Sent: Wed, July 28, 2010 9:05:25 AM
Subject: HOLLAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, transfers dun duh duh duhhhhhh.......I am still in CHIMALTENANGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahahahahhahahahah. The mountains can’t get rid of me yet!!!!! I was sooooo happy. I feel like I am finally starting to get used to it. I feel right at home in my little tin shacks. I love it!!! And, wouldn’t want it any other way. Hermana Angel se fue!!!! I was sad. She got transferred to the capital. She cried and cried. Poor thing. She did not want to go and everyone had their predictions that it was going to be me to leave, but I am still here!!!!!! My new comp is Hermana Guaranda. She is from Ecuador. And is just funny. She reminds me of nanay because all she wants to do is cook!!!!! Oh noooooooo! I am going to get fat this change!!! She was a cocinera before coming on the mission. She only has one change out so again we will be learning together. haha. But, she’s great.
At first I was a little scared because she looks really grumpy and like she’s always mad, but when you talk to her she is very nice She told me when she found out that I was her companion and I was a gringa she was sad because she didn’t want to be with any gringas, but she told me that I’m nice and very humble and different. haha. Oh good. I started laughing and thought uh oh she don’t know meee. haha. Nooo, but we get along great and so far haven’t had any problems. I think the key is just eat the food, do the song and dance and LOOOVEE it. haha. It makes her really happy. So far she’s made me Chicken liver, chicken feet, beans, rice and ya!! She just loves to cook. Some stuff is pretty interesting, but just gotta learn to love it all!!!!! The only problem we might have is that she hates Guatemalan food and doesn’t want to eat with our cocinera which is a problem because we just reactivated our cocinera and she is like our mom here, and Hermana Guranda also has problems with her ovaries so she cant walk far which daaannannagg the mountains is NOT the place to be if you have problems walking. But hopefully all will be well and this will be a great change. I BELIEEVEEEEE!!!!!!
It was funny because the mountains gave her a nice welcome!! There was a rainstorm yesterday and we went swimming in poop again!!! Gotta loooove it!!!! She just came from the capital so she was like whaaaat the____ haha. I just said WELCOME to the mountains!!!!!!!!! We were walking and we had to go down this street and it was completely flooded up to the knees in poop water and she stopped and kinda looked at me to see if we really were going to walk through this. I just smiled and was like, “what do I look like...Moses” CRUZEMOS!!!! haha and we just had a good time laughing, screaming and crossing these poopy lakes. haha. But it was fun.
She’s a trooper and told me that despite all this she is SOOOO grateful to be in the mountains, because her experience in the capital was not very good. It just sounds horrible. She just rang intercoms all day and just said the people there don’t want anything!! Poor thing. I just felt so grateful to be serving here in Chimaltenango. We still get rejected, don’t get me wrong but at least people have a chance to see our face before they reject us. The capital is rough. I feel bad for Hermana Angel, but I feel like my time is soon. Majority of the sisters are there. There are only three maybe four now, not quite sure that are outside of the capital!!!! I feel soooo blessed. At the mountain zone conference there was only us and one other companionship. It was fun. We are the Survivors!!!! haha. But yeah, I am going to try and just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy my time here because I could very soon be leaving.
But anyways, as for the update on the area Angelina got baptized!!!!! yaya!!! We were so happy and it was GREAT!!!! She cried and cried after and it was just such a blessing and tender mercy that the Lord allowed me to be an instrument in His hands. It was the best feeling!!! Ana will be baptized this Sunday so we are excited about that, but the news of the week...... Eva, the investigator I’ve been writing about made the decision to leave her husband. Well it’s kind of sad how it all happened but it’s for the best. We’re both happy and sad. So we’ve been working with her for a while and she’s wanted to get baptized, but her partner won’t get married. We just told her straight up, it was mean but it was the truth.....”Eva you’re young, you’re beautiful, you’re smart....what the heck are you doing with this loser!” Well, he isn’t a loser, he’s still a child of God, but problems, problems, problems. He works in the city, never calls her, comes home, anti mormon.....dont need to say anything more. We told her if you are direct with your partner and tell him that you want to get married and he still doesn’t want to....there is a problem sister!!! He don’t love you!!!! She kept denying it and telling us no, no, no he’s different, faithful blah, blah blah. But this week, it all came out......He has another family in the city!!!!! AYYEAYAYA Horrible!!! She just cried, cried, cried. Its sad, but I kind of already knew that and although it’s such a sad situation its better that it came out and now and she can move on. But she at least has the strength to leave and start over. It’s sad and is going to be hard because she has nothing; no work, education, two kids to care for, but I know God will provide!!!!! And now she can get baptized and start over. It’s just crazy, but I feel like this is a blessing. We’ve been praying and praying for her and I feel like this is just a huge blessing. But this is the kind of stuff that people go through every day in Guatemala!!!!!! Its seriously nuts and I just always sing that song, ¨¨I love mahhhh daddddddyyyyy!¨¨¨¨ Seriously! I just cannot believe the blessings that I have and just feel so grateful each day for a loving and supportive family. I love you alllllllll so much more than I can express in these short emails each week. But really EVERYONE I looooove you all so much with all my heart. I sent cards and more pictures from this change yesterday but who knows what’s going to happen with this Guatemala mail!!!!! me cae mallllllll!!!!!!!
Tell Grandma to start praying. I really think that the pictures that you got only arrived because there was a letter for grandma in there!!!! haha. But seriously, I love you all with all my heart. If letters and thank you letters don’t come, I am so sorry!!!!!!!!!! But I love you all with all my heart and wish I could email everyone directly and tell them, but I can’t. Time is short and technically we are not supposed to. But just know that I love you allllllllll!!!!!!!! The gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUEEEEEE!!! I know that. I wish I had more time to write and just express all the things that I feel in my heart. Each day, I am just brought to tears because this gospel is just sooooo beautiful and I can get a small taste at the love Heavenly Father has for each one of us. It is beyond comprehension. I still don’t undersand it, but I think I understand it a lot more now. This truly is a message of pure love, hope, and happiness and I feel so grateful to be able to share it with my hermanos guatemaltecos every day. Life is just beautiful.......I love you all!!!!!!!! Thanks again for everything!!!! Until next week prestos todos prestos.....the church is TRUE!!!!!!!!
With all my love,
hermana ali g!!!!!
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
July 19, 2010 True Happiness: The Number of Prayers WE Answer!
Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 9:02:31 AM
Subject: HOLLLAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
Holaaaaa Familia!!!!!!!! I first just want to thank everyone for all your love and support! It honestly means the world! Last week, if you couldn’t tell I was pretty down and depressed but I´mmmm baaacccck and I feel just happier than ever!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Ige’s for your package and for the goodies!!! I was sooooo happy and my companion was even happier. She said she has never tried Peanut M/Ms and starburst so she was ecstatic and Buterbaugh.....I love youuuuuuu! haha. I sent cards and letters but with the Guatemalan mail who knows if they will ever get there!!! So I just wanted to say Thank you!!!!!!! Oh familia, I believe in MIRACLES!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father truly does know and love His children. This has been such an amazing week. I will try to explain some of the things that happened.
