Sent: Wed, April 28, 2010 7:32:15 AM
Subject: HOLLLAAAAAAAAAAA
Dearest Family, This week...BEST WEEK YET!!!! I can honestly say that this is a gospel of miracles. This week, we got to go out to the city again to go contacting and preach the gospel. You´re supposed to get paired with a Latina comp so it’s not that scary, but my last name is Garcia....do I get a Latino comp?? Again, NO! Except this time they put me with a newbie who has only been here for one week so literally knows NO Spanish. Great!!!! But it was really so much fun. We looked at each other and she told me I hope you know what you’re doing, because I know nothing!! I smiled and told her; this is going to be the best day of your life, Sister!! And it really was. WE got on the bus and it was hilarious to see her face! It was an adventure just like it always is. Mom, dad, I cant wait till you come and ride the magic school bus. You will love it. But I think I am getting used to it. This is the fourth time I rode it, and I only gagged twice....progress!!!!!
We got there safe and it was great. We said our prayer and we got to work. This week, I honestly experienced and learned what the gift of tongues is. I can testify to love!! For the most part, I could not understand what the heck anyone was saying, but the things that you need to know or understand to help someone else, you will know with perfect clarity. It is so true!!!! Soooo, we met this guy named Antonio....about mid 40s young, we started talking to him and I don’t know if it was because he actually had teeth or what, but I could understand almost everything he said. We talked about his job, he said he didn’t have a family, talked about Guatemala...it was simple light and good. Then we started sharing our message and we were talking and I think we said, we know that God loves you and then he just FREAKED OUT!!!
He snapped and was like, don’t tell me that!!!!! It was kinda shocking how fast the conversation turned. We said it again, Antonio, we know God love you and he just kept saying NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! He said you can’t tell me that! It’s not true!! How can you tell me God loves me? He said, how can you tell me God loves me when he took away his wife, his children in an accident. One day everything he loved was gone! And then a couple months or weeks I didn’t quite get it, both his parents died!! He looked at us and we were speechless and I could just see the pain and hurt forming in his eyes! He said if I know anything, I know that God doesn’t love me!! He kept saying I have pains! I have pains everyday and he started belittling us and saying that you come here with your perfect life and say you understand and you can help me and that you know God loves me....You will NEVER understand!! He started pointing his finger at me and said you don’t know anything! You don’t have a clue! You will never understand. You don’t know the pains I feel everyday.
My comp and I looked at each other and had a lost for words. I prayed for strength and I told him, Antonio I am so sorry. He started going off again and was saying No! And I told him Please... Listen...I told him, Antonio, you are right. I don’t understand the pains you feel. I have no idea what it would be like to lose all my family and loved ones. You´re right, I have no idea and cant even imagine how you feel. He looked at me and I told him, But Christ does! I started talking to him about the Atonement and how I knew that Christ gave his life and suffered not only for our sins, but for all our sadness’s, and sufferings as well.
I talked about how Christ personally experienced our pains and our sufferings so that He would know how to help us. I opened my Book of Mormon and we read together some scriptures in Alma 7 that talks about the Atonement and what Christ did for us and me and my comp bore our most sincere and heartfelt testimony of the Savior and the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ as we possibly could. I can’t even describe the feelings that I felt.
I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and that the Savior did suffer and give his life for each one of us. That´s the only reason this life or God´s plan is a Plan of Happiness. We taught him a little about the Plan of Salvation and gave him a pamphlet for the Plan of Salvation, Restoration, and Book of Mormon. I asked him if he would meet with the missionaries, but he was still a little hesitant. He told me no. And I said Why not. And he said because three months ago missionaries contacted him here at the park, and he said he’d meet with them, but they never called or showed up.
He said he waited three months and doesn’t want to go through that again. He said you never show up! I was irate and so mad and I gave him my promise that the missionaries would get in contact with him so I told my teacher and she called the mission. I think he’s in Guat city south, so they will call him. But it was just crazy. He was still a little hesitant, but he did give us his info and I am just praying the missionaries will get to him. I don’t know if we got though to him, or if anything we said helped him, but I feel confident that he’s in the Lords hands.
I know that Heavenly Father loved Him so much. As I was talking to him about the Savior, I felt an overwhelming feeling of love come upon me. I tried my very best to pour out my heart and convey those feelings that I felt, and it is kinda sad because I’ll never know if anything I said will make a difference, but like I said he’s in the Lords hands and I know how much the Lord loves him.
