DECEMBER 05, 2016

THIS WEEK IS "FINNA" BE AWESOME!

Hola, 

This week flew by. I cant believe that I am already HALF WAY finished with my training... ahh!! 

First of all, wasn't the Christmas Devotional last night amazing? This Christmas season means so much more being a missionary. Christ is truly the only "gift" we need. I am so thankful to have a Savior and Redeemer and I know that because he lives we can know true joy. 

With that being said. I had a pretty great week. Sister Leslie has been feeling a lot better so we got to go out a lot more. She still isn't 100% but we are working through it! It kinda seems like all of Florida is sick, kinda gross huh? But all is well, I'm feeling GREAT! 

On Thursday, our last two appointments canceled and we were pretty bummed. We knocked for a while and then decided that we should drive home because it was close to 9:00. We got to the house around 8:30 but then decided to go "Beast Mode"(mission slang?) and knock around our neighborhood. And the first door we knocked, a two really wonderful Dominican women answered and invited us in. We talked to them and they were just so amazing! We said a prayer with them and the spirit was so strong. We testified of the restoration and the power of the spirit in our life. Also, there were two adorable little boys there that were so full of energy and so cute! The time got away from us and all of a sudden we realized that it was 9:25 and considering that we lived like a 10 minute walk away from the house we were at, we ended up sprinting home getting home just in time so we wouldn't have to call President. 

We also taught Victor this week. He is the most humble man that I have ever met. We taught him the resto and committed him to baptism on the 24th of December. He is really hard to "read" because he doesn't talk very much but he has the kindest spirit. We taught him outside of McDonald's. It was not very conducive to the spirit considering there were 2 men "trippin" out on the other tables around us. haha it was interesting but all is well! 

Also, we had a meal appointment with an Argentinian-Uruguayan couple. They made us authentic Argentinian BBQ and it was so good!!! It was so awesome! 

Anyway, that all the time I have this week. I love you all and pray for you every night! Keep being awesome! Thank you for all of your support! Stay close to the Lord!!

NOVEMBER 28, 2016

THIS WEEK WAS "SICK"!

Hola Familia y Amigos! 

I hope all of your thanksgivings were amazing! Our ward legit fought over who could have us over for dinner.  We went to the Robles Family for thanksgiving. They are the cutest little family. They prepared so many different dishes and were so happy to just have us in their home. I’ll send pictures! 

The sickness has continued and now is spread throughout our whole house. It’s been a rough time. Sister Leslie has it the worst and we have been inside for almost 10 days now. I have been going out a lot with the STLs which has been so fun! We are basically just covering two wards at once right now because someone is always sick in our house. It’s been quite the challenge but the days are super rewarding. I went out with Sister Erickson twice. She doesn't speak any Spanish at all so I flew solo on all Spanish speakers. It was really scary at first but once I opened my mouth, the Spanish just flowed out! It was such a miracle. I made me feel a lot more confident and was honestly such a blessing. We also knocked into this woman from Haiti. We asked her if we could say a prayer with her, she declined, we then asked her if we could help her with anything, her eyes got really wide and was so shocked and told us she had been putting up her Christmas decorations all day. We offered to help and then spent the next hour just putting random Christmas cutouts on her lawn. It made me feel so festive! The Miramar Sisters are now teaching her the lessons. She is such a cool woman! 

The baptism of Manuel and Jimmy was so amazing. The spirit was so strong and you can just tell that they have been truly converted to the gospel. Jimmy and Manuel were so happy. Sister Leslie, Elder Naea and I all sung a musical number and it actually turned out really well. They are so solid! They bore their testimonies in Sacrament meeting and they sounded like they had been members their whole life. I can’t really put into words how awesome it was! \

My spiritual thought for this week is in Alma 34:8

 8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

This is basically just Alma's testimony that Christ will come again. I just want to add my testimony that I know that Christ did come to those people. I know that we have a Savoir and Redeemer Jesus Christ who knows us perfectly. He atoned so that we could have happiness in this life and be able to have endless joy in the life to come. I am so thankful for my Savior. 

