March 11, 2013

March 11, 2013

Hi Everyone!!!!

Ok....photo of me in our house being weird then photos from today and our fun hiking trip. There is a waterfall in the background (not the one we hiked to) but you can see the other hiking one. I'll tell you ALL about today in just a moment. I made a list of all the things I need to write you. Haha. It helps me to not forget.

FIRST.....NO P- DAY NEXT MONDAY! IT'S ON WEDNESDAY because we are going to the temple so they changed P-day to same day as temple. Thought I would let you know why I won't be emailing you on Monday. Know that all is well and you will hear from me on Wednesday. :)

Um...FYI today is my 8 month mark! Woo Hoo! Ten months left! Countdown! ush ush. Yes, my halfway mark is in a month! So excited! Then Skype (hopefully again) with you guys in 2 months, then dad's B-day, then my year mark and the 4^th of July! Wow then it's really a countdown. Haha. Some days it's fast and some days it’s slow. It helps to be training because my mind is so focused on getting her to teach so the days go by fast!

This week, I did break down from stress and not able to sleep. I sleep at night but I always dream about people's problems and that we are teaching them. My comp said that it's because I'm so caring and take people's problems upon myself. It's like what mom said when I wanted to be a school counselor to help people....I take my work home with me. So no – I am not going to be a counselor!!!  I sleep - just teach lessons in my dreams. It's crazy. But I think tonight, I will sleep just fine. Exhausted from today's activities!!!

I appreciate all the family support – even though I try to share things to help the family – I receive more help from you all! I always think, “What would my family do in this situation?” :)

One night, my comp was having a really tough night, super homesick. We talked about her family and wow, they have some serious problems that I can see why she left. Hopefully, she will have a good experience here and it will help her return home with opportunity for a better life. We were talking about our families because I wanted to find out her background for how to teach her better. When she told me, I started thinking....well....my mom, dad and brothers all served missions. My brothers are married and sealed to their families. They all attend church, pray as a family and read the scriptures. My parents work in the temple every week. They all have callings in the church. Each couple in the family has a date night every week if possible and they try to attend the temple if possible. Our extended family is close and so supportive of each other. My nieces and nephews are learning about the gospel from their parents and everything. As I was describing our family, I forgot all about the problems we have had and realized, wow....our family is stinking blessed. There are no husbands who beat their wife or children. There are no returned missionaries who have decided the church isn't for them. Seriously. As I have taught families, I really have learned how much the gospel helps families. With family prayer, scripture study as a family (even if a child or two are falling asleep early in the morning), seminary, other activities in the church, church attendance every week. All of our unity is thankful to the gospel. Ok...starting to tear up a little bit just because I have learned how important it is to raise your children in the gospel and help be a good example for them. I am so grateful for our family! We have it so good! Just think of all the crazy vacations---the planned and unplanned adventures we have had. So lucky! And I am grateful for the additions to our family (Sami, Kimi, the kids). Just remember all of that during your difficulties. Our cook, Jackie is one awesome lady. Really quick....she took the lessons for two years and gradually stopped drinking, smoking marijuana, stopped cocaine, cigarettes, all you can possibly think of and was baptized last August. Anyway, her husband (inactive for many, many years but trying to come back) has a strong addiction to alcohol. He's been clean for a while because he wants to prepare to take his family to the temple and baptize his daughter but.....he fell and got really drunk. It was so sad! Hna. Jackie called us and we went to her house immediately. She kept crying and crying because she's trying to still progress and keep her family together. The elders are going to teach her husband tonight so we'll see how that goes. It's just sad. Anyway....just be grateful that none of us have problems like that. Just stay strong and push forward.