I just felt so grateful because I realized just how much I’ve been blessed. In this short 5 weeks in Guatemala, I have met so many people who suffer things and live in circumstances that I can’t even imagine and it is really humbling. I’ve been so blessed!!!! I never really understood how blessed I am, and honestly I still don’t but I know that I have. I know I don’t deserve it and I don’t know why I’ve been so blessed, but I am so grateful to be here in Guat to have the opportunity to get a glimpse into how others live, and in a small, small way experience and see the pains and sufferings others go through everyday without the blessings and comforts of the restored gospel. To be able to see the world through the eyes of others...What a Blessing!!!!!!!!! I haven’t even entered the field yet, but my mission has far exceeded my expectations. I am sooo pumped to leave next week.
The atonement is real I know that!! I am so grateful for this time in my life, to experience that and to give everything, my whole life heart and soul to my Savior and Father in Heaven as they have given everything to me!!! I love this gospel. I love all of you. Thank you for all your love support and prayers. Prestos Todos Prstos mi familia....The church is True!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!
Hermana Alise Rei Kahululani Garcia served in the Guatemala City Central Mission March 2010 - September 2011 for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
First Companion MTC and CCM, Hermana Williams
April 21, 2010 Papacita mi favorito!
Sent: Wed, April 21, 2010 7:28:12 AM
Subject: YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Familia, I loooooooooooove you!! This week, best week yet! I am in LOVE with my mission. First, happy bday Andrew!! I love you Bro and I am so excited for this New Year for you. It will be amazing!!!!!! I will write you later. Ok so this week has been CRAHAZY, but so fun. First, funny story with the Spanish. So at lunch I was talking to my teacher and the cafe ladies and I saw that we were having baby potatoes which are my fav. They are called papitas. So I go and say really loud OHHHH papacita mi favorito!!! Papacitas son muy ricas!!! Everyone started laughing and looked at me. papacitas are a handsome guy so I said ooooh handsome men my favorite. Handsome men are sooooo delicious!!! bahahahhaa!!!! LOCO!!! It was hilarious but really embarrassing!!! I will never forget the work papitas again!! haha. But anyways, I love my mission so much!!!!! It is the best!
A couple weeks ago, President Steimle asked me if id do him a favor. I said of course and he asked me to be the music director of the ccm so I’m in charge of all the music here and the wonderful ccm choir!! OH boy!!! haha. But it is so much fun. I think its bachi because I told you I used to laugh so hard anytime anyone would sing, because you’ve never even heard some of the notes they will sing here. It is LOCO, but I would not have it any other way.
Being the choir director has honestly been so much fun, but it is also been incredibly stressful. Latins are the best, I love them to death, but it can be incredibly difficult to get them to do things and with my Spanish not being the best, it can be even more difficult. It is a blessing though because it gives me a lot of practice to work on my Spanish. But it’s been so fun. I remember the first rehearsal we had. I announced to everyone that we were going to have choir practice at 130. I show up to choir practice and there’s like 3 North Americans there. I wait there a little while and then was like, oh heck no!!!!! So I went to all the Latinos classes and was like yoohoo! Did we forget about choir practice today¿ They all looked at each together and started laughing and was like oh no non no hermana we were just on our way there. haha.
So I recruited all the Latins to be in our wonderful choir and for our debut performance we had 5 people in the audience!!!! haha. My mission president came up to me after and was like that was the biggest choir I have ever seen, do you give people choices. I laughed and was like nah! I don’t believe in that!!! haha. But I just love these people to death. We are probably the worst sounding choir you have ever heard. Sometimes, after all I can do is just smile and say BUENISIMO!!!!! It is HILARIOUS!!! I just wish you all, but esp Chris could hear it. You would not be able to stop laughing!!! But I would not have it any other way. I feel the spirit so strong when they sing. They epitomize the definition of singing with gusto. No one is ever in tune but they just sing, sing, sing there little hearts out and it is the best ever. Our first performance though I had to pray with all my might before we sang that I wouldn’t start laughing, because sometimes I just cant help it. You could make a movie about it and it just brings me so much happiness that sometimes I just have to laugh!! But no matter what, it’s always great! Last night, we performed for Elder Clark who is the area mission president here. Our pianist stopped playing through the middle of the song, and we had one elder decide he wanted to play his violin so he started playing and the show just went on. I was like oh noooo and was so worried but everyone just kept singing like nothing happened and we did the rest of our song acapella. And I was so surprised it was really good!!! I think its one of those things that you just have to come and see here but it is just hilarious how some things work here. But I just love Love LOVe it SOOOO much!! Oh and please thank President Dupont for me because we are using his music to I will find you my Friend and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
OHHHH family, I am just so, so, so happy. I truly am having the time of my life here. I have always been a happy person, but this time of my life is different. I feel more than happy, I feel pure joy!!! It is hard for me to adequately express but I just LOVE every second of being a missionary! I skip everywhere. One morning it was really crazy. My alarm goes off and I get so excited. I said my prayer got off my bed and I was so excited, I did a kick and was like LETS GO BRUSH our teeth and do missionary work. My companion looked at me like I was loco, but I just feel so much happiness and excitement I cant even contain myself!!!! AAHHAHHAHAHA! It is just so much fun and I can feel the Spirit and the Lords love everyday so strong. I get so overwhelmed with gratitude it brings me to tears everyday. I am so grateful to be here. It is honestly the biggest miracle and blessing of my life and I just love the people and the culture here so much. I haven’t even gotten out of the mtc yet, but I just love the Latinos so, so, so much. They are God’s chosen people and I just feel so humbled and grateful to be able to serve here!!
