Baptisms!

 

 

Wow what a week!

 

Hna Cuadra has an intestinal infection, and she refuses to take her medicine, no matter how hard i try to give it to her. so that might go well for her!

 

She was in bed for two days. sooooo for two days i was with members! It was great.  I asked one to stay with me for 6 hours and she was more than excited to do it! That day we had 6 lessons, with 5 people who were preparing for baptisms and one that we invited.  So it was a miracle and one of the biggest blessings from God I have ever received.  

 

This weekend Claudia and Wendy will be baptizedª! I am so excited.  Elder Mickle is coming to baptize Claudia, which technically she is his convert, I taught her like two lessons hahaha.

 

So we have been with Leondro and Alejandro everyday this week! They really have my heart here, no one has affected me or touched me as much as they have.  Not even Barinia, and i don´t even know why.  I feel like i knew them before, I feel like they are my favorite people in the world, i don´t even know where it came from! They other day Leondro sent a message to me, he said, ¨Thank you so much Hermana, you have helped me so much in my life, I love you!¨I almost started crying.  Then yesterday when they didn´t come to church, I practically was crying.  Now i might not be in the area for their baptism.  Guess they aren´t ready.  Pray really hard for them! I was going to fast with Leondro the other saturday, but he said he wanted to do it alone.  He is really close to God.  They have a hard life, their dad is hardly home, their mom moved out to live with someone else, and they are really humble.  But so spiritual,they are only 16 and 10 also!!! The other day Leo bought a bracelet that said, I heart USA. He was sooooo excited to show it to me! Can I just take them home with me! I really just want to spend all day everyday with them.  Hna Cuadra got kind of mad at me yesterday because I got so sad that they didn´t come to church, i ended up thinking about it all day and what not.  I don´t know, I don´t think she gets it.  Alej, the 10 year old, doesn´t really have good feelings toward Hna Cuadra, so i don´t really know what to do.  He didn´t want to talk to us the other day because she was with me.  I got him to so don´t worry.  

 

It was a long week that went by super fast! I am so surprised ti is Monday!! wow.  These other two weeks are going to speed by too.  Two more and then it is transfers.  Where am I going?????? 

Zone Conference and the Temple

I feel like I just talked to you.  

 

Well the other day I had intercambios and it was AMAZING!!! I was with Hermana Giles.  i thnk it was my best one so far! I was so happy. I was at first upset that i couldn´t go to Cala Cala, i really do love that area, however, we had such a good day in Las Cuadras! I needed that time with Hna Giles, we talked a lot and i got some new looks on things. She is an amazing missionary, i love her so much! We just had an amazing day! Ever since my third transfer we had a contact that disappeared, i knew he was golden but he went away! I vowed to Hna Routsong that i would find him! Finally we did, during our intercambios! He, oh my gosh, he is amazing! He is 16 and is trying to find the church because he needs to change his life, he said he knows that the church can help him with that! He brought his little brother to church the other day and then he basically invited himself to baptism, if all goes well i will still be here to see it! That wouldn´t have happened if i went to Cala Cala, Hna Cuadra doesn´t know him! it was an answer to my prayers. WE are going to see him again today and i have been looking forward to it all day long!!! 

 

So yea we had zone conference and the temple the other day! We got more coookies haha so that was a dream come too! We learned about how to be more humble, how to talk to people more.  We also got an amazing story from one of the assistantes, Elder Mickle, fun fact he was in my area, the cancha so we talk a lot! He is actually the grandson of Elder Scott, no one knew that before.  Elder Scott was one of the first missionaries here and he helped start the church, so we got to see some amazing pictures and we learned a ton! The people here have the strongest faith in the world.  It was really cool. 

 

Wendy is doing great, she is going to be baptized the 23! With one of Elder Mickles ¨Converts¨long story, but yea finally she will be baptized hahaha.  Then hopefully Dana with Leandro and his brother Alejandro! After all my hard work here, almost 7 months, i will see some fruit of my labors, i mean ones that won´t run off to Chapari. hahaha.  Barinia is great too! She has been helìng us as ton as ward missionary!  

 

Today the pension in Cala Cala took a few of us to a little pueblo! It was so pretty, supposedly they had good bread, i really just liked the church hahaha.  Then we went back to the center and i had Saltañas with Hermana Routsong and her really cute companion! 