Speaking of families, WE ARE TEACHING AN INCREDIBLE FAMILY!!! Shoot....guys....such a blessing. We are teaching the cutest family. The mom is 24, dad is 27 maybe I told you about them the last week but they are so awesome and totally progressing! We helped get them ready for church and they came. Later that night, we brought a member Dayanna and her fiancé (recently returned missionary) to our lesson about the restoration. It was so incredible. The spirit was super strong! The dad (who hardly ever talks) shared with us how he felt at church. They both said how they had goose bumps and kept nodding their heads to what was being said. He said...it's hard to explain this feeling but I have never felt this way before. At the end of the lesson, he gave the prayer!!!!!! Usually he says his wife can give it because she's the one who usually prays and reads. Well...he's reading and he prayed for us! He was nervous but did a great job! We all knelt down and they said they are excited to try it in their family! Bah! Oh I hope they progress! We have an FHE planned this week with another family in the ward so hope it all goes well. This family is seriously so awesome! They compare our church to the Catholic Church and say how they are grateful that our church is so focused on families and has classes and activities for all ages and that we separate for relief society and priesthood because we all learn differently how to be better mothers and fathers. It was just really, really, really great!

My comp is just fine. I am trying to help her out the best I can. Thankfully she explained to me that her personality is a little bit more serious so I'm trying to make some adjustments. We are all trying to help her lighten up and enjoy her mission. Today, she laughed a lot which was awesome to hear. It is a challenge in helping my companion. She does not know a lot about the church. She grew up in the church but does not know a lot about the teachings. So, I basically treat her like an investigator also. She reads the Book of Mormon – but has never read Preach My Gospel.  I have had her starting to plan our days...what are we going to do, how are we going to do it? Just trying to get the new missionary part down – still working hard!!!!

Today, we went hiking for P-day in the mountains with a brother in the ward. He wanted to take us to a waterfall in Orosi. I thought it would be hiking like we have normally done on vacations or in Utah. Well....this was more like scaling the mountain. We were in jungle scaling rocks covered in moss, leaves and mud. The brother had to bring a machete to chop down all the vines and trees. Ha-ha. It was intense. Then going up was a disaster. It was a straight up thing with trying to grab what you could, lift yourself up to only see that you still had the whole mountain to do. The tough part was grabbing then sliding back down. There's probably a spiritual lesson we could take from this but the truth is I'm too tired to think of one. Ha-ha. My muscles have not been used like that in a while. I had to pull myself and push up so every muscle in my body was working. Ha-ha. It was intense. I kept thinking, if our family tried to do it, we would get down and then try to figure out another way up. It was seriously so hard! Like all the hiking I've done on Mount Olympus, Timp don't even compare. It's hard to walk now because my quads are killing me. Ha-ha. Great workout. :) We probably could have died. But thankfully Heavenly Father protected us. Realized not the best P-day activity because now ache everywhere and I don't want to walk. But we are heading out after this for an FHE with a reference. Ha-ha. Still working hard. We made sandwiches up there at a cabin place. It was really cool and the view was very pretty. Our sandwiches, they always put tomato, lettuce, cheese, ham, mayo, and.....ketchup. It's actually kind of good. Ha-ha. What is happening to me????

We have started working in another area which is fun and exciting. When I come home, I'll tell you why. We still work in Paraiso but have started work up in Orosi. I told the elders we should try to make a branch in Orosi! How cool would that be? I am doing well. Finding happiness in each and every day. I love the ward here! We had an activity on Saturday! We watched a church movie, then played a Jeopardy game (questions about us, bible, book of Mormon, church history, and bugs) then ate fruit. They love different fruits (I hate papaya -so gross), ice cream and red Jell-O all together. Not the best flavor but it grows on you. I love the ward because it is a lot like the wards in Utah. The relief society president works just like the ones in Utah and they all are so friendly. This ward is like a family because they have all known each other for so long and have grown up in the area. I don't ever want changes but I know that I will have some. Anyway...need to head out. Love you all and am so grateful for you guys. Miss you and think of you every day. Pray for you occasionally. Ha-ha just kidding. Every day!!! My Spanish is so so. I thought it was a lot more awesome but definitely humbled when people say...huh? Ha-ha it's great. I just say, well...I'm gringa so don't really understand you either and we laugh. :)  xoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxxo until next week, nos vemos.

Hna. Jones