First of all, last week. Ayyyyyy just everything seemed to go wrong. It was horrible!! We worked really hard and it just seemed like everything crashed!!! We had been working praying and fasting that we would have our family be baptized on July 25 because that was our zone goal and because our family didn’t come to church last week that goal crashed. Well they came, but didn’t come in!!! It was just so disheartening because all of our positive people had problems and it just didn’t seem like the 25th would be a day of miracles like we had thought and been working for. I just felt so sad and disheartened and like I failed!! It was horrible, but Heavenly Father has taught me some really important lessons this week.
Well first, like I told you Angelina she was really positive, experienced miracles and to do but she always had her problems and it was just one big ugly cycle and she just wasn’t progressing anymore. This was so sad, because we worked with her for so long. I started working with her with Hermana Buterbaugh and just it was so frustrating to see her not progressing. But last week, Hermana Angel and I just had enough and decided that although it was hard we just had to drop her, because she wasn’t progressing and we couldn’t continue to just go over every day and clear up doubt after doubt problem after problem. So for a week and a half we didn’t visit her and like I said it was sooo hard because out of all my investigators I feel like I have the closest relationship with Angelina. So yeah, we didn’t go over, but we still just continued to pray, pray, pray for her! And so it’s a week and a half and we’re walking on the street and we run into her and she just asks us if we could visit her so we went over!!!! And it was just amazing how much the Lord answers prayers and knows His children!!
We went over and she just told us that ever since we stopped visiting her she has felt so sad and a difference in her life. We were like okkaaay. And she told us that something has just been missing and that last night she couldn’t take it. She couldn’t sleep because she just felt terrible so in the middle of the night she got out of bed and was crying and something told her to read the book of Mormon. She hadn’t read or come to the church or done any of the things we told her since we stopped visiting her. She randomly opened the Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi when Christ is teaching the people in the Americas and she lit her candle and started reading.
In this chapter, Christ was teaching the Nephites about baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and she said her heart just filled willed with joy and she now was crying, but tears of joy!!!!! She said she couldn’t stop reading and all the doubts she had everything that people was telling her, she couldn’t remember them!!!! Because she KNEW the words she read were true. OH MY GOSHHHHHHHH!!!!! She opened the Book of Mormon and started teaching us!! It was hilarious!! And then she told us, I know this is true. When can I get baptized_______ aHHHAHAHHAHAHAH seriously we were without words!!!! It seemed too good to be true so we talked about the covenant that she was going to be making and how important it was and we went through all the baptism questions and it was SOOO powerful because Angelina was different! Her answers blew Hermana Angel and I away!!!! Because she actually truly understood and everything we’ve been trying to help her with, all her doubts....gone!!!! It was seriously AMAZING!! And just strengthened my testimony that God hears and answers prayers!! that He knows His children and that this is His work!!! I seriously walked out of that appointment speechless!!! That’s never happened to me before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This seriously is the work of the Lord and He is in charge. I can try and try to do my best to convert people, but really we need to just trust in the Lord. He knows His children and He will give them answers to their prayers if they seek them. aHAHAHHGGHE E HFHE we are SOOOOOO happy!!!!!!!
Like I said last week was just so hard and I honestly doubted asked myself, does Heavenly Father really answer prayers? Because we’ve been praying and fasting and working and it just seemed like for nothing. But this was such a testimony booster for me!!!!! Oh man this week was crazy!!! We’ve had so many experiences that I don’t have time to write them all. But I’ll try continue. So Wednesday we were walking and on our way to an appointment and one of our menos activos faces popped in my head. We haven’t visited her at all this change and I don’t really know her that well because I only visited her like one or two times really briefly with Hermana Buterbaugh, but her face popped in my head and I told Hermana Angel we needed to visit Amalia. Herm Angel didn’t know who that was but she said ok. So after our appointment we go to her house and visit her and her eyes are just swollen. It turns out that a couple days ago, her daughter died!!!! She got some disease I’m not exactly sure what happened but when Amalia saw us she just started crying more because she had been praying that she could feel comfort and support. So we talked with her and taught her and although of course it’s still hard, she said she could feel comfort and she came to church!!!!!! but daaannngg how crazy is that????
The next day, we were about to leave our house to teach one of our investigators and Hermana Angel told me uhhh I feel like we should clean out our pantry and take some food to Hermana Eva. We have enough for this week. And I was like okay! Why not? So we went through our pantry and got a big bag full of food and we just brought it to Hermana Eva thinking nothing really of it. When she saw us come with this big bag she almost dropped to the floor. She asked us if it was for her and we said yes! And she just had the biggest purest smile on her face and she told us that this week her husband hasn’t sent any money to the family so they haven’t had anything.
For the past couple of days she’s been giving her kids the last of the tortilla they had left and that’s it and that today she ran out and had NOTHING!!!! And she just prayed and prayed so hard in the morning that Heavenly Father would help her so that she could give food to her kids!!!!
Hermana Angel and I looked at each other and we all started to cry. It was seriously just pure love and happiness!!! Heavenly Father answers prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there’s one thing I know, it is that! He loves and knows His children. My heart could just burst because I just feel so grateful to be part of this great work. I felt just pure joy like I never have before. We didn’t know the situation, but the Lord knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He lives and loves, and answers every child’s prayer!!!!! I left the house and after these little miracles a thought came to my head. Of course! The number of prayers we say and are answered bring great joy and happiness to our lives!! But in the end, what’s more important and what brings the MOST joy is the number of prayers we answer. This is true happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could just burst right now I just feel so happy and that I can honestly say that I KNOW this is the Lord’s work and more importantly that I know that He lives and loves!!!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you everyone for all your love and support while I’ve been out on my mission. This has been just the most incredible adventure! I looooove Heavenly Father and this gospel with all my heart and it is the biggest PRIVILEGE to share it with the Lord’s children here in Guatemala!!! I love you all. I’m crying because I just feel sooo happy. Hermana Angel is laughing but I just want you all to know that I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the Lords work. He is in charge. Do not worry about me!!!!! I am in the Lords hands, how cool is that????? With all my heart, thank you for everything!!!!! Love you allllll! prestos todos prestos........the church is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, love, love,
Hermana Ali
Ps. by the way can you believe it another change has come and gone!!!!! This is my last week of this change I cannot even believe it!!! I am dreading cambios. I don’t want changes. There is so much work still to be done here and I don’t want to leave til it’s finished. But if it’s my turn to leave...eeeeeee!!!! I love Hermana Angel. We get along great! She is hilarious!!!!!!! And I just love her. Everyday something funny happens and I truly have learned so much from her. Oh Hermana angel said to tell everyone that you can send me packages whenever you want!!! haha. She always says the funniest things. Yesterday, oh man hilarious. Ok so on the mission I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I am addicted to chocolate!!!! Every night I have to eat chocolate. It’s crazy I don’t know if it’s the dirt roads or floating poo or what but I loooooove and neeeeed chocolate. But anyways I was minding my own business eating my chocolate at night and Hermana angel told me. Hermana Garcia, don’t eat so much chocolate, your butt is big! And I said What???? Not because I didn’t understand but because I was so thrown back by her comment. And she looked at me with a confused look and said, yor boot ess beeg!! hahahahhahahah! I could of died it was just so hilarious. She is a very honest person and I don’t know is just funny!!!!!!!!!!!! So I will be sad if I have to leave her. We get along great and she cooks me platanoes and beans every morning and likes to make tortillas!!!!!!!! Why would I ever want to leave!!! haha. It’s funny. Latinas are just hilarious.