I love you all and pray for you everyday. Thank you for being so amazing and supportive. Till next week! 

NOVEMBER 21, 2016 

THANKFUL FOR FLORIDA!

Hola Familia! 

This week has been quite the week! I really felt like my Spanish improved A LOT. Although, I did realize that Cubans seriously speak another language. It’s so hard to understand them! So, for now, I’m just going to continue to talk to my Hondurans, I love them. 

I actually got pretty sick this week. I think my body is just getting used to all this Latin Food and the stress of a mission. I had to stay in for two days but I’m ready to hit the ground running today after Pday is over! I hate just sitting around. Oh! I got a haircut today by a lady in my ward. I was a little scared and it’s a little short but all is well!!! ha-ha She was just the sweetest women, so I am so thankful for her! My companion turned twenty yesterday and everyone LOVES her so she had a surprise little party during gospel principles yesterday! Sister Leslie is amazing so we celebrated pretty hard ha-ha (and still went to bed at 10:30) ha-ha 

We had an amazing ward "Dia de Accion de Gracias" party. Since Latins love to party, a lot of people brought their nonmember friends and it was awesome! They asked us missionaries to act out the story of Thanksgiving. It was hilarious! Everyone was recording it and thought it was so funny. I just love the Latin people they really know how to have a good time! 

Our investigators are progressing really well! Actually, ONE OF THEM IS ALREADY A MEMBER! Gabby (The Mother, who was the most hesitant about getting baptized) is a member! We brought our ward executive secretary to our lesson last week she was talking about how her family might be members and everything and then he looked her up. It was so cool! Now she’s just so excited for Jimmy and her son Manuel to get Baptized. They are so solid. Seriously everything is working against them right now and they are just pushing through so hard! Their testimony of the gospel is amazing! Jimmy is the absolute "head" of his household and takes that calling so seriously. He’s amazing! They are getting baptized this Saturday and the whole ward is just so excited for them! 

Knocking is hilarious. You never know who you’re going to get, especially in the more ghetto places of our area. It’s so fun (sometimes). We have seen everything from devil worshipers to really old men in robes to small atheist children booing and spitting on us. It’s so crazy. We try not to knock after dark though. ha-ha. I have met so many amazing people that have such incredible stories. 

This is such an amazing experience and I am so THANKFUL for these people and this opportunity. Some days are harder than others but everyday has just been an opportunity to get closer to my Savior. I love this work. 

I just want to leave you with a scripture in Alma 34:38 "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

I am so thankful for all the wonderful people that the Lord has put in my life and the opportunity that I have to share this gospel with all those that I meet every day. Try to take a moment to recognize all that you have been given and give all thanks back to the Lord. I know I have been given more than I could ever repay to the Lord. I love you all and am thankful for you! I pray for you every day! Have a great week!!! 

NOVEMBER 14, 2016

MIRACLES IN MIAMI LAKES!

This week was so great! I for real love this so much! I love Florida! The weather has been perfect and this week just few by because we have been non-stop busy. I have pretty much gotten over my hatred of knocking for an hour a day which has been a huge blessing. 

First off, our investigators are getting BAPTIZED!!! Miracles are REAL! This family has been meeting with the missionaries for months. They have gone through 3 sets of missionaries and have been dropped once. I had my first lesson with them on my first week here and after me and my companion felt like maybe we should try to drop them again because Gabby, the mom, didn't want to commit to anything and was basically telling us that she needed a HUGE sign from God before she was going to get baptized. We were super bummed and didn't really know what to do. We continued to Text her throughout the week, sending her scriptures to read and just checking up. AND THEN, we went to our next lesson with them (Jimmy Gabby and Manuel) and they told us that they want to be baptized and are so excited for everything! We were so excited! They looked so happy and just different. Gabby received the most amazing answer to her prayers that I honestly think it would be just too hard to type out. She awesome!  They are the most beautiful family ever. They told us that we were their angels and they feel like we are just a part of their family. I love them!!!! They speak absolutely no English, except for Manuel, and are so patient with me and my Spanish. We have become best friends though. They are already so excited to get sealed in the temple and I’m so excited because I get to see it!! Ah!

