¡¡Buenas tardes!!
How is it that each week goes by so quickly? It sure is a needed día de preparación, though. I love when we´ve just cleaned the house and then showering and feeling all clean and refreshed myself. I´m looking forward to a week of less traveling and more opportunity to work hard in our area.
Yesterday was not a full day in church in terms of attendance-there were 31, but it was so great just the same. Jenny, one of the sisters who was recently baptized, was called to be a Sunday school teacher and taught her first lesson yesterday. She was WAY nervous, even with all her preparation (we helped her go over it and practice a lot). I didn´t really get to be there since I was in primary, but Hna Weiss gave me the report. Apparently it went very well, even though Jenny herself told me it went “más o menos” (more or less…we don´t really use it the same in English and Spanish, but it makes sense still). She remembered to bear her testimony at the end and finish in the name of Jesus Christ, so that´s definitely good. (We don´t really think about all the things we just know to do because we grew up or had more experience in the church. For example, lots of people in the branch here end their prayers like one would end a testimony, “y lo comparto en el nombre…”-and I share this in the name… No, it´s not really wrong, it´s just…not usual.) Even better, Jenny started sharing her testimony in the middle of the lesson about how the gospel has already changed her life. She´s already noticed that she´s more patient with her children, more kind to her neighbors, and has a greater joy in her life because of her increased understanding of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Isn´t that wonderful!!?? I love how the gospel can improve our lives, improve us, if we only let it, if we are only willing to apply it. It doesn´t matter how much we know if we don´t put it to use. Plus, there´s always more to learn. I´ve grown to love and cherish the scriptures so much more. They really are a precious help for us, something to study and use every day.
Also at church yesterday, three sisters received callings. Yay! It is so true that each person needs to have a responsibility, a friend (not counting the missionaries-we´re fake, temporary installments in wards), and the nourishment of the good word of God. One of those sisters, Blanca, has really begun in earnest to read the Book of Mormon each morning. She´s told us the past couple times we´ve stopped by her house how she notices a difference in her day when she reads and when she doesn´t. Sunday school answers for a reason, right, Mom? So true. So great. I feel so blessed to be serving here. This is the smallest and definitely most out in the jungle zone. Each area contains it´s challenges and each is a field the Lord has prepared for us. This area hasn´t been a harvest of baptisms thus far, but I´ve come to look for other changes, to remember the real measures of success (read in PMG about that). I´m grateful to witness people becoming more active, learning the importance of studying the scriptures, learning how to teach lessons. I´m so grateful to be a welfare missionary, because it helps me really work and look for the progress of individuals and the branch in their journey to self-sufficiency.
That reminds me. Another major bienestar (welfare) part of this mission is that there are two bienestar sisters that work in the office and help organize salud salud. (health health) (they also do a lot more) They call up doctors around different areas in the country and make arrangements for them to meet and offer services to the local people for free for a couple hours. I haven´t actually experienced a salud salud, because I haven´t been in an area. There´s generally a couple every change in various zones of the mission.
Oh yes. My companion, Hna Weiss is one of 11 children in her family. (Though it would be more interesting to say she´s three of 11 children.) (She´s in the middle, just so you know.) Their parents have home-schooled all the children, though to different degrees at home throughout the years. Her dad does a blog about homeschooling, in case any of my siblings are interested, at trustthechildren.blogspot.com. Oh, if people other than siblings have interest, they can also look. You have my full permission. :p
Ecuabits…
We went to the familia Guillin again this week, so I have more practice plucking chickens. I really like the part when we´re removing the skin from the feet. It´s just cool. It comes off pretty easy if you just put them in the flame of the stove for a minute. :p
Usually people don´t refer to cereal in general with the word cereal. (even though it is a word in Spanish, too.) Instead, all forms of cereal are called “corn flakes”. Elder Salguero, the elder from Guatemala who speaks English very well, has corrected us enough that we have changed our habit, too. It reminds me of how all soda pop was called “coke” in Arkansas. There´s still a big difference between AR and ECU, though.
Sometimes we let the elders come over to our house for lunch on Sundays and we fix them something wonderful, like pancakes. The other day we actually had talapia (from Jorge and Monica…they always force some food or juice on us before we leave their house). Whenever the elders say we can eat at their house, (or we say it´s their turn to feed us) it´s always some form of chocolate “corn flakes” and egg. At least they make the eggs for us, but I have thought of how great my brothers are-they really would be able to make some real food for us. Maybe not all of them had such abilities before the mission, though. (I don´t remember.)
I´m almost out of time. Mom, I´ll just void the check. You asked if there´s things we can´t get down here…it´d be way nice to have some Q-tips. I´ve also worn through the insoles of my DocMartins, and insoles are not to be found here. They´re size 38 Eur, 6 ish US. If it´s not too big of a deal, those would be nice.
Thanks, Cindy for the call out of support. You will really feel the love of the Lord in your home as you read the scriptures daily and pray individually and as a family.
Love you all. Thank you so much for your support.