Subject: HOLLLAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
Holaaaaa Familia!!!!!!!! I first just want to thank everyone for all your love and support! It honestly means the world! Last week, if you couldn’t tell I was pretty down and depressed but I´mmmm baaacccck and I feel just happier than ever!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Ige’s for your package and for the goodies!!! I was sooooo happy and my companion was even happier. She said she has never tried Peanut M/Ms and starburst so she was ecstatic and Buterbaugh.....I love youuuuuuu! haha. I sent cards and letters but with the Guatemalan mail who knows if they will ever get there!!! So I just wanted to say Thank you!!!!!!! Oh familia, I believe in MIRACLES!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father truly does know and love His children. This has been such an amazing week. I will try to explain some of the things that happened.
First of all, last week. Ayyyyyy just everything seemed to go wrong. It was horrible!! We worked really hard and it just seemed like everything crashed!!! We had been working praying and fasting that we would have our family be baptized on July 25 because that was our zone goal and because our family didn’t come to church last week that goal crashed. Well they came, but didn’t come in!!! It was just so disheartening because all of our positive people had problems and it just didn’t seem like the 25th would be a day of miracles like we had thought and been working for. I just felt so sad and disheartened and like I failed!! It was horrible, but Heavenly Father has taught me some really important lessons this week.
Well first, like I told you Angelina she was really positive, experienced miracles and to do but she always had her problems and it was just one big ugly cycle and she just wasn’t progressing anymore. This was so sad, because we worked with her for so long. I started working with her with Hermana Buterbaugh and just it was so frustrating to see her not progressing. But last week, Hermana Angel and I just had enough and decided that although it was hard we just had to drop her, because she wasn’t progressing and we couldn’t continue to just go over every day and clear up doubt after doubt problem after problem. So for a week and a half we didn’t visit her and like I said it was sooo hard because out of all my investigators I feel like I have the closest relationship with Angelina. So yeah, we didn’t go over, but we still just continued to pray, pray, pray for her! And so it’s a week and a half and we’re walking on the street and we run into her and she just asks us if we could visit her so we went over!!!! And it was just amazing how much the Lord answers prayers and knows His children!!
We went over and she just told us that ever since we stopped visiting her she has felt so sad and a difference in her life. We were like okkaaay. And she told us that something has just been missing and that last night she couldn’t take it. She couldn’t sleep because she just felt terrible so in the middle of the night she got out of bed and was crying and something told her to read the book of Mormon. She hadn’t read or come to the church or done any of the things we told her since we stopped visiting her. She randomly opened the Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi when Christ is teaching the people in the Americas and she lit her candle and started reading.
In this chapter, Christ was teaching the Nephites about baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and she said her heart just filled willed with joy and she now was crying, but tears of joy!!!!! She said she couldn’t stop reading and all the doubts she had everything that people was telling her, she couldn’t remember them!!!! Because she KNEW the words she read were true. OH MY GOSHHHHHHHH!!!!! She opened the Book of Mormon and started teaching us!! It was hilarious!! And then she told us, I know this is true. When can I get baptized_______ aHHHAHAHHAHAHAH seriously we were without words!!!! It seemed too good to be true so we talked about the covenant that she was going to be making and how important it was and we went through all the baptism questions and it was SOOO powerful because Angelina was different! Her answers blew Hermana Angel and I away!!!! Because she actually truly understood and everything we’ve been trying to help her with, all her doubts....gone!!!! It was seriously AMAZING!! And just strengthened my testimony that God hears and answers prayers!! that He knows His children and that this is His work!!! I seriously walked out of that appointment speechless!!! That’s never happened to me before!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This seriously is the work of the Lord and He is in charge. I can try and try to do my best to convert people, but really we need to just trust in the Lord. He knows His children and He will give them answers to their prayers if they seek them. aHAHAHHGGHE E HFHE we are SOOOOOO happy!!!!!!!
Like I said last week was just so hard and I honestly doubted asked myself, does Heavenly Father really answer prayers? Because we’ve been praying and fasting and working and it just seemed like for nothing. But this was such a testimony booster for me!!!!! Oh man this week was crazy!!! We’ve had so many experiences that I don’t have time to write them all. But I’ll try continue. So Wednesday we were walking and on our way to an appointment and one of our menos activos faces popped in my head. We haven’t visited her at all this change and I don’t really know her that well because I only visited her like one or two times really briefly with Hermana Buterbaugh, but her face popped in my head and I told Hermana Angel we needed to visit Amalia. Herm Angel didn’t know who that was but she said ok. So after our appointment we go to her house and visit her and her eyes are just swollen. It turns out that a couple days ago, her daughter died!!!! She got some disease I’m not exactly sure what happened but when Amalia saw us she just started crying more because she had been praying that she could feel comfort and support. So we talked with her and taught her and although of course it’s still hard, she said she could feel comfort and she came to church!!!!!! but daaannngg how crazy is that????
The next day, we were about to leave our house to teach one of our investigators and Hermana Angel told me uhhh I feel like we should clean out our pantry and take some food to Hermana Eva. We have enough for this week. And I was like okay! Why not? So we went through our pantry and got a big bag full of food and we just brought it to Hermana Eva thinking nothing really of it. When she saw us come with this big bag she almost dropped to the floor. She asked us if it was for her and we said yes! And she just had the biggest purest smile on her face and she told us that this week her husband hasn’t sent any money to the family so they haven’t had anything.
For the past couple of days she’s been giving her kids the last of the tortilla they had left and that’s it and that today she ran out and had NOTHING!!!! And she just prayed and prayed so hard in the morning that Heavenly Father would help her so that she could give food to her kids!!!!