Also, this week I learned that I LOVE biking. it’s so fun! I biked for the first time this week and felt so missionary-like. I could not stop smiling ha-ha it’s so weird. Also, we have been working to try to work better with the members. We are working with a few less active families and part members to try to help them out. They all are hilarious and just love talking to us! I feel like all these people are my best friends. Our ward had a goal of getting 20 baptisms this year and now with Jimmy Gabby and Manuel we are at 17! Me and Sister Leslie are so excited because we thought of a super cool way to make everyone responsible and feel hyped for missionary work this new year.

On Saturday, our stake had a cultural night which was a huge success. Each ward represented a different country and there was food and performances and the whole thing was chaos. Latins love to party or any type of activity. I have already met people from pretty much every Latin American country and the Caribbean. Cubans are ridiculously hard to understand but hopefully I figure it out soon!  

I miss you guys and pray for you every night! Everything is great here in Florida! I’ll talk to you next week!! Thank you for all your love and support!!! 

NOVEMBER 07, 2016 

 I WAS BORN IN THE GHETTO, I THRIVE IN THE GHETTO!

Hey Everyone!!!!

Its hard to believe that I'm HERE! Its so great! Its nothing like i ever Imagined but I love it still the same! 

Florida is great! the weather is perfect. There is water EVERYWHERE. Its so green and awesome! The bugs are crazy and so for that reason,I have to wear PANTS....yup. but its all good, i dont want Zika. 

My first dinner on Tuesday was with a Cuban. I had no idea what was going on the entire time and felt like I learned absolutely nothing in the MTC. BUT, I feel like I have already made so much progress with my Spanish! The first day was the hardest. Ive learned that I really hate knocking. A lot. I'm not sure why. but honestly the biggest thing is that we keep a good attitude and are positive about everything. Its hard. Its not supposed to be easy or even fun sometimes. That's not the purpose. 

But I LOVE the people. Especially all the recent converts that we work with, they are amazing! i love them!!!! They all have amazing stories and are truly converted to this gospel. Its inspiring. Their faith is amazing. I love talking to them and they are so patient with my Spanish its awesome. 

Our ward is so great!!!! They are so loving and awesome. Everyone just kept on giving us food ahahah. We got like these random zip block bags of crackers and stale cereal. It was kinda odd but that's just how they show their love and appreciation to the missionaries. Yesterday we started meeting with the auxiliaries to try to locate the less-active members and it got us SO EXCITED to go to work. We are really feeling so motivated and excited right now. This week is going to be amazing!!! 

My companions names is Hermana Leslie. Shes so sweet and patient with me and I am so grateful for her!! She is from Idaho and just awesome!. All the missionaries here are exactly obedient to everything. Its not cool if your not obedient.Its going to be so good for me! Im so ready to just learn and grow so much. 

Right now I am serving in the Miami Lakes North ward. This area is pretty much all Spanish speakers which has been so great. I have met people from all over the world. Its the definition of a melting pot. The people are so loving and humble here and I have just been so blessed to be called to serve them. I am not 100% confident in my Spanish at all but I am working so hard and so motivated to be able to talk and interact with them more. 

I'm so ready for this experience. Its hard. A lot harder than I ever imagined but it gives me so many opportunities to exercise my faith in the Lord and his will. I know that HE called me here to represent him to these people. I know that HE knows me and loves me and all of his children in this area. I truly love these people so much. They are amazing. Im so humbled to be given this opportunity. I cant wait to have another week out here. I love you guys and am thankful for your constant support and love for me! I can feel it all the way down here in Miami Gardens, Florida! I pray for all the time! Stay close to the Lord! 

