Monday, July 15, 2013

Monday, July 15, 2013

Well...you guys all had fun this week watching USA vs Cuba and Costa Rica taking on Belise in soccer at the Real Stadium. Oh so cool!!!! I got to hear little bits and pieces of the game. I told them that I love Costa Rica but GO U.S.A. Ha-ha I might be in Costa Rica but I am gringa through and through.

Also,  Have fun running. CAN'T WAIT TO RUN WITH YOU! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS LIKE TO NOT RUN FOR A YEAR!!! I miss it so bad. I actually am looking forward to the run up above the temple and sweating like crazy bent over breathing my guts out. Ha-ha. Just kill me! I'm so so so out of shape!

 Landon, thank you for saying that Heavenly Father trusts me to have me train and be part of the first group of girls to travel in Costa Rica helping the other sisters. Sometimes I think...what are President and Heavenly Father thinking but I just trust them that they know something about me better than I do.

BIG SCARE THIS WEEK!!!! So me....um....this has been a week of ups and downs and MANY SCARES. Nothing that you should be concerned about. One reason is that you guys are far away and really can't do anything about it just pray. Ha-ha. Ok probably scaring you. I'll just tell you what has been going on. First....last Monday night, we went to Roger's house to teach him. He gave us a drink that was a mix of powdered chocolate and horchata. I asked what horchata was and they just said oh it's like powdered strawberries. Ya...no.....it is powdered peanuts. So...immediate reaction. We took a taxi home. Thankfully I had Benadryl with me and took that. Drank water. Nothing was working. We called the mission nurse. She said to keep drinking water. I started to itch ALL OVER and hives everywhere. I felt so hot like a fever and like my head wanted to explode. We went next door and I got a blessing from our neighbor. Then we called our mission leader Spencer who is from the states. We talked with the nurse and she said use the EPI Pen and then go to the pharmacy to buy some pills. Spencer gave me the Pen and then we headed to get the pills. The pen worked so fast. I took the pills and it seemed to subside. I itched during the night and could not sleep and my head and body ached so bad like exercising super hard after many years of not. Just blah! But I'm TOTALLY FINE NOW! REALLY. I just need another EPI pen sent in a package in case something happens in these next 6 months. Yeah...we are super super careful now with everything I drink and put in my mouth. That was my scare.

My comp...Has a problem with her heart. President knows a little bit about it and she almost didn't come on the mission. She has mini heart attacks and can't breathe or feel her left arm. She takes some medicine but it's something she will have for the rest of her life. We had one situation this week when we were in a lesson and a man (who is handicapped mentally) almost attacked us but they caught him. She started hyperventilating and couldn't breathe. I had to help her calm down. Just kind of crazy. We never really know when they will happen but just try to help her stay calm. Ya....our week was nuts. Ha-ha. But things are fine. Sometimes I think...should I tell you these things but I figure why not. I'm being even more smart now, Dad, so no worries. Our area is super safe so it's not anything to worry about. It's actually one of the safest areas I have ever been in. Nothing happens here. So no worries. :)

My companion and I were talking about our families. Family is so central in Central America. They are all about living close to family and doing EVERYTHING together. I can't wait to come home and do all of that with you. I love our family and talk about you guys all the time. I am so fortunate to have such a wonderful family and extended family. So lucky!!!

Oh...other news....I had a surprise interview with President yesterday. We were at church and he showed up in the third hour. He explained that he had a meeting fall through and felt a need to come to Belen. It was truly inspired because I needed to talk with him. Not anything bad just needed to feel support and love. I talked with him about my leaving date. He said...No. He explained that January has the biggest group leaving and if we leave, he'll have to close some areas and it will be chaos. There are many Latin’s that HAVE to start school or they have to wait another year. It's different here. But Hna. Portillo, for her to leave and start school, to get permission....she has to write the twelve apostles and ask them. So she's also leaving in January with me. President said that he asked the apostles and they said that we accepted the call and dates when we received our call. It's true. I said 18 months so I'm finishing it out. I'll be home January 23rd. That is my day of changes. Sorry. I know it's not Christmas but its ok. We’ll have many Christmases together. All is well. Heavenly Father is aware of all things and inspires President Wilkinson. I trust them both completely and know that I'm here for a reason. I know that they are taking care of me. President was so kind in my interview. He said....I knew you were going to be great the first day that you got here. He said...you always say how great other people are but realize that you also are incredible and an excellent missionary. He is so kind. I love President. You guys have to meet him and his wife! They are so amazing and definitely like parents here. They sure take care of us. We also have couple missionaries who work in the temple from the states in our ward. They take care of us as well. They remind me so much of you guys and home. 

Ok....other things. ROGER's BAPTISM! Holy cow. What a blessing. He is so funny! We showed him a great apostasy video Friday night and talked about Christ's Church.  He comes to the couple meetings in the church every Saturday. It's awesome. His baptism was Saturday! A member donated a white shirt and 5 ties to him!!! Which he wore the new shirt and a tie the next day on Sunday to receive the Holy Ghost. We started to cry! His baptism was really special. He was there and ready to go. We had actually forgotten to fill up the font because we had done divisions with sisters in the ward. I called the Bishop and he said he already took care of it. We have the best Bishop who is super supportive. Anyway...it was a great baptism. Hno. Roger shared his testimony in church on Sunday and said after...wow that was hard. I hope it gets easier as time goes on. Ha-ha. He is such a great guy. I can definitely see him being Bishop in a few years of this ward. His granddaughter who is 5 years old is coming to church with him each week and all the activities. Hopefully she will have a desire later in life. We can only hope.

We have another family of Jose who we are teaching!!!! His family got here from Nicaragua! He has three little boys and his wife has a son who is 15 from her previous relationship. They agreed to baptism and came on Sunday. They are doing so well!!! We are really excited about them! We just have to get them MARRIED! Well...her divorced and then married to Jose. They want to get married so we are working with a lawyer on that. Pray that things will go well for them. Their 15 yr. old son is so bright! He is a really great investigator and will be a wonderful missionary. I am so excited for them.

We had to drop Laura and Moises. They are so confused and just have no desire right now to do what is right. They watched a program about the FLDS church on TV that said it was about the Mormon Church. We told her that FLDS is not LDS and there are only two churches. They said they want to wait. That's fine. Maybe someday, missionaries will come and help them. I hope so. So pray for them. I haven't heard anything of my old converts but keep them in your prayers. We are teaching a few others. I have gotten to the point that in my first lesson with people I tell them straight up our purpose and if they have a desire to follow Christ and be baptized. It helps them and us to know their expectation. Anyway...things are going just fine. I know that Heavenly Father is helping us. Keep us in your prayers. I'm praying for you all too. Love you all so much! xoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxox

Hna. Jones

 Peanut allergy reaction - 1st time ever using an epi penn. VERY SICK!!!

Happy Year Mark!!

 Celebrating my Year Mark!

  Divisions with Hna. Lopez

Me feeling much better.

 Us drinking the natural juice from a fruit called cas.

Roger's Baptism. Great day!