Us with Eilyn yesterday.
Me with a family...their son on the right served in Nicaragua in the same mission as Allie Engman's brother and they knew each other really well. I’m pointing to his picture in the fold out. Small world. My two worlds connected.
Today...we went to a waterfall.
I
have more pics but this place where we are at is super slow with downloading
photos. So most pictures, you won't see until I come home. Sorry. I have tons.
I think I need to go and buy another flash drive. Running out of space. By the
way, thank you for your emails! So awesome. I love reading them during the
week. It's so fun to hear how everyone is doing. I did skim a little bit of
this week’s emails. I can't believe Kaitlin Palmer is coming home in like 3
weeks. That's so weird to me. I remember when we entered the MTC together.
Wow...I can't believe how fast this is all going. I'm not going to lie.....it's
really hard for me. Um....I'm happy to see you guys but man....I just already
know it's going to be hard for me to leave all of this. It's so safe and
secure. I know my purpose each day. I know what I am to do. I feel so close to
my Heavenly Father and feel His hand guiding me each day. The mission really is
a level closer to heaven. I am so very grateful for my mission and love each and
every day. I know that I was sent here for a reason. I hate the fact that all
the people I love so much live so far away and in various countries. All my
friends live in Central America. Some from my mission live in the states but a
lot live around here. It's hard letting things go. Thank heavens I have two
months left!!!! I want it to go by super slow. Ha-ha. Sorry but just not ready
to go yet. I always tell people here to stop saying bad words when they talk
about me leaving. It's hard on my comp too because we are super close and
actually are really really good friends. She always says she wants me to stay
longer. We have decided to NEVER talk about it and avoid all conversations that
lead to it. Because both of us start crying. I know the last week will be super
rough. She is SUCH A BLESSING! Good thing she is from Costa Rica. She seriously
is so amazing! Such a good missionary and so obedient. It's so crazy because we
are always on the same page. We are always thinking the same thing. I love it.
Oh, by the way, her name is Noelia Corrales. She's from Coronado in Toyopan
which is like 30 minutes from our area. She told her family that she was in a
different area so her family doesn't feel tempted to find her. She's so focused
and dedicated...not distracted at all or homesick. She actually said...I just
talked to my family. I really have to talk with them every week? Ha-ha. She's
super funny too! I love her so much and is a for sure blessing from Heavenly
Father to finish my mission strong.
Speaking
of this......we had an awesome week!!! Man...Our area is out of control.
Ok...30 lessons may seem small but they are quality lessons. I told my comp, we can
knock on doors all day and have 50 or 60 lessons every week but who do we have
from them. The work is changing. Members are to work more with us and plan more
of our lessons. We are actually working a lot more with members and had a very
productive ward council. They are planning some good activities to get people
coming. It's just it's very very different from the states. Remember, these
people are starting the wards and growing the church. Plus....ticos are quite
prideful and not super open to outside things. Nicaragua has tons of baptisms
but....how many pay tithing? They can't put a temple there because the economy
is so poor and they can't pay tithing sufficient for one. It's sad. But I'm so
grateful for our converts here because most are converts for life. It might
take them a while to change but when they do...it's for life and their family
is super faithful. Oh....Eilyn is getting baptized this Saturday!!! She came to
us and said...ok...I'm ready....this Saturday. So YAY!!!! Then we met a sweet
15 year old and her family. It's a long story but basically a less active young
woman that we have been visiting invited us to meet her friend. We taught her
and her little sister the first lesson. IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!! We challenged
her to baptism! I was sitting next to her and after a moment I said....will you
be baptized and she said....WHOA....you have no idea how much my soul needed
this in this moment...YES! So she and her little sister are getting baptized
the 14th of December. She told her friend after that she wishes the 14th was
tomorrow. AHHH such a blessing. And it turns out a woman we contacted one day
this week is her older sister and talked about us and how she also wants us to
return! Small world and many blessings. We are working a lot more with members
and receiving more references from them. It is such a blessing! I love it here!
We are building an area! Definitely leaving it better than we found it. We had
to change the whole area book and practically open up the area. But things are
so awesome now! I can’t even express to you my gratitude. It's been such a
great week...so happy!!!!! We are always laughing, teaching and meeting people.
The Stephanie girl who was abused is kind of in her own world. We are figuring
out what to do. No worries. Heavenly Father will help her. He will bless her.
The area is so beautiful
now too!!! So many amazing sunsets! I have been taking tons of pics but like I
said...can't send very many. We have had little rain...entering summer. It's so
pretty!!! But...starting to get HOT! Ha-ha....love it. Not sure I want to come
back to the snow! Yikes! No just kidding. Love the snow too. People are
starting to put up their Christmas trees. Some are super humble and this is their first
year of being able to buy a tree. So sweet! They are playing some more
Christmas Music. We are going to buy some decorations for our apartment to make
it more Christmassy. Ha-ha. My comp doesn't want to start listening to music
because it makes her think of me leaving. So cute. Love her. But we are really
rocking the area! The thing is....the change in me is bigger than the change in
area. I have seen so many changes in me. I'm more relaxed and trusting in
Heavenly Father. I know everything will be ok. I'm so scared to lose this
feeling of closeness when I come home. Please help me out with that. I just
don't want to let this go yet. Let me transition slowly. Ok...enough about
that.
Today, we went to see the waterfalls in a
nearby area. SO PRETTY!!! It’s kind of like Snoqualmie Falls. Beautiful. We had
a lot of fun. It's been super chill and relaxing. We are working so hard and
are super focused on the work. I'm so happy and just loving each day. Oh...we
figured out why Nadim and Patricia are taking longer to get baptized.....they
drink coffee. It will be a little hard for them to drop but we are getting some
members lined up to help them out. We are getting new investigators each week
that are so great. Sorry...not much more to say. Sorry. I'll tell you more in
detail when I get back. Oh...we taught the family of 12 again but it was more
like 15 with their friends. They were sitting on the floor surrounding us and we
taught the plan of salvation. My comp said it felt like Sermon on the Mount
when people surround Christ. That was a cool experience. They are
progressing....slowly. Ha-ha. Anyway. I love you all and hope you have a
fantastic week. Well....love you all. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo Hermana Jones
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