Week 9 - Greenie Gringa

Hola!

Yes I am indeed alive and still keeping it all kinds of classy here in a foreign country. Ohhhhh where to begin! I have so much to say and so little time!

First OFF! CONGRATULATIONS TO ASHLEY!!! I had a dream a couple of months ago about her being among asian people and I told her about it. So BAM! My dream came true!! That is awesome she is going to do great!

Brett I am glad you are in Ecuador and eating well.

Ok So Panama! AKA a place where I was meant to be, is like a dream come true for me. I was in Panama City for three days and it is amazing. Skyscrapers galore!!!! I was like o my heavens. It is huge and right by the Pacific Ocean which is full of boats. We went to the Temple and believe me, it is amazing. I seriously love it with all my heart. It's in the jungle. I saw a monkey run across the road and I was whoa, that is random.

I took a ton of pictures, but unfortunately since I have an XD memory card, I can't ever send pictures so you most likely won't see any pictures unless I print them off and send them. All the computers here only take SD cards. BLAST IT ALL!!!

I have seen the Panama Canal and believe me it is breathtaking. I was freaking out. I hope I get to explore more of it sometime while I am here.

So the area I have been assigend to is SANTIAGO! Which is 4 hours south west from the city. It's a rural poor poor place. People live in little tiny concrete houses. No washers here, no stoves, no microwaves, nada. Which is how I like it. I seriously haven't gone through any culture shock yet. I walk down the streets where chickens are everywhere, dogs barking, people half naked sitting in their hamock just enjoying life. It is quite interesting. I love love love the people here. They are my kind of people. They are so nice and friendly. They hardly wear a thing because for one it is sooo blasted hot here. Just big t-shirts like I use to do and they are wallerers. He He.

We have two sisters getting baptized next month and I love them. They talk sooooo fast. I can't understand hardly any spanish here and I found out that every bit of spanish I learned doesn't apply here so I am basically starting from scratch. Which is fine. I just like to listen and learn. It will all go well. I am not even worried about it. I have a latin companion and I can't understand a word. So I act out what I want to say.

It is hotter than hades here and rains like you wouldn't believe. It was so crazy yesterday. I was drenched. I was walking in some pretty deep water it was crazy. I love it! The food here is amazing. But hardly any of it. So I am starving, but it's good because the pounds are dropping. OOOO so I am rethinking about the dressing like a nun thing. Because the men here are crazy. I am kinda wondering if I should dress down. Well there is no point in putting on makeup anyway. It melts off. And my hair gets greasy around 12 in the afternoon. So I am like All is well. I just smile and work it.

I stick out like you wouldn't believe. I am a foot or more taller than these people. And white and blonde so the members like to come up stand by me and touch my hair and look into my eyes. OH and the way to greet is kissing on the cheek. It's been fun to do that, I am getting out of my comfort zone. But anywho, all is well and I am loving every bit of it. It's going to be hard to leave I can already tell.

I have found a purpose and I think one them is teaching children and youth here. I can really relate to them because of.....get ready for it......DRAGON BALL Z!!!! Hahahahha who would of thought that all those days of watching that TV show would get me into houses and really get to the children and then get to the parents. HaHA I knew my cartoon days would come in handy.

I am finding all my answers I've been looking for here. I really do believe that a mission is part of the plan. I am finding the joys in life and our purpose here. And what it means to be happy. I am changing big time I can feel it, I love it! Well I love you guys and hope all is well!

I miss you but not enough to come home! -- Hermana Channing Jackson

It Appears She's Alive!

We haven't heard from Channing since she flew to Panama on Monday, but I checked the mission blog and look what I found!

Week 8 - The Last week in the CCM‏

Hola Familia!

Well it is the last week being in the CCM until PANAMA!! I am so excited and I can't wait to leave this place. That sounds horrible, but it is oh so true. The CCM has been a tough ride. Harder than school or anything I have gone through this far, but it is a great learning experience. I never would have thought that I would learn this much or work this hard and it feels great.

