Bueno!

Buenos Tardes Familia!

I have shoutoutttttts :) This upcoming week we have birthdays! YAY! Haha so happy birthday to my cutie cousin Bailee! You are such a wonderful spirit, enjoy your day and don't cause too much trouble for your mom :) and to Todd Wise, don't cause too much trouble for Roxanne! haha love you guys, have such great birthdays!

We had the baptism of Cristopher this week! This awesome kid is seriously doing the best he can to turn his life around. The decision of Cristopher to be baptized has always helped is grandma to be more active in the church. It has been a blessing to see their whole family just turn around and work super hard in being followers of Christ. 

We are also working with Julia still. She has been so incredibly faithful that it inspires me. She attends church every Sunday, reads everything we give her and more, and prays constantly. She feels the love of God in her life and has never felt so sure about anything else. She will be getting baptized on Oct 11. We also are working with another young girl named Rosie. Her brother, Aldo, was baptized the first week I was here. She has zero interest in the church until she was touched by the spirit she felt in her brother's baptism. She has made an unreal amount of friends, has assisted every Sunday since our first lesson with her, she reads everything and understands it so well, she is just so smart. She will be getting baptized the weekend after Julia. She also inspires me because she is always searching to feel the spirit. She tries to understand the Book of Mormon better so that she can have a strong testimony. Also, two Sundays again a brother in the ward brought his friend Jared to church. Jared is 24 and works as a carpintero (you know, what Christ did, I just can't remember how to say it in English, forgive me haha). In our first lesson he asked us some brilliant questions like: "Who is Jesus Christ? I can't understand how one man changed the world like He did." Jared has a small background in religion. He knows the bible very well but struggles to understand the deeper meanings of the things and feels as if something is missing. We introduced him to the Book of Mormon. We only had the chance to see him once this week but he came to church again yesterday. He stayed for the whole three hours and was very involved. He even freely offered and then helped the other missionaries in the ward move houses. He also asked us if he would be eligible to serve a mission. He is super rad and is just thirsty for knowledge. He is planning to be baptized the week after Rosie which is the 25 of Octobre. These three people have been such an inspiration to me. They have taught me the value of putting God above all things and  have reminded me of the joy we feel through strengthening our relationships with Heavenly Father. 

I can't express how much I love the mission. I can't. This week I will complete 8 months in the mission! Yikes! Haha all I have to see is just work hard everyday, in whatever you're doing. Give it all. And in the middle of all that you are doing, find God and thank Him for everything He has given you.

I love you all so much and I think about you daily!

Chau!

or as me and my companion would say

Te mando un brazo psicológico!,

Chau chau! 

Goodbyyye :)

Hermanaut

PS: It has been some real life sweater weather here. It has been raining a ton and the lightning/thunder here literally shakes the buildings!

Rah, Rah, Rah Rah Rah Goooooooo Cougars!!

Hollllaaaaaa :)

Hna Pirez of Argentina, me, Hna Johnson of Spain, 

and Hna Summers of Utah, USA share the ward together!

We were also blessed to be able to try on 

some traditional Mexican dancing skirts!

I am applying to BYU right now soooo that would explain the title of the email. Wish me luck! haha 

Anyway, another week has flown by and I have no idea where the time has gone. The quickness of time really only reminds me of our lives and how really we must cherish every moment and work hard in whatever we do everyday. Hermana Pirez and I are seeing a ton of miracles in our area and have some excellent people to teach. Although I feel as if I have been struggling through a few things, I have felt the love of God more fully in my life. I have recognized that I can't do anything without His divine help. I am completely dependant on Him and on the sacrifice that Christ offered us. Sometimes I feel a little lost, I let the little things get to me, but then someone comes along who needs me and my testimony that I forget about myself. I have learned that that is the way the satan works. He makes us think about ourselves and that's when we find ourselves in trouble. We get lost in me, me, me. However, Christ taught us that the first two commandments are love: to love God and to love our neighbor. Although I am not perfect at either of these, I strive to live by them. I have realized that as we do these things obedience come naturally. If we love God, we keep all of His commandments, if we love our neighbor (or companion), we help them to also be obedient and serve them with all that we have. 