MISSIONS are the BEST!! Chris and Andrew start praying really hard! haha. Just kidding!!! But I Love everyone so, so much!!!! I pray for you all every night and can honestly feel your love and your prayers here in Guatemala!!! I KNOW that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth. More importantly, I know that each person is a child of God and I know that Heavenly Father loves me. Each night I pray, I feel his arms wrap around me and I don’t need to doubt for one second that I’m where I need to be. The Lord is aware. I wish I had more than 20 minutes to write because there is so much I want to say, but just know that I am soooooo happy and that I am sooooo grateful for all your love and support!!! Prestos todos Prestos mi familia....The church is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!
Love, HERRRMANA!!!!
ps....one thing that is no bueno is my stomach is loco. I think I might have prayed to hard to be able to go to the bathroom because now I have diarrhea!! It is a vicious cycle here of constipation to diarrhea. In the middle of a spiritual thought, I had to run out of the class and go. hahahhaaha. It is crazy but like I said I wouldn’t have it any other way! We have all become really close let’s just put it that way because we really have come to know each other really, really really well. Haha. It’s hilarious. I am learning to love all of it and embrace it all. Diarrhea and all....IT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Subject: YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Familia, I loooooooooooove you!! This week, best week yet! I am in LOVE with my mission. First, happy bday Andrew!! I love you Bro and I am so excited for this New Year for you. It will be amazing!!!!!! I will write you later. Ok so this week has been CRAHAZY, but so fun. First, funny story with the Spanish. So at lunch I was talking to my teacher and the cafe ladies and I saw that we were having baby potatoes which are my fav. They are called papitas. So I go and say really loud OHHHH papacita mi favorito!!! Papacitas son muy ricas!!! Everyone started laughing and looked at me. papacitas are a handsome guy so I said ooooh handsome men my favorite. Handsome men are sooooo delicious!!! bahahahhaa!!!! LOCO!!! It was hilarious but really embarrassing!!! I will never forget the work papitas again!! haha. But anyways, I love my mission so much!!!!! It is the best!
A couple weeks ago, President Steimle asked me if id do him a favor. I said of course and he asked me to be the music director of the ccm so I’m in charge of all the music here and the wonderful ccm choir!! OH boy!!! haha. But it is so much fun. I think its bachi because I told you I used to laugh so hard anytime anyone would sing, because you’ve never even heard some of the notes they will sing here. It is LOCO, but I would not have it any other way.
Being the choir director has honestly been so much fun, but it is also been incredibly stressful. Latins are the best, I love them to death, but it can be incredibly difficult to get them to do things and with my Spanish not being the best, it can be even more difficult. It is a blessing though because it gives me a lot of practice to work on my Spanish. But it’s been so fun. I remember the first rehearsal we had. I announced to everyone that we were going to have choir practice at 130. I show up to choir practice and there’s like 3 North Americans there. I wait there a little while and then was like, oh heck no!!!!! So I went to all the Latinos classes and was like yoohoo! Did we forget about choir practice today¿ They all looked at each together and started laughing and was like oh no non no hermana we were just on our way there. haha.