Last night we watched a video of Elder Bednar and he said the words, "You can do this!" That small little phrase lifted my spirits so much. I felt my best friends, my family, my teachers, leaders, apostles, prophet, and Jesus Christ tell me, "You can do this!" It really touched my heart and I know right now I can do this and everybody better watch out because here comes the gringa, Hermana Channing Jackson, about to preach your ears off.

Not much has been happening here. I have just been cramming down the Spanish and the Gospel into my head. My teachers said my Spanish comprehension has improved a ton, which makes me feel good. I know once I get to Panama I will have no idea what is happening or how to communicate, but I know that it will all come in time.

Hermana Hurst and I went tracting on our own yesterday without a latina companion. We were terrified. I was like crap, how in the devil are we going to communicate, but we did ok. There was one lady we ran into who we could understand. She works for Avon and I had alot to say about the makeup I liked. Good thing I learned all the makeup vocab this week. He He. It was the day after voting here and Guatemala's Independence day so it was a party. Gun shots, groups of people, fireworks, the works. So alot of people were out and about.

Mostly everyone would put their heads down and would avoid us. I have found that I need to be more forward which is difficult for me. But while I was walking down a street I heard these words in my head. "Be Aggressive Channing!" And can you guess who's voice it was? Dad's when I heard him yell that at me in the High School Gym at my basketball game. I was like, "Ok Dad.....I got this! " And I went forward and was aggressive.

On Monday I head to Panama so I don't know when I will be emailing. Here is the address they emailed me.

Misión Panama

Edificio Hi Tech Plaza, 5-D

Calle 53 y Calle 50

Marbella, Panama City

Republica de PANAMÁ

Ok so the sisters here have been reprimanding me for not taking certain kinds of vitamins or prenatal crap. This lady I have a class with on Sunday told me that I need to be taking all this stuff in order to have a healthy babies. She said some ginger plant would do it for me. I just smiled and said I will think about it. PFFFFFFHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I was no thanks.....I am not a partaker in herbal nonsense. Don't you know that I BELIEVE IN SCIENCE!!! Ha ha Nacho Libre is quoted quite often here.

The President here was giving a devotional about something, I wasn't really sure where he was going with it, but he came up to me in front of all the north Americans and said, "Sister Jackson I know you want to be a great cook for you family and kids someday". If anyone knows me they would know how I reacted. I laughed and realized the man was serious. I was like ummmmm I think I would rather marry a man who could cook or a man rich enough to hire a cook. Everyone died laughing. Some of the women of course, were blown away at my answer. I guess some people think that all of us women would jump at the chance to cook food for a man and children, wash their clothes, clean up after them and take care of them......WROOONNNNGGOOOOOo. I am stilling working on the vision of me being a Mother in Zion. Maybe I will get there someday. LOL

Well I'm glad that Cambria is playing volleyball, Dad is still hunting, Mom is doing Zumba, and Blake is still kickin. I hope Brett has a great time in Ecuador!

Well I love yah all. And hope you are doing great! I miss you but not enough to come home!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

WEEK SEVEN - YO HE HABLADO‏

Hola Hola!!!

Well this week has been an interesting one, that is for sure.

I was a part of the welcome team for the new missionaries. I was the one telling people whats up and how this place is havoc. Because no one keeps to the schedule here or really follows the handbook. All the North Americans are a bunch of weirdos and the Latinos are really nice.

My companion was sick for a week and another hermana's companion was sick also. So me and Hermana Neighbor teamed up as part time companions and it was really good. My companion was soooo sooo sooo sick. She had something I don't know what but it was bad. The president gave her all these anti diarrhea pills and she took so many that the doctor said she paralyzed her bowels. She cried with happiness the other day when she could poop again. Poor woman.

The CCM is a festering place of disease. Everyone is sick and pathetic. My classmates were almost all gone this week. One Elder, who I talk with a lot, went to the bathroom over 30 times in the space of a couple of hours. Bless that mans butt! I started to get what ever was going around one night, but I told my body that I have had enough of this sick business and I pulled out the hand sanitizer and pills and was done with it.

