Feliz Cumpleaños to
Mom and Dad and Nicholas!
I really cant believe
that I will hit 6 months on Wednesday... the time really has gone so dang
fast!
This week was just
kind of weird and really hard but we made it through and hopefully this week
will be better. We pretty much got machetied (I don't know if that's a word but like the
verb of machete) a bunch which kind of made me feel like crap. Everyone
wants a baptism. The new Zone Leader cracked the whip about working with members even
though we are really trying to do that... so our Zone Leader gave us a huge lecture
(it was really good, don't get me wrong) about how we are going to change things
in Copan by working with members.... yeah, well, we try to do that and it's
stinkin' hard! Then we got a provisional but hopefully permanent lider misional (district mission leader) and he cracked the whip on us, too, about how we need to ask for references and
how we should be having activities. We are going to start teaching an English
class on Wednesday nights so we will see how that goes.... Our schedule was just
weird this week because our district leader had to go to San Pedro. So we had
the meeting on Thursday instead of Tuesday and it was just weird. We had way
too many days where we literally walked around for hours trying to find people
to teach or something and couldn't find anything so that was sad, but at the end
of the week we still ended up with 41 lessons taught this week which really isn't too bad at all. It was just a very weird week.
And I have decided to
try to explain the layout of Santa Rosa so you guys can know the geography mas
o menos (more or less).... Okay, Santa Rosa is kind of like a baseball field. Home plate is
Hermana Veronica's house. First base is the house we used to live in. Second
base is where we live now. Our area is the outfield! Left field is Diaz
Valenzuela. Center field is the Loma Linda and Right field is the Cuchilla and
if there were stadium seats behind right field that would be Santo Eduviges. I
hope that makes some sense, lol.... The infield would be the centro or the area
of the other hermanas where all the stores and stuff are. We get the
mountains.
1. How was church
attendance yesterday? Did you have some investigators and less active
members there? What were the talks about? Do you usually go to
Gospel Doctrine or Gospel Principles? How was Relief Society?
Church
attendance was good this week, 106! And J came to church and
another investigator, W, who is 14 and the friend of a family in the ward.
Both of them are planning on getting baptized on the 26th of Abril! So
hopefully I will get to see at least one baptism before I leave Santa Rosa! We
did have lots of menos activos (less actives) there. Before church we
walked up the mountain to the highest part of our area to get an
investigator to come with us and we had even called the night before and we get
there and she's like, no, I really don't want to go today. AAAAH! Then we went to get a menos activo, W, the super nice
one from last week who we found on the side of the road, and she was almost
ready to go! but it was 8:50 and we had to be at church for J because he doesn't like it when we aren't there with him so we told her to meet us at
the church... well, she never came and we still don't know why. All of church was about
family history. I guess they redid the whole Family Search stuff and are really
pushing for people to do their family history so all of the talks were on
that and Sunday School and for the third hour we were all together and they
passed out materials to help people. I don't know if you guys already got all that in English, probably, but I don't know. We usually attend the Gospel Principles class with
the investigators if we have any or to support the other hermanas because they
always have them.
2. How is J doing?
J is great. He wants to be baptized and we shared the baptismal
interveiw questions with him already because he really wants to prepare. After
church on Sunday we watched the new Restauración (Restoration) video with him and he
brought 3 little kids....turns out one of them was his. We thought we asked if
he had a spouse and he said no...but now we are second guessing ourselves and
the law of chastity could potentially be a problem. We just thought that all the
little kids were his grandchildren.... But he has the desire to be baptized and
that is the most important thing.
3. What
miracles and/or tender mercies have you seen this week?
We got to watch the Restauracion video and I could understand it all! WHAT?! It's like I speak Spanish or something! LOL
4. What answers
to your prayers have you seen/experienced this week?
I just really felt like, well darn, I could have and should have been doing more here in Copan after our
machetes from this week and I just wanted to know that God is pleased with my
efforts. I know that I am working hard and doing what I can but then other people
talk and it makes me feel like there's so much more I should be doing. And then
we don't have baptisms and we don't really have expereiences like i hear from
other missionaries where their investