Walmart

¡Buenas Tardes Familia!

...and I say family because you all really are my family! We are ALL sons and daughters of God and I am grateful for every single one of you! TODAY we got to go to walmart and honestly I was probably too excited for the trip but it's nice to get away some times and wal mart felt like home! I also bought a pillow because the one that was provided at our apartment makes me neck hurt, I think. Or I was just spoiling myself with a new pillow, who knows? haha

baptism of "David." I am not sure why
that elder wanted to be in the picture.... haha

Alright so this week was awesome, just like every other week but just a little bit funnier! We had a baptism this week which was awesome, but everything with this man leading up to the baptism was the best part and I officially believe in miracles. I am going to change his name for identity reasons, so his name is David :)  So David is about 43 years old. A while ago David had severe alcohol issues. He was definitely addicted. The alcohol has affected his brain a ton to the point where he is pretty much like a child now. Our problem for the past 5 weeks with him is that he can't EVER remember when we have lessons with him. All that he remembers is to attend church on Sunday's, which is good! haha but we also needed to teach him the doctrine! Anyway, he has been ready for baptism for about two weeks but we had to wait for an ok from our president because he has a hard time remembering things. President gave us the ok to baptize him with the information that if he understands the concepts that it's all good. Well he understands when we tell him he is just difficult to remember them. BUT every time we see him he would say "No tomo, no tomo!" Which means he hasn't drank in very minimal words, which is great! Well we have two baptisms next week and another the week after that and since he never remembers our lessons it is very difficult to get a baptism date with him. So basically all week we checked his house to see if he was home and prayed for a miracle to find him this week, have his baptismal interview and then find him again to baptize him. Well the poor elders who are our district leader had to be on call this whole week for whenever we might find David.

me and my companion on the path
that we have to take to get to one of
our investigators house.... hahaha

 This week I have been reading a lot about faith in the New Testament and the stories about faith that Jesus Christ taught about. I came across one that really stuck out to me on Thursday morning that talked about faith and the coming of miracles because of strong faith. So I finished my persional studies and told God that I was going to be so faithful that day that I would see a miracle... Around 1:45 on thursday afternoon we decided to take a different road to get to where we were going. This particular neighborhood housed the family that referred us to David. As we passed by we saw David in the front yard helping them clean!! We grabbed David and took him to the chapel for him to recieve his interview and made plans with that family that theywould have him over for dinner the following Saturday at 5 before his baptism at 7:30p that day. He is pretty good at remembing the food as well. Food and church haha. We also had to tell the missionary that was interviewing him that "Cafe negro"(black coffee)  means "te negro" (black tea) for the word of wisdom. (For those who dont know the word of wisdom in this Gospel refers to the abstinance of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, coffee and tea.) He could remember everything and he just would say "No tomar, no fumar, no drogas, no cafe, no cafe negro." The lesson was actually pretty awesome when one time he actually said "te negro". I cried, naturally, because we spent a whole hour teaching him the Word of Wisdom. 

 Ok sorry off topic. ANYWAY, so it's now Saturday. We planned on calling this family at 5 to see if David had remembered dinner. Well we were in a lesson with a family of TWELVE until 5:15. We got out of the lesson and called the family and David WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. So me and Hermana Arroyo began searching for him. It was like 85 and we were walking very fervently, sweating. breathing hard, searching for David. We got to his house and he wasn't there so we took a step to the side and said a prayer that we might find David for his baptism. We searched for about another hour. Around 6:50 we called a member of the church who planned to attend the baptism to see if she wouldnt mind driving us for another 20 minutes because it was only us and our ward mission leader looking for him on foot. Then I offered another prayer and asked God that if it be in the interest of him and David that we find him. Around 7 she got to us and we sat in her car as they drove us around for another 15 minutes through the streets looking for him. I started to lose hope thinking that we

one of the families that we teach.
The one I believe that I wrote about a couple
 weeks ago. I really just love love them.
 Sorry that my head is cut off, i am just too
tall for the people here!

would never find him. Then around 7:16 we began to come up on the church and in front of and saw a short man, with a big cowboy hat and a limp walking in front of the church. IT WAS DAVID!!! I again, started to cry as we yelled out the windows DAVID! He turned around with a huge smile and laughed (he is ALWAYS laughing and smiling) as we pulled up next to him! I said, "David, today is your baptism!" And he smiled and said yes! And after that couldn't stop smiling! He was so excited!! So he was baptized this saturday by his friend. He was so happy you guys! The funny part was him trying to get into the water! He yelled "LA AGUA" as he stepped in. He went step by step but eventually was in. He has a really hard time with staying quiet and closing his eyes during prayers and other things but the amazing part was during the ordinance of the baptism his eyes immediately shut during the baptismal prayer and he was quiet the whole time. After he come up from the water he had a huge smile on his face. I was crying. The next day David was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Again, during his confirmation he was silent and kept his eyes closed the whole time.

I officially believe in miracles. I have so much more hope that I ever have. The things about David is that he is very difficult to work with. He can't pay attention well, he can't really pray aloud so we try to have him repeat after us but can only repeat the last word of each sentence. He interrupts the lessons a lot. He in general cannot focus. Most of our lessons had some really funny memories but didn't get much done. And he doedn't remember anything. But the real thing about David is that he taught me so much more than we could ever teach

The best apple juice ever and the
BIGGEST juice box ever. I know
 that andre hutchens is jealous of my juice box experience!

him. He taught me a lot about patience. He taught me about loving others and how to always have a smile on. I am so greatful for this experience with him. I will never forget the miracles that were performed in order to teach him and it only proves to me that God loves every single one of his children and will do any and everything to bring them back to him. 

  Family, God is real. He loves all of you. He performs miracles if only you have the faith to see them. This have been the best and hardest experience of my life. It is only hard because it is challenging me to not be a carnal person but to have patience and faith, to be obedient to all things that are asked of me, to be understanding and most of all to love every single person that I meet.

Thank you all for your love and the support you all have given me. I am grateful for my two hours each week to see your words of encouragement and support. I love you all so much and I will talk to you all next week!

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermanaut

Week Fourrrrr

¡Buenas Tardes! 

Hey everyone! So we just finished up week four and are in the beginning of week five this week. I am so sorry about my email last week, it was short and not exciting. I also realized that my story probably wasn't that funny either.

Hermana Capener from Boston, MA

This has been a great week! Our first week we had a baptism for a younger girl and Saturday of this week her mother told us that she is ready to be baptized as well!! We have it set up for the 25th of this month! It's exciting because she is pretty much a member without the baptism!

Hermana Capeners companion,
 Hermana Ensenus from Vera Cruz, Mex

My companion,
Hermana Arroyo from Morelia, Mex

We had a conference in Cuernavaca on Friday with all of the missionaries that came in at the same time as I did. This include 6/7 girls that were in my awesome district in the mtc!! it was a great meeting and I loved seeing the girls but this will probably be the last time for a while. 

I have a few funny things happen. First, we went and visited an investigator and when we did  it was this old old woman that i had never met before. She was doing some yard work so when we entered she had a machete in her hand.... a HUGE machete.. and as we were walking into her house she started rambling on about something and waved this HUGE machete in our faces haha. It was scary, this little tiny old woman and this huge machete. We all just laughed about it. I also had another machete experience with a man. We started talking to a man who works in the sugar fields that we pass by to get to one of our investigators house. He got real heated about churches and was using his machete to put emphasis on certian things. It was funny, yet scary haha. Finally we talked to another man on the street who realized I was American and started talking to me about how in America we give injections to kill people there and that he didnt believe in it. But he showed up to church on sunday so that was nice haha. 

Gosh, I really do love it here. I love the ward that I am, the people are so kind. We had lunch with the bishops family Monday and they bought a coconut for me to drink because they said it helps with the stomach and prepared a special healthy meal for me. It was really kind. Today, another member took me and my companion, and another companionship to this HUGE old hacienda. We walked around for a while. They use it for Day of the Dead here. There were fake bodies in all of these dark scary spots. We got scared by bats. I wasn't a huge fan of the scary stuff as most of you know but it was really fun and absolutely gorgeous!

We usually spend Mondays with this companionship because they have to come to Cuautla for our district meetings Monday nights and because my companion and one of the other girls in the other companionship are really good friends. Which works out for me because the other sister is one of the girls from my district in the MTC :) The people are kind and my companion is really patient with me and trying to learn the language. I feel bad because I do not know how to teach her English! 

