Monday, February 25, 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

I'M TRAINING!!!!!BAH!!!!

I AM A MOM! That's what they call the trainers. Ha-ha. I have a daughter! Her name is Lourdes Virginia

Noj Alonzo but really it's just Hermana Noj. She is adorable! TINY as all get out like literally the smallest person I have ever met. She looks fifteen. She’s probably 4'9" or smaller and eats like a bird (which will help me to lose some weight ha-ha). Don (Sami’s dad) would be throwing out some serious short jokes. She's ity bity. She's from Guatemala and is 22. She was born into the church. Her family consists of 8 siblings. Two served missions. Her family is a little bit inactive because her dad works Sundays. That happens a ton because people need money to survive. They have to work on Sunday but many have been able to do church in the morning and then head to work. She came on a mission because she wants to teach people and do more and be an example for her family. Her goal on her mission is to complete her mission and not go home. She worked at a boutique before her mission and wants to study in the university after her mission. Um.....she's very timid and shy---holds onto my arm all the time like a little kid (annoying at times) but she's really shy when talking with people. However, she has a strong testimony. She's a little bit homesick which is to be expected. But anyway, that's her.

Me, I'm stressed out. Seriously. Trying not to be but it's my personality. I'm trying to do more than I need to. Thankfully the elders in our area said they want to help me out. It's just that I have our investigators, menos activos, members, her training, new paper forms to fill out (really the ward's job that we are taking on), and activities to the max to help us out this month. It's great but we are doing divisions in a couple weeks so I have to hurry and teach my comp the area and how to teach so she can then show the members how to teach. She only had 2 weeks in the MTC so she doesn't know how to do a lot. She hasn't seen any of the training videos so it's like brand new little child out on a mission. I'm trying to help her be obedient but also enjoy and have fun. I don't want to be pyscho obedient but I don't want to train a slacker. I'm trying to find a balance between it all. I'm such a planner that I'm trying to just plan everything out. Elder Bergeson in my area told me to just relax, that I'm not training the next AP just another missionary who can train. I did learn last night that I need to have more faith in her. This is her time to make mistakes and I can help her learn from them. I think I was trying so hard to show her how it's done instead of letting her try it out and I guide her. I want to help guide her along the way and teach her. But I need to let her teach more and learn how to do it. If you guys have any advice, I would seriously appreciate it. I'm trying so hard to balance everything we need to do and keep everything progressing. I need to remember that there are two of us and she can do it. We had to drop a family this past week because they weren't progressing and had to drop another woman because she's literally crazy like mentally. I think it's just that she is looking for friends. But she calls us all the time and wants to teach with us so she has something to do. It's so sad. Maybe we'll plan some activities with the relief society president or have her figure out some things to do. The ward is awesome and is so much like a ward in the states. So many people help us and feed us and give us references. This week, even though our lessons weren't top notch, we still received references and new people to teach. It's like, if we are obedient, then Heavenly Father will fill in the gaps where we falter and make everything ok. Ha-ha. So just relying on heavenly father a lot more. It's quite difficult managing it all. But it's definitely giving me some experience for when I teach. My Spanish is a lot better but I still make mistakes. Hna. Noj helps me out a lot and is so cute about it. She wants to learn English and is super excited to do so. Oh and Hna. Salgado is finishing up her mission opening an area in Puntaranus and training. It will be good for her to be obedient and finish her mission strong. Many missionaries from Honduras are slackers and super disobedient. I just need to calm down and enjoy the ride. Oh and our house is awesome with washer and dryer.