So I recruited all the Latins to be in our wonderful choir and for our debut performance we had 5 people in the audience!!!! haha. My mission president came up to me after and was like that was the biggest choir I have ever seen, do you give people choices. I laughed and was like nah! I don’t believe in that!!! haha. But I just love these people to death. We are probably the worst sounding choir you have ever heard. Sometimes, after all I can do is just smile and say BUENISIMO!!!!! It is HILARIOUS!!! I just wish you all, but esp Chris could hear it. You would not be able to stop laughing!!! But I would not have it any other way. I feel the spirit so strong when they sing. They epitomize the definition of singing with gusto. No one is ever in tune but they just sing, sing, sing there little hearts out and it is the best ever. Our first performance though I had to pray with all my might before we sang that I wouldn’t start laughing, because sometimes I just cant help it. You could make a movie about it and it just brings me so much happiness that sometimes I just have to laugh!! But no matter what, it’s always great! Last night, we performed for Elder Clark who is the area mission president here. Our pianist stopped playing through the middle of the song, and we had one elder decide he wanted to play his violin so he started playing and the show just went on. I was like oh noooo and was so worried but everyone just kept singing like nothing happened and we did the rest of our song acapella. And I was so surprised it was really good!!! I think its one of those things that you just have to come and see here but it is just hilarious how some things work here. But I just love Love LOVe it SOOOO much!! Oh and please thank President Dupont for me because we are using his music to I will find you my Friend and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
OHHHH family, I am just so, so, so happy. I truly am having the time of my life here. I have always been a happy person, but this time of my life is different. I feel more than happy, I feel pure joy!!! It is hard for me to adequately express but I just LOVE every second of being a missionary! I skip everywhere. One morning it was really crazy. My alarm goes off and I get so excited. I said my prayer got off my bed and I was so excited, I did a kick and was like LETS GO BRUSH our teeth and do missionary work. My companion looked at me like I was loco, but I just feel so much happiness and excitement I cant even contain myself!!!! AAHHAHHAHAHA! It is just so much fun and I can feel the Spirit and the Lords love everyday so strong. I get so overwhelmed with gratitude it brings me to tears everyday. I am so grateful to be here. It is honestly the biggest miracle and blessing of my life and I just love the people and the culture here so much. I haven’t even gotten out of the mtc yet, but I just love the Latinos so, so, so much. They are God’s chosen people and I just feel so humbled and grateful to be able to serve here!!
MISSIONS are the BEST!! Chris and Andrew start praying really hard! haha. Just kidding!!! But I Love everyone so, so much!!!! I pray for you all every night and can honestly feel your love and your prayers here in Guatemala!!! I KNOW that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth. More importantly, I know that each person is a child of God and I know that Heavenly Father loves me. Each night I pray, I feel his arms wrap around me and I don’t need to doubt for one second that I’m where I need to be. The Lord is aware. I wish I had more than 20 minutes to write because there is so much I want to say, but just know that I am soooooo happy and that I am sooooo grateful for all your love and support!!! Prestos todos Prestos mi familia....The church is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!
Love, HERRRMANA!!!!
ps....one thing that is no bueno is my stomach is loco. I think I might have prayed to hard to be able to go to the bathroom because now I have diarrhea!! It is a vicious cycle here of constipation to diarrhea. In the middle of a spiritual thought, I had to run out of the class and go. hahahhaaha. It is crazy but like I said I wouldn’t have it any other way! We have all become really close let’s just put it that way because we really have come to know each other really, really really well. Haha. It’s hilarious. I am learning to love all of it and embrace it all. Diarrhea and all....IT IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 14, 2010 Learning To Be A Better Companion.
Holaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! This week, best week yet!!! Soooo, I told you about how my companions kinda had a freak out attack on me last week. Well, ever since then things have been a little weird. It wasn’t the same so we had a vent sesh to get everything out. I felt terrible because I realized I’m a terrible comp and have not even realized the things that I do that have been hurting our companionship.
In class, my comps snapped at me because I have been really vocal and passionate about learning Spanish and just try to Talk, Talk, Talk! Although, this is a righteous desire, I haven’t been sensitive to the way my comps have been feeling. I have to admit, I know I complain about how frustrating this whole Spanish things is, but the Lord has truly been helping me a lot, I have learned Spanish a lot faster than others and it took my comp just snapping and breaking down to help me to humble myself and recognize how much the Lord has blessed me, and that I need to help others. I’ve been learning really fast. I’m a verbal person, you know that! I’m not saying I’m fluent or anything, but I can talk. Heavenly Father has blessed me tremendously.
My comp on the other hand really struggles. She knows a lot, but it is extremely hard for her to open her mouth and speak. This whole time I’ve been studying my brains out and have been talking, talking, talking, so I can be a better missionary. Yet, I had totally forgotten or didn’t even think about how my other companions feel or what’s going on with her. I’ve realized that in order to be a good missionary, I need to stop thinking solely about myself and how I can improve, but need to focus on how I can help others. I think this has been the biggest challenge for me on a mission thus far.
As I was talking to my comp I thought, Christ gives everything and wants to lift us up to where He is, and do I genuinely desire the same for others? The answer is no. and this is something I really need to work on in order to be a better missionary. It’s everything. I apologized, she apologized and it was good. But anyways, that night we had a comp prayer and we had an appointment to teach a lesson with our teacher and we had been praying to be able to recognize the spirit more. We went in to teach and like always, it was really rough because we were trying to teach in Spanish. This time it was really hard and I really didn’t know what to do or say, so I read a scripture in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 19: 9 because no matter what at least that’s correct. But as I was reading this scripture about the Savior and His Atonement, Hna Williams just started bawling. The spirit came in to the room with full force. I looked at her and couldn’t finish reading the scripture. The spirit was seriously paralyzing and I couldn’t speak. Tears started streaming down me and Hna Sosas (teacher) eyes and we looked at Hna Williams. She looked at us with a face full of tears and seriously bore the most powerful earth shattering testimony of the Savior I have ever heard.
