first week in Oklahoma!

Hey Everyone!
Sorry it's been two weeks! I'm here in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma! I'm loving every minute of it! I flew in last Tuesday, and so I've been here exactly a week today! When the plane was landing, it was cloudy, so I only saw Oklahoma from the sky for two seconds, and it was just how I pictured it-dry, brown, and flat.

I am in the Oklahoma City area, in the Spanish 6th branch, which takes in all the spanish speaking people from this stake. It's kind of a big area. Hermana Whiting is my companion, and I love her SO much! She kind of reminds me a lot of Kira Middleton! She's from Hawaii, but was born in Japan (like Tavin!). Hermana Tucker is with Hermana Alas in the north. They get to reopen an area. I'm kind of glad I'm here where Hna. Whiting and Hna. Alas have been for the past year because it's well established as far as the work goes. Also, Hna. Whiting will be going home in February. We're guessing that when that happens, Hermana Tucker and Hermana Alas will come back here from the north and we'll be a trio until Hna Alas goes home, but we'll see.

This past week, we've taught SO many lessons and contacted many people. I was a little surprised how much we have planned! It's great! I really feel like I've harvesting the field! It's such a blessing! I love it!

When I got here, the weather was nice, but Sunday and yesterday it rained and it was like 38-40 degrees or so! It's freezing! Time to bundle up!

We have lots of dinner appointments, and I've loved everything that I've been fed so far! Lots of Mexocan food, which I absolutely LOVE! They really like things spicy, and I do too, but then my mouth just burns! But it's worth it! :)

I LOVE the people! I've been praying before I got here that I'd have a hardworking companion and love the people, and my prayers have been answered! I love them all, and I'm already hoping and wishing that I don't get transferred next transfer, but we'll see.

Hna. Calderon, my comp in the MTC, FINALLY got to go to New York south, her mission! She left on Nov 4. (it was the Wednesday before I left). We found out the night before that she was flying out the next morning. We were all crying and laughing so much that night! I didn't want her to go because I love her SO much, but I was SO happy for her. So, I spent my last week in the MTC as a solo sister again. And it wasn't bad at all!

There are SO many things to tell you all, but my time is limited! I have more time in the field to write, which is a plus.

Just so you all know, my apartment is really close to the mission office, so I won't give you my apt address for 2 reasons. One, those who work in the mission office just forward on our mail to our apts, so all of you back home don't have to worry about my address changing all of the time. And two, the apt we live in, for some reason the mailman is unreliable or doesn't leave our mail, I'm not sure what it is. So, we just go to the office and get our mail.

My address is:
Hermana Christina Hogewoning
Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission
416 SW 79th St Ste 210
Oklahoma City, OK 73139-8121

I did have two letters waiting me at the mission office when I arrived last Tuesday from Sarah Price and Grandma Dee. Thank you two for your letters! It was a pleasant surprise! The elders all said, go figure, the sisters always get mail. Hehe! :)

I gotta go, but really quick before I go, one funny story... So, there is this woman, Gregoria Segura. She has a lot of kids and lots of grandkids. She's less active in the church, and we visit her often. Some of her children have been baptized, and we are working with some of them to get them ready to be baptized. She watches her grandkids quite often. Anyway, we were at her house last week, and she told us she a "gallina" (chicken) in the bedroom right off the kitchen. I was not worried about it at all because it was staying in there. Then it came out. I was moving my leg to keep it away. Movement seemed to scare it away. Then as Hna. Whiting was teaching and I was sitting there listening, the chicken flies out of the bedroom. I jumped! I was so freaked out! Gregoria asked if it tried to bite me. I laughed and said no, it just startled me. Haha! So, apparently I'm deathly afraid of chickens. Not really. Hehe!

My spanish is coming along! I actually understand and can speak more than I thought I'd be able to. I'm getting better every day!

