Bittersweet

The District Quetzal (lots of Girls)

Right now I feel like everything is a little crazy because there is a lot to do today.  Sorry if this email seems a little rushed as well. Really I have loved working this week and being in this area. We are working so much directly with the leaders right now and several plans we developed we are just starting to put into action. 

 

Last P-day I went to send letters and I found a lot of missionaries there that knew me but I didn´t know them. It turns out they were the new missionaries in San Juan.  I was able to find out about my recent converts which was nice.  I really love them and it is cool to hear about their progress.  

 

Tuesday, we helped some people with service and now they are new investtigators. I love how the Lord places people in our path. I also love doing service!!!  At one point in the day I helped a girl with her graduation speech that had to be in English.  She asked if in the States I was a professional teacher. I feel like I am not that good of a teacher but it is nice to hear comments and also always look for ways to improve.  

 

Wednesday, we started the day off with more service painting a house. It was a lot of fun and then we even made some Mexican Food, I missed that.  For some reason kids just all cling to me and they know that I love them so much. There were several missionaries there but they just came to me. We played and had a great time. At one point we sang ring around a rosie and they wanted to know what it was in Spanish so I made up some words: corre en un circulo, bulsas llenas de flores, coco loco todos caimos.  

 

Thurday we went to work with the Socidad Soccoro to do service. I feel like in the last week or two all of the leaders have realized how much we can do for them and really love having us here. 

 

There were a lot of tough times in this week as well though, with fechas falling and seeing some families fall apart. We are working on helping them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is amazing how many experiences I have had in my life that can help me relate to many people. I can relate to  how they feel and I have examples how the gospel helped me and things that we can do for them.  

 

That night in a lesson an investigator could play the guitar, so we started singing and it was really cool. I like singing with other people with music. It sounded so good and felt amazing. Music really brings the spirit so easily and can help us so much in life. 

 

Saturday, I had a lot of hope to get some new investigators. We tried to find a girl to go with us to one of the lessons but with no luck, We went to a house to see if his wife was there. She wasn´t so we couldn´t go in but we taught at his door and it was amazing. One of the best lessons I have had and it was really different. I am sad I won´t be able to see him progress. I felt really good after that and sang,"The Sun´ll Come Out Tomorrow". haha

 

Sunday is when I noticed most how the Lord prepares the way for his children. We had a regional stake conference with all of Guatemala where President Eyring, Elder Scott, Hna. Wixom and other general authorirties spoke. It was really good. I want to look up Elder Scott´s talk and read it. He speaks Spanish really well.

 

In the confernce a less active came to church. I guess missionaries have tried to get him to go to church for a long time and with us he went. It wasn´t us though, the Lord was preparing the way. Then we went to find a youth that didn´t go to church for the last few weeks. At the house we did some service but after we found out that the member who was with us was chased away just a few days before. Now he has plans to go back and help them more. The Lord was preparing them and allowed us to come at just the right moment to help them. Especailly because it wasn´t in our plans beforer but we felt we should go.  

 

We also started to work with the youth and RM´s in the ward.  We help them learn and strenghten the word. We are orgainizing the companionships now.   I am excited to come back and see the success it will bring as that night we found out we would be leaving and moving to a new area. It is bittersweet because we are really starting to take off here and work with everyone but it is good because I know the Lord needs me somewhere else. We will see what happens. Thanks for your support and love. 

While we were doing Service

 




This week has really been an adventure. I feel like I have good health right now but there are a lot of different things that passed that I have never experienced before. In the mission it is a mini life so we are bound to experience a little of everything.

Last Monday we went to the Central Market in zone 1. There are a lot of really cool typical things there from here. We went with the Bishop's wife and she helped us to haggle the prices. I am also good at haggling as well I discovered. I love being here - there really is so much culture.



For My Mommy

Zoo Fun

Tuesday we started out with a lot of service. We worked a lot with corn and land taking it of the stalk, pulling it out of the ground, drying the corn and then talking the kernels off of the husk. Everything was good until the black corn and then that was really hard so I ended up getting a huge blister on my thumb. Later in the day we visited with more members who asked us to visit them. We met with Grandma Cano who had a hard time in chruch a few weeks ago and it was really amazing to hear her story and learn more about her. Sometimes doing the smallest thing like listening is one of the biggest services we can do.