Hermana Angel and I looked at each other and we all started to cry. It was seriously just pure love and happiness!!! Heavenly Father answers prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there’s one thing I know, it is that! He loves and knows His children. My heart could just burst because I just feel so grateful to be part of this great work. I felt just pure joy like I never have before. We didn’t know the situation, but the Lord knows!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He lives and loves, and answers every child’s prayer!!!!! I left the house and after these little miracles a thought came to my head. Of course! The number of prayers we say and are answered bring great joy and happiness to our lives!! But in the end, what’s more important and what brings the MOST joy is the number of prayers we answer. This is true happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I could just burst right now I just feel so happy and that I can honestly say that I KNOW this is the Lord’s work and more importantly that I know that He lives and loves!!!!!!!!!! Thank you thank you everyone for all your love and support while I’ve been out on my mission. This has been just the most incredible adventure! I looooove Heavenly Father and this gospel with all my heart and it is the biggest PRIVILEGE to share it with the Lord’s children here in Guatemala!!! I love you all. I’m crying because I just feel sooo happy. Hermana Angel is laughing but I just want you all to know that I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the Lords work. He is in charge. Do not worry about me!!!!! I am in the Lords hands, how cool is that????? With all my heart, thank you for everything!!!!! Love you allllll! prestos todos prestos........the church is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love, love, love,
Hermana Ali
Ps. by the way can you believe it another change has come and gone!!!!! This is my last week of this change I cannot even believe it!!! I am dreading cambios. I don’t want changes. There is so much work still to be done here and I don’t want to leave til it’s finished. But if it’s my turn to leave...eeeeeee!!!! I love Hermana Angel. We get along great! She is hilarious!!!!!!! And I just love her. Everyday something funny happens and I truly have learned so much from her. Oh Hermana angel said to tell everyone that you can send me packages whenever you want!!! haha. She always says the funniest things. Yesterday, oh man hilarious. Ok so on the mission I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I am addicted to chocolate!!!! Every night I have to eat chocolate. It’s crazy I don’t know if it’s the dirt roads or floating poo or what but I loooooove and neeeeed chocolate. But anyways I was minding my own business eating my chocolate at night and Hermana angel told me. Hermana Garcia, don’t eat so much chocolate, your butt is big! And I said What???? Not because I didn’t understand but because I was so thrown back by her comment. And she looked at me with a confused look and said, yor boot ess beeg!! hahahahhahahah! I could of died it was just so hilarious. She is a very honest person and I don’t know is just funny!!!!!!!!!!!! So I will be sad if I have to leave her. We get along great and she cooks me platanoes and beans every morning and likes to make tortillas!!!!!!!! Why would I ever want to leave!!! haha. It’s funny. Latinas are just hilarious.
July 12, 2010 Rough Week. Fail, Fail, Fail...But the Church is True, Testify to Love!
Sent: Mon, July 12, 2010 8:42:13 AM
Subject: faamiilliiiaaaaa
Holllaaaaaa!!!! YAYAYAAAYY I am SOOO happy that you received the cds. Yep. That’s Guatemala and that aint even doing justice. haha. But I’m glad you liked them. But daaaangg, now I know for a fact that the letters I sent home didn’t get there. I sent a bunch of letters home, but I guess they didn’t make it. I sent one to Andrew for grad and it was a good one too. It had all my sisterly advice and tips for post grad and it was pretty good I must say....and I sent a letter to daddy for father’s day!! I guess that all didn’t make it. DAANANANAGGG, that makes me so mad. I also sent one to Auntie Grace and some others. That sucks because one pday I just wrote and wrote and I don’t think any of them made it. GUATEMALA!!!! Sucks! But keep looking, because I sent it!!!!!!!!!!!!! ewewewweeewewwe. But no, I didn’t get the package with the peds and candies. The only package i got was one from auntie grace and cookies from dearelder. I didn’t receive anything else. But, hopefully soon. Thanks ahead of time. I am SOOOOOO excited. That is seriously like gold!!!!
Ok, as for update on the area, DAAANNANAGGG this week was rough. Just a rough week. Things did not go our way and I may or may not have shed tears yesterday of just stress and ahahhahahahahhahahah!!!! Ok so, our zone leaders this change felt inspired to have 25 baptisms on July 25. In the beginning of the change we had this meeting where they promised us if we did all we could, Every companionship, could baptize one family on July 25. Okay cool. I haven’t necessarily been working only for this, but I can honestly say this change we have just been going crazy. Working, working, working, and doing all we can. Crazy missionaries!!! And in the beginning we saw so much hope, potential and progress in our area. I KNEW that this change my comp and I were going to kill it and do MIRACLES but this week it all just crumbled.
First of all, Angelina. She made leaps and bounds in testimony and was showing more faith and progress than ever. Walking to church, reading scriptures daily, bearing powerful testimony. It was amazing!! We had her baptismal interview this week and she was supposed to get baptized, BUT this week for her she just broke. Everyday, someone would come to tell her bad things about the church. EVERYDAY!! So we’d go, she’d have doubts, we’d clear them...bah. The next day same thing. Vicious cycle of just ugliness. One time we went, and her devil nephew was there and we walked right in while he was bashing the Book of Mormon. He is Evangelical and just an Anti-Mormon devil child. Oh man!! I was IRATTTEEE and honestly, we just lay it straight.
I just told him straight up in a loving way of course....haha the truth....that the book of Mormon is TRUE yo!! ANd he aint got nothing and knows nothing because his heart is too hard to read it. And it was probably one of the strongest times I have felt the spirit on my mission. haha. Me and my comp left laughing and like daaaannng that was crazy because we honestly felt the power of God with us as we testified and bore testimony of the reality of this sacred book. He straight up just stood up and left after we talked to him and didn’t say nothing to us and at least he hasn’t come back to bother Hermana Angelina!!! haha. But she still got others. EVERYDAY there is someone who comes and something that happens and it is just crazy and so frustrating!!!! So anyways, she was supposed to get baptized, but yesterday she didn’t show up and it was so sad.
Then we still have Eva. She is positive as ever, but still it’s her husband or partner. We talked to him, but he still doesn’t want to get married. He is really interesting. I don’t know but he’s one of those that thinks he’s a prophet....that everybody is a prophet and that there is no need for anything. I don’t know. It’s weird. So she’s still positive, but can’t get baptized until her partner agrees to be married. When that will be....I don’t know!!!! Faith!
And Hilda, again the husband.....she was supposed to get baptized this week, but her husband won’t give permission because he is catholic. She still comes to church and told us she wants to get baptized but until her husband says yes she cant!!! She likes the church and all, but she said she won’t be baptized until later in her life or in the next life....I don’t know!!!!! Patience. and then finally the familia Agiular. Parents, we have been working and working with this family. We found them the first week and I don’t know why we kept working with them, but we have and they have no doubt been progressing. The first time we contacted them they told us they were never home so they could never receive us. We went to their house, and they did. In the first lesson the dad was so mean and rude and just blah blah blah. just really hard hearted and bashed everything we said, But for some reason he told us that he would still listen to us and for some reason we decided to go back and every week they have been getting better. He made it CLEAR that they would listen, but that they would never come to church. And for some reason, my comp always said that he was scary and blah. blah he’ll never change, but for some reason I just didn’t believe it.