Hermana Staffieri

OCTOBER 31, 2016

HOLA!

Primero, I love you all. Thanks for the constant support and love! You guys are awesome! HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I bought myself a Bueno Bar at the tienda today and enjoyed every bite. I don't know how I have never had a Kinder Bueno Bar before but they are amazing! With that being said, the last day in the CCM has been awesome! We haven't done a whole lot but I'm totally okay with that. We hopefully are going to play a good game of Vball after this and then its just back to packing and repacking and then packing again. Everyone is getting so excited to ship out and we are all so prepared and ready! This has been such an awesome experience and its hard to believe I am already heading out to the campo pero yo soy muy lista! (don't judge my Spanish) 

This week was great! The highlight of my week was by far, TRC. I'm not sure if Ive explained TRC before but its when members or nonmembers from outside the walls come in and we have the opportunity to teach them! This week we got to teach a sister who has 2 children and is a convert to the gospel. She was so awesome! Ill attach a picture of her! I love her! We taught her all about Enos and his mighty prayer to the Lord. She was so enthusiastic about the gospel and excited for the work! The thing we focused on the most was Enos 1:9 and how when we are truly repent and forsake our sins, we will be so filled with the Lord's love that we will can't do anything but share the gospel. I testified that that was why I was out here. I love the Lord and know that without him I would have no hope. I have had true repentance and I have felt the joy and love of the Savior in my life. This is why I am here. I have such a love for the people of Florida and everyone I come in contact with. I am so grateful for that because it makes serving them come so easy. My purpose is to invite all to come unto Christ and believe in him and partake of all that his true gospel has to offer. I love this gospel and know it is the true church on this earth. 

​I'm nervous but so ready for Florida. I have been well prepared through my MTC experience and have tried to just love every minute of everything, especially through the challenges. I don't know perfect Spanish and I know its going to be hard but I am so ready! ​I don't think I'll get to email again this week but just know that I love you all and pray for you daily!! Thank you for everything! 

Hermana Staffieri

OCTOBER 26, 2016

THIS IS AWESOME!

Hey Buddies, 

So, my time at the CCM is coming to a pretty quick end! I know a lot of people hate their MTC experience but I wouldn’t trade mine for the anything! This past month and a half has been the ultimate roller coaster of emotion. In the beginning, it was pretty hard. I honestly felt like this wasn’t for me and I wasn’t going to be able to make it but somehow I did! My faith in the lord’s plan for me has increased then fold as I have taken the time to strengthen my relationship with him. Everyday I’m out here is just a new opportunity to grow and learn more about Him. I am so grateful for this adventure. These next 18 months are going to be so amazing and I am so blessed and humbled to be able to represent our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his restored gospel on this earth. Often in the beginning I found myself exhausted and worn out having to do SO much and be SO much in such a little time that I got pretty frustrated with how difficult this work can be. But, as I learned more and knew my savior more I realized that difficult his life was. I’m in the service of Him so why should I expect his work to be easy? when did he ever have it easy? Not to sound cliché but, nothing of worth comes easy. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is just to find joy in the struggles. It doesn’t matter how hard your working if you don’t have joy all the while and a lot of the times the joy is the hardest part. In Russell M. Nelsons talk he said that None but that saints can feel joy under horrible circumstances. True Saints feel joy in all things. 

On another note, this week was really awesome! the highlight of my week was our lessons with Vanessa and Mitzy! Vanessa has always been kind of hard for us to teach because she doesn’t get really into our lessons. Although, this week we taught her about how the gospel blesses families and she really loved it! I love teaching about that because I have such a testimony of it! I am so grateful to have the gospel in my family and I know that it has blessed my family right now and my own future family. Our lessons with Mitzy were so awesome! She has had the hardest life and so the gospel can help her so much! We had our last lesson with her on Monday and the spirit was so strong! I testified about the love of the savior and just felt so much love for her and the people I get to teach in Florida! I’m so excited!!! 5 more days!!!!!