Wednesday there was a relief society activity which they have every week buy this week the relief society President asked us to come because there are always non members there and she wanted us to get to know them. They really are excited to know us and I am not sure if they want to learn about the gospel but little by little they will learn and progress. They do want to go and walk around the temple. The sisters are planning a visit for them so that will be a great experience.



Part of My District

Thursday we did a lot more service. A lot of our lessons fell this week so we like to go and help members when this happens and see if they have anyone for us to teach as well. We mainly serve them though our love. That is how it should be. We also made the folders for the primary program they had on Sunday. Something a little strange is that every week we find a less active who isn´t registered in the ward. This week we found 3 which was crazy. It is good to find out this information though.



My Service Clothes and My New Hat

Friday for the first time in my life I had an allegic reaction. It was really weird and I have no clue what I ate to have that happen. We also went to visit with a girl home from her mission in Arizona. She wanted to talk to us and I was worried about her. Then we found out she only wanted to give us shoes.

Saturday the other Hermanas in our district had a wedding. They said they won´t plan another one for the rest of their lives (missions). We helped them out a bit and it really was crazy. It is cool to see what the members can help us pull together though. To end the night we had a NDG with a new investigator. I am not sure where he came from but he is reallly progressing. I am going to help him and his wife who is a member form an eternal family. That is why I help the people here, so that they can have the gospel and recieve all the blessings Heavenly Father has prepared for them and us.

I am grateful for all of your support and I will write next week. Have a great week.  

Having Fun

Swimming

Hello!!!!! This week was a lot of fun.  Really the longer I am on my mission the more I feel that I am used to where I am and that I am home.  It obviously isn´t the same as being with all of those that I love but I don´t feel like a stranger or outsider here.  Last Monday we didn't have our p-day because we changed it to Tuesday so we went right to work. Really, I liked it a lot more because usually people want us to come over on Monday and we can´t. The day was full of contacting, teaching and helping people. It is a great way to start off the week right -working really hard to reach the goals we set for the week.

Monkeys at the Zoo

 

In the evening as well I was really surprised because a recent convert invited us over for a FHE and we thought it was just going to be with her. Then when we got there we saw that she invited another recent convert with her family, her daughters family who aren´t members and some other non member friends. We changed the lesson and it was amazing. One of the friends was a Jehovah´s witness as well and she really likes me. It was truly an amazing day and made me so excited for the week. The one sad part of the day was when I went to visit with one of our investigator families. They didn´t feel like learning more and I was so sad. I went home and cried and prayed. It is so hard to love someone and see them make a decision and not move forward. However, since then - something happened and now they are progressing again. =) Prayers really do get answered.



Tuesday we had our preparation day and we went to the zoo. I really loved it - it was a lot of fun. The way the animals are there is differnent than in the states but is was really fun. I like to do different things. On the way there the bus was really full like usual so I went to the back, found a bucket and sat on it. They were driving really crazy though - I almost fell many times, but it was really fun. 

Wednesday we went back to working really hard.  A goal that I had this week was to find out the goals that people have and see what I could do to help them accomplish them.  I really love it because once I find out the needs of people, I can  teach them on their needs and more.  Also, when I ask them what their needs are, they talk more than I do which is always good as well.  At one point we went to the house of a new convert. It was so cool to listen to her story and hear of her experiences.  Later that day we had a zone meeting.  Each companionship had to prepare a workshop and it was really a lot of fun. My zone really is amazing and we are working so hard.



Mayan Statues

Friday, we went into divisions with the sister training leaders. I was with Hermana Espinosa and we had a really great day. I really learned a lot by the way she contacts. She asks people if they have had the chance to be blessed with our message in their homes. It is great because we then can help them to see what a great blessing this will be to them. I also learned that in the next change I will be one of the 5 oldest Sister missionaries in the mission. That is crazy to me but it is true- most of the sisters are new. 