Add our new roommate stewart who
really enjoys the shower... caption

I truly know that this is the Lord's work and that we (missionaries) are only tools for him. I am grateful for this experience and for all of the people I have met here. I am also grateful for all of you! You continue to send me so so much love!! It's great! I miss you all and love you all! 

This is just the life in mexico...
crazy baby dolls tied to things

Hermanaut

Para What? Parasites!!!!

Oh hey there again everyone... so this one time, a week ago I got really sick. I won't go into the dirty details cause you really don't want to know them but now I am taking some medicine for Parasites for the next few days and if that doesn't work they are sending me to the doctors soooo that will be an adventure haha.  I got

really sick Thursday and they sent me and my companion home. Friday morning we went out to search for an investigator and I got sick on the way so we came back home. We stayed in until about 5 and then I went and read my scriptures because I couldn't sleep anymore. While I was reading I read an awesome part in the book of Alma about service, that after we have cried out to Heavenly Father with sincerity of heart if that is all... it is not. We must then go and serve others with full purpose of heart. Well a sister from our ward was coming to stay with me while another was going to go to a couple lessons with my companion. We held back the sister who was coming to stay with me for an hour and tried to go out again to a lesson. We got to the lady's house and no one was home. We were gone for about 50 minutes and I felt like death. I tried very hard to stay out with them but they had to take me home. I was sweating from heat when it wasn't that hot out but my body was ice cold. No bueno. So I went back home and was in for the rest of the night.

Saturday was conference and the funniest thing happened. for la comida we went to a members house. I was only allowed to eat like bread and crackers and whatnot but NO MILK and nothing too heavy. The sister has pasta and salad and this creme soup. I know, not Mexican at all haha. Well it was but in a weird way. ANYWAY. It was me and my companion and another companionship. We told the hermana that i couldn't eat these specific things and she brings back a huge plate of spaghetti with cheese all over it. The four of us look at each other and laugh. we are still waiting for the prayer so i haven't touched it yet so our plan is to hand over the cheese covered spaghetti to the hermana next to me. Well after this she come back and dumps a huge glob of sour creme on it haha. And we say the prayer and she is just waiting for us to eat. So I kind of go around eating and every time she leaves i have to pour my spaghetti into the soup bowl of the other hermanas. And they have to start eating as fast as they can because they don't have the spaghetti yet. And every time my plate was empty she brought more food for me. and just tons of it. all with dairy products. Whenever she comes into the room i pretend like I am eating something with my fork in my mouth. It is just outrageous haha. The hermanas ate double because she brought so much food for me. It was funny, trust me haha.

Thank you so much for the love everyone. I don't have a ton of time. I want you all to know that I am ok. It's not the easiest here but I do love it. I am trying to put the people before me. My companion is so funny. I taught her to say "I am down for the cause" which is my favorite English phrase haha. Sorry for not much this week. 

Know that all is well, i love you with all that I have and I hope that you are all healthy and happy!

Con todo mi corazon

Hermanaut

Oh ps; this week two families told me my Spanish was way better than the first week I got here so I am stoked. :) miss you all!

Another week has passed by!

Hola mi familia!!!

You are all my family soooo that isn't wrong to say! haha How is everyone and everything? First, thank you so much for your love! It is greatly appreciated! 

Soooo where to begin?? Here are the things that I have learned so far on the mission and why I know this through my mission experiences:

1. Chunky peanut butter is LO MEJOR! (THE BEST) 

This would be a big thank you to Hermana Lakin for that one!

2. Children can ALWAYS teach you something.

There is a little girl in my ward who does this little hissing thing at me. I met her my second day in Mexico. I learned she picked it up from Twilight and is trying to be a vampire. I have started to do it right back at her and she always just laughs and we will go back and forth for 2 minutes. What I have learned is that when we want to be something that we believe that we are not, we must make changes immediately. If I want to be vampire, i better start acting like one. If I want to be like Christ, I better start acting like him in everything that I do. I must love like him, serve like him. How can I do that? I must start reading the scriptures and applying each part to my life DAILY. Brothers and sisters, whether or not you want to be like a vampire or Christ go directly to the source. The scriptures are always the first way to learn how to be like Him.