Ok here is a word to the wise. NEVER EVER EVER EAT EGGPLANT!!!!! Holy mother of disgusting vomit! I have never been so sick slash grossed out in my entire life. I thought milk and cheese was sick oH no it is eggplant . I was so excited to try it because in the princess diaries novels Mia praised them to the sky. She is a liar! So I was eating my dinner and I saw this purple looking squash thing and I have tried everything I have been given. Well after the first bite I thought, something isn't right here. I took another and I was like ummmm this not that good. Before the next bite, I saw all these black seeds fall out of it that looked like frog eggs from a frog I dissected a couple of years ago. That's when the heaving stared and the gagging. I left and headed straight to the bathroom and didn't leave for most of the night. Both ends of me were not pleased.

I taught relief society to the North Americans this week. It was weird teaching in English but I loved it. Alot of Hermanas came up to me and thanked me for the great lesson. It was about Seeking the Companionship of the Holy Ghost. I reminded them that we are spiritual beings having an earthly experience, not earthly beings having a spiritual experience. Which is really an interesting thought and something to think about.

So you will all laugh at this one. You know how I hate musical numbers and singing it front of people and how I refused to do it as a missionary because that's all the Sister missionaries do. Well I have been dragged into about 5 or more since I have been on my mission. Ridiculous. And guess what! They are all high pitched songs. One Hermana said you really dont sing high do you? I told her I prefer to sing with the men. She was a little shocked but she realized I don't sing high when I sounded like a screeching owl in the night. He He He

Mission work is hard and emotional. I gave up my," I am not going to be emotional on my mission", because you cannot not be emotional. A teacher and I have been bumping heads about alot of things. He thinks I cant do alot of things and thinks I am a fragile stupid American who doesn't understand Spanish. But I showed him this week. He talks to me like I am a child and likes to point me out in class and draw attention to me, which I loathe. So what do I do? I slam it back. I am not going to take crap. You speak Spanish to me like I am a child, I will speak to you in advanced Spanish. So while I was teaching him this week I showed him a thing or two about the having the Spirit on your side and a whole lot of Spanish. He didn't know what to do with himself. He He He. I said to myself, "Take that rewind it back because the Spirit and I are bringing it back!" Oh man he really pushes me to the edge, but I keep telling myself two weeks two weeks. Oh well. I am nice to the man and all, but eeesh it has been difficult.

It sounds like everyone is doing great. Cambria you must be on top of math, don't let math take over your life and make you miserable. So math whats up! And I hope volleyball will get better. Just be goofy and have fun and hit the dang ball!!! Blake, I hope you have fun at photo shop world and school. Brett you are awesome and I am glad we are both doing what we are doing. Mom you are awesome and one sensible woman and young women's will be good. You have great counselors and people on your side. Dad you are the greatest! I don't know what I would do with out you. I love you all!

I hope everyone is doing great! I miss you all but not enough to come home. Love yah!

--
Hermana Channing Jackson

Week Six: Adventure in the City

Hola!

Well, today I set out on my adventure of the City.

Guatemala City is soooo awesome. Its big, old looking, historical, and beautiful. You guys would love it. So much culture and beauty. Its so weird I see all this stuff and I know that I will most likely never see it again in my life. Kinda weird but its true. I went to this place called the Mapa en Relieve which was really cool, I am pretty much in Book of Mormon places. Maybe.... who really knows, but our guide says we are.

Then I went to Mercado Central which is this market. It is a huge market full of all kinds of neat and amazing things. I was in awe. People sure try to  get you to buy stuff but I can put on the non-missionary like face of mine and they back off pretty quick. There was a guy who was hitting on my companion and I was not having it. He wanted her email and she said she can only email her family. She was being ridiculous and kept talking to him. I said, "Lie to the little creep and lets get out of here." But he demanded an address from her so I gave him mormon.org and said he will find missionaries on there to look into. Bawhahahaha. I swear some of these men are creepers. I bought a soccer jersey and a little tortuga thing because I want something to remember about Guatemala and plus I still have a ton of room. It was so much fun to converse in espanol and such. I sure enjoyed it. I love Quitzales here. Money is interesting.