Saturday we ended the divisions and had an amazing English class. Every week I feel like I am better at teaching English and finding their needs as well. Our class continues to grow and there are only non members there.  It really is a great contacting activity.  Also, that day some old investigators came back and we are teaching them again. It is exciting to be there and help them.  

Sunday we contacted in the morning again and I feel like that brings a lot of blessings. The gospel principles class we had was great and we planned for members to be with all of our investigators. It was a great day. The one thing was that we started really late becasue we didn´t have a white table cloth. We were going to use white trash bags and when that was ready they finally found the cloth. It was a little crazy . I am excited for this week as well. There is so much to do and so many to help. I love this work. I love serving the Lord. Have a great week and thank you for the support. 

Honoring Covenants

I feel like this week there have been a lot of changes but they are good changes. For example last week we emailed from the Stake Center and then celebrated the birthdays from all of the people who would celebrate in November. It was a busy day but besides that nothing new happened.

 

Tuesday we had divisions with the zone leaders. It was so great to be with them and they came to our area to work with  both of us. We contacted a lot and  had many great lessons. I really look up to them and they help me a lot in all that I need to do. At one point in the day we were all together and this kid was beating up this other kid and then left him in the street. The kid who was beaten was about 5 or 4. I just left where I was to go and help him while everyone else was in the middle of a contact. I told him that he was loved and bore testimony of the Savior and that he is never alone. It was a tender moment. It was sad to see this happen especially since the kid was his brother.

 

Wednesday we had divisions with the Elders in Quetzal. It was different than the day before, because the elders were just kind of there, they watched us ,but it was still good and we have a new family that we are teaching. 

 

Service

Thursday was Halloween but not here. lol It was a good day although sad.  A lady in our area passed away and everyone was at her funeral -  a lot of the lessons fell through.  It was a great opportunity though to find service  and we were able to help out in a bread store. That was fun for me because I am really good with bread here. 

 

Friday was the  Day of the Dead so everyone was at the cemetary visiting those in the family that passed away. We knew it would be a little hard to find people at home so we planned some service activities. I was able to help make tortillas again. At first they weren't that great but then I got my groove back. It was a great thing because everyone walked by to get their tortillas and saw us helping. We talked to a lot of them and they are more comfortable with us now.

 

That day we also ate fiambre which is a food they only eat on this day. It is a salad thing but really good. I was a little nervous to eat it. Also we went to help the new Relief Society President to show her where different people live and do visits with her. It felt good to work with all of the leaders this week and help them in the plans they have. 

 

In the afternoon, we visited the Acosta family. They are really working hard to progress and get the papers so they can get married and baptized.  I was really suprised to see how they have come along. Truly, the gospel can change lives.

 

Fiambre and Pumpkin Dessert in celebration of Day of the Dead

Saturday we had a race against the Johovah´s Witnesses. We were going to talk to the Bishop and when we got to the street we saw all of the Jehovah´s Witnesses there. They started going two to a house and Bishops was the last one. I told my comp we needed to walk fast so we could get there. We did and made it 3 seconds before them. It was cool.  The Bishop almost didn´t answer because he saw them coming but then he realized it was us. I like talking to them though. They are trying to do what is right but we can help them as well to know more and strengthen the faith they have. When they knock on our door I answer it because I don´t want to do what others do to us. lol

 

Sunday was probably one of my favorite days of the whole week. I felt so accomplished and good. It started with a whole bunch of contacts in the morning on the way to church. Then in church we were able to hear all of the testimonies. Then in our Sunday School class I went to pay my fast offering and the recent convert sitting next to me wanted to do it as well but didn´t know how. Needless to say the theme of the class changed and now they know how to pay tithing and fast offerings. Then on Relief Society it was my favorite. We were given partners for the day. Just the

Working Hard - I had to put my whole body into the project- getting stronger.

n a little kid fell and everyone was concerned. There was an old lady sitting next to me and she started to cry. She wasn´t my partner but I put my arm around her. We started to talk and eventually she put her arm around me. I thought, I am honoring my covenants just like the relief society talk said. It was so great and she later told me what a great missionary I was. A lot more happened that day and I just feel like I am doing what I am here to do. Maybe there aren´t tons of people progressing right now but we are helping a lot of people and doing what we are called to do. Thanks for your love.