Hey all!
It's campaign week! Next Sunday we're fasting as a ward for "those who know not God" (Alma 6:6 I think that's the translation in English anyways) so to help remind them and get them pumped we're campaigning. We're visiting all the members, teaching them, giving them flyers and door hangs, doing service projects, and getting references. Yayyyy!
It's working out well so far. More of the Relief Society sisters are going out with us and it's fun to be with them and learn from all their different perspectives and life stories. It's a huuuuge hassle because we have to figure out how to meet them and where and if they'll have a car (if not we have to set up appointments close by their houses because they don't want to walk far) and then we have to call them a hundred times to remind them during the week or to see where they're at if they're running late, and then we have to train them to not say anything wierd in the lessons or freak our investigators out etc etc. BUT once we get all that figured out they are a great asset for us and it's a big help for them and for the ward. It helps them remember that God and religion aren't just Sunday things and we can see that it's helping to raise the enthusiasm in the ward for missionary work bit by bit...! Yayyyyy!
Now when things are finally starting to work out I'm getting transfered, womp wahhhh. But that's ok, a new adventure. The people here are so loving once we're friends with them. We have like 5 different invitations for cook-outs and going away celebrations and birthday parties (my birthday is the day before the transfer) and I'm going to be sad to leave these people. So it goes. (name the book! mmm I haven't completely lost all my nerdiness...hehe).
Herrmmmm what else can I tell you. Amin and Jennifer are getting married but they have economic difficulties in getting enough money ($50) to pay for the medical tests. We're going to help them out but it's going a little slower than planned. But they're progressing and it's amazing to see how much Jenny has already changed. Yesterday she came to church and she dressed modestly (yayyy!) and was waaay more loving and patient with her 1 1/2 year old daughter. The gospel is the best.
We're also teaching a 19-year-old girl named Geraldine. She's very sweet and very positive. Last week when she couldn't come to church because he grandma had surgery she asked me which chapter we studied in the Principles of the Gospel class and she said she thought that was the one and that she'd read it at home along with a bunch of other things. She always knows when we're coming over and is excited, and she's already invited three different friends to come with here. We're going to put a baptismal date with her on Wednesday. Woot.
Ok welp those are my updates for now. Mission Panama is chuggin along. Oh and we reached our goal for August so I think we're going to Causeway again. Life is good. :) I feel like I'm finally getting a full grasp on all this missionary stuff. It only took a year....haha. I know there's lots more to learn all the time but I guess I feel like I'm finally....more confident in what I'm doing.
Love you all!!
Hermana Dance
my life be like:
Alma 21:16-17
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
oops i don't have any time. story of my life...!
Hey family,
Yayyyy I'm happy.
Brief updates:After a week of rejection (english spelling?) we've had a flood of success this week in finding new investigators, working with members, getting people to come to church, etc etc etc. God is the best. It almost makes we want to spend another whole week contacting under the sun without success to be able to get more blessings the week after. Hee. :)
We had interviews on Thursday and it was waaay different than interviews with Presidente Madrigal. Hermana Ward made us lunch (pita sandwiches and baby carrots, apples, and chips-the most American meal I've had in a year) and we all ate together after. They are super sweet and funny-it felt like a little family meal.
President Ward said "dude" in my interview and it made me so happy. They gave us a ride to our area afterwards and it was fun to get to know them more and hear about their experiences. I felt like I was hanging out with you two again when we first got to Latvia.
Oh random side note-yesterday at lunch a member told me that Russia lost all their wheat crops due to flooding and that everything is going to get more expensive and there will probably be a famine there. Is that true/going to affect you all over there? I feel so unplugged from the world, ahh!! But I guess it's better that way.
Also this week we got to go the temple with Hermano Miguel, the guy we baptized in March. Since the whole ward was there they needed more people in the session so we got to do a session and it was the best-I didn't even get sleepy! (sometimes the temple spirit has that effect on me...oops).
No but really, I love being in there. Plus Miguel was super happy when we left-he's progressed a ton and will take out his endowment next year.
Mmmbop beep I don't know what else to tell you all. I'm happy, that's the summary I guess. I'm getting transfered in Sept (the day after my birfday) but I'm going to do everything I can to leave the area up and running. Yayyy.
Ok gotsta go love you all bye!!!
Love,
Natalie
Yayyyy I'm happy.
Brief updates:After a week of rejection (english spelling?) we've had a flood of success this week in finding new investigators, working with members, getting people to come to church, etc etc etc. God is the best. It almost makes we want to spend another whole week contacting under the sun without success to be able to get more blessings the week after. Hee. :)
We had interviews on Thursday and it was waaay different than interviews with Presidente Madrigal. Hermana Ward made us lunch (pita sandwiches and baby carrots, apples, and chips-the most American meal I've had in a year) and we all ate together after. They are super sweet and funny-it felt like a little family meal.
President Ward said "dude" in my interview and it made me so happy. They gave us a ride to our area afterwards and it was fun to get to know them more and hear about their experiences. I felt like I was hanging out with you two again when we first got to Latvia.
Oh random side note-yesterday at lunch a member told me that Russia lost all their wheat crops due to flooding and that everything is going to get more expensive and there will probably be a famine there. Is that true/going to affect you all over there? I feel so unplugged from the world, ahh!! But I guess it's better that way.
Also this week we got to go the temple with Hermano Miguel, the guy we baptized in March. Since the whole ward was there they needed more people in the session so we got to do a session and it was the best-I didn't even get sleepy! (sometimes the temple spirit has that effect on me...oops).
No but really, I love being in there. Plus Miguel was super happy when we left-he's progressed a ton and will take out his endowment next year.
Mmmbop beep I don't know what else to tell you all. I'm happy, that's the summary I guess. I'm getting transfered in Sept (the day after my birfday) but I'm going to do everything I can to leave the area up and running. Yayyy.
Ok gotsta go love you all bye!!!
Love,
Natalie
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
drop it like it's hot
Hey family,
Thanks for the emails....! Life is good but this week has been kind of lame because we just contact and knock doors all the time but no one wants to listen to us or won't accept a second appointment after we teach them. I think part of it is that we're both American so they kind of have their guard up...because it's never been this hard to find new investigators here. So yesterday we fasted to find new people who are actually positive and the last lesson we taught last night was to a super positive guy named Gorge. He had tons of really good questions and the spirit was so strong. We were teaching with a member who's getting pumped to go on her own mission and when we left she told us that she felt the authority that we had as missionaries. Cool huh? So yeah, I'm a fan of fasting because everytime I do it I get extra blessings :)
Hermmmmm what else to tell you all....Alexander came to church yesterday, yay!! He's awesome but is going through some famliy/economic issues. His mom kicked out the elders when they tried to come visit him in the area where he lives now and he got really sad. But he decided to come stay in our area saturday at his grandma's house so he could come to church because his mom won't let him there...he's a good kid. My compy told me that it looked like a mother and a son when we were talking on sunday, haha.
The big family (Famlia Vasquez/Familia Martinez) is progressing slowly because of marriage issues..some of them are waiting for divorces, others are struggling because one of the two doesn't want to get married, and others know they need to but are having difficulties with taking the step to do it. We're working more with members and are happy because one family came to have an FHE with them on Sunday and then came to help celebrate one of the daughter's birthdays on Saturday. They're good people.
I feel like I don't really have anything else interesting to say...some interesting encounters with drunk people, a few dog threats, a giant rain storm that made the drains in the street flood, a lady who told us that she baptized herself three times by dunking her head in a bucket when she was 16....not too much else. Oh yeah, and Tuesday we get to go to the temple!! The rules are changing soon but for now we get to go when one of our converts goes for the first time. Miguel (who we baptized in March) is going on Tuesday with the ward for the 2 year anniversary of the dedication of the temple so we get to go too. I'm stoked.
Ok well I'm out of time but I love you all, thanks for always writing and making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside..! Family is the best :)
Love,
Hermana Dance
P.S. I know i've been slacking on putting references on the end of my emails....next week!
Thanks for the emails....! Life is good but this week has been kind of lame because we just contact and knock doors all the time but no one wants to listen to us or won't accept a second appointment after we teach them. I think part of it is that we're both American so they kind of have their guard up...because it's never been this hard to find new investigators here. So yesterday we fasted to find new people who are actually positive and the last lesson we taught last night was to a super positive guy named Gorge. He had tons of really good questions and the spirit was so strong. We were teaching with a member who's getting pumped to go on her own mission and when we left she told us that she felt the authority that we had as missionaries. Cool huh? So yeah, I'm a fan of fasting because everytime I do it I get extra blessings :)
Hermmmmm what else to tell you all....Alexander came to church yesterday, yay!! He's awesome but is going through some famliy/economic issues. His mom kicked out the elders when they tried to come visit him in the area where he lives now and he got really sad. But he decided to come stay in our area saturday at his grandma's house so he could come to church because his mom won't let him there...he's a good kid. My compy told me that it looked like a mother and a son when we were talking on sunday, haha.