After the market we went to Museo Miraflores. Which is a BC history museum. A lot of artifacts and such it was pretty legit. It was sooo cool until I ran into the snakes. So I booked it out there and went into hysterics of course. I did not see them coming.  The museum also had a mall next to it. Which is probably the biggest mall I have ever been in my entire life. It was huge! O my heavens it was amazing.

Blake, I want to see these pictures of yours. I know you will win and do great. Also happy Birthday you old fart. GOOD DAY!

I can't believe that in three weeks I will be out in Panama! I seriously can't wait. I am so excited. I hope my Spanish gets better. But who really knows. I met some Panamanians here and they are so beautiful. I was like blown away with how beautiful they are. They said it rains everyday and I will eat a ton of rice and chicken. Which I am totally fine with. I even got a referral from one of them. He told me to get his family baptized. So I will try to help with that.

I went to the Temple here in Guatemala. It is sooo sooo small and of course in Espanol which was quite cool. I am starting to see how important the Temple really is in our lives.

Every Sunday night we watch movies from the church. I watched Legacy the other day and bawled. I felt like an idiot but I have been thinking a lot about my ancestors and future generations a lot lately. It's weird how you can have so much love for people you haven't met in this life. We also talked about family history in relief society and I was all over that! I hope I have the opportunity to help families with family history someday. I really hope so.

I hope my letters are getting to people. Mail service is really iffy here. So if no one gets a letter I am sorry, but know that I am thinking about you.

My poor companion is sick with all kinds of things. I think it is the food. Our stomachs are no bueno that is for sure. But, hey, I will get use to it.

It has been raining like crazy here. I have never seen so much water in my life come from the sky. With in one minute you are completely soaked. It is sooo awesome I love it!  We go to teach all the time and we get caught in a rain storm. I love it!

Well I hope all is well. 

I miss you but not enough to come home! 

Love you take Care!

-Hermana Channing Jackson

Hermana and Elder Jackson:  MTC Provo

Week Five: The Streets of Guatemala

Hello there!

It is so good to hear from you guys and Brett. His email really got to me and I printed it out highlighted his last paragraph and shared it with everyone. He really has made an impact on some missionaries lives, mine included.

Well, I am finally on the mend. I have been eating only bland foods and I am starving. I've lost a bit of weight though, which is always good.

At the CCM every Saturday we do service in neighborhoods near the temple and other places. I really enjoy it because I get to leave these gates, wear pants, and work hard. Some missionaries here have never picked up a rake, trash bag or broom in their life and I've had a thing or two to say about that. There was this elder next to me standing with a trash bag looking out into space and  I was raking all these leaves. I told him "Don't stand there with your teeth in your mouth! There is trash right where I am raking -- you have hands, pick it up!" He jumped. I probably could of said it nicer but some people just need a good barking at. The crew boss in me came out.

Yesterday, I got out of the city and did a run at tracting with my other companion. They give us Latina companions. Mine is from the Dominican Republic where Grandma and Grandpa Bagwell served. Her named is Hermana Jimenez. And she is a go-getter! I cant understand a thing she says but it is all good. We went to the city in a pretty poor part of down. I was in awe. Such a different life, but I love it. There are guards with guns everywhere here. It is kind of interesting. There are gates and fences, bars, and dogs on top of roofs. It is such a different world. The Guatemalans can be soo soo nice, but you do run into the mean ones. Like the guards are terrifying. I haven't really gone through a huge culture shock, but I am sure it will kick in sometime.