The typical hilariousness occurred in my district this week. Everything is just so much more because Dwight is our new District Leader. Not gonna lie, we were all pretty much losing our mind because of it! Every free moment that we aren’t studying or in class, we play mafia. I get pretty into it. We for sure had some major alliances going down. 

I also made the coolest Latino elder friends this week during our service project! They are so crazy about futbol and we bonded pretty hard over that! Oh, and I also taught them how to fold fitting sheets for our service project so we are best buds now. Every time they see me they yell my name even though it’s so hard for them to say haha. 

life is so great here! I’m having the best time! This is the best decision I have ever made! my scripture for this week comes from 2 Nephi 1: 23, it says ¨Awake, my sons, and put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.¨ We are constantly being attacked by the adversity on a daily basis so we need to put on the armor of righteousness every day! Satan is just as real as God and Jesus Christ. I challenge you this week to arise and be ¨absolute¨ in everything we do. I miss you all and pray for you every night!

Hermana Staffieri

OCTOBER 19, 2016

LIFE IS SO GOOD!

I don’t have much time this week so it might just be some bueno bullet points.

Good stuff:

-Today our entire Zone decided to talk only in español por the entire day. Its actually been so fun! My spanish is really coming along and its making me so excited!

-This week we had TRC for the first time. TRC is when people come in from outside the walls and we teach them. We taught a 14 year old boy and he was like a mexican Bryce. He was soooo awesome! We taught him all about how it is important to follow Gods will, not our own. 

-Hermana Curtis y yo are on a roll when it comes to lessons with our current investigators. We have really got a ¨flow¨going on. This week our goal was just to completely rely on the spirit. It was the best week in lessons yet! 

-Im getting so ready and excited for Florida! One more WEEK! oh my!!!! I love the people already!! So stoked!!!!

Funny stuff: 

-#PrayforNuggets, the food is pretty rough lately. but all is well. I have NEVER craved chicken nuggets more in my life. I talk about them a lot. So much so that the biggest discussion my district had this week was if it is okay to pray for nuggets. It’s still kinda undecided. Some of the elders are really passionate about it. 

-Pizza Night, every Tuesday we have Costco pizza. It’s so rad. The entire CCM gets so stoked about pizza it’s kinda crazy. One of the elder in my district has gained 15 pounds.....yikes. I haven’t gained any actually so we are so good! I’ve been working out a lot which makes the days go by so much faster. 

-The Latino elders....so my teacher tells us every day to sit with Latinos at dinner or lunch. The elders in my district have become super good friends with these Latinos and they are super funny. Pero, one day i was sitting and speaking broken spanish with them and all of a sudden I hear ¨Cancun¨..¨spring break¨...¨novea¨... and then all the elders are looking at me like what the heck, Apparently one of the latino elders told me that after our missions he wants me to meet him in cancun on spring break to be his girlfriend. yeahhhh......so hard pass. 

The office

-I have officially been named as Pam. So, thats good. 

-DWIGHT FOR DL¨. So Dwight is officially our new district leader because our old district leader is now the Zone leader because he is so awesome! It’s a lot like the episode where Dwight becomes boss for the day. enough said. 

Spritual thought;

2 Nefi 22:2

¨behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, he also has become my salvation¨

I love this scripture! When we put everything we are and are trying to be in the Lord. He will be our STRENGTH, There are some harder days out here but I testify that everyday when I put my trust in the lord and in his plan for me everything makes sense. I love this gospel and i love my savior Jesus Christ. I challenge you this week to strengthen your relationship with your heavenly father. Exercise your faith. It’s supposed to be an Exercise! 

I love you all and pray for you EVERY day!

Stay close to the Lord! 

OCTOBER 12, 2016

 LIFE IS BUENO!

Hola Familia y Amigos!