 

It´s been a good and really long week! I really have been super happy! and the time is just flying by . . . 

Sleepwalker

I GOT MY PACKAGE, SO SE PREOCUPE! 

 

 

Well the other day i was sleepwalking in Spanish! that was funny.  I had forgotten to tell Hermana Cuadra that i might do that.  She didn´t think it was super funny hahaha.

 

So today is hermana Cuadra´s  ¨Birthday¨it is actually wednesday but we decided to celebrate today.  WE went to a pension´s house and had cake with other missionaries.  A few of my white friends were  there but they got to leave after a while, i didn´t haha and after a while i was the onl y white person there.  It really wasn´t fun at all.  Hermana Cuadra was happy though and she had fun so that is really all that matters.  I am glad she got to have  a little party!    

 

So i told Presidente Claros, he is the in the stake, that you would look for a job for him in Utah.  He said it has always been is dream to go there!  He said even if he was working in fast food, it is work and he will take it.  He was in the military here so he also said he could be security guard for Presidente Eyring! He is currently security in the temple! 

 

Speaking of the temple, we get to go thursday and have our conference de zonas!!

 

WEll this last week, was kind of just like any other week.  Nothing too special happened. Cintia was running away from us so we couldn´t have a lesson with her.  Then we found her and she said she was mad then left again. 

 

Dana is amazing and has been coming to church alone so i feel a lot better about having her baptism! She asked me to speak at it hahaha.  

 

Ian and lorey are great but I don´t think they are ready to be baptized, they can be but they can´t go to church without us picking them up and taking them!  Hermana Cuadra thinks they are ready but i don´t so we will see how that goes!

 

I told Arturo that I wanted to be here for his baptism on the 30 so we have to have more lessons! They are going to look for time.  Yessenia told me she wants me there too.  Otherwise and Hermana that they don´t know will be there and no one wants that! hahaha.    

 

Wendy came to church an hour late yesterday so we had to move her date again! To the 30! Someone will be baptized then hahaha.  Which makes me sad because if I leave Cocha in 4 weeks I wont be able to go to the temple with her.    

 

WE had to break into a house the other day, that was fun ahaha.  It really wasn´t the house ok,. It was the apartment door.  He wasn´t picking up his phone! When we got up to his place he said that he has done that before so really it´s chill.

 

Talk to y'all Sunday!

In Bolivia Waiting For a Package

Hermana Cuadra is great! She is from Nicaragua and we are dong some good work.  She is different from Hermana Routsong, so it is taking time to adjust.  She has a bit of a short temper and is very straight forward, but i guess i might not be the easiest to work with either.  She already has to much love for the people in this area and is doing all she can to help them.  Pres just told me in an email, ¨Hna Cuadra doesn´t have any support at home and often feels alone.  She has a hard outer shell but with patience and humility I know you can crack it and be a great team.¨ She does have a hard outer shell and I am learning just to cope with what she wants at times, but the mission isn´t about me, and I am blessed to be with her, to learn this patience and humility, that will so greatly help me later in life.  She is an amasing missionary and i am glad that we can both help eachother.  Her name, in english, translates to, Rachel of the Angles Block.  HAHAHAHAHA i was laughing when she told me that. 

 

So we found out why Cintia was having all these problems, she is scared.  She doesn´t want to get hurt again, because she was a little innocent girl and someone tried to take advantage of her, or did, i am not sure.  Now i just pray we can find her mom and talk to her, we haven´t been able to at all.  

 

Dana came to church alone again, well she brought little David, but i am feeling so good about her baptism, yea she is only 11, but she is way better than i was at 11!  May 30! maybe my last saturday here i will be able to see her be baptized, and Hna RS said she will come too! 

 

Ian and Lorey said they are going to stay here until their baptism and then move to where the Elders are.  I am excited! If they get married like scheduled, they will be baptized with Dana!! They are soo cool! 

 

Wendy didn´t come to church again, so she can´t be baptized as schedluled, pucha! She is pretty golden, i am sure their is a good reason, i am just way sad, we are moving her date to the 30th too.  Someone will get baptized then!!! 