Anyway, so we contacted a few people. Mostly when they saw me I heard the following words "Bonita, Rubia, Alta", etc... I was like, "Well, hola to you too!" That is basically all I said. "Hola, para usted, Si, soy de Colorado, voy a Panama, and Much Gusto..", but I felt so good when we were talking to these people. We met a man who owned this shop full of Coke! I was soooo happy. He was so nice he said I was really tall. He was a really good guy. We gave him some pamphlets and the missionaries are going to visit him sometime next week. I loved that little guy. It was such a great first time experience.

Oh, the Dear Elders do work here as well but take like a week or so to get here. But they told us that during our last few weeks to not send them because I probably wont get them. 

I am dying to know where Ashley is going to go. I am so excited for her! I hope she gets called to Panama. Cross your fingers!

I was wondering how my blogs are doing? I know I have book reviews coming every month and I wondered how my followers are doing. I hope you put up every bit of detail about my letters on my blog. This stuff is all kinds of classy! (Editors Note: Some of it is a bit too "classy" for the public.) Oh, and if there is anyway I can get those new pictures of our family I would be happy to have one.

Well, I don't have much to say this week besides Happy Almost-birthday to Blake on August 31st! Whoop Whoop. Slap his butt for me!   Also, next Tuesday I will be writing because it will be my field trip shopping day. I am wicked excited! I will try to sends some pictures soon.

Well, The work is great, Spanish is coming along, and I am loving the gospel more and more each day. I love you guys and I hope everyone is doing well.

I miss you. But not enough to come home!

Arrival in Guatemala

Hola Everyone!

So, I am in Guatemala safe and sound! And it is exactly how I pictured
it. It is amazing here! The smells, the people, everything is amazing.
The flights went  really well.  The last bit of American land I saw
was Florida. I took a picture and I said see ya later United Sates!

I am typing on a Spanish key board so I can't find certain punctuation
marks so excuse the lack of grammar. Also I can't find the spell check
on this thing so excuse the misspelled words as well.

Here in Guatemala, it is winter, so in other words, a whole lot of rain!
I totally love it! Beautiful city! The buildings and everything here
are so old looking and worn out I really like it.

The MTC or CCM here is really laid back. Like you can take a nap if
you feel the need too and eat as much ice cream or Heldado as you
want. Its so small. 110 people total. Crazy huh? There are two brick
buildings. One is the main MTC and the other is Temple Patron housing
( where I am staying) for people who come to the temple which is a
block away from the MTC. I am actually looking at it right now as we
speak. It looks like the Boise Temple. My room is really nice.

Here at the MTC it is exactly like a missionary schedule. Get up, gym,
breakfast, personal study, comp study, lunch....etc... We also get to
do alot of stuff outside the MTC. Every Saturday we get to do service
in the community. How awesome huh? I cant wait to get out and about.
There is also a local market we go too. Oh and in three weeks I get to
go on a field trip to the city. Malls and historical places. I am so
excited.

I have really gotten a piece of humble pie while I am here. There is a
Latino in out room who doesn't speak English. the only thing she knows
is "Whats up fool!" she is sassy. She saw all our luggage and said wow
you brought a lot of stuff. The whole time I have been thinking I
didn1 bring enough. She only has one pair of shoes and a couple pairs
of clothes. I was like, "wow, I really do come from a different world."

There is also this man named Roberto Cacas who doesn't speak that much
English but he is learning. I didn't realize how hard it is for them to
learn English. We are the same because its hard for me to learn
Spanish.

The food here is actually really good but if you don't eat it all they
will be offended. So I am learning to say just a little bit of food.
They give you a lot of starchy foods. I feel food babies coming on!

I have come up with a motto for myself for the next year and a half
and beyond and I decided to share it with you. Here it is: "I am here
to make things better. Why will it be better? Because I was there!"

I totally love that. I hope that the lives of the people in Panama
will be better because I was there, representing our savior Jesus
Christ and inviting them to come to Christ.

Lets hope that I can live up to my motto.

Well I just wanted to let you guys know that I am here safe and that I
am going to work my hardest to learn the language so I can be able to
teach the gospel of Christ to the people of Panama in their own
language.

I miss you guys, but not enough to come home! Love you!


- Hermana Channing Jackson