This week was a lot like previous weeks! But everyday gets more and more fun! Im about half way done with the CCM already...CRAZY! it’s amazing how much I’ve learned and grown in these past few weeks- its 100% a blessing from God. The hand of the lord is everywhere here in the CCM. I love this work and know that this is exactly where the lord needs me. Nothing has gotten "easier" but everything has gotten better. I’m not really sure how else to explain it. 

Anyways, Hermana Curtis is ALIVE AND WELL. The dream team is back in action. I say "dream team" pretty lightly porque esta semana we had the most hilarious humbling experience in a lesson. On Monday, we were teaching our "investigator" Mitzy. We had taught her once before and other time I taught her as a trio with Hermana Noftle and Wertz porque Hermana Curtis was in the hospital. As a trio, we taught her about the atonement and she got really into the lesson and even started crying. While she was crying and talking really fast, she was telling us this crazy story about how some people came up and shot and killed her cousin right in front of her. We heard about 65% of what she said and felt confident enough that we didn’t need to ask again. So going off of that, when me and Hermana Curtis taught on Monday we decided to talk about the Plan of Salvation, centered on the fact that she will see her cousin again. We taught her an awesome lesson and she asked really hard questions that we answered pretty dang well. We were feeling super awesome. At the end pur "investigator" (really our language teacher) told us that her cousin DIDNT DIE.... apparently we completely misunderstood. It was such a classic missionary moment. The whole lesson she kept smiling and I thought it was because she was so happy about the plan de salvación but apparently she was just trying not to laugh. like why didn’t she stop us in the middle of the lesson??? ha-ha all I can say though is that if her cousin was dead, it would’ve been an awesome lesson. 

Good new! we committed our other investigator to baptism (her cousin is alive too). She’s a lot easier/ more accepting and speaks pretty slow so I can understand 100% of what she says. Which is pretty nice.

Oh! my district keeps calling California "Cali". It’s SO annoying. Also, my companion hates In N Out. That was honestly the first fight/open argument we´ve had. It was a rough day. She even compared it to McDonalds....Yup. Utah kids, am I right??? But other than that, everything is awesome. I love watching the Latinos play soccer and have made a bunch of latino friends because of it. The only major bummer thing is that Hermanas aren’t allowed to play with Elders. I’m GOING CRAZY. I miss soccer SO much!!!! I haven’t met any Hermanas that play yet but I’m on the search. 

My district is still exactly like the office. Dwight (elder Turley/ Dating dr. Guy), continues to wear shorts that are tighter and shorter than any hermanas. Its always fun playing vball with that going on... Also! We have a TOTAL Creed. His name is Elder Singleton and constantly tells me how when he grows up he wants to be a "vegitable"...yup. He also hallucinates almost every night and tells me all about it. He’s my total bud though.

This week was filled with awesome spiritual experiences. My spiritual "thought" this week comes from John 17. If you have time, read this chapter. if you don’t have time, make time because it’s my favorite chapter in all scripture. I especially love verse 4. " I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Its so simple yet so beautiful. we have all been given a work on this earth, we all have our own unique purpose to fulfill. We should all strive to be able to say at the food of God ¨I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. Our unique work should be centered in the goal to "Glorify thee on the earth". Everything we do should be in HIS name. I also love verse 21. It reads "that they all be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also maybe one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.¨This week I challenge you all to try to understand your purpose as a daughter and son of God on this earth. Glorify Him with you actions and words. 

I love you all and pray for you everyday!

Love, 

Hermana Staffieri 

OCTOBER 06, 2016 

I LOVE AMERICA, BUT MEXICO IS SWEET TOO!

Mom, Dad, Friends, Buds, 

This week was pretty awesome but ended not so awesome. The more that I’m here, the more I love it. I’m really starting to get a ¨flow¨ of everything. This sounds so cliché but ¨the days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days. It’s crazy that there is now two knew ¨sets of missionaries (can’t wait for Tauna to get out here). First off, HAPPY BDAY MOM AND BRYCE. You guys are two of my very best friends (probably because sometimes you act exactly the same) and I love you so much!!! Keep being you!

