The Field is White: Week 15

So...it was the best of weeks...it was the worst of weeks.

We went to San Pedro on Tuesday so Hna A could fill out paperwork for her residency here in Honduras. It was a 3 hour bus ride on a school bus through windy roads. It was freezing cold and we had the seat in the very front so the door kept opening. Hna A took the window so I had nothing to lean on and it was quite difficult to keep myself from not falling off the seat. So we got to the bus terminal and the elders werent there...we waited for 45 minues to an hour and then called them with a stranger's phone and they said they came and didn't see us and left... so we had to take a taxi after that and it was super expensive! And it was the day after Copan Ruinas and so we didn't have ton of money (well, I do because I am stingy but everyone else doesn't). Then we got there to wait for a while for paperwork. It was like the DMV! Then the last bus to Santa Rosa had already left so we stayed with the Hermana Training Leaders in their house which has air conditioning. We had only a sheet to sleep with and I froze my butt off the whole time because it was soooo cold with the air conditioning on during the night! Then we came back to Santa Rosa and it was 58 degrees. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I don't even have a coat or boots or tights. LOL, so that really sucked. That is not an invitation to sned me tights or anything because it is warming up and one day I will return to the heat. I find it quite ironic that I, the person who truly loves the sun and the heat, am in the coldest part of the mission. Anyway...yeah, that was an adventure.

1. What did you do for P-Day this week?

We played volleyball at the church as a district with a few members and then we had a big lunch with a family in the ward. They are super nice and their house is like an American house. They are all super funny, too, and always willing to help us which is great. Their front door is even the painting of Christ knocking on the door with no door knob. Then Hna A got her hair cut by an hermana in the ward. I was supposed to get mine cut, too, but Hna C wanted hers cut so there wasn't time for me to get mine cut...whatever...I really didn't want to anyways. I was just going to take the opportunity since it came up. And now we are here. It really bothers me that here there never seems to be any time to do anything on P-Day and I don't like that...when we have district sports they sit around for forever and don't do anything! It bothers me and Hna M because it is quite inefficient and there are other things that I would like to do!

2. What was the best thing that happened this week?

I got to go on divisions with Hna M!!!!! It was awesome! Hna A was sick and Hna C was sick so H M and I got special permission from the zone leaders to go out by ourselves! It was awesome! Even though we are both junior companions and Americans who don't speak perfectly, we went out and taught! We found new investigators and we shared the lessons like pros and it was so great! I was so excited to do the work and I felt like I was actually doing work! I loved it! We understood well enough and could communicate without a problem. I felt like we were equal, working together. It was literally the best day I have had in the mission! I also received mail that day too! The district leaders came to give Hna A a blessing and they had a package from Mom, a package from Grandma Gaye, 2 letters from Grandma and Papa, the letter from your Christelle in Canada, a few days before I got headbands from Kim Haller and letters from Aunt Becci, the Eubanks and the Dicksons. THANKS!!!!!). We cleaned the house because the district leaders told us it was dirty and so had the Hermana Training Leaders but I was the only one who tried to clean....Anyway, the house felt better and it was sunny and I got to go out with Hna M who has legit become my best friend!

3. What was the funnest/funniest thing that happened this week?

So while I was out with Hna M, we were in a lesson and she thought that a brother and sister were actually a married couple so she prayed for them as a couple with their family and it was really funny and then she though he had a baptismal date and he really didn't yet. LOL It was just funny.

4. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

I don't know... jsut realizing that I can do this!

5. How is your investigator, K, doing? Is she still planning to be baptized on the 25^th? Has she been able to come to church?

She didn't come to church and we don't know why yet... she wants to get baptized but we found out that they are getting evicted from their house because they don't own the land and now they have a new landowner...so they have to leave by the 9th of February... so I wonder if it had anything to do with that. We are hoping she can come the next two Sundays so she can get baptized on the 1st before Hna A leaves. She is always positive nd so eager to learn more and follow the Lord.

5. Were you able to teach more lessons this week? Find any new investigators? Do any service?

We, as in Hna M and I, found new investigators. We taught a bunch less lessons this week.