Every time he would tell us mean things or that he’d never change, for some reason I would just start to laugh. It’s the weirdest thing. But they have been progressing and each day I see the dads’ heart open up a bit. Finally this week, we got to the point of visiting them almost every day and it has been great!!!!! The family has just completely opened up to us and it has been a miracle really because although the dad doesn’t necessarily say he believes, we have no doubt seen a change and he invites us over everyday and tells his family and friends about us. MIRACLE. and Saturday we invited them again to come to church and they ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!! Well he told us maybe....but we told him YES and that wed pass by tomorrow morning for them. They accepted. oh my gosh we were so excited!!!!!! We passed by their house in the morning and they were ready to go to church. I almost cried just because I remembered how it was when we started and now look!! Their whole family was coming to church!! Oh I was so happy. So we walked with them and right when we got to the chapel, the dad refused to come in!!!! He just stopped and could not take the step in!!!!! I was like what!!! Don’t be ridiculous!! Come in!!!! But he said he couldn’t and my heart just died!!!! I was so sad. And we tried and tried to get them to come. Members invited them, but nothing!!! He wouldn’t!!!!!!! And not in front of them, but in the bathroom I just cried!!!! It was soooooo sad. Probably the saddest I have been on my mission. I don’t know what happened, but we went over yesterday but there were people over so we couldn’t really talk. But oh man!!!!!!!!!
This week everything was like that!!!!! Just fail. Fail. Fail. And I just broke down and cried yesterday. But I am learning patience and that we just gotta do our best. I wont have my family being baptized 25 de Julio. It’s impossible now and in some aspects I just feel like I failed because they promised us that if we do everything were supposed to, it will happen!!!!! I don’t know, it was rough but today I feel a lot better. I’ve been just thinking a lot and felt comfort that I did all I can and that I can’t take away peoples agency. I have faith. Trust me we got faith and we are trying, but they got agency!!!! ANdd ohhahhhahahahahah it is so frustrating sometimes. But the church is still true so we have to just keep moving forward, working, and trusting in the Lord. It seriously just seemed like nothing went well this week. Nothing. But I´m grateful there is another one!!!! I love you family!!!!!!! Thanks for all your love and support!!!!!!!! Hopefully next week, there will be better news. But I am learning patience and still despite these disappointments, I am grateful to be here. No matter what, the church is still true. So we need to just keep trying!!!!!! That’s all we can do!!! I love you all!!!!!!! Thanks for everything!!!!!!!!! The church is true so I testify to love!!!!!!!!
Love you all!!!!!
Oh and to answer the question.....as for the Spanish.......about that!!!!!! haha. I am improving. I can definitely feel the Lord’s help. I can speak Spanish when a. someone says something bad about the book of Mormon or 2. There is something I need to know. It’s the craziest thing. One cool thing about learning a language is you can definitely FEEL the gift of tongues with you!! In no means, can I understand everything or speak Spanish perfectly, but when you NEED to know something or something is important you will KNOW!!!!!! It’s crazy!!! How true that is!!! the majority of the time I hear laiufijdfjijfaijfjjdfidjfdjfijf, but when it is something important or the person is making progress, I can understand perfectly and I can speak....it is CRAZY!!!!! The church is TRUE and this is the Lords work!!! I know that!! I can honestly feel that everyday!! So as for the Spanish, still not completely there, but the Lord provides and it is enough!!! Oh HErmana Curruchiche.....Dang!!!! I ran out of time, but I want to tell everyone about Hermana Curruchiche. Buterbaugh, if you are there.....I got some news for you about Hermana Curruchiche. Elder Lloyd is yelling at me so I need to go!!!!!!! But I love you all! The church is true!!! Don’t forget it!!!!!!!
Subject: faamiilliiiaaaaa
Holllaaaaaa!!!! YAYAYAAAYY I am SOOO happy that you received the cds. Yep. That’s Guatemala and that aint even doing justice. haha. But I’m glad you liked them. But daaaangg, now I know for a fact that the letters I sent home didn’t get there. I sent a bunch of letters home, but I guess they didn’t make it. I sent one to Andrew for grad and it was a good one too. It had all my sisterly advice and tips for post grad and it was pretty good I must say....and I sent a letter to daddy for father’s day!! I guess that all didn’t make it. DAANANANAGGG, that makes me so mad. I also sent one to Auntie Grace and some others. That sucks because one pday I just wrote and wrote and I don’t think any of them made it. GUATEMALA!!!! Sucks! But keep looking, because I sent it!!!!!!!!!!!!! ewewewweeewewwe. But no, I didn’t get the package with the peds and candies. The only package i got was one from auntie grace and cookies from dearelder. I didn’t receive anything else. But, hopefully soon. Thanks ahead of time. I am SOOOOOO excited. That is seriously like gold!!!!
Ok, as for update on the area, DAAANNANAGGG this week was rough. Just a rough week. Things did not go our way and I may or may not have shed tears yesterday of just stress and ahahhahahahahhahahah!!!! Ok so, our zone leaders this change felt inspired to have 25 baptisms on July 25. In the beginning of the change we had this meeting where they promised us if we did all we could, Every companionship, could baptize one family on July 25. Okay cool. I haven’t necessarily been working only for this, but I can honestly say this change we have just been going crazy. Working, working, working, and doing all we can. Crazy missionaries!!! And in the beginning we saw so much hope, potential and progress in our area. I KNEW that this change my comp and I were going to kill it and do MIRACLES but this week it all just crumbled.
First of all, Angelina. She made leaps and bounds in testimony and was showing more faith and progress than ever. Walking to church, reading scriptures daily, bearing powerful testimony. It was amazing!! We had her baptismal interview this week and she was supposed to get baptized, BUT this week for her she just broke. Everyday, someone would come to tell her bad things about the church. EVERYDAY!! So we’d go, she’d have doubts, we’d clear them...bah. The next day same thing. Vicious cycle of just ugliness. One time we went, and her devil nephew was there and we walked right in while he was bashing the Book of Mormon. He is Evangelical and just an Anti-Mormon devil child. Oh man!! I was IRATTTEEE and honestly, we just lay it straight.
I just told him straight up in a loving way of course....haha the truth....that the book of Mormon is TRUE yo!! ANd he aint got nothing and knows nothing because his heart is too hard to read it. And it was probably one of the strongest times I have felt the spirit on my mission. haha. Me and my comp left laughing and like daaaannng that was crazy because we honestly felt the power of God with us as we testified and bore testimony of the reality of this sacred book. He straight up just stood up and left after we talked to him and didn’t say nothing to us and at least he hasn’t come back to bother Hermana Angelina!!! haha. But she still got others. EVERYDAY there is someone who comes and something that happens and it is just crazy and so frustrating!!!! So anyways, she was supposed to get baptized, but yesterday she didn’t show up and it was so sad.
Then we still have Eva. She is positive as ever, but still it’s her husband or partner. We talked to him, but he still doesn’t want to get married. He is really interesting. I don’t know but he’s one of those that thinks he’s a prophet....that everybody is a prophet and that there is no need for anything. I don’t know. It’s weird. So she’s still positive, but can’t get baptized until her partner agrees to be married. When that will be....I don’t know!!!! Faith!