So far I love Oklahoma, but I've decided if I wasn't on a mission I might not love it so much. No, but in all seriousness, I really love it. There are lots of stray dogs, lots of run down houses/apts, many barred porches and windows, but I love it here! And the people have a slight accent. When I flew in, the mission president and his wife as well as the APs (assistant to the president) picked us up. They told us to count all of the oil rigs and churches. Because they are both practically everywhere you go. I didn't realize how much Oklahoma is part of the bible belt. Actually, I've been told it's the buckle of the bible belt. Most everyone here is very religious and goes to church. That's amazing to me! It makes it easier to teach the gospel because it's so similar to the time Joseph Smith lived in, with all the churches. I am so blessed to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to share that with everyone here in Oklahoma!

I love you all so much! I feel so blessed because I feel like we are teaching a lot of people who are so close to being baptized, and that brings me great joy to see that! Thank you all for your support, prayers, and love. I truly appreciate and love you all! Until next week...

Love,
Hermana Christina Hogewoning

I leave for Oklahoma exactly one week from today!!!! :)

Hey Everyone,
So last Tuesday we got to hear from Elder L. Tom Perry. It was awesome! I love that I have had the opportunity to hear two apostles speak! It's great, and it's reminds me of being at BYU-I for devotionals. He talked about how we as missionaries can teach better. Also, I was in the choir that night and we sang, "Lead Kindly Light." It was awesome!

Last Thursday I got my travel plans! I fly to Oklahoma City next Tuesday, November 10, so today is my last p-day in the MTC. I have to be at the Travel Office at 4am! I'm going to get no sleep! I fly to Chicago/O'hare, IL, have a 50 minute layover, and then fly to Ok City. Crazy! I can't believe my time here in the MTC is so rapidly coming to an end! I can't believe it's November already! Ah!! One elder from my district leaves Monday, I leave Tuesday, and I think everyone leaves Wednesday, all of next week. We aren't sure when Hermana Calderon leaves yet. We should be finding out today or tomorrow.

Yesterday Hermana Calderon and I both had doctors appointments. She has been cleared to leave! Finally! And I don't have to wear my boot any more. The sad part is that the fracture that happened back in June never healed properly. The doctor said I probably should have had a screw put in it, but since it's not hurting he's not going to do anything. What probably happened is that I disrupted it playing volleyball. He said it will be broken (or a non-union is what he called it) for the rest of my life, which means it may be disrupted again and again. My other ankle is still not healed and is sore. I think I might have problems with my feet for the rest of my life. Kind of a bummer! :/ But I'm fine! :)

I got a letter yesterday from the only 2 spanish speaking sisters, Hermana Alas and Hermana Whiting, in the Ok City Mission. They have been companions for a year and have been praying for more sisters! I couldn't believe that! There is only one spanish speaking area, but when I get there I will be paired with one of them and my first companion (Hermana Tucker, she and I will be on the same plane to OK together) will be paired up with the other one of them, and one set of us will open a new area! I'm SO excited! Even if it's not me that opens the area! I started crying as I read their letter. I know I'm supposed to be in Oklahoma, and this is just the beginning of the many reasons why.

All of a sudden it's starting to hit me that I'm going to be preaching the gospel and baptizing and changing and touching many lives. Being in the MTC, you kind of are in this bubble, and you don't really know what you're in for until you get to the field. I really can't wait to be there, although I will miss the MTC SO much! I simply just love it here! But I can't wait to be in the "real world" again teaching the people of Oklahoma and serving them.

During my personal study a few days ago, I found a talk by Neal A. Maxwell called, " Consecrate Thy Performance." It is amazing! I encourage you to read it if you can. (You can search for it on lds.org.) My favorite part was how he said we can't hold back part, we have to give all to God. I just love that! And I'm learning that more and more every day! I can't be part in the work, and part of me back home or somewhere else.

I seriously feel so blessed to be serving a mission! I can't wait to see what trials, blessings, and experiences the Lord has in store for me.

I love you all! I am grateful for your prayers, support, love, and letters! I wish I could write you all. But I am realizing with each week that passes I don't want to write as much as I did when I got here because I just want to focus on the work! It's so amazing how your feelings change when you're on a mission.

Time to go! I'm not sure when my next p-day is, so if you don't here from me next Tuesday, don't worry. I'll write as soon as I can!

Love,
Hermana Christina Hogewoning