Tiewa and the Chicken

 

This week has been pretty eventful :) We had our baptism of little Merlyn :) She turned 9 this last Saturday. She has a lot of family from Coban, so I was able to see familiar faces! Like Diana :) She is getting ready to leave for a mission in March to Nicaragua :) She is such a strong example to me of enduring faith. She doesn’t have the support of her dad in serving a mission, but she wants to serve. She is just so amazing!  Thank you so much for the fotos!!!! :D  The other sisters here in Salama also had a baptism for a young man named Rojelio, and that was awesome! He really has a deep love for this gospel and just wants to keep learning and learning. 

 

This week something also happened that I never ever thought would happen to me.... I got attacked by a chicken! haha. We were visiting a less active, and she gave us some fresco and bread. We were sitting outside in her yard, and I turned around to grab a piece of bread. And then I felt something on my arm and I heard flapping. There was a chicken trying to balance on my arm pecking at my bread! hahaha. I wish I could have gotten a picture, it was hilarious! I didn’t get scratched or anything, but was a crazy chicken! I’ve learned I need to protect my bread from now on

 

I was thinking about being in Guatemala yesterday, I was one divisions with a member, and as we were chatting, it hit me. I’m talking Spanish in Guatemala! I am learning and growing out here that is for sure. 

 

Wow, my time is really flying! We also received a ref this week, and we see a lot of potential in her. Her name is Marilyn. She is the aunt of a recent convert (Marielos). She definitely needs a testimony of the Plan of Salvation in her life.  Will you please pray for Marilyn and her family and Rodeldi and her baby Fernanda.  Please pray for the health of her baby.

 

This week we also have cambios (transfers). I will be staying here in Salama, and Hna Brandaris is going to Poptun, Peten (her first area). She has been here in Salama for about 6 months, and she hopes to come back here for her last change (she only has 2 changes left). 

 

All of my companions have been great! I love them all so much! :)  Hermana Mandi Empey (CCM) Hna Castaneda :) Hnas Sol and Blackmer (in the Capt) Hna Allen and Hna Price (Coban) and Hna Brandaris.  It is so good to hear about Sister Boushley’s homecoming! :) It sounds like she was just beaming!

 

Thank you for sending this me this picture of Tata!!! :D   I can see it. We both have the same squint. haha

 

And felicidades  a (congratulations to) Kayla for BYU I :) I know BYU is coming up soon!!! :) I’m praying for you Sis!!! :) And I know that once the letter comes, you will feel so much relief! :) Hang in there!!!! :) And Joci, wow!!! I want to see some pics of you playing basketball! :) I know you have a great coach :) I love to hear how you are going and trying new things. Always keep trying new things, and you will have so many incredible adventures in life :)  

 

I am praying for you all always! I am glad to hear that you got to go to the temple. I love the goal that you have to have us all there together in the Celestial room with our spouses too. That is the ultimate goal, to be an eternal family! :) I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And your letters and emails always give me the extra boost for the following week :) This life truly is full of blessing :)

 

Love you!!!!! I have to go now!!!! 

Tiewa learning new skills

 

My big highlight for the New Years Eve was that we got to see the temple! Our driver was so sweet and he took us by. He told us that we had 3 min to take pictures. They even had a Nativity scene set up and everything. My comp and I went running to the temple. Just to be on the grounds was so sweet and so relieving. Just like a big, deep, refreshing breath. 

 

I had a DT (Destination Truth-One of T’s favorite TV shows) moment yesterday. We were taking some backtrails and trying to cut through to one of our areas with a member. And then we came up to a river. There was a family there at the river and they told us that we had to cut through right there to get to the area that we wanted to go. So we hiked up our skirts and went. It was very funny, but a lot of fun too.

 

This last week, I fixed my clogged sink. It was REALLY, really clogged. And I took the pipe off underneath and everything and cleaned it all out. And now, the sink works AWESOMELY! I love using it and hearing the water run all the way down the pipe with nothing in the way. I never knew how satisfying the sound of a clear pipe could be. I bet it makes Heavenly Father chuckle a bit to see how excited and happy I am with my sink, as He watches me run the water just a couple seconds longer. But I bet He is so proud to see me growing and learning in this life-- this is the reason why we are here. Just as we are excited to see a young child take their first steps or learn to write their name, Heavenly Father is so happy and celebrates with us in our little successes of life :)

 

And last night, we had another great lesson with another new investigator. His name is Edu. He is probably about in his 20s and he was also another contact (I met his mom in the street earlier this week, and when we passed by to visit her, he was the only one home). We also taught about the Restoration to him. And again, things were just clicking in his head, you could see it happening. He thinks what we are saying is true. He says it’s interesting, and he thinks the Book of Mormon is true. We invited him to read the Book of Mormon and ask our Heavenly Father if it is true. We also invited him to be baptized in Feb, but he told us that he is going back to Coban to study in Feb. He really needs prayers too, I hope and pray that the hope and light of our lesson will stay with him, that he won’t forget the Spirit that he has felt, so that he will continue to learn and grow in this gospel too.

 

And yesterday, WE GOT A FECHA!!!!!!!!! (date for a baptism)  This has been our biggest struggle; we have been struggling to find new and progressing investigators. And this last fast Sunday, we fasted to find these people that are ready and we fasted to find a fecha (Date for a baptism). The following days were very hard and with a lot of walking. We had a couple days when all of our lessons fell through. But then yesterday, out of nowhere, we got a fecha. Her name is Marlin and she will be turning 9 this Saturday. She told us that she wants to be baptized and that she needs the charlas (discussions). So we visited her for the first time yesterday. She is SO SWEET :) She truly is an answer to our prayers.

 

 

This week has been an interesting week. My comp has been really sick this week; her asthma is coming back. The first couple days of this week were the worst for her, and she had to recover for a couple nights. During those days I worked in divisions with members. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I learned a lot, and I am growing. We had an incredible lesson with one investigator when I was doing divisions. Her name is Kimberly, and we taught about the Restoration. It was our first lesson with her, she was a street contact and we finally found her. And the lesson just flowed, I felt the Spirit so strongly. I was able to teach with examples and it was so rewarding to see connections click in Kimberly’s head as we taught. And the member I was with (se llama Linda) was so awesome in the lesson! She was able to explain things simply, but in a way that really invited the Spirit. She helped me so much with the language. And after we talked about the Book of Mormon, she asked us if she could have one. Of Course!! She really is so interested and she wants to know for herself if this message of the restored gospel is true. She was glowing!

 

The only thing is that she moved this Friday due to work. She moved really far away. And she doesn’t have a telephone. But she told us she will look out for the missionaries (the people with the nametags). I hope and pray that she will continue to learn and grow in this gospel. That lesson was just absolutely amazing! She is such a sweet and beautiful spirit! I know the Lord knows who she is, and He will not let her be lost.

 

These last couple days I have been struggling with the language. I think it is just because I have been so tired these last couple days. But it has been really difficult for me to speak and to understand. I could hardly talk in the lesson with Marlin. I was definitely becoming discouraged, because I know I could explain these things in English. But I know I am here in Guatemala, speaking Spanish, for a reason. I just need to keep trying and study and practice. He is always guiding us from a bigger, an eternal perspective. And I am so grateful for His hand and guidance in my life :)  

 

After writing about our week, I felt a lot better. I love you all so much! And I am so grateful for all of your support and love. Your support and love and really made a difference to me this week :) Again, thank you thank you thank you! I love you so much!! :)