Arrival

Dear Todd and Mary Sue Shelton,

Please see attached photos of Sister Shelton and President and Sister Weekes. Sister Shelton will be a wonderful missionary and a great addition to OEM.

Below is Sister Shelton’s address. Her “P” day in on Monday. Her telephone number is (541) 232-6755.

190 SW Newton Drive,
Waldport OR 97394]

Sincerely,

Sister Medina
Oregon Eugene Mission

last full week

To start this off on a positive note, I would like to inform you all that I understood what topic was being talked about in our lesson of our TRC this week (which shouldn't be impressive because I helped plan the lesson, but sometimes Allison will switch it upon us and I'll just be nodding and saying phrases I find in the red book). That was definitely our smoothest lesson yet, hopefully, next week's lesson - which will be our last one!?!- will go as well. It's been pretty good teaching Allison, I'm sure she's a great person, I just unfortunately understood next to nothing that she told us about herself.

To pause being positive, I had to go to the DMV this week (I needed my driving record for my reassignment), for those of you that haven't gone for a while, it is as bad as you remember (perhaps even worse?). The Chic Fil A workers would have had me out of there in about 3 minutes flat, but instead, it took over 30 minutes for them to print out half a sheet of paper we had to pay 8$ for. The woman at the front desk- Ana T if your reading this it was the U-Turn Lady- really took my ID, asked for my appointment code, and then asked me what my name was, COULD SHE NOT READ!?!? My name was on both the appointment and the ID? I understand this was a minor thing but, it very much bothered me for multiple hours following this interaction. That entire building reaks of despair and as my father often says has the same effect on your soul as the dementors from Harry Potter.


Anyway getting back on track here, all in all, it was a pretty great week. Learned some new words, got stressed about the massive amounts of Spanish I don't know, and learned some verb conjugations.


We had a Workshop for Transitioning into the Field this week (we had to do it this week because next week is CHRISTMAS). Anyway, they had this website that let us put in questions and then vote for questions and they'd answer the top ones. Some of the questions being sent in there we sending me into orbit.


Most of you would already know, but Ian, Rachel, and Rocky surprised us by showing up early for their visit. I saw their figures walk past my window, and thought I must have been imagining it for a moment. I heard knocking at the door and heard my dad say something about how UPS must be delivering his package. I was in class trying to focus on some video of people stating their beliefs in Spanish, and I couldn't focus on a single word; because when my dad finally answered the door (he likes to give the UPS man time to get back to his truck) he and my mom were quite excited, and I could hear it from my home MTC. Anyway, half an hour later I had a break from class, and as I walked into our living room, I was treated by the sight of the attached image.

Such a fun week, and I can't believe it's my last full one of the MTC. Feels like we just started, kind of stressful, but also very exciting. I hope everyone has a phenomenal Christmas. Make sure to remember the reason for the season somehow, and eat a lot of cookies!


Hermana Shelton

PowerPoint is my passion

The first full week of Spanish, what an experience it was! It feels very similar to my sophomore year math class in terms of confusion, and me just overall not comprehending a word. I did get to use my EXCELLENT PowerPoint skills this week, so that was cool (as I'm sure most of you remember, I'm certified in Microsoft Office, it's one of my top five skills). For the few of you not in my immediate family, this is, in fact, a joke, I just got a certificate for Microsoft Office from a class in high school and my oldest brother loves to roast me over it.

Another one of my new-found top skills you ask, nodding. I feel like all I ever do since we switched to Spanish is nod my head and hope for the best. A Hermana from my district during our Devotional Review -we zoom on Tuesday nights as a district to talk about the weekly devotional- that she felt like all of us were picking up Spanish MUCH faster than her. I told her for at least me, I'm just nodding. Most of the district also admitted that they didn't know what was going on over half the time as well, the reassurance I got from hearing that was cathartic. We're supposed to stop them anytime we don't understand for them to repeat the instructions or say it in different words we may know; I personally think it's very brave of them to assume I remember how to ask them to stop/repeat themselves.


I finished Alma this week- I've been reading in Alma since before the MTC- and would like to take a moment for all of you to be excited with me. Thank you for your support during this blank space, it was a very exciting time for me.


I spend most of my day on zoom as you know, but I also spend at least an hour a day studying Spanish that we'll be using in the classes that day. A way to be semi-prepared for when they call on me if you will. It's a great idea, in theory, it is, but I still don't know what's happening. Hermano Wide or Hermana Edgel start talking about something and I revert back into the nod and thumbs up coping mechanism. It's all good though, eventually, it either clicks or someone throws me a lifeline of some sort.


Anyway, my district is trying to make a Christmas Video of sorts, kind of hard when everyone has a different vision and we're not even in the same room to coordinate with, but I think we can pull something together. I have absolutely no idea how to shoot or edit video so this may prove to be a total disaster or a phenomenal learning experience. Anyway, I hope it works out and one of us is capable of editing something that we can post online without our gag reflexes being set off.