It was simple, but came straight from her heart. It was so powerful and I couldn’t stop crying because I remembered what happened just earlier that day. This was a MIRACLE and truly an answer to a heartfelt prayer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE! Christ is our Brother and Savior! If anyone has doubts, get on your knees and sincerely ask the Lord to help you to recognize the Spirit testify that to you. Each child is precious in the eyes of the Lord. He is desperate to save us. If we sincerely ask, you WILL KNOW with certainty that Jesus is our Savior. The Lord wants us to know. He needs us to know. He will answer. I love it!!!!!! My mission has taught me that miracles happen around us everyday. This experience may seem like a small thing, but it has been a miracle for our comp. Hna said that that was the first time she’s ever felt the Spirit like that and it has made the biggest difference in our teaching and companionship. I just have grown to love my comp so much more and have so much respect for her. This truly is a gospel of miracles. I can’t even explain the way I feel. Each day, Heavenly father has helped me to grow and love and that’s the best part of a mission. I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL so so much!!!! I know that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Savior did die for us. I am so grateful to be serving my Lord. I love Him! Thank you all for you love and prayers. I feel them everyday pushing me through!!!!!
Love you forever,
Hna Garcia
Ps. I WAS ABLE TO GO to the BATHROOM!!! Hooray! Whenever I go, I seriously thank Heavenly Father. BLESSINGS!!!!
pss Yesterday, all the Latinos left so its only our district of 5 still here. It was so sad. We all cried and cried because we became such great friends. But since it was just us, The Steimles (PRES and his wife) took us out for a day out in the town. We went to the markado, a museum and they took us out to a nice steak dinner. IT was SOOOOO much fun! I love the Steimles. Theyre great! I love GUATEMALA!!! It is so cool. After we came back, I told the Steimles thank you and that the only way this day could be better was if the Americans who were supposed to come last night couldn’t come so we could have more time alone with them. And then the Pres secretary walks in and tells him that the Americans flight got cancelled and that they couldn’t come till tomorrow. Everyone looked at me. It was hilarious the timing and all, and I was like IT WAsnt me!!! haha. It was so funny. Be careful what you wish for!!! I love you ALLLLLLLL!
In class, my comps snapped at me because I have been really vocal and passionate about learning Spanish and just try to Talk, Talk, Talk! Although, this is a righteous desire, I haven’t been sensitive to the way my comps have been feeling. I have to admit, I know I complain about how frustrating this whole Spanish things is, but the Lord has truly been helping me a lot, I have learned Spanish a lot faster than others and it took my comp just snapping and breaking down to help me to humble myself and recognize how much the Lord has blessed me, and that I need to help others. I’ve been learning really fast. I’m a verbal person, you know that! I’m not saying I’m fluent or anything, but I can talk. Heavenly Father has blessed me tremendously.
My comp on the other hand really struggles. She knows a lot, but it is extremely hard for her to open her mouth and speak. This whole time I’ve been studying my brains out and have been talking, talking, talking, so I can be a better missionary. Yet, I had totally forgotten or didn’t even think about how my other companions feel or what’s going on with her. I’ve realized that in order to be a good missionary, I need to stop thinking solely about myself and how I can improve, but need to focus on how I can help others. I think this has been the biggest challenge for me on a mission thus far.
As I was talking to my comp I thought, Christ gives everything and wants to lift us up to where He is, and do I genuinely desire the same for others? The answer is no. and this is something I really need to work on in order to be a better missionary. It’s everything. I apologized, she apologized and it was good. But anyways, that night we had a comp prayer and we had an appointment to teach a lesson with our teacher and we had been praying to be able to recognize the spirit more. We went in to teach and like always, it was really rough because we were trying to teach in Spanish. This time it was really hard and I really didn’t know what to do or say, so I read a scripture in the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 19: 9 because no matter what at least that’s correct. But as I was reading this scripture about the Savior and His Atonement, Hna Williams just started bawling. The spirit came in to the room with full force. I looked at her and couldn’t finish reading the scripture. The spirit was seriously paralyzing and I couldn’t speak. Tears started streaming down me and Hna Sosas (teacher) eyes and we looked at Hna Williams. She looked at us with a face full of tears and seriously bore the most powerful earth shattering testimony of the Savior I have ever heard.
