmont!! so that's fun.(:  She is just a transfer behind me in the mission, so it's fun being together, kind of on the same level.  We are definitely learning the area together.  It's an adventure!!(:

My district is awesome! okay. listen to this. this is where we are all from.

Elder Rodriguez (district Leader)--Argentina.

Elder Wallace-- England.  Like yes. accent and all. speaking Spanish.

Hermana Corbett-- Gilbert, Arizona

Hermana Miller--Lehi, Utah

Hermana Hilton-- Bountiful, Utah

Hermana Stokes--Lehi, Utah

Elder Bailey-- Lehi, Utah

Hermana Bailey-- Lehi, Utah.

So yep.  we have the coolest companionship of elders who both have super strong accents when talking English... and then we have the rest of us who are basically all from Lehi. hahah I think it's hilarioius!  Hermana miller is Sarah miller.  She did go to lehi with me, and was just two years older.  I'm sure some of you reading this know her.  shes super cool! and the baileys are a senior couple in our district and they are the best!! they are both from lehi as well.(: So 4 out of 8 of us are from lehi. haha its pretty funny.  the ward thinks its hilarious.  (: because we all serve in the same ward.  But yep, that's us!

Like I said, this week has been a great one just really trying to figure out our area.  I LOVE SPANISH.  I really have discovered that this week.  I love it so much.  I love that I think in Spanish a lot now.  I even have dreams in Spanish sometimes!  I just love the language so much and I really hope I have the opportunity to speak it more throughout my whole life.

San Mateo is awesome.  There are tons of latinos.  I feel like more people here speak English here though.  But I just still speak to them in Spanish if I know they know it.(: haha but yeah its fun.  And the weather is a lot cooler, which I LOVE.  So much.

I'm trying to think of what else... hmm ive been pretty sick this week.  with just a really crappy head cold.  but thank you mom for sending me with medicine.  its helped a ton.  And so anyway, ive felt really crappy almost every day.  and every day I just want to rest.. but ive really pushed myself to keep working because I know I will be blessed for that.  Andddd its working!!! we have already seen so many miracles!! yesterday was awesome, and we had a first lesson with a man named tena.  And the baileys came, and also an hermano from the ward.  and seriously I think it was the most amazing first lesson Ive ever had.  everyone killed it with their testimonies and the spirit was so strong!! it was amazing.  I was so happy.  Also so this week we added 5 INVESTIGATORS!!!!! ahhh That's a lot for our mission.  at least for mine.  and its because we added tena and also we added a family! well, just the kids.  but 4 kids! who just came from Honduras 6 months ago and the 16 year old wants them all to learn because she attended our church in Honduras and loved it.  I guess everyone back there is Mormon.  they are soo awesome and we are so excited to see what happens!! we are also teaching a couple of other families, and they are all just so amazing.  there are definitely a lot more families here in san mateo.  I love it!! but yes.  the work is definitely hastening.

Um I think that's pretty much it!! Life is great, I love Spanish, I love the mission, I love my companion.. yeah its great.  I have been missing concord like crazy though.  ahhh they are my family:( I miss them.  but I know I'm here for a reason.  So it will be okay.(: Its just funny how home sick I am from them. hahah. the mission life is really weird.

Thank you for all your love and support! I love you all, have a great week!!! 

Hermana Stokes

I'm trying and trying to get the pictures to work but they aren't.. stupid library computers... sorry everyone!!! I will send them next week hopefully!!! I was just gonna send some of the bay(: because you know, nbd we live by the bay and run by it in the morning.. yay water.  but today we are going to sanfrancisco! sooo hopefully I will have pictures of that for you next week.(: man life is awesome. im so excited.