6. How is your personal study going? What are you studying, and what stuck out to you this week?

I am almost done with Doctrine and Covenants. I found a lot this week about afflictions and that the Lord gives them to us for a number of reasons, we need to learn patience, we need to learn obedience or simply that we need to become better or maybe our trials were our own fault, but no matter the reason or the affliction, we need to rely on Him. It's just been a really trying week... I also noticed how many times the Lord refers to us as His friends and what the weight of that word is. What is a friend? Someone you trust, someone you can tell things to, someone you do things with, someone you want to be around, someone you can confide in, comeone you can trust, etc. He calls us His friends. I think that that is so amazing. Two questions: 1) Do we live in a manner that is worthy of that title, that we can truly consider ourselves to be His friends? 2) Do we consider Him to be our friend, too? Food for thought.

7. What has been the strangest food you’ve eaten this week?

Hna C cooked some salsa and since she is kind of...well, her family is from Guatemala and super rich and she had never cleaned a bathroom or washed clothes in her life before she came on her mission...so were all a little afraid to try something she made, but it was actually really good!

8. Did you see anything unusual this week?

Hna C drinks water with oats in it...its really weird. She fills up a water bottle with water and adds plain oats and drinks it. And there was a chicken on our bus ride to San Pedro. And I had to pay to use the bathroom in the bus terminal and the attendant gave me an allotted portion of toilet paper.

9. What have you learned about yourself this week?

I CAN DO THIS!

10. In what area do you think you’ve improved this week?

Talking to investigators and people and not being awkward. Expecially when I was on divisions this week in our trio or with Hna M (we went out in a trio one day because Hna A was sick two days again), when we teach my investigators I have to start lessons and talk more since I know them and I am getting better at that!

11. Do you know that I love you SO much and I miss you?

Yes

12. Has Pres D had any advice for you lately? Have you had more opportunities to talk with him?

Only through email...I think he is still evaluating the situation and hasn't decided to do anything yet. He really does care about me and he said he is anxiously waiting my next email.

13. What has been the most beautiful thing you’ve seen this week?

The SUN!!!!!

14. What ways have you found to serve Hna A this week? To serve others?

To bring her water while she's sick in bed and cook her her food.

15. You said you need to work on being happy – what did you mean by that? Just happy in general? Have you been more happy this week? What kinds of things make you happy on your mission?

It's just really hard to be happy when I feel like I'm stuck and when I'm annoyed that we aren't working and stuff like that. I am happy when I am with Hna M and when there is sunshine and when our investigators keep their commitments.

16. Have you had any more opportunities to give talks, teach at church, sing, lead the music, speak, or play the piano?

Nope

17. What did you learn in your district meeting or zone meeting this week?

We didn't go because we went to San Pedro.

18. Have you found it easier not to be judgmental this week?

Yes

19. How is your health? Do you feel safe?

My health is fine.. and I feel more or less safe. I know the Lord will protect me.

Anyway, someone called me a "fresa" last week and I realized it really bothers me. A fresa is like a person who is high maintenence and really girly. No, I'm not a fresa, I just look cute all the time. I will get on the ground and scrub the mold off our walls. I wash all of my own laundry without complaint, and even sometimes the other hermanas' laundry. I do all the dishes pretty much all the time. I am the only one to sweep the floor or wash the old dirty sheets in our spare bedroom. I don't wear all my makeup everyday... only foundation and mascara. I lived in one of the poorest parts of Honduras and was just fine. I can shower with a bucket. I am not a fresa. I have realized that I am really tough!

Sorry this email is more negative than most, I just had a really heavy heart this week.

Anyway, It would be great if you could send me more ZQuil since I have had to take it more than once to fall asleep, more Dramamine, a 3 ring hole punch if you can find a non bulky one... I loved all the new clothes in my last package and I loved the notebooks from Grandma Gaye, they are the perfect size to carry around with me!

Love you all!

Hermana Gisseman

This is the cover I made for my Preach My Gospel book....