It was simple, but came straight from her heart. It was so powerful and I couldn’t stop crying because I remembered what happened just earlier that day. This was a MIRACLE and truly an answer to a heartfelt prayer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE! Christ is our Brother and Savior! If anyone has doubts, get on your knees and sincerely ask the Lord to help you to recognize the Spirit testify that to you. Each child is precious in the eyes of the Lord. He is desperate to save us. If we sincerely ask, you WILL KNOW with certainty that Jesus is our Savior. The Lord wants us to know. He needs us to know. He will answer. I love it!!!!!! My mission has taught me that miracles happen around us everyday. This experience may seem like a small thing, but it has been a miracle for our comp. Hna said that that was the first time she’s ever felt the Spirit like that and it has made the biggest difference in our teaching and companionship. I just have grown to love my comp so much more and have so much respect for her. This truly is a gospel of miracles. I can’t even explain the way I feel. Each day, Heavenly father has helped me to grow and love and that’s the best part of a mission. I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL so so much!!!! I know that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Savior did die for us. I am so grateful to be serving my Lord. I love Him! Thank you all for you love and prayers. I feel them everyday pushing me through!!!!!
Love you forever,
Hna Garcia
Ps. I WAS ABLE TO GO to the BATHROOM!!! Hooray! Whenever I go, I seriously thank Heavenly Father. BLESSINGS!!!!
pss Yesterday, all the Latinos left so its only our district of 5 still here. It was so sad. We all cried and cried because we became such great friends. But since it was just us, The Steimles (PRES and his wife) took us out for a day out in the town. We went to the markado, a museum and they took us out to a nice steak dinner. IT was SOOOOO much fun! I love the Steimles. Theyre great! I love GUATEMALA!!! It is so cool. After we came back, I told the Steimles thank you and that the only way this day could be better was if the Americans who were supposed to come last night couldn’t come so we could have more time alone with them. And then the Pres secretary walks in and tells him that the Americans flight got cancelled and that they couldn’t come till tomorrow. Everyone looked at me. It was hilarious the timing and all, and I was like IT WAsnt me!!! haha. It was so funny. Be careful what you wish for!!! I love you ALLLLLLLL!
April 7, 2010 I am in Guatemala and it is CRAAAAAZZZY!
OH my GOSSHHHHHH GUATEMALA is CRAAAAAAZZZY!!! This week has been so insane and it has finally hit me....I am in GUATEMLALA!!!!! Ok so this week we got to go out into the real world and proselyte and it was the craziest day of my life!! But I loved it so, so much!!
So we split up with the Latina sisters so at least one of us could speak Spanish but there wasn’t enough Latina sisters who were going so guess what? They put me with an American who also doesn’t speak Spanish!!! I wanted to cry! Basically both of us don’t speak but they just sent us out to do missionary work.....GREAT!!!! It was crazy! But we go out and we get on this bus which is pretty much like going to six flags. They are loco!!!! The buses are like 100 years old, but some how are able to go like 150 mph! The only thing I could do was laugh because I seriously thought I was going to die on this thing. They hop curbs run people over, do loops...Everything!! There’s also like hundreds of people who hang off the sides of them because there is no room for them inside!! I have no idea how they hold on, but it’s straight up crazy, but so much fun! On the bus ride, my comp was like LOOK! And there was a lady going poo poo on the middle of the street. Bahhahaha! What the?????? This place is NUTS!!
It’s about a half an hour bus ride to the city. The city is actually BEAUTIFUL!! It is really, really nice it just smells really stink. My comp kept laughing because I have a gagging problem and anytime I would inhale I would start to gag!! Lol! It’s crazy! But some of that stuff that you put under your nose would really be useful!!! haha. It stinks!!! When I got to the city I looked around and I was in shock! There are dogs and wild goats everywhere!!! Poop on the ground....Pee puddles...homeless people galore...Its just insane. It’s also cool because the women all wear these bright traditional clothing with baskets on their heads. I can’t wait to get me some of those dresses. But I can’t even adequately express how scary and crazy I felt especially since none of us spoke Spanish. But we said our prayer, and prestos todos prestos....We went forward!!!!
I HAD THE BEST TIME OF MY LIIIIIFFFFE!!!! Once we started talking to people, it was so much FUN!! Guatemalans are hilarious, and are just so loving! They love to talk to you and help you with your Spanish! They also love to get free things so when you offer them a FREE book they think you are the best thing ever!!! The free DVD not so much because most people we talked to didn’t have DVDS! But it was really cool my comp and I saw this old man sitting by himself across the park so we decided to walk over and talk to him. We plopped ourselves right beside him and were like HOLLAA!!