I truly love the mission. It scares me to think that I am almost halfway finished with it! I never want it to end! I feel so blessed by the love of each one of you and even more blessed to be serving in Mexico! Sorry that this is so short but I am trying to do my application. Thank you all for your love and support :)

Les quiero con todo mi corazon

Hermanaut

This last week we had an excellent activity with unreal success! NOCHE DE MEXICO! There was traditional dancing, tacos, a mechanical bull, and the traditional Mexico Independence Day GRITA (yell)! It was so sweet! I feel so blessed to have experienced so much Mexican culture! AND Hermana Pirez and I definitely dressed for the occasion!

Cristopher (R) and Ingrid(L). Cristopher is the grandson of a member here in this ward and will be getting baptized this Thursday!

Me drinking a traditional tea in Argentina called Mate.
The missionaries there aren't allowed to drink it because
it's used relatively to sit around and talk for a bunch of hours!

My amigo Valentino. We just hang out when we are waiting for our laundry!

¡Viva Mexico!

Hola familia!!

So it's Independence Day here in Mexico and you can all bet your bottom dollar that I am wearing a green skirt, with a white shirt and a red bow in my hair! :) 

I have shout outsssss!! Woooo hooooo! A few are late, sorrrrrry but better late then never! So congrats to the newly wed Whitney Alger! Well, you're not Alger anymore, I don't know Brady's last name sooooo there's that... BUT Congratulations woman! Also birthday shout outs tooo: My first best friend ever, the beautiful Kristin Katich! The newly wed Chris Ensign, and that baby bum, baby Keaton! Congratulations and Happy birthday to each and everyone of you! I love you all!

Sicky head sister missionaries!

So it has been quite an interesting week.... Haha as I told you all last week I have been super sick. It started last Saturday (about 16 days ago) and just wouldn't quit. The Sunday before the last email I wrote we went church then ate lunch and I was sent back to our apartment for how I was feeling. I took some medicine that is required and it made me super sleepy. We got back to the apartment about 4 and I slept until 6:30 the next morning. (Monday when i wrote you.) I only woke up to change, wash my face and brush my teeth, thanks to my companion. It was pretty rough for the next couple days. I had a small fever but i started feeling a bit better but off and on I was just plan sick.

On Tuesday afternoon I started to recognize that my throat was beginning to scratch. Wednesday morning I woke up with Gripa, which is like the even mutant twin of a cold here in Mexico. Sore throat, stuffed up nose, headaches but worse than ever. And that on top of a total lack of energy. Wednesday night we got word from the sisters that share the ward with us that they were being sent to a different city the next day because one of them too was super sick. The same night my companion told me that she wasn't feeling well. She took her temp and told me that she didn't have a fever. Thursday morning we woke up and she felt super awful. She hurt in all of her body, had a killer headache and eventually nausea and diarrhea. The difference between her and I was that she woke up with a fever of almost 40* C which is about 103* F. Later after a lot of help from members and the mandate of our mission president we took her to a clinic to get some tests done. Well, turns out my companion has typhoid fever, the other sister missionary has gastritis and three types of parasites, and who knows what I had/have but it's not as bad as them haha. We were in the house/clinic all days Thursday and Friday. 

My attire when we were washing clothes and cleaning!
 Ignore the dirt on my shirt and jeans, a dog jumped on me today :)

I was able to do divisions with some members in the ward to go to leave for about 2 hours for some important appointments but other than that we were in the house. I don't have the same symptoms, only the end of the gripa, my companion is a lot better with the medication as well as the other sister. The 4th sister started feeling icky yesterday but really just pain in her stomach and nothing else. The leaders of our ward talked with us yesterday and are going to give a loving announcement to the sisters in our ward. The four of us eat in the same food everyday and we all got sick so they assume that one of the sisters is not washing/cooking the food well enough. All of the things that we have/had are food related problems. Anyways, the moral of the story is that it was a rough week! Haha but we all feel better now!

BUT! Let's talk about some miracles! Two weeks ago we found the sweeeeetest woman who literally is waiting to jump in and get baptized! Her name is Julia and she has had a ton of interaction of the church but the Lord has truly changed her heart. She even has a son in another ward that is a member and is sealed in the temple with his wife. We are doing everything super hush hush so that in three weeks her son will have the suprise of his mother in all white waiting for him to baptize her! The first week that she came to church she came in normal clothes but yesterday she came all dressed up! We commented on her beauty and she told us "Well I am going to stay here forever, right? I better fit t" It was just sweet! She is sooo wonderful and really she has jut embraces the gospel. She is even going back to every person that she can find that she has offended to apologize. She truly understands the meaning of repentance and that through it we will draw close to our Heavenly Father!