This week was filled with General conference, hundreds of new vocab words, and lots of love for my companions and nuestro Padre Celestial. We taught two new investigators this week, Mitzy and Vanessa. and WOW, my spanish has improved so much! I felt the spirit SO strong when I was testifying in Spanish. Everyone says that your spanish is good enough if you can just feel the spirit. So I guess I’ve made it.... except I still can’t ask for directions soooo. I am learning so much and there is seriously no way that I could be learning this much without the help from a higher power. 

Wasn’t general conference so awesome??  Everyone here was SO excited for it and we basically got to watch it in a movie theater type of room. My favorite talk was Elder Yamashita´s and Elder Nelson´s. Elder Yamshita´s was directed to missionaries and I love the line he said to ¨Be ambitious for Christ. It’s so real. We need to not only be representatives of Christ but have JOY in this work and motivated, focused, and dedicated WITH JOYFULL HEARTS. Elder Nelson talked a lot about how much joy can be found in the Plan of Salvation. Everyone reading this just needs to go back and reread it because it was the best! I’m so thankful for the knowledge and testimony I have of the Plan of the Lord, The Plan of HAPPINESS. 

My district is so close and we just love each other so much. The Elders in my district just feel like Brothers and it’s the best! One of the elders, elder Geisler, wrote this huge thing in his journal about how everyone in our district is exactly like the office. It’s hilarious how true it is. Apparently I’m a mixture between Pam and Kelly. HAHAH and our Dwight is SO REAL. It’s hilarious!!! it’s the elder I wrote about in my last email who is the dating doctor. 

Gym time is the best time! Me and Hermana Wertz go for a run and then go to the Gym. It’s so fun! And pretty much every other day, we play ¨noncompetitive¨volleyball with another district in our Zone and they are so fun! We are having such a great time

Although, my companion really isn’t. On Tuesday night at 8:00pm we were sitting in a devotional and she just got up and walked out really fast holding her side. She had been feeling kind of sick all day but we didn’t really think anything of it and neither did the doctor. But we ran over to the doctor’s office in the CCM and got rushed off to the hospital. We went to the ER where NO ONE spoke English at all. A Doctor from the CCM got us all checked in and stayed for about an hour with us but when the ER doctor told us that we were going to need to stay the night because they think she might have appendicitis, he left us to go back home. I was the translator for the whole time and it was so stressful. I had them talk really slow and understood about 75% of what they said. I felt so responsible for my companion. We then continued to sit in the ER while they ran a whole bunch of tests and I had to sign a bunch of papers that I have no idea were (could have signed her life away). They gave me the hardest foldable chair to sit on and me and the wall next to me got pretty friendly as I used it as a pillow. Long story short, 5 hours later, we finally got up to our room where I slept on a hard bench. But its Bueno. They woke us up every hour to check her so I got about two hours of sleep. They brought another sister to switch me out in the morning but right when I got back to the CCM my district went to the temple so we just went nonstop all day. I was EXHAUSTED. 2 hours of sleep for 48 hours really gets to you.... but my district leader let us sleep in the morning. My companion is still in the hospital and no one really knows exactly what’s wrong so if you could keep her in your prayers that would be amazing! 

Anyways. THE CHURCH IS TRUE! SOOOO TRUE! these past few days were the most exhausting weeks of my life but all is well and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I LOVE YOU ALL. STAY TRUE.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2016

LOVE DOCTORS AND MISSION DOCTORS!

Hola Familia!!! 

Wowwww I cannot believe that I’m actually writing my first email home right now... crazy. First I just want to thank you guys for the awesome journal that everyone wrote in at my farewell. It seriously helped a lot this week. If I could describe this week in one word it would be ROLLERCOASTER. Seriously so awesome though! 