We started talking to him and asked him what he was doing at the park. Miracle 1: He said he came to just meditate and ponder life and that he was just searching for truth and meaning in his life. Miracle 2: we were actually able to understand him!!!!!! My comp and I looked at each other and did silent screams with our eyes!! Miracle 3: we just started talking in SPANISH!! I didn’t even know I could do that! We were like Enserio?? Well God is about to answer your prayers....Here it comes and we just started talking and sharing about the church! We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he loved it. He asked us where our church was because he wanted to go! It was the COOLLLEST thing in the whole world! We talked to him for a while and when we left he just told us thank you so much. He couldn’t wait to tell his wife! Mom I was doing cartwheels I was so happy!! It was the coolest feeling. It was funny because after we left him I told my comp, Hermana I feel so inspired I think we need to talk to that guy in the green. She was like ok....we go to talk to him and I didn’t know this but he was bashing the church and was saying all these mean things but I was so happy I was just smiling and said oh yes!! God loves you and the Jesus is our Savior. He looked confused but then my comp just said thank you for your time goodbye!!! I had no idea that he was bashing us but just felt so happy about the other guy that I didn’t even care and was just like we love you bye!!! It was hilarious. My comp was laughing at me but I was like isn’t this a great day? WE talked to so many people we handed out like 15 BOMS and got a bunch of referrals.
AAAAAHHH I just loved it and I LOOOOVE Guatemalans. They have some really big old ladies here who are the funniest. They don’t really want to listen to your message but they just keep saying oh you messengers of Jesus I loooooooove you!!! I loooooove you!! Please sign this book you gave me so I can remember!! Family, I am just LOVING it! I can’t say much, but it seriously is so much fun and the biggest adventure of my life. I go to sleep every night and think did that really just happen! You can’t even make it up!! It is soooo fun and cool! I love this work. I love my Savior! I love this Gospel! I know its true and I can’t wait to get out to the field and do that all day! It is the best!
Ok for the downside there is opposition in all things so this whole week I was constipated! I couldn’t go to the bathroom for a week and it killed. Every morning I’d wake up and my stomach was rock hard and trust me that was not my abs. I’ve been drinking straight fiber, and taking laxatives but the only thing that worked was the Prunes!! haha. Its bad and its hard because I cant just sit in the bathroom because it is really stinky and I start to gag...haha story of my life. So that is just no bueno. Also this week, one of the elders found a WORM crawling in his food and it just grossed me out! The foods not bad, it’s delicious! It really is, but I am starving!!! And it plugs my stomach up....but prestos todos prestos, I am loving it and trying to embrace everything. Also this week, my comps had a blow up on me and just freaked out because I’ve been really annoying with trying to speak Spanish all the time. I just really, really want to learn so I try to speak Spanish all day and pretend I can’t understand English and just study, study and talk to Latins all day which drives my comps crazy! My comp started to cry and was like I can’t handle it! I hate speaking Spanish and you make me not even want to try. I felt so bad it was bad mom. I apologized and tried to explain that I don’t know how to not be intense. It’s just the way I am so we made a deal. It was crazy because I felt guilty because I didn’t think I was trying hard enough. I really want to learn and I’m like everyone let’s speak Spanish all day. I try to say it in a nice way, but no one likes it. They freaked out with me!! I don’t know. But I know I need to be more considerate. Pray for me!!! haaaaaaa. But I love you all so much! I love my mission. I love this gospel. Prestos todos prestos mi familia!!!! I love you with all my heart!!!
Hermana Garcia
ps DEINNNNAAAA I LOOOOVE you so much!! I always think about you and about how Ige Shimai would be the BEST comp ever!!! I tried to write you but did not have your address I love you so much!!!!! Ok times up everyone....CIAO I love you!! LOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So we split up with the Latina sisters so at least one of us could speak Spanish but there wasn’t enough Latina sisters who were going so guess what? They put me with an American who also doesn’t speak Spanish!!! I wanted to cry! Basically both of us don’t speak but they just sent us out to do missionary work.....GREAT!!!! It was crazy! But we go out and we get on this bus which is pretty much like going to six flags. They are loco!!!! The buses are like 100 years old, but some how are able to go like 150 mph! The only thing I could do was laugh because I seriously thought I was going to die on this thing. They hop curbs run people over, do loops...Everything!! There’s also like hundreds of people who hang off the sides of them because there is no room for them inside!! I have no idea how they hold on, but it’s straight up crazy, but so much fun! On the bus ride, my comp was like LOOK! And there was a lady going poo poo on the middle of the street. Bahhahaha! What the?????? This place is NUTS!!
