Homemade Tamales!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had exchanges this week! It was AWESOME! As always. The sister training leaders are SOOOO good! I always learn so much from them. Hna. Palafox is so bold, direct, loves her mission and lives every moment to the fullest, humble, loving, relaxed and calm yet diligent, focuses outward. I loved learning from her example. I have so much to improve upon. I never realized until now how important the power of example is. I learned from that exchange that the best way to teach is to be what you want them to learn. She taught me that to teach you must be teachable. That was a great lesson to me. I am amazed that the sister training leaders are always so respectful and loving towards us, and seem to learn as much from the exchange as we do. How is it they do that when they are already so experienced and know so much? It is because they come in an attitude of love and humility. That is how to be a good leader. On my last two exchanges the traveling sisters have emphasized to me the importance of being a good leader. I know the Lord has blessed me with some natural talents that it is my responsibility to develop. I need to learn to teach by example. I want to be so much better than I am and I know the Lord has given me this time to train as an opportunity to grow more. I have grown a lot this transfer, but I know I can do much better.

I tried handmade, authentic tamales for the first time this week. THEY ARE THE BEST THING EVER. Aka I have found my favorite Mexican food. It makes me want to say to all the other tamales I've tried at restaurants and stuff, "WHO do you think you are calling yourself a tamale??" They are SO much better when a sweet old grandma from Mexico makes them. YUM.

So May was really hot, and June so far has been really cloudy, go figure. I guess that happens every year and everyone hear calls it June Gloom. It's awesome! I love it all cloudy and perfect weather and not hot when we walk all day.

So, a favor to ask. If any of you wonderful family members have the desire to get me a birthday present (which would be so incredibly kind of you and you do not have to!) I would love the mormon messages DVD to share with people to give spiritual thoughts. I would also love any other teaching aids: things that help explain things we teach. I already have good ones for the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation - but other things would be great. For example, one missionary has this card that shows really well how the Book of Mormon was written here and the Bible in the middle east and how we came to have them today. So maybe you could google "missionary teaching aids" and print out for me whatever looks useful? That would be awesome. And if you can think of anything else that is helpful when explaining gospel things, or any activities that would be good for FHE, just anything else you think would be helpful - I would love it. Also, we would love some good music! Some CDs I've borrowed from the elders that I've loved are anything by The Lower Lights - they do AWESOME hymn arrangements. Also this CD called Nearer - I love that one. I wish I could remember who it's by, but it has Mormon hymns on it. And if there's anything else you can find that's good, missionary-appropriate music that would be fun to listen to I would love it! It helps so much to have while we drive and helps make the days a lot more fun! Also EFY music is great to - if you have any I could borrow that would be great! Again, totally don't have to, but if you want to, that is what will be helpful. :) Long story short: teaching aids and music. :)

About the pictures: 1) A random one of my companion and I, if I haven't told you yet - Hna. Corniea from American Fork, 2) an awesome street sign that was in the area I went on exchanges to.

Love you! Hope you have a great week!
Hna. Cannon

Vida's comments: This is the #2 Amanda described above. For those of you who don't know Spanish, I believe Si Se Puede means Yes,  You Can! Or maybe it means IF you can...

Vida's comments: Just heard that Sister Corniea's family is in Rob Cannon's ward in American Fork!