3. Angels do exist.

Spanish has been incredibly difficult for me. I am even more frustrated when we have to watch a video or read scriptures in Spanish first before they can be translated. I am not allowed to bring my English scriptures with me so I have to memorize where scriptures I want to use in lessons are which I would normally do however I always second guess if they are the correct ones or not. It's scary. As most of you know, conference is coming up this weekend and this last saturday there was a broadcast for the women in the church. (for those who dont know what conference is: we have a conference twise a year, every six months, to hear from general authorities and the prophet.) Well I was really looking forward to the broadcast saturday but when we got there it was all in spanish, of course, duhhh Kim. I was a little frustrated because I could only understand bits and pieces. All of a sudden the wife of the bishop tapped my shoulder and said "would you like to hear it in english?" She took me to a room and she and I watched and listened in english on the computer while my companion was with the other women in the other room. She loves listening in english because it helps her learn more. Later my companion came in because she also has never really heard the voices of these authorities or the prophet. It was a blessing. I learned a lot and even though I have hardly known the Bishop and his wife for a little less than two weeks, she has loved me so unconditionally. She was truly my angel this week. 

4. Miracles DO happen.

About thursday of last week we met with a woman who has a date to be baptized. While we me with her, another woman came in and started listening. I believe she is the Aunt of the woman who wants to be baptized. After the lesson we invited her to church and listen to more of our lessons. She was very kind but very stern in saying "I have my faith, I am not getting baptized." We didnt say much more. Saturday night, my companion and I felt prompted to visit the woman who wants to be baptized again Sunday after church so we scheduled to stop by. Well yesterday, Sunday, she, the aunt, came to church with the Woman who wants to be baptized. She was attentive and she went to all three hours of church. We expressed our happiness to see her but that was about all. Then later on we went to the house where they all seemed surprised to see us. We honestly didn't know why we were there. We planned to review a part of the gospel called The Plan of Salvation with them. Again, the woman sat and listened but this time we involved her more in the lesson. We asked her questions and she began to open up more and more. At one point she bang to cry and I really wanted to say something but a small voice and feeling inside me told me to stay silent and listen. About five minutes later I felt prompted to share my conversion story with her. As I did she began to smile with tears still flowing. I told her how true this gospel really is. Finally I asked her if she knew it was true also. She smiled and she said, yes I know that this is all true. And then I asked how if it feels like she has known it all along. She was astonished and said yes, i feel like I have known it my whole life. She expressed to us that she wants to be baptized as soon as possible. We all cried pretty much. I cried. Naturally. It was so so so wonderful! I can not express the feelings that I felt in that moment. After our lesson she hugged me so tight and thanked me. I felt like I could die of happiness in that moment. It was like the moment that I knew that this gospel was true all over again. It was a miracle because she was so set in not getting baptized and expressed so much that she already had her faith.

UGH!!! I know this is sappy but I just have to say that I KNOW that there is a God. He is my and yours Heavenly Father. I took a lot of time to look back at my life in the last two years. I am in shock at where my life has gone. I am starting to tear up thinking about it, again, naturally. I used to think that life was about all of the temporal things. I used to enjoy the things of the world. I know that my Spanish is not anywhere near perfect but I also know that these people will understand what I am saying when God needs them to know what I am saying. I am nothing but a tool in the hands of God. I know that when we pray with a sincere heart to know that truthfulness of this gospel, about the Bible and the Book of Mormon together, that we can know better than we know our first name that it is true. There is nothing more precious in this world than the relationship that we have with God and with other people. I know that we are bound together by a bond stronger than life. I am grateful to the people who have come into my life through this gospel and I am grateful for the people who have been been there since day 1. This work is really hard. I do miss home. I miss my family and my friends. I miss country line dancing, eating popcorn with my brother and my dad. I miss watching scary movies with my mom. I miss Navajo Tacos with my Idaho Family. I miss dancing to Blurred Lines during the summer with the Hutchens. I miss it all. But I KNOW that I would be MISSING OUT on the biggest opportunity that I have to know God and Christ better and the opportunity to bring others to know them better than I do. I am grateful to be here. I love it. 

A quote that a Hermana Seth Chatterley showed me and my district in the MTC:

"There are two kinds of people. The people you love and the people you don't really know yet."

Look for the good in people. Be humble. And love even in the worst of circumstances.

I love you all so much. Thank you for your support and prayers. I am good. If anything, stop praying for me and pray for the people in Mexico that I meet. They need them more than I do.

Con todo mi corazon,

Hermanaut