One Year

Hey, all,

Well, last week I hit my one-year mark away from my home, and next week I hit my one-year mark here in Mexico.

What the crazy.

I don't know how I feel about it, honestly. In some ways I feel like I just got here. In others I feel like I should have hit my year mark three months ago given how long it feels like I've been away from home, family, friends, music, movies, skinny jeans, converse, and sleep.

Basically it's just weird and hard to wrap my head around.

But, this is how I feel about being here:

I love being here. The culture, food, language, country, people … I'm even learning to love the ridiculous heat.

I can't begin to describe the things that I have learned this past year, about Mexico, myself, the gospel, being an adult, being a good person, being patient, accepting and overcoming challenges, how to keep an apartment clean, the best way to eat tacos without getting messy, how to be humble and listen to my leaders even though I am pretty sure they are crazy…. But most importantly, about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and my Father in Heaven, and how, even though I am an exaggeratedly imperfect person, they love me perfectly, and help me in all that I do.

No matter what happens these next six months, I am grateful for the chance I have to be here, to be a missionary, and to work every day to try and help other people. I often have no idea what I am doing, but hey, that's where faith comes in. And trust…. And sometimes pixie dust (did I mention that I also miss books?).

Love you all!

Hermana Dallyn Marie Anderson

P.S. I love how tan I look in the second picture. It's a trick. I'm still really white.