Mi Barrio

Did you know a "ward" or congregation to those who are not LDS literate, is called a barrio in español? That just makes me laugh every time I hear it.

I really am loving the Spanish ward. It's great. Okay, I am really, really happy not to be teaching the Sunbeams (3 yr olds) anymore . I mean two and half yrs of it--in my last two previous wards--was really quite enough. I am teaching the 11 yr. olds, which I love. They're the best age, the most adultish kids you can get without the teenager attitude yet. So fun. Teaching in Spanish is kind of crazy, I mean, I really don't SPEAK Spanish, so I just read whatever parts I can from the manuel and scriptures in Spanish and then discuss it in English. When a kid does answer me in Spanish I never understand and so I just nod and say yeah. However all of the kids speak English, and most of the time they tell me to speak in English (I ignore them). On Sunday we were talking about "el Sacerdocio" or Priesthood power, and none of them knew what "sacerdocia" meant.

Leo says he has the same problem in Hombres Jovenes (Young Men's). The president is actually one of the two other Caucasian people in the ward--he grew up in Colorado, Catholic family, his friends in high school introduced him to the church and he was baptized, served a mission in the DR, and is still the only member in his family. His wife is from Colombia. She's awesome. Anyway, he wanted to teach the lessons in English because for most of the kids, that's what they're comfortable in, in fact one kid in there speaks no Spanish at all. Anyway, the other counselor was upset because he doesn't speak English at all, so then he can't really contribute if it's in English. Which is a valid point. However the presidente thought they should be most concerned with teaching the boys the gospel, whatever the language was, so if they didn't understand Spanish then English would be best. Plus, he thought it might be a good opportunity for his counselor to work on his English. ;) It's the same in YW's. The president told me she gives the lessons half in Spanish, half in English. She even says it's easier for her in English and she was in Venezuela till she was 15--she's 22 or so now. And a lot of the kids were born here, so English really is their first language, especially in the family's where both parents are and were working a lot, which to be honest, our barrio isn't exactly affluent and most adults work several jobs.

It certainly makes for an interesting time.

Another plus, they always have food!!! Leo and I decided to start telling people we only came to this ward for the food. Even in Primary we had hotdogs and brownies the other day. A bit unorthodox goodbye dinner for another teacher who was moving back to Mexico.

Another thing that's fun--the men play volleyball and fútbol every other week. You know how violent and intense church basketball is? I've never before seen that in a volleyball game--not to mention the fútbol! Leo was in heaven. I think that's the happiest I've seen him for a long, long time. My only complaint is that, from what I've seen in Latino culture, the women don't play. No mi me gusta. :(

It's certainly humbling to be in this ward too. I mean, I am so impressed all the time with the faith of so many of the members and what they have gone through to get where they are. One hermano was telling me about how his mother had died when he was 12, and he had nine siblings--the youngest was two--and he learned to sew on his mother's push pedal sewing machine so he could mend clothes and even help make clothes for the rest of his family. He was mocking me because I said I was going to throw away Elena's torn leotards. Ruff. Another hermana (actually the Colombiana, who's married to the YM's president) was telling us how her younger brother--he was about 12 or 13--started taking the missionary discussions, and she agreed to talk with the misionarios only because she wanted to have them come dance with her at her quinceñera, and then she was so mad when they wouldn't that she stayed mad when her brother was baptized. Then it took about four years of her arguing with her brother before she realized she had no more arguments and was baptized herself. Hee. Hee. Her husband went down to Colombia after his mission to teach English, and at church the first Sunday he was there, she was the Sunday School teacher, and well, they were engaged four weeks after that. (I love to hear how people met their spouse!)

Anyway, Leo is really happy too, and although my Spanish is not rapidly improving at least I come home every Sunday motivated to study more.