 

So it has been so weird without Hna Rs, a little sad, but haha, it happens.  She is close! We were able to eat our saltañas today together so that´s pretty awesome! We had a ncie talk about all the things she is missing, she is sad to not be here and her other area is really hard.  Really hard.  i said she is welcome to come back and work with us! She said she didn´t need to because i have it under control.  Actually this whole week i just kept thinking, ¨Would Hna RS do this? What would she do if she were in my shoes.¨i was unable to think of some answers so i just did what good ol carol would do.

 

Funny story, Hna Theresa has a new living set, that i bet is from the states.  It has a recliner.  Her brother said to her, ¨I bet your daughter from the states would love this!¨He was right i did enjoy it while we were waiting for an investigator!! 

 

I am happy.  I am Healthy.  I am still in Bolivia waiting for that package. 

New Companion

We had transfers! and we are together again!!!

JK! I now have a latina! Can you guys believe that! Her name is Hermana Cuadra and she has been in Tupiza so no one knows her. i have heard a little bit, but you can´t always believe what you hear so I don´t know!!

 

So we had an interesting week.  The other day i was in Cala Cala for intercambios, man i love that area, it is beautiful! Apparently i missed a big day in Las Cuadras!! However when i cam back, man, Friday felt like a year!

 

We saw the Familia Pary, their son in law sold all of their pension stuff, when we went over he was taking everything out.  They literally have nothing now, he took the lights! He was selling it to another lady who wants a pension but doesnt´have anything to start it, how ironic! It was heartbraking just seeing Lucia standing there while they took everything.  We gave a lesson on fasting and they are going to try that! I know it will work.  They have pure hearts.  I just will never forget that.  I shared a scipture in DC about how our trials prepare us to recieve gloria!

 

Also Friday we went to see Barinia.  ummmmmmm . . . She was dancing around then she sat down.  I was talking to some Elders on the phone so i had my back turned.  I heard a giant crack, turned around and well . . . she was having a seizure! I screamed to her aunt while HNA RS was trying to help her.  It was her first one ever. It was so weird! She is ok though.  For our lesson she taught me lesson 3 with hermana routsong as her companion.  During repentence i was talking about how i can´t fully repent of my actions with my boyfriend because i still see him.  hahaha, i snuck that in there because she still talks to her 23 year old boyfriend micky.  It went really well and Hna Rs caught on too.  

 

Wendy is the best! Hna Prieto said to Hna RS during intercambios that she wants everyone to be like her! We did however, and this was Friday too, have a lesson with a testigo de jeovah.  that was weird.  their religion is quite different.  Then we invited her to stay with us and she said no.  ok, i didn´t want to show you the Joseph Smith video anyways.  I was a little direct with WEndy after that.  All religions are good yes, but they arent´all true.  I think she understands more now.  I hope so.

 

Ian and Lorey are moving soon and i am so sad.  They will be in my district still but it´s too far to continue teaching! They are still planning on getting married in a week though!

 

Cintia, oh man.  The Primary Pres. said yesterday that they are hiring professional help.  WE had a way good lesson though! And yes it was Friday too.  We watched a mormon message about our true identity.  WE had the Young Womans president with us, becuase she is going to complete 12 years next week.  We will see how it goes.  Maybe the Hna Cuadra will have an idea.

 

We started teaching the husband of Yessenia, a member.  He is so cool and wants to know so much! They had a baby so it´s perfect! They can soon be an eternal family! Sadly we have to wait till Sunday to teach Arturo, he has to work a lot.

 

Well it has been a crazy week! This one will jsut be crazier!

 

Hermana Caroline Parry

13 People at Church!

Someone tell Sean he sends mesome of the best Dear Elders!!

So yea, Dana is doing great, her family does kind of oppose her involvement.  Sometimes we aren´t allowed there.  We are going to work with the ward to get her to stay strong in the church!!

 

So the other day Ian and Lorey, some amazing inv. who live together and are not married, told us that they set a date for baptism!!! Honestly we didn´t believe it for awhile.  We are so amazed! They can now work together for their baptism in a couple weeks! Sadly they are moving so we are going to have to give them to our leader de district.  They came to church and loved it.  Ian has a few more problems accepting stuff, but Lorey sees the importance out of it. 

 

The other day . . . we broke the word of wisdom.  Apparently some members believe tea is ok! They told us it was fine, but when we told Hermana Claros she said it was té no mas! Whoops, we had some repenting to do that night!