This week has also been an absolutely atrocious week for District 7-B's internet. Almost everyone was having trouble at one point- which gave us some FANTASTIC freeze frames- including yours truly. Wifi at MTC Shelton went down and I had to try to hot spot the TRC zoom call on my phone. This obviously didn't work well because having service at the Shelton household is a pipedream, so I kept dropping in and out of the call. Which wasn't helpful to the fact that I can't understand a word Alisson - the girl we teach in TRC - says. My companions later told me that they kept thinking to themselves how lucky I was and that they wished their internet wasn't working during that call. We had a pretty set out lesson this week- all on a joint google doc we could pull for reference- and then when we mentioned the atonement she started asking questions (we thought she already knew about it so we weren't prepared for these questions). Instant panic ran over all three of us, I noticed all three of us desperately flipping through notes and typing on our computers trying to find something to say. Anyway, I now know what it is like to be a deer caught in the headlights officially, and honestly, I still feel like I could handle the situation better than a deer does. We're already planning next week's lesson, and I look forward to seeing what questions we weren't prepared for then.


Attached below is something Hermana Edgel had us do for class on Monday, we found a quote we liked in Spanish, I'm pretty sure it had to be about joy or happiness, and then she had us go take a picture for it. It was HECKA cold outside and I was in a skirt but at least I got to see outside for a while.


Also, if you are on this email I have preemptively added you to my email list without asking if you wish to be on it. If you do not wish to be on it, do the decent thing and simply delete the email, I don't need to know.


Much love,
Hermana Shelton

zoom and a second language are quite the combination

This is where the confusion begins! This week we started to transition to language learning, and WOW what a week. I'm definitely learning Spanish, but not nearly as fast as I'm learning to get good at charades. We also had to start to do our TRCs in Espanol, and that was truly something else. I had been prepped for this experience from hearing Nate talk about his experiences so I was prepped with some questions to ask and a testimony on a notecard, mis companeras (I don't know how to type the special letters), however, seemed to think we were somehow going to give this woman a very eloquent and thought out language after speaking this language for a whopping day and a half. They were very surprised by how fast the girl talked and how little they understood, it actually went better than I, as a pessimist thought it would, which is why being a pessimist is kind of great because you're either right or pleasantly surprised ;) She actually gave us pretty good reviews in the survey after so, go us! We have another lesson with her next week so let's hope we can understand 7% of what she said instead of 4% this time! :)


Clase en espanol is a bit more entertaining honestly (and a bit more terrifying). Hermano Wride (one of my teachers) draws us pictures sometimes to understand things or shows off his awe-inspiring charades skills (I'd put money down on him being in his high school's improv troop). Also, he has Covid, I completely forgot until this moment, his roommates and he got it and are all in isolation dorms now (even though it seems like if the entire apartment had it they couldn've just stayed there ?). He seems fine though - we would ask him but we don't know how to in espanol- maybe just a stuffy nose, so that's good.


We had to join a different district's class for a day- our teacher had something, IDK?) and it was eye opening. The District we joined used the zoom chat CONSTITNLY, I think we unmuted ourselves in the main session like twice. They'd be asking questions/answering questions to Hermano Jensen (their teacher) but then they'd also be talking to each other over the chat as the lesson so the chat would just be blowing up as this man is giving us instructions in a different language. Then when we went into breakout rooms they had no idea what we were doing; and the members of my district had to carry the conversation on our backs. During the 5 minute breaks (they give us one every hour so we can go to the bathroom stretch and try to keep our brains from oozing out of our ears) they wouldn't leave! They'd just sit there and play FELIZ NAVIDAD on loop. It was uncomfortable to watch, I felt like such a lurker. The funniest part to me however is that one of the Elders in their district was trying to with anyone with a pulse and no Hermana in my district ever responded to his remarks in the chat (yes, he was from Utah Valley I asked when I was forced into a breakout room with him). Anway in case you couldn't tell it was a hard pass from me, and I am VERY thankful for my district. Incredibly grateful I got put with these six misioneros who I QUITE like, which is saying a lot because I hate most people. Anyway just wanted to say there are no coincidences and God knew exactly who to group together for the best outcome, much love for my district. Best of luck to Hermano Jensen trying to teach that other one, I wish him well.


Anyway, that's about it just a week of mass confusion, head nodding to pretend I understand things and saying "Muy Bien" o "Repítalo, por favor". Hope everyone has a great December and DON'T FORGET to #LightTheWorld!