My companion is so fun! Her name is Hermana Curtis and she reminds me exactly of Mette, my college roommate. She’s from Sandy Utah and the youngest of 5 and going to Fort Worth Texas. I wasn’t sure about her at first but now I really love her. It’s so awesome! We honestly laugh 24/7 and I couldn’t have asked for a better first companion. I live with the two other hermanas that are going to my mission and I completely love them!!! They are the best! Everyone here reminds me of someone from home. Hermana Noftle reminds me of Madalyn and Hermana Wertz reminds me of Jenny Duvall. It just feels like home. There is even a guy in my district that reminds me so much of Dad. It’s hilarious.  

This week we taught an investigator named Karren. She is 23 years old, married, and has a daughter that is 3. The lessons were a little rough but we pulled it off in the end and she’s getting BAPTIZED!!! It was such a cool experience and so awesome to be able to bring someone to the gospel. Oh my, this church is so true guys. My testimony has increased 10 fold since I’ve been here. Not going to lie, spanish is really hard. like REALLY hard. I feel like I just have so much to say but have no words to say it! it’s extremely frustrating. I know that as I continue to work and work and work that the language will come. Everyone keeps telling me just to keep praying for the gift of tongues, and BOY do I pray. I’ve honestly learned so much already though and every night when I go to journal, its actually hard to write in all english. I have super awesome teachers though who are truly inspired. 

Today we got to go to the temple and it was so incredible! Seriously I loved every minute. I had no idea what was going on since everything was in spanish but the spirit was so strong. I’ve learned that the spirit speaks so much louder than anyone ever could and as long as I am worthy to have the spirit as my third companion, I can never fail. 

OH! Hilarious side note, there is an elder in my district named Elder Turley and he is honestly one of the oddest people I have ever met. One day we were all sitting around preparing our lessons for the next day when he randomly just starts talking about how since the age of 14, he has been a Dating Doctor.... HAHAH. Like what?? People legit pay him for dating advice. The scary part is, his advice is so good!!!!...not like I’ll be needing any for the next 18 months. hahah. 

My district is so awesome though. I love all the Elders in it and it feels like they are my brothers, we all love each other so much. It’s so awesome that I get to also be in a district with the Hermanas that are going to Florida. 

Not so funny side note, this past week I was in and out of the doctor for two days straight but all is well now! The doctor said I had Tonsillitis but I woke up this morning and I’m feeling so much better!

The food here is pretty questionable and you never really know what you are eating, but that’s the fun part! There is ALWAYS watermelon though so that’s awesome. There are always crazy noises that sounds like bombs but I guess it’s just fireworks...That’s what the teachers tell us but I heard from a native that about 50% of them are gunshots.... But its Bueno. I love it here. Honestly everything is so cool. It’s so pretty!!! The CCM is so nice and you feel like you are in a little community. There are these cool houses that line all the way up the surrounding mountains that just stack up on top of another. I love it. It’s been raining every day at around the same time. Actually right now it’s raining pretty hard and there is lots of thunder. That is SOOOO Loud. I’ve never heard it this loud. 

I had two really awesome spiritual experiences this week. This past Sunday was fast Sunday and It was the best! At the start of sacrament meeting our branch president told us to write down a question that has been in our heart. And i wrote down "How can I have more faith in the gift of tongues?" And sure enough, I get to relief society and that was the exact lesson that they had planned and IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING. I’d just like to testify that the Lord hears and answers prayers. He knows you better than you know yourself. Also, since I’ve been pretty sick this past week, yesterday I asked my district leader if he would give me a blessing. It was such an amazing experience and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. The spirit was so strong!!!! Four 18yr Boys standing around me with such power and authority. I love my district. They are incredible. 

This week was very challenging and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy frustrated excited overwhelmed in a week before. It’s so up and down but I keep hearing that the first week is the hardest. I really missed you guys this week but I know that this is where I am supposed to be. It’s such a hard work but it’s the Lords work. I feel honored and blessed to be able to represent the lord and wear his name on my chest every day. The church is so true. In the CCM, it’s so easy to just recognize the lords hand in EVERYTHING. I challenge everyone to just try a little harder to recognize the lords hand in your life this week. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!