October 29, 2014
Subject: BUENAS!!!!! De Guatemala!!!!!
October 29, 2013
So I don´t even know where to
start...
Um, I have changes this week!!!! And
I´m WAY EXCITED!!!! I like change. And I think the Lord knows I need it. I
ABSOLUTELY LOVE the people here, our investigadores, our ward, and of course my
companions, I LOVE THEM ALL SO MUCH!!!! And just when I had decided to I would
be content to be here for 6 months, (because that happens a lot here for your
first area) we got the phone call saying Hna. Saavedra would be training
another Hna. from my change and I would be leaving. Hahaha!!!! I LOVE The Lord.
He definitely has a sense of humor!!!! Hahaha!!!!
One of the recent converts here blessed
the Sacrament this week for the first time!!! And it was PERFECT!!! He didn´t
have to do it again or anything!!!! He was baptized a couple of weeks before I
got here, he is in his late 40´s and doesn´t have any family at all, so pray
for him!!! He is PILAS!!! He´s preparing to attend the temple!!! I´m going to
miss him when I transfer!!!
Esta cambio (change) is the last
change of Hna. Santana, so Hna. Rasmussen is also receiving and new trainer
too. I´m going to miss Hna. Santana and Hna. Rasmussen so much, they have been
such a help to me!!! Hna. Rasmussen and I have been together as companions the
whole time in the Mision, so this will be weird, but I´m WAAAAAAY EXCITED and I
know it´s for the BEST!!!!!
So I need to tell you about the
baptism of E, she is SO AMAZING!!!! I can´t describe how much I LOVE her!!!!
She is SO VALIENTE (Brave) and Valiant!!!! It was the MOST ESPECIAL experience
I have had while in the Mision Field BY FAR!!!! It was one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL
things I have memory of witnessing ever in my life!!!! And every time I think
of it, it makes me SO HAPPY and I remember the feelings of perfect cleanliness
from my own baptism!!!! She was SO, SO HAPPY!!!! When she came out of the font,
Hna. Santana and I were waiting for her, to hand her towel and such. And she
was just smiling SO BIG!!!! And crying!!!! We just hugged her forever and
didn´t want to let go!!!! She was whispering thank you, thank you. And we of
course were thanking her!!! I was thanking her SO MUCH, and jumped up and down
a bit!!!! Because it was absolutely AMAZING!!!! I just kept thinking as I
watched her enter the water and the baptism preformed, this is why I am here.
THIS IS WHY I AM HERE!!!! And after I asked, isn´t it the BEST feeling?!!! She
said yes of course. And then we talked about our mutual desires for her whole
family to be baptized!!!! I really hope I get to send pictures of that this
next week from Hna. Saavedra and Santana!!!! Please keep praying. I know the Lord
is working miracles here from ya´lls Fe back home and your gran prayers are
being answered!!!! Thank you SO MUCH!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
October 15, 2013
October 15, 2013
HOWDY!!!!! Oh it feels so good to say HOWDY!!!! I
think I´ll do it again, HOWDY!!!!
Entonces (So or anyways)
This week was INCREDIBLE!!!!!!! We
had our first baptism since I´ve been in the area!!!!! A sweet sister!!!! Her
daughter and son are miembros and they just had a baby girl my first week
here!!!! They were inactive, but the daughter, has the STRONGEST testimony and
is so knowledgeable of the Gospel and her husband is amazing too!!!! I think
they will be coming to church every week now, I Hope!!!!!
The Baptism was the coolest
experience. It was Fast Sunday, so not only was the Spirit WAY STRONG, but
stronger to and I was SO in tune with it!!!!!! I had had a hard day Friday and
it was really a trial of my Fe (Faith) just to keep walking and talking, but I
did. I knew if I didn´t, I would be giving up on the Lord and confidence in Him
and His Atonement, because it is only through Him we can find relief from the
trials, tribulation and adversary in this world. And as I kept walking and
talking, the world began to grow brighter, and Angels comforted me. I am SO
GRATEFUL for the comfort of the Spirit!!!!! SO, SO, SO GRATEFUL!!!!! And I am
SO GRATEFUL to see so literally the miracles and Blessings that come after the
trials of our Fe!!!!!! The Baptism of Oralia was the MOST AMAZING and
INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE in the field by far and I AM SO THANKFUL!!!!!!!!!!! SO
THANKFUL to be Serving the Lord and helping to bring others unto our Lord and
Savior by listening to His Spirit and being a tool in His hands!!!!!!
We are also teaching another couple
and their two year old, precious daughter. They are PILAS!!!!! (PILAS is our
word here in Guatemala for ABSOLUTELY AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!!!!) It also means
battery, I´ll get to that later, hopefully.