It’s about a half an hour bus ride to the city. The city is actually BEAUTIFUL!! It is really, really nice it just smells really stink. My comp kept laughing because I have a gagging problem and anytime I would inhale I would start to gag!! Lol! It’s crazy! But some of that stuff that you put under your nose would really be useful!!! haha. It stinks!!! When I got to the city I looked around and I was in shock! There are dogs and wild goats everywhere!!! Poop on the ground....Pee puddles...homeless people galore...Its just insane. It’s also cool because the women all wear these bright traditional clothing with baskets on their heads. I can’t wait to get me some of those dresses. But I can’t even adequately express how scary and crazy I felt especially since none of us spoke Spanish. But we said our prayer, and prestos todos prestos....We went forward!!!!
I HAD THE BEST TIME OF MY LIIIIIFFFFE!!!! Once we started talking to people, it was so much FUN!! Guatemalans are hilarious, and are just so loving! They love to talk to you and help you with your Spanish! They also love to get free things so when you offer them a FREE book they think you are the best thing ever!!! The free DVD not so much because most people we talked to didn’t have DVDS! But it was really cool my comp and I saw this old man sitting by himself across the park so we decided to walk over and talk to him. We plopped ourselves right beside him and were like HOLLAA!!
We started talking to him and asked him what he was doing at the park. Miracle 1: He said he came to just meditate and ponder life and that he was just searching for truth and meaning in his life. Miracle 2: we were actually able to understand him!!!!!! My comp and I looked at each other and did silent screams with our eyes!! Miracle 3: we just started talking in SPANISH!! I didn’t even know I could do that! We were like Enserio?? Well God is about to answer your prayers....Here it comes and we just started talking and sharing about the church! We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he loved it. He asked us where our church was because he wanted to go! It was the COOLLLEST thing in the whole world! We talked to him for a while and when we left he just told us thank you so much. He couldn’t wait to tell his wife! Mom I was doing cartwheels I was so happy!! It was the coolest feeling. It was funny because after we left him I told my comp, Hermana I feel so inspired I think we need to talk to that guy in the green. She was like ok....we go to talk to him and I didn’t know this but he was bashing the church and was saying all these mean things but I was so happy I was just smiling and said oh yes!! God loves you and the Jesus is our Savior. He looked confused but then my comp just said thank you for your time goodbye!!! I had no idea that he was bashing us but just felt so happy about the other guy that I didn’t even care and was just like we love you bye!!! It was hilarious. My comp was laughing at me but I was like isn’t this a great day? WE talked to so many people we handed out like 15 BOMS and got a bunch of referrals.
AAAAAHHH I just loved it and I LOOOOVE Guatemalans. They have some really big old ladies here who are the funniest. They don’t really want to listen to your message but they just keep saying oh you messengers of Jesus I loooooooove you!!! I loooooove you!! Please sign this book you gave me so I can remember!! Family, I am just LOVING it! I can’t say much, but it seriously is so much fun and the biggest adventure of my life. I go to sleep every night and think did that really just happen! You can’t even make it up!! It is soooo fun and cool! I love this work. I love my Savior! I love this Gospel! I know its true and I can’t wait to get out to the field and do that all day! It is the best!
Ok for the downside there is opposition in all things so this whole week I was constipated! I couldn’t go to the bathroom for a week and it killed. Every morning I’d wake up and my stomach was rock hard and trust me that was not my abs. I’ve been drinking straight fiber, and taking laxatives but the only thing that worked was the Prunes!! haha. Its bad and its hard because I cant just sit in the bathroom because it is really stinky and I start to gag...haha story of my life. So that is just no bueno. Also this week, one of the elders found a WORM crawling in his food and it just grossed me out! The foods not bad, it’s delicious! It really is, but I am starving!!! And it plugs my stomach up....but prestos todos prestos, I am loving it and trying to embrace everything. Also this week, my comps had a blow up on me and just freaked out because I’ve been really annoying with trying to speak Spanish all the time. I just really, really want to learn so I try to speak Spanish all day and pretend I can’t understand English and just study, study and talk to Latins all day which drives my comps crazy! My comp started to cry and was like I can’t handle it! I hate speaking Spanish and you make me not even want to try. I felt so bad it was bad mom. I apologized and tried to explain that I don’t know how to not be intense. It’s just the way I am so we made a deal. It was crazy because I felt guilty because I didn’t think I was trying hard enough. I really want to learn and I’m like everyone let’s speak Spanish all day. I try to say it in a nice way, but no one likes it. They freaked out with me!! I don’t know. But I know I need to be more considerate. Pray for me!!! haaaaaaa. But I love you all so much! I love my mission. I love this gospel. Prestos todos prestos mi familia!!!! I love you with all my heart!!!
Hermana Garcia
ps DEINNNNAAAA I LOOOOVE you so much!! I always think about you and about how Ige Shimai would be the BEST comp ever!!! I tried to write you but did not have your address I love you so much!!!!! Ok times up everyone....CIAO I love you!! LOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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