 

I finished DC the other day and I learned something way cool! When Christ was in the spirit world, he was teaching people in paradise how to preach the gospel in prison.  Because he isn´t allowed to go to spirit prison, he is too perfect.  He only did preaching to the perfect in the spirit world.  I thought that was cool.  He wants us to come back to him so he can see us, otherwise he wouldn´t be able too.  He is too perfect!!

 

We met a little child who is 11 years old who . . . gets beat by her mom, dresses as a boy, and has horrible heart problems.  God gave us a really hard bridge to cross.  She wants to be baptized so badly!  We went the other day with the primary and they are mainly going to work with her change, because we just can´t.  I don´t know what to do! The elders that were in this area thought she was a member because she is always at church so they didn´t teach her! I guess she had to be taught by us, it was the plan of God.  Wow wish us luck, it is quite hard.

 

Carmen left for Chapari today.  I think we just said goodbye forever.  At least she will be at peace, in

her own home, with her scary son. 

 

We went to a really pretty place today in the mountains.  We are convinced it is Rhoan.  We saw some llamas and ate sandwiches.  

 

Yesterday we had 13 people in church.  That is a pretty good record! 

Conference Was Amazing!

Wow conference was just utterly amazing!

 

Yo sé que mi redentor, salvador, y Senor vive!! Con toda mi corazon yo sé! 

 

Conference was amazing! All week we were testifying about the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ.  People here can only focus on the death.  Why? It´s not pretty, it´s not uplifting, yes it was needed but, why focus on it? We went to Dana´s house for two minutes on Friday, Hna RS had to use the bathroom so i was standing in the door tlaking to Dana.  Her uncle, who is a very catholic less active in our church? haha yea it´s weird.  I think he was mad we were there.  He comes up to me, really close and puts his hand on my shoulder and says, ¨You know today is a holiday.  Christ died today! My mom is at the church celebrating and i am leaving soon.  Maybe you guys should go, Dana can´t have a lesson.¨¨Sorry we just wanted to invite her to conference, we are leaving.¨ As we left i couldn´t help but thinking that it was so sad that he could only focus on the death! YEs Christ died, but more importantly, Christ lives!!! Now we can too! When we baptized Carmen the other day, She is going back to chapari and is choosing not to have her surgery so she probably won´t make it another week, when we baptized her she wasn´t ready but under some circumstances, we had too.  IT was so comforting to think that in a short amount of time she will be without pain, without her 5 tumors.  She knows that Christ lives and soon she will be perfected too.

 

Sooooo we got to watch conference in English in the stake center!! PS I call Elder Holland´s talk as my favorite when the home teachers ask.  It was amazing.  Saturday all the gringos in the zone were watching it in the stake center.  Since we had our baptism after the first session we didn´t have enough time to go all the way back to get lunch so we packed peanut butter sandwiches, fruit and a coke!! Sunday was earth day or something so no cars! WE walked to the stake center, 30 minutes away.  I felt like someone who sacrifices a lot to hear the voice of the prophet! Hahaha sort of, others sacrifice a ton more! Like those Africans!! We packed sandwhiches again! Then walked back! It was so worth it! WE were the only ones there.  

 

So there is a new rule, we aren´t allowed to eat ANYTHING WITH ANYONE!! The only house other than our own we can accept anything is our pension, no water no juice, no store bought food.  Too many people are getting sick.  It is a blessing, but now we have to awchwardl tell everyone that we can´t eat their stuff.  

 

Someone in our ward urgently called us over to his house.  He wasn´t there, but his 6 year old son

was there.  Alone.  Since 10 in the morning.  Locked in a room.  He climbed out the window when he heard us knocking. I think that is illegal but i am not sure, there seem to not be any leyes here, well except no one can have guns.  Well after 30 minutes of calming him down, getting his shoes so we can play, we called Teresa, our mommy.  She came and offered to take him to her house.  Then his dad came back.  He lied as to why he wanted us there, maybe he didn´t want to saying anything in front of Teresa, he said, ¨Oh just wanted you to talk to my son,¨Yea . . . right¨. So yea it was weird.  HE said that his son is ok to be home alone.  Yea no! WE are talking about him in the next ward council because that is NOT OK!! 

 

We had easter eggs yesterday, mine had a dragon it in.