Hna Sue
How is it that each week goes by so quickly? It sure is a needed día de preparación, though. I love when we´ve just cleaned the house and then showering and feeling all clean and refreshed myself. I´m looking forward to a week of less traveling and more opportunity to work hard in our area.
Yesterday was not a full day in church in terms of attendance-there were 31, but it was so great just the same. Jenny, one of the sisters who was recently baptized, was called to be a Sunday school teacher and taught her first lesson yesterday. She was WAY nervous, even with all her preparation (we helped her go over it and practice a lot). I didn´t really get to be there since I was in primary, but Hna Weiss gave me the report. Apparently it went very well, even though Jenny herself told me it went “más o menos” (more or less…we don´t really use it the same in English and Spanish, but it makes sense still). She remembered to bear her testimony at the end and finish in the name of Jesus Christ, so that´s definitely good. (We don´t really think about all the things we just know to do because we grew up or had more experience in the church. For example, lots of people in the branch here end their prayers like one would end a testimony, “y lo comparto en el nombre…”-and I share this in the name… No, it´s not really wrong, it´s just…not usual.) Even better, Jenny started sharing her testimony in the middle of the lesson about how the gospel has already changed her life. She´s already noticed that she´s more patient with her children, more kind to her neighbors, and has a greater joy in her life because of her increased understanding of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Isn´t that wonderful!!?? I love how the gospel can improve our lives, improve us, if we only let it, if we are only willing to apply it. It doesn´t matter how much we know if we don´t put it to use. Plus, there´s always more to learn. I´ve grown to love and cherish the scriptures so much more. They really are a precious help for us, something to study and use every day.
Also at church yesterday, three sisters received callings. Yay! It is so true that each person needs to have a responsibility, a friend (not counting the missionaries-we´re fake, temporary installments in wards), and the nourishment of the good word of God. One of those sisters, Blanca, has really begun in earnest to read the Book of Mormon each morning. She´s told us the past couple times we´ve stopped by her house how she notices a difference in her day when she reads and when she doesn´t. Sunday school answers for a reason, right, Mom? So true. So great. I feel so blessed to be serving here. This is the smallest and definitely most out in the jungle zone. Each area contains it´s challenges and each is a field the Lord has prepared for us. This area hasn´t been a harvest of baptisms thus far, but I´ve come to look for other changes, to remember the real measures of success (read in PMG about that). I´m grateful to witness people becoming more active, learning the importance of studying the scriptures, learning how to teach lessons. I´m so grateful to be a welfare missionary, because it helps me really work and look for the progress of individuals and the branch in their journey to self-sufficiency.
That reminds me. Another major bienestar (welfare) part of this mission is that there are two bienestar sisters that work in the office and help organize salud salud. (health health) (they also do a lot more) They call up doctors around different areas in the country and make arrangements for them to meet and offer services to the local people for free for a couple hours. I haven´t actually experienced a salud salud, because I haven´t been in an area. There´s generally a couple every change in various zones of the mission.
Oh yes. My companion, Hna Weiss is one of 11 children in her family. (Though it would be more interesting to say she´s three of 11 children.) (She´s in the middle, just so you know.) Their parents have home-schooled all the children, though to different degrees at home throughout the years. Her dad does a blog about homeschooling, in case any of my siblings are interested, at trustthechildren.blogspot.com. Oh, if people other than siblings have interest, they can also look. You have my full permission. :p
Ecuabits…
We went to the familia Guillin again this week, so I have more practice plucking chickens. I really like the part when we´re removing the skin from the feet. It´s just cool. It comes off pretty easy if you just put them in the flame of the stove for a minute. :p
Usually people don´t refer to cereal in general with the word cereal. (even though it is a word in Spanish, too.) Instead, all forms of cereal are called “corn flakes”. Elder Salguero, the elder from Guatemala who speaks English very well, has corrected us enough that we have changed our habit, too. It reminds me of how all soda pop was called “coke” in Arkansas. There´s still a big difference between AR and ECU, though.
Sometimes we let the elders come over to our house for lunch on Sundays and we fix them something wonderful, like pancakes. The other day we actually had talapia (from Jorge and Monica…they always force some food or juice on us before we leave their house). Whenever the elders say we can eat at their house, (or we say it´s their turn to feed us) it´s always some form of chocolate “corn flakes” and egg. At least they make the eggs for us, but I have thought of how great my brothers are-they really would be able to make some real food for us. Maybe not all of them had such abilities before the mission, though. (I don´t remember.)
I´m almost out of time. Mom, I´ll just void the check. You asked if there´s things we can´t get down here…it´d be way nice to have some Q-tips. I´ve also worn through the insoles of my DocMartins, and insoles are not to be found here. They´re size 38 Eur, 6 ish US. If it´s not too big of a deal, those would be nice.
Thanks, Cindy for the call out of support. You will really feel the love of the Lord in your home as you read the scriptures daily and pray individually and as a family.
Love you all. Thank you so much for your support.
Hna Sue
1 comment:
This is my first visit to your blog, and it was a real spiritual boost. Thanks. I loved it--even the chicken feet stuff. Enjoy!
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