First Week in Redlands!

Has it really only been 6 days here?   Ok so Tuesday was possibly the longest day of my whole life.  I flew into California with a bunch of other missionaries and went straight to the mission home in Redlands (which is beautiful).  We had some real food for lunch and then went to a whole bunch of training/meetings/interviews and such at the stake center right next to the Redlands temple!  We were all so incredibly tired but that night we watched the Meet the Mormons movie!  I somehow stayed awake and it was really really good so definitely go see it!  We slept in the mission home and the next morning we met our trainers and went out!  And now I know what real missionary work is!  I had mentally prepared myself for everything in Panama but this is a little different haha so I am adjusting to the idea of having a car and air conditioning and people who speak English but really trying not to get too adjusted.  I've met so many new people and I can't keep any of the names straight but I have loved hearing and (partially) understanding all of their stories!  A lot of the people speak English but a lot of them only speak Spanish to us!  I can understand and get the idea of pretty much everything they are saying but I pretty much just sit there and smile because I can't think fast enough to really respond.  But I always get a chance to speak a little Spanish because when it's time for the prayer my companion asks them who they would like to offer it and every single time, without fail, they smile at me and say "la nuevacita".  So I can pray really well in Spanish but if you want to have a normal conversation you're out of luck.  Also THE JUICE.  Every single house we walk into they hand us a giant glass of some kind of juice.  Who knew there were so many different kinds of juice?  But the people are incredible and we have some recent converts with crazy awesome testimonies so most of the time I feel like they are teaching me.  Conference was great and I got to watch it in English!!  loved loved loved it!  Last night I sang Frozen songs with one of our recent converts granddaughters and that's probably the highlight of my week haha.  Love you so much!:)

-Hermana Smith