And Hilda, again the husband.....she was supposed to get baptized this week, but her husband won’t give permission because he is catholic. She still comes to church and told us she wants to get baptized but until her husband says yes she cant!!! She likes the church and all, but she said she won’t be baptized until later in her life or in the next life....I don’t know!!!!! Patience. and then finally the familia Agiular. Parents, we have been working and working with this family. We found them the first week and I don’t know why we kept working with them, but we have and they have no doubt been progressing. The first time we contacted them they told us they were never home so they could never receive us. We went to their house, and they did. In the first lesson the dad was so mean and rude and just blah blah blah. just really hard hearted and bashed everything we said, But for some reason he told us that he would still listen to us and for some reason we decided to go back and every week they have been getting better. He made it CLEAR that they would listen, but that they would never come to church. And for some reason, my comp always said that he was scary and blah. blah he’ll never change, but for some reason I just didn’t believe it.
Every time he would tell us mean things or that he’d never change, for some reason I would just start to laugh. It’s the weirdest thing. But they have been progressing and each day I see the dads’ heart open up a bit. Finally this week, we got to the point of visiting them almost every day and it has been great!!!!! The family has just completely opened up to us and it has been a miracle really because although the dad doesn’t necessarily say he believes, we have no doubt seen a change and he invites us over everyday and tells his family and friends about us. MIRACLE. and Saturday we invited them again to come to church and they ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!! Well he told us maybe....but we told him YES and that wed pass by tomorrow morning for them. They accepted. oh my gosh we were so excited!!!!!! We passed by their house in the morning and they were ready to go to church. I almost cried just because I remembered how it was when we started and now look!! Their whole family was coming to church!! Oh I was so happy. So we walked with them and right when we got to the chapel, the dad refused to come in!!!! He just stopped and could not take the step in!!!!! I was like what!!! Don’t be ridiculous!! Come in!!!! But he said he couldn’t and my heart just died!!!! I was so sad. And we tried and tried to get them to come. Members invited them, but nothing!!! He wouldn’t!!!!!!! And not in front of them, but in the bathroom I just cried!!!! It was soooooo sad. Probably the saddest I have been on my mission. I don’t know what happened, but we went over yesterday but there were people over so we couldn’t really talk. But oh man!!!!!!!!!
This week everything was like that!!!!! Just fail. Fail. Fail. And I just broke down and cried yesterday. But I am learning patience and that we just gotta do our best. I wont have my family being baptized 25 de Julio. It’s impossible now and in some aspects I just feel like I failed because they promised us that if we do everything were supposed to, it will happen!!!!! I don’t know, it was rough but today I feel a lot better. I’ve been just thinking a lot and felt comfort that I did all I can and that I can’t take away peoples agency. I have faith. Trust me we got faith and we are trying, but they got agency!!!! ANdd ohhahhhahahahahah it is so frustrating sometimes. But the church is still true so we have to just keep moving forward, working, and trusting in the Lord. It seriously just seemed like nothing went well this week. Nothing. But I´m grateful there is another one!!!! I love you family!!!!!!! Thanks for all your love and support!!!!!!!! Hopefully next week, there will be better news. But I am learning patience and still despite these disappointments, I am grateful to be here. No matter what, the church is still true. So we need to just keep trying!!!!!! That’s all we can do!!! I love you all!!!!!!! Thanks for everything!!!!!!!!! The church is true so I testify to love!!!!!!!!
Love you all!!!!!
Oh and to answer the question.....as for the Spanish.......about that!!!!!! haha. I am improving. I can definitely feel the Lord’s help. I can speak Spanish when a. someone says something bad about the book of Mormon or 2. There is something I need to know. It’s the craziest thing. One cool thing about learning a language is you can definitely FEEL the gift of tongues with you!! In no means, can I understand everything or speak Spanish perfectly, but when you NEED to know something or something is important you will KNOW!!!!!! It’s crazy!!! How true that is!!! the majority of the time I hear laiufijdfjijfaijfjjdfidjfdjfijf, but when it is something important or the person is making progress, I can understand perfectly and I can speak....it is CRAZY!!!!! The church is TRUE and this is the Lords work!!! I know that!! I can honestly feel that everyday!! So as for the Spanish, still not completely there, but the Lord provides and it is enough!!! Oh HErmana Curruchiche.....Dang!!!! I ran out of time, but I want to tell everyone about Hermana Curruchiche. Buterbaugh, if you are there.....I got some news for you about Hermana Curruchiche. Elder Lloyd is yelling at me so I need to go!!!!!!! But I love you all! The church is true!!! Don’t forget it!!!!!!!
July 5, 2010 Chickens and ALMOST Wanting to GO Vegetarian
Sent: Mon, July 5, 2010 9:03:34 AM
Subject: HOLLAAAA FAMILIA!!!!!!
Holllaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! Wowwwwww time is FLYING!! I seriously cannot believe that another week has come and gone. It’s crazy. And Deina comes home in 4 weeks__ YIIIKKEESSS thats insane!!! Well it just shows there is NO time to waste. Ay yay yay. As for this week, hmmmmm, it seems like one big blur. We have just been trying to work work work. Success___mmmm mas o menos. It’s hard to tell right now. We are teaching some families, but still it’s hard. We are trying to figure out who has the most potential and where to spend our time. We taught over 40 lessons this week. Our district leader gave us chocolates and cookies haha for our efforts. Honestly it’s just been going going going. Running, running, running, from appointment to appointment trying to teach and find people. We are going coocoo for missionary work!!!!! And I am more exhausted than I have ever been, but there is no time to waste and I’m just trying to give it my all. We haven’t seen much success yet, but I am just hoping and praying that well see some fruits soon. We have some hopefuls.
We are teaching this lady named Eva and she is really positive. She loves meeting with us and believes what we are teaching her is true. She comes to church and she likes it. She has two kids and they are adorable. The problem is her husband. Right now, hopefully this will change, but he doesn’t want to get married and as of now doesn’t want anything to do with our message. We are working hard to change that. Eva wants to get baptized and talked to us about possibly splitting, but that is going to be really hard to do. When she explained her situation, she just started to cry and told us she doesn’t know what to do!!! My comp and I cried with her because it’s such a hard situation and she has had such a hard life. Her husband actually is a good guy and supports her and her two kids. Well he sends money, but they still have nothing. This family is bien pobre....in our terms they have nothing but like she told us at least they have food on the table, bread, and a roof over their head which is something. Eva since she was 6 years old has lived homeless in the streets. Her dad was murdered and her mom left her and her brothers when she was 6 for another guy. So she grew up in the streets of guate with nothing...homeless. 2 of her were murdered and she doesn’t keep in touch with the other. Sad!!