Well, sorry for the long email! I love you all and miss you ALLLWAYS! :) 

I hope this email finds you all in good spirits!

Until next week!

Hermanaut!

Slow

Hi everyone,

This is from an activity that we did the weekend before
 left Acapulco. Hermana Lopez and I make the
big Book of Mormon and the sign that says
 "Jesucristo vino a las Americas!" Which means
 "Jesus Christ come to the Americas"
 It was super fun and super successful!

This will be a short email because I am and have been super sick. I don't have any energy to write. Forgive me to everyone that I didn't write back to but I literally don't have any energy to even sit here. My whole body aches (more like my bones) as well as diahrrea (sorry to be frank) and desires to vomit as well as off and on headaches. Also, forgive me for all of the birthdays I have missed. 

Please meet Hermana Sonia, THE SWEETEST woman
in all of Acapulco! She cried when I told her I was leaving!

This week has been super slow. Hermana Pirez and I are trying to pick up the pace. My comp is used to walking around with members and using them in lessons that are already planned and I was used to talking to everyone and always teaching in every moment between planned lessons. It's not as busy where I am now. I miss Acapulco for that. My comp and I weren't really getting along at the beginning but on Thursday after the baptism we really talked it out and now we are doing a ton better. I think I have been also a bit stressed because when I got here the apartment was FILTHY.  We see that we both have strengths and are working together to to get rid of our weaknesses and just be a powerful companionship. I really have a lot of hope for us. Lots of prayers for us as a companioship and my health, porfa! 

I will add some pictures to make up for this lame email. 

Picture is of Anna, Matthew, 

Richard on the day of their baptism 

and their youngest son Toby! He is 6 :)

Love you guys so much!

This are my little brothers in Acapulco,
Jonathon on the right and Walter on the left!
They accompanied us a lot and were a lot of help!

Hermanaut

This is the Matadama family! On the far left is 

Daniel and his father, the stake patriarch, is on the far right. 

Then Janet, cousin to Daniel, his aunt sister 

Matadama, and her son! There are a ton of this family missing but you get the idea! :)

Elder Mendez, Hermana Lopez, and Elder Gonzalez. Besties for life! haha

Me with the Stake President and his family!

And a cute little picture me and Hermana Lopez 

took before we departed with our matching bracelets and rings! 

Adios Acapulco!

Finally, this is Aldo! He's in the very middle
of his chavos (dudes, buddies).
He was baptized this last Thursday! YAY!

Adios Acapulco!

Happy Monday everyone!

I was transferred today :( I cannot express how sad it was to say goodbye to everyone! Literally, I love Acapulco and I truly have a family there. When we first got there (Hermana Arroyo and I) we were the first sister missionaries in that stake EVER so they loved us of coures ;) hahaha But all ended really well.

My new companions is Hermana Pirez! She is from Argentina! She also has the cooolest accent!! She has 3 months in the mission and is super sweet! I am looking forward to working with her! 

Well I want to share an incredible story with all of you! As I explained last week Matthew and his son Richard had plans to get baptized yesterday. Everything went smoothly. They showed up to church and were super happy, and Anna, as well showed up and just all were stoked. I also had to give my 3rd and final talk in that ward about repentence. It went really well but I was also super sad. at about 11:30 in the morning, everything got really weird though. My companion was talking with Anna and the missionaries who shared the ward with us. (They are also our zone leaders) and no one would tell me what was going on. People were telling me that we should wait to have the baptism later and it was really stressful. We finally got the room and everything set up. As I left the room I saw Richard and Matthew all dressed in white but someone else too! ANNA! Through my talk and other lessons that we had in church Anna realized that she too wanted to get baptized with her husband and her son. And without my knowledge, as a surprise for me and another sister in the ward, my companion and the elders in our ward recieved permission from our mission president to interview her yesterday and baptize her if the interview went well! EVeryone was crying and it was just excellent! I was so happy!

It was really hard to leave all of my family in Acapulco. I put my heart and soul into the 4.5 months I had there and really I can say that everything was better than when I found it from the members to the investigators. I love love love Acapulco but I know that God has some great things in store for me and Hermana Pirez here!

Thank you all for your love and support!

I love you guys and miss you all dearly!

Hermanaut