I did have THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE THIS WEEK!!!!!! SUCH A BLESSING. So this week, we had changes in San Jose. The newbies hadn't had their interviews yet so we had to spend the night in nearby areas and wait until the next day to know our new comp. Hna. Salgado and I were sent to stay in......CONCEPCION – my first area. It was awesome because we both served there. We ate lunch with my old cook, Hno. Oscar and then just as it so happens, the sisters there had an appointment with EVELYN their recent convert. So I got to go to their house and visit them. We walked to the door and when she opened the door, we both started crying. She ran and gave me a hug and we just embraced and started crying. It was amazing! We said how much we missed one another and that she had been counting down until next February when we are coming to visit her. I went in to the baby's room to talk with her while she changed her baby's clothes. And their cute daughter remembered me even though she has 1 yr. I talked with Evelyn about how she's doing. She said she hasn't been reading the Book of Mormon and isn't sure if it's true. I talked with her and bore testimony of it. I said quit doubting and have faith. Her husband came home, she called him into the room and when he walked in, he said "JONES!!". He never calls me Hna. Jones it's always Jones. And then he started crying. I asked how he was doing and if he was still smoking marijuana. He told me yes. I said why. I then asked if he was keeping his promise and supporting his wife in her decision to be baptized. He said he's trying. I told him that Hna. Cartagena told me that he's been talking against the church and saying false things. I asked if that was true. He said, sometimes. I said very bluntly: stop. No more! I know you know that this is true. I know you have felt something special called the Holy Ghost when you have read and prayed. I reminded him of his first prayer when he cried because he felt something special. I told him to basically knock it off. That I don't want to hear anymore that he is saying false things about the Book of Mormon out of respect for me because I love this book. I bore testimony and said my goal for them is to enter the temple, be sealed together to live with God together forever. I told them to keep going to church and a few more things. But we were all crying and the spirit was so strong. They want to come to Paraiso because it's so close to hang out on p-day's with me. Evelyn is waiting for me to finish my mission so we can hang out together. haha. It’s funny. But family, it was such an amazing experience. I will forever be so close with this family. I have been writing Evelyn and sending scriptures to read. I really feel that if my mission was only to help this family, it's all been worth it. That I knew them before this life. They are everything to me here. When we left their house and returned to our place, I started crying because I felt that I left my family. I can't wait for you to meet them. They are wonderful in every way. I feel like that's the attitude of Christ. That if his mission was only for one person, it's all worth it. I would sacrifice everything for this family. So, just amazing to see them again and reconnect. I feel like I am always tied to them in everything. And plus, I could actually talk with them because I speak more Spanish now than before. They told me my Spanish was incredibly better. Ha-ha.

Anyway, to answer some questions, we study so much (Tyson) to help prepare us even more for what we face. The work is tough and people have more questions. It's not so much convincing but just being prepared. Plus, we become converted with the more knowledge we learn. Our lessons are great. And maybe it's that the missionaries aren't as strong as your generation (more slackers) so we need the study time. We have a baptism in two weeks with a 12 year old and have a few other people we are teaching. Jahleel fell and drank coffee again. So we are working with him and preparing him to receive the priesthood. We have one menos activo that attended church. It was awesome because we had taught her the night before that she's not alone, about the atonement, repentance and that people go to church not only to learn and progress but also to partake of the sacrament. We explained that it's the same feelings as after her baptism. She can literally be clean every week from her mistakes and errors. She came to church after 8 months of not. It was incredible. I feel like heavenly father has blessed us unbelievably with lessons and new people. With the first lesson, we teach modern revelation with first talking about prophets in the bible and then saying, we have trials and challenges just like people of old. God is the same today, yesterday, and forever so we always need a guide to help us get through and teach us how to be closer to God. They accept it pretty well. Then we explain how the priesthood was lost and then restored with relating it to them. People say they are Catholics but really they aren't because they don't go to church. The people we teach, most have really been prepared for our message. And if not, we drop them. If you feel and have prayed about it that they aren't ready, move on to find those who are. So yeah. We are having practices with members in the church this Saturday to show them how to contact and present the book of Mormon. I'm working so hard to help the work progress. We are pushing. But so far, things are fine. Just need some calming advice. Ha-ha. But yeah, I’m getting healthier. My comp loves fruit so we are going today to buy more. She can't run because her tiny heart but if we eat right, then with walking (like dad said) I'll lose. Just super excited to work out with you guys like before. Ha-ha. But I love my mission and have really grown. I was reading my journal from before in the mtc and during my training. Wow, I have changed so much. I am more confident in heavenly father and myself. It’s great. Anyway. We have to head out. I have no doubt why I was sent here. Oh in Rio Claro, Ericka was baptized, Eliezer was baptized and another investigator we had was baptized. Yanina and Erick are breaking up which is sad. But that's all the update. Today was super chill. No volcanoes ha-ha just kinda hanging out. next week going to a waterfall with the elders. Oh and my old (first) zone leader misses Hna Cartagena and I because we were the only sisters who would actually work and do the things asked. Ha-ha. He said he wants to have a reunion after our missions and its best if we are all single. Ha-ha. He told me he wants to write me after he goes home. Super funny. Oh the Latinos. He’s from Mexico.  Anyway...really have to go now. But hope all is well with you guys. I am obedient, and happy. Never have to worry. Love you all so much! Can you believe I almost have 8 months??? Crazy. And it's starting to pick up and go fast. Anyway. Later gaters.

Hermana Jones.