The big family (Famlia Vasquez/Familia Martinez) is progressing slowly because of marriage issues..some of them are waiting for divorces, others are struggling because one of the two doesn't want to get married, and others know they need to but are having difficulties with taking the step to do it. We're working more with members and are happy because one family came to have an FHE with them on Sunday and then came to help celebrate one of the daughter's birthdays on Saturday. They're good people.
I feel like I don't really have anything else interesting to say...some interesting encounters with drunk people, a few dog threats, a giant rain storm that made the drains in the street flood, a lady who told us that she baptized herself three times by dunking her head in a bucket when she was 16....not too much else. Oh yeah, and Tuesday we get to go to the temple!! The rules are changing soon but for now we get to go when one of our converts goes for the first time. Miguel (who we baptized in March) is going on Tuesday with the ward for the 2 year anniversary of the dedication of the temple so we get to go too. I'm stoked.
Ok well I'm out of time but I love you all, thanks for always writing and making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside..! Family is the best :)
Love,
Hermana Dance
P.S. I know i've been slacking on putting references on the end of my emails....next week!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
"Tastes like burning!"
Hola!
Sounds like all the festivals were fun. I like hearing about the culture out there...haha I didn't know missionaries were allowed to dance. One of the sisters in the big family we're teaching danced bachata with me on Tuesday night, the last night with Hermana Chevez. Hehe. We're all going to miss her lots but I'm happy to be with my new compy too. Her name is Hermana williams and she's from West Jordan. My first American companion, woot.
I didn't ever really want to be with an American but now I'm enjoying the advantages....she understands when I say "uhhh, awkward...." or when I say random movie quotes in English. On the down side, they try to rip us off more in the taxis until I talk in a Panamania accent and tell them "Tres dolares! Estas loco!" and call them an aligator for trying to take advantage of us. Haha, I learned well from Hermana Chevez to be more direct...
We've already had quite a few interesting experinces together in the first few days...I haven't really been able to keep anything down since Thursday because of some food or parasite we ate...sometimes we have to take drastic measures when it's the end of the month and we don't have any money...haha. But I love being with Hermana Williams because she's super enthusiastic and supports my ideas as well as adding her own. We started working with the Primary yesterday and they're going to help us with their prayers and giving little talks in the gospel principles class, etc. We made them little name tags (Mom I sent you one in the mail :)
We're still working with the huge family and yesterday another sister with her kids came to church along with her sister-in-law who'd already come two weeks ago. It's awesome to see them progressing.
Eek I'm out of time. Love you all and thanks for writing!!
Love,
Hermana Dance
Sounds like all the festivals were fun. I like hearing about the culture out there...haha I didn't know missionaries were allowed to dance. One of the sisters in the big family we're teaching danced bachata with me on Tuesday night, the last night with Hermana Chevez. Hehe. We're all going to miss her lots but I'm happy to be with my new compy too. Her name is Hermana williams and she's from West Jordan. My first American companion, woot.
I didn't ever really want to be with an American but now I'm enjoying the advantages....she understands when I say "uhhh, awkward...." or when I say random movie quotes in English. On the down side, they try to rip us off more in the taxis until I talk in a Panamania accent and tell them "Tres dolares! Estas loco!" and call them an aligator for trying to take advantage of us. Haha, I learned well from Hermana Chevez to be more direct...
We've already had quite a few interesting experinces together in the first few days...I haven't really been able to keep anything down since Thursday because of some food or parasite we ate...sometimes we have to take drastic measures when it's the end of the month and we don't have any money...haha. But I love being with Hermana Williams because she's super enthusiastic and supports my ideas as well as adding her own. We started working with the Primary yesterday and they're going to help us with their prayers and giving little talks in the gospel principles class, etc. We made them little name tags (Mom I sent you one in the mail :)
We're still working with the huge family and yesterday another sister with her kids came to church along with her sister-in-law who'd already come two weeks ago. It's awesome to see them progressing.
Eek I'm out of time. Love you all and thanks for writing!!
Love,
Hermana Dance
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