So, they attended the Sunday morning
session of General Conference and all three hours this last week and stayed for
the baptism too!!!!! They´re incredible!!!! We first taught them my first
Sunday here; and as we were ending the lesson, The Book of Mormon was mentioned
and Hna. Saavedre gave a simple brief explanation and said we would talk about
it later. I got this overwhelming feeling to give them a copy of the Book of
Mormon right then, but I didn´t know if I had understood right entirely and at
first didn´t say anything, because I was thinking, well if Hna. Saavedre isn´t
offering them one, maybe we shouldn´t yet... But then all through the prayer, I
kept thinking we need to give them one... How do I do this... I was thinking
over the Spanish I knew in my head be able to give them one... And then we were
walking out the door and as we turned and started to head down the street, I
said to Hna. Saavedre in English, “I really want to give them a Book of
Mormon...” And she looked at me and asked, “Really?” I replied, “Yeah, I really
do.” And she smiled really big and she was like, let´s give them one! If the Spirit
is telling you that, it´s right! So, we went right back, knocked on the door. I
gave a quick explanation and invited them to read it before our next visit,
which wouldn´t be until the next Sunday, because that is the only day he has
off from work and his schedule is really sporadic about when he gets home. It´s
usually late. So, the next Sunday we visited and oh my goodness, they are so prepared
and elect!!!! He had read the Restoration pamphlet and all of the opening to
the Book of Mormon, the testimonies, introduction, EVERYTHING and the first 7
chapters of 1Nefi!!!!!!!! AMAZING!!!!!! They are the BEST!!!! I AM SO GRATEFUL
for them and their example of Fe!!!!! They are waiting for an answer that the
church is true, that the Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a Prophet
of God. So please pray for them to receive there answer!!!!!! They are doing so
amazing!!!!
We have another baptism this weekend
on Saturday for a SWEET, SWEET. We´re hoping for her husband and two sweet boys
who are 10 and 8 too!!!! I feel SO CLOSE to them. They're like my own little
brothers!!!! Her husband is starting to open his heart A LOT to the Gospel as
well, his Fe is developing!!! So please pray for him too!!!!!
And B...., she is golden!!!! We
found her because I accidentally chose the wrong house while trying to find our
other investigador!!!! Please pray for them both as well!!!!!! B.... is a
single mom with two children, a son that is 14 and I believe an older daughter.
She is INCREDIBLE!!!!! We gave the first lesson to her just in the doorway and
didn´t even finish, but she attended General Conference and the first 2 hours
of Church this last week!!!!! C.... is 14 and her Mom is a convert (inactive),
our first lesson with her was INCREDIBLE!!!! The Spirit was near tangible and
she felt it so strong, she began to cry. And her SWEET, SWEET, SWEET cousin
D....!!!! I placed my first two copies of Book of Mormons with them!!!! The
trouble with them is they´re hard to catch at home, but pray we´ll be able to
catch them!!!! Also please pray for the brother of J..... His wife P.... is an
inactive member who we are working with and their 3 boys. They actually live
right across from their cousins!!!!! SO FUN!!!!! Reminds me of our close
familia!!!!! I LOVE them ALL!!!!!! We had such a fun Family Home Evening with
them last night!!!!!
I gotta Go!!!!! THANK YOU MOM and ALL
for EVERYTHING!!!!! DO WELL in the Work!!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!
October 8, 2013
October 8, 2013
I don´t have pictures, yet sorry,
because my camera is broken. But I´m going to use Hna. Rasmussen´s with my
card in her camera, if I remember to ask her for it next p'day!!! Our
apartment is nice, it´s like a house. We have white tile floors, yellow
textured walls. Three bedrooms, one is mine and Hna. Saavedre´s, the other
Hna Rasmussen´s and Hna. Santana´s and the other our closest. Although, I
keep my clothes’ suitcase and my small carry-on (I use for my hygiene stuff)
in the room with us. I hung up the Moroni flag on the wall by my bed and made
constellations with the stars, my first p’day. I also bought scripture
pictures at the Distribution Center here while I was in the MTC and I have
those in chronological order under the flag. Above my head I have the ¨You
Are Never Alone¨ and “It´s nice to be important, but more important to be
nice.¨ posters. We live in a nice, gated colonial. It´s really safe, so no
worries. It has guards with REALLY BIG guns. Seriously. They´re all over the
place here, so it´s good. They´re really friendly and always say hi and
respond when I ask how they are doing, and smile, so it´s good.
We have ants, but that´s it. And
some small kind of tiny, tiny, tiny bug - I´m not sure what it is. We don´t
have cockroaches, thank goodness. I am really GRATEFUL. One night I was kind
of complaining about the ants, there were just SO many of them it seemed on
our table that serves as our counter, but as soon as I was complaining about
the many ants I was trying to kill, a cockroach came out of nowhere!!! And it
was HUGE!!!! I was like, are you serious!!! And I immediately said, SORRY!!!!