She met her man when she was 15 and since then moved in with him and has had shelter, food, and love! He’s provided for her since then and so of course she loves him. He is like her savior....but now there’s the church and she can’t get baptized unless she gets married, which he doesn’t want to do...or split which is hard because... she loves him. Of course. He’s provided her with a good life and he’s the father of her kids and she will be homeless again because she doesn’t have enough money to support herself and her only source of income is raising chickens and selling them which are not enough to support her family. She cried and cried because she honestly doesn’t know what to do and to be honest neither do I!!! Well I do but that is rough!!!!!!! We are just working with her and loving her and just trying to support her. Praying and seeking the Lords help. I don’t know what else to do, but can you believe that__ its crazy. Heartbreaking.
These people’s circumstances are just crazy. I have to have my companion explain things to me slowly after the lessons because I don’t even fully understand the circumstances and what these people go through every day. I just see people crying, hungry, and honestly left with nothing. People here struggle just to survive, to put food on the table, to have dry clothes to wear, to have a roof over their head. I honestly feel like if I ever feel sorry for myself or complain about anything in my life, I will be struck with lightning!!!! It truly is humbling and I am just everyday trying to soak it all in and let this experience go through me that I can change. Because my eyes truly have been opened. WE ARE BLESSSEEDD!!!!!!! That is all I got to say. At first, when I’d meet people like this I just thought that these people are just really poor and have had bad lives and that this was rare. But the longer I am here in Guatemala, the more I am realizing that this is the MAJORITY of the people. That this is how most people live. I am the weird one. I have just been EXCEEDINGLY blessed. Beyond comprehension. We honestly have so so, so, SOOOO much and I guess it took coming to Guatemala to really understand that.
Funny story, yesterday I was in the shower and just reflecting on things and life and it was so weird for some reason I broke out in song and started singing with gusto AND I´m proud to be an AMERICAAN where at least I KNOW I´m Free....And I wont forget the men who died who gave that right to me...ANd Ill proudly STAND UP next to you........haha you know.....and I was on the verge of tears...it was so funny. I don’t know where it came from. haha. But then I remembered I was breaking mission rules because were not allowed to sing in the shower so I stopped and chuckled to myself...but the funny part is after I realized that it was the 4th of JULLYYYY!!!!!!!!! How funny is that_!!!! haha. Funny stuff. When I looked at my calendar I could not stop laughing and my comp didn’t understand, but it was funny!!!! But seriously, I am realizing more and more everyday just how blessed we really are. Don’t get me wrong. I love Guatemala and love the people. But the country is cookoo. I would not survive if I weren’t a missionary and will forever testify to love!!!!! Dang!!!!! It’s crazy!!
But yeah......hmmmm what else.......I don’t know. The mission is just CRAZY. Things happen everyday that is just I don’t know....I´m on a mission in GUATEMALA!! I saw Eva go and kill one of her chickens. haha. That was hilarious and I seriously freaked out. We were just chilling, about to leave and Eva told us she was about to go with us because she had to sale some chickens and so we wait and she just runs to catch a chicken that’s in her yard to cut its neck so she could sale it at the mercado!!!! You can imagine me___ I SCREAMMMEED!!!!!!!!. The little boy thought it was hilarious how scared I was. So Eva was trying to catch her chicken, but I was screaming so they were laughing and the chickens were going crazy so I just had to hide in her room while she did it. But uhhhh I didnt actually see it, but I heard it and it was horrible!!! I couldn’t look and my comp and eva and her kids were just laughing. It was disgusting!!!! It almost made me want to go vegetarian. But then I got hungry!!! haha. so uhhh. But yeah that was an adventure!!!!!! You can only imagine. I freak out at Costco when there’s birds around me.....yaaahhhh. But it’s fun. Anyways familia......Another week, more adventures. Hopefully I will have good news for you next week. The mission is great!!! The church is true and I testify to LOVE!!!!!!!!!!
One more cool story I guess....Friday, we didn’t bring our umbrellas because in the morning it was SOOOO sunny....we didn’t think there would be rain....BAD IDEA!!! Half way through the day we just see the biggest rain cloud ever and the rain just started coming down. POURING. Luckily we had an appointment so we were inside. But the rain was just coming down and I was dreading it because we were far from our house and I knew we would have to run home in this crazy Guatemalan rain without umbrellas, jackets, nothing!!! We finished the lesson and it was seriously a thunder storm. Rain, thunder, everything. I looked at my comp and was like well we have to go. But I said a prayer in my heart....like Heavenly Father we forgot our umbrellas and our jackets and we are far from the house. And I asked if it be thy will to be able to get home as dry as possible because we didn’t want to walk home through these storms...We got up and walked out of this persons house and started running and once we did that I´m not even kidding you the rain just stopped!!!!! Stopped!!! And we just ran home. We were completely dry. And when we got our umbrellas and our rain coats the rain storm continued!!!!!!! WHATTT THEEE___ Seriously. It was a miracle and just strengthened my testimony again that God listens to prayers. He is a God of miracles and there is nothing that He cannot do. I just got home and dropped on my knees because I was so grateful!!! Honestly that is probably the best part of the mission. That little miracles like this happen everyday. Even if people don’t believe us, we get rejected all day, walk through rain storms and floating poop, its okay. Because I KNOW that this is the Lords work. Every day, something happens where I am converted and can honestly say I BELIIIEEEEEVVVVVEEEE! And that’s what makes the mission great!!! I love you all!!!! BELIEVE family!!!!!!! The Church is true!!! God lives and loves so hakuna matata I will testify to love!!!! With all my heart I love you all! I am alive, well, and doing great!!! thanks for everything!! Prestos Todos PRestos......The church is true!!!!!!!!
loves....hugs....kissess.....ali
ps. congrats Davie for getting into accounting!!!!!!!! and Chris happy belated birthday bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! grandma grandpa thanks for your words of love. Auntie Reenie, your letters make me poop in my pants they are sooooo funny!!!! And mommy daddy, i love you with all my heart!!!! Everyone else, I love you toooo!!! Thanks everyone for all your love and support!!!!!!! hermana g!
Subject: HOLLAAAA FAMILIA!!!!!!
Holllaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!! Wowwwwww time is FLYING!! I seriously cannot believe that another week has come and gone. It’s crazy. And Deina comes home in 4 weeks__ YIIIKKEESSS thats insane!!! Well it just shows there is NO time to waste. Ay yay yay. As for this week, hmmmmm, it seems like one big blur. We have just been trying to work work work. Success___mmmm mas o menos. It’s hard to tell right now. We are teaching some families, but still it’s hard. We are trying to figure out who has the most potential and where to spend our time. We taught over 40 lessons this week. Our district leader gave us chocolates and cookies haha for our efforts. Honestly it’s just been going going going. Running, running, running, from appointment to appointment trying to teach and find people. We are going coocoo for missionary work!!!!! And I am more exhausted than I have ever been, but there is no time to waste and I’m just trying to give it my all. We haven’t seen much success yet, but I am just hoping and praying that well see some fruits soon. We have some hopefuls.