Hermana Shelton


P.S for those who care:

I would like to give everyone a brief overview of my district (hand-drawn image attached below for those wishing to follow along at home). Edler Wolfs is our Canadian friend and therefore is insanely polite and the King of ending awkward silences by volunteering. Elder Beutler lives in Far-West Utah but is the Grandson of a former Asian (Laos) dictator. Hermana Cottrell is from California, but went to school at BYU last year, and - just like the rest of us- has received her temporary assignment to, wait for it, Orem, Utah. Hermana Gibsons's first name is Liahona, and she has - or rather the Grandparents she is staying with have - the worst internet connection in the District, she always freezes in funny positions. Hermana Teichert (mi companera) is from Cokeville Wyoming (as in the Cokeville Miracle), and graduating from a class of a whopping 19 students, 4 of which were her cousins. Hermana Anderson (mi otra companera) is from Colorado and California (current home of her familia), she was just called to the Colorado Denver South mission on reassignment, so the church is really saying there's no place like a past home.

the first full week of zoom

First things first, I got reassigned. I will now be serving in the Eugene, Oregon mission!!! At least that's what Shawn (I mean President Osbourne) told me on the phone Tuesday night, so far my missionary portal won't change so I can't get any more information on my new mission.
We started TRC (training resource center) appointments this week, this week we had to do two lessons in our native language (next week we're supposed to do one in español which will be absolutely horrific). Anyway, we signed up to teach this girl named Alex, who was a "non-member" that went to BYU and wanted to know more about the gospel. The first time we just got to know her and shared a brief message on prayer, the next time we were supposed to actually teach a lesson. Yesterday, when when we had our last lesson, we went in prepared to give the message of the restoration de el evangelio, we ended up talking about prayer for yet another 25 minutes (that's the whole time period of the lesson). Which I guess is what she (or her character) had questions about, so at least the lesson was tailored to her. I talked to Caleb, Nate, and Josh about their experiences with TRCs my favorite quote on it goes to Caleb, "You'll look back on those and wonder how you ever taught a lesson that bad." So, it seems there's nowhere to go but up my friends, and man, do we need to go up.  The next lesson will probably be an even greater trainwreck, but I assume that's exactly what it's supposed to be.

Anywho, I had many classes, this week learned a lot of great stuff, and took a lot of notes; but my favorite thing I learned this week is that an Elder in my district is the Grandson of a former Asian dictator (Laos to be specific). Apparently his mom grew up in a palace with servants before the monarchy collapsed (the country is communist now I think?) and then she escaped became a member at some point and somehow settled down in Far West Utah- which I have since learned is NOT just that one exit where I stopped to eat every other day for softball freshman year- wild.

It was great to have the day off for Thanksgiving! I got to see some of my extended family and eat the day away.


Why is a day full of eating Turkey the most tiring day of the year? I felt absolutely exhausted the entire day, but man am I grateful for rolls, pie, mashed potatoes, and layered jello (the only thanksgiving foods as far as I'm concerned). Also, I'm thankful for mi familia, Jesucristo, y el evangelio I guess ;). I definitely say those a lot in my prayers because they're three of the 15 Spanish words I can remember off the top of my head.

Anyway much love from Hermana Shelton, I'm off to go enjoy the rest of my P-day.

Messages from my Dad's Office

We've been instructed to email our families every week, to flex the technology that allows us to do so if nothing else I suppose. My district is composed of three companionships (is this unusually small or normal?) one set of Elders and the rest Hermanas. I am in a triad (I believe they are called) with Hermana Teichert and Hermana Anderson, the two of which are both blonde and I couldn't tell them apart for the first day. Both of them are extremely nice, they seem like the kind of friends that would wait for you to tie your shoelace while the rest of the group kept walking and left you in the dust.

According to Dallin, the MTC cafeteria could use a little work, but I personally think that the new chef Mary Sue (read it in a bad french accent) is doing a fantastic job. I'm very much enjoying the turkey avocado wraps she makes for me.

We had our first tutoring session yesterday, we went over Spanish 97 (below 101) and worked on introducing ourselves. Our tutor for Spanish name is Hermana Hancey and one of her MAJORS is Spanish so she's pretty qualified. She's actually roommates with our night class (6:15-9:15) teacher Hermana Edgel. Both of them seem like they would tie the shoelace for you when it came untied, and have the perfect voices to eventually in one of the General Presidencies. Our afternoon class is taught by Hermano Wride who also seems like he says sorry when someone does something to him.


In class on Thursday, Hermana Edgel brought her friend Kennedei (who is not from Utah despite spelling her name that way). She isn't a member and told us about her past experiences with religion and her knowledge of God. After she talked to us for a while we went into breakout rooms (mini zoom calls with just certain members of the group, for non-zoom users) with our companions to find scriptures or insights to share with her. Originally Heramana Edgel was just going to send her the scriptures, but Kennedei actually agreed to come back and let us teach her a mini-lesson on Saturday (so like a couple of hours ago).


She came in halfway through class and each companionship took a turn teaching her, everytime we'd come back from the breakout rooms a group would have watery eyes. My companionship went last, and we decided that since we were last we should prioritize any questions she had from the previous lessons instead of throwing even more information at her. I was amazed by her questions, I'd never heard any like those before. They were real questions, it wasn't "So, like why can't you guys drink coffee?" She was asking how she could know that the savior is there for her personally, and how she could know that God is with her. Talking with her and helping her with questions she had (for the brief 15 minutes we had) has been the HIGHLIGHT of my MTC experience. I have an overwhelming feeling that today will not be the end of her story with this church.


Anyway, hope everyone has a great day, I'm going to walk out of Dad's office so we can go to lunch now! Hope everyone has a great day and don't forget to share something you're thankful for!!


Much love,
Hermana Shelton