I´m really GRATEFUL we only have the ants!!!! I felt that the Lord was
seriously aware of me, because right after that the cockroach vanished and
hasn´t been heard from since. So yeah, it´s good and I´m seriously so
GRATEFUL!!!
We have cold showers, but it’s
really not bad. We shower right after exercise in the morning. We wake up at
5:30. I wake up about 4:45 so I can pray decently before starting the day. I
really need to have the time to reflect, remember the Lord, receive
revelation and have comfort for the day and dedicate my day to the Lord. And
of course a good couple of minutes to think of ya´ll and pray with all my
heart for ya´ll and THANK the Lord I have YA¨LL FOREVER!!!!! I am SO GRATEFUL
for YA´LL and all the prayers on my behalf!!!!! YOU have no idea the power
that I receive because of ya´lls’ Faithfulness and Eternal LOVE for me. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!! Hurrah for Israel!!!! HURRAH FOR
ISRAEL!!!!!!!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have a little stove, with two thingies
that you cook on. What do you call that? Stove tops... that we plug in. We
don´t have an oven, but we do have a microwave and a large fridge. We have a
sink in the kitchen, just outside the bathroom which of course has a nice
shower and toilet and then we also have a large three part sink for washing
clothes outside our back door, which just leads off the kitchen to a cement
slab and cinder block wall where our laundry line runs. So far I´ve only
washed a few things. I really like it, I think it´s fun!!!! I sent more of my
things to the laundry this week though, so I don´t have to worry about that
at night as much! Yay!!! Using our precious time here with wisdom and plus we
pay for the laundry each month, so might as well use it the most I can!!! The
lady who washes our clothes is a sweet member from the ward named Hna.
Chavez. And we have another member from the ward who cooks our lunch every
day!!! It´s really good, not too different, pasta, rice and beans, but it is
EXCELLENT and I always eat double portions because we´re working hard, I´m definitely
hungry!!!!
I´m going to go read the other letters
and respond to some other questions now!!! I Hope this gave you some pretty
good ideas about what is happening here, for the regular life part at
least!!!
|
October 1, 2013
October 1, 2013
So, in the MTC, I tell these stories
in full detail on my tapes to yall, I need to finish up some stories, since we
only can do that on p-day I think, I need to ask if I am allowed to use my
recorder after 9:30 if we have time, like we ever have time though, it’s a
great fun rush to eat and get ready for bed after planning, because we need to
have the lights off at 10:30 exactly. I am finding that I am actually having
lots of fun striving to be EXACTLY OBEDIENT. It makes great stories of running
home.
Like last night. Jaja. It was last night I realized
that I really actually LOVE being obedient. I know it’s a pure act of Faith and
my LOVE for God and realization of His LOVE for me. And I know I can do it
because I was blessed to be able to in my setting apart Blessing and I know
yalls prayers truly are working to strengthen, help me and cause me to stand
all day every day. THANK YOU, LOVE YOU.
So, while I was in the CCM I got to
have dinner with Sister Oscarson, and Sister Stephens, the General Young Women’s
President and the General Relief Society First Counselor who were here in
Guatemala and a Seventy and his wife, from here. I really wish I remembered his
name. You will probably want to look it up. But he was who I sat across from
and actually talked to mostly, him and his wife. They are the SWEETEST and I
LOVE THEM ALL. I am so GRATEFUL for our leaders in the Church; they truly have
been called by inspiration of the Lord to do His work here on Earth, just as we
all have been to do our part. For we all have special callings to build His
kingdom here on Earth – You and me and EVERYONE. I am SO GRATEFUL to know where
I BELONG.
Okay, anyway. So my last two weeks in the CCM there was a deaf Elder
from Honduras, Called to Costa Rica. And the first week and half, he was having
a hard time understanding what was going on in his classes. And well, I tell
the whole story with all the details on my tape, so I don’t even know where to
begin on here. But in short, Hna Brower, who is from Springville and both her
parents are deaf so sign is her first language, and I got to receive the Gift
of Interpretation and Serve him for our last 5 days in the CCM. It was the MOST
AMAZING EXPERIENCE I have had here. It
was SO INCREDIBLE. I AM SO THANKFUL, SO, SO THANKFUL.
I know, I know I was supposed to study sign for my Mision. And here I
am serving the Lord using my talents, as said in my setting apart blessing;
your talents will be realized and developed. And here I am so blessed with learning
another language hand in hand at the same time. I am SO GRATEFUL. I LOVE THE
LORD and HIS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT PLAN FOR ALL OF US.
REALLY, SO THANKFUL FOR ALL YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME. Whenever I think of
LOVE I think of yall, when I testify that I know this church is true and that
God TRULY LOVES us and families are from Him, I know its true because I am SO
BLESSED Beyond Description with having you as my family. And all the other
branches of our AMAZING FAMILIA
I have two minutes. It’s seventeen
right now. WHOO-HOO. LOVE YOU THANK YOU.
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