We are teaching this lady named Eva and she is really positive. She loves meeting with us and believes what we are teaching her is true. She comes to church and she likes it. She has two kids and they are adorable. The problem is her husband. Right now, hopefully this will change, but he doesn’t want to get married and as of now doesn’t want anything to do with our message. We are working hard to change that. Eva wants to get baptized and talked to us about possibly splitting, but that is going to be really hard to do. When she explained her situation, she just started to cry and told us she doesn’t know what to do!!! My comp and I cried with her because it’s such a hard situation and she has had such a hard life. Her husband actually is a good guy and supports her and her two kids. Well he sends money, but they still have nothing. This family is bien pobre....in our terms they have nothing but like she told us at least they have food on the table, bread, and a roof over their head which is something. Eva since she was 6 years old has lived homeless in the streets. Her dad was murdered and her mom left her and her brothers when she was 6 for another guy. So she grew up in the streets of guate with nothing...homeless. 2 of her were murdered and she doesn’t keep in touch with the other. Sad!!
She met her man when she was 15 and since then moved in with him and has had shelter, food, and love! He’s provided for her since then and so of course she loves him. He is like her savior....but now there’s the church and she can’t get baptized unless she gets married, which he doesn’t want to do...or split which is hard because... she loves him. Of course. He’s provided her with a good life and he’s the father of her kids and she will be homeless again because she doesn’t have enough money to support herself and her only source of income is raising chickens and selling them which are not enough to support her family. She cried and cried because she honestly doesn’t know what to do and to be honest neither do I!!! Well I do but that is rough!!!!!!! We are just working with her and loving her and just trying to support her. Praying and seeking the Lords help. I don’t know what else to do, but can you believe that__ its crazy. Heartbreaking.
These people’s circumstances are just crazy. I have to have my companion explain things to me slowly after the lessons because I don’t even fully understand the circumstances and what these people go through every day. I just see people crying, hungry, and honestly left with nothing. People here struggle just to survive, to put food on the table, to have dry clothes to wear, to have a roof over their head. I honestly feel like if I ever feel sorry for myself or complain about anything in my life, I will be struck with lightning!!!! It truly is humbling and I am just everyday trying to soak it all in and let this experience go through me that I can change. Because my eyes truly have been opened. WE ARE BLESSSEEDD!!!!!!! That is all I got to say. At first, when I’d meet people like this I just thought that these people are just really poor and have had bad lives and that this was rare. But the longer I am here in Guatemala, the more I am realizing that this is the MAJORITY of the people. That this is how most people live. I am the weird one. I have just been EXCEEDINGLY blessed. Beyond comprehension. We honestly have so so, so, SOOOO much and I guess it took coming to Guatemala to really understand that.
Funny story, yesterday I was in the shower and just reflecting on things and life and it was so weird for some reason I broke out in song and started singing with gusto AND I´m proud to be an AMERICAAN where at least I KNOW I´m Free....And I wont forget the men who died who gave that right to me...ANd Ill proudly STAND UP next to you........haha you know.....and I was on the verge of tears...it was so funny. I don’t know where it came from. haha. But then I remembered I was breaking mission rules because were not allowed to sing in the shower so I stopped and chuckled to myself...but the funny part is after I realized that it was the 4th of JULLYYYY!!!!!!!!! How funny is that_!!!! haha. Funny stuff. When I looked at my calendar I could not stop laughing and my comp didn’t understand, but it was funny!!!! But seriously, I am realizing more and more everyday just how blessed we really are. Don’t get me wrong. I love Guatemala and love the people. But the country is cookoo. I would not survive if I weren’t a missionary and will forever testify to love!!!!! Dang!!!!! It’s crazy!!
But yeah......hmmmm what else.......I don’t know. The mission is just CRAZY. Things happen everyday that is just I don’t know....I´m on a mission in GUATEMALA!! I saw Eva go and kill one of her chickens. haha. That was hilarious and I seriously freaked out. We were just chilling, about to leave and Eva told us she was about to go with us because she had to sale some chickens and so we wait and she just runs to catch a chicken that’s in her yard to cut its neck so she could sale it at the mercado!!!! You can imagine me___ I SCREAMMMEED!!!!!!!!. The little boy thought it was hilarious how scared I was. So Eva was trying to catch her chicken, but I was screaming so they were laughing and the chickens were going crazy so I just had to hide in her room while she did it. But uhhhh I didnt actually see it, but I heard it and it was horrible!!! I couldn’t look and my comp and eva and her kids were just laughing. It was disgusting!!!! It almost made me want to go vegetarian. But then I got hungry!!! haha. so uhhh. But yeah that was an adventure!!!!!! You can only imagine. I freak out at Costco when there’s birds around me.....yaaahhhh. But it’s fun. Anyways familia......Another week, more adventures. Hopefully I will have good news for you next week. The mission is great!!! The church is true and I testify to LOVE!!!!!!!!!!
One more cool story I guess....Friday, we didn’t bring our umbrellas because in the morning it was SOOOO sunny....we didn’t think there would be rain....BAD IDEA!!! Half way through the day we just see the biggest rain cloud ever and the rain just started coming down. POURING. Luckily we had an appointment so we were inside. But the rain was just coming down and I was dreading it because we were far from our house and I knew we would have to run home in this crazy Guatemalan rain without umbrellas, jackets, nothing!!! We finished the lesson and it was seriously a thunder storm. Rain, thunder, everything. I looked at my comp and was like well we have to go. But I said a prayer in my heart....like Heavenly Father we forgot our umbrellas and our jackets and we are far from the house. And I asked if it be thy will to be able to get home as dry as possible because we didn’t want to walk home through these storms...We got up and walked out of this persons house and started running and once we did that I´m not even kidding you the rain just stopped!!!!! Stopped!!! And we just ran home. We were completely dry. And when we got our umbrellas and our rain coats the rain storm continued!!!!!!! WHATTT THEEE___ Seriously. It was a miracle and just strengthened my testimony again that God listens to prayers. He is a God of miracles and there is nothing that He cannot do. I just got home and dropped on my knees because I was so grateful!!! Honestly that is probably the best part of the mission. That little miracles like this happen everyday. Even if people don’t believe us, we get rejected all day, walk through rain storms and floating poop, its okay. Because I KNOW that this is the Lords work. Every day, something happens where I am converted and can honestly say I BELIIIEEEEEVVVVVEEEE! And that’s what makes the mission great!!! I love you all!!!! BELIEVE family!!!!!!! The Church is true!!! God lives and loves so hakuna matata I will testify to love!!!! With all my heart I love you all! I am alive, well, and doing great!!! thanks for everything!! Prestos Todos PRestos......The church is true!!!!!!!!
loves....hugs....kissess.....ali
ps. congrats Davie for getting into accounting!!!!!!!! and Chris happy belated birthday bro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! grandma grandpa thanks for your words of love. Auntie Reenie, your letters make me poop in my pants they are sooooo funny!!!! And mommy daddy, i love you with all my heart!!!! Everyone else, I love you toooo!!! Thanks everyone for all your love and support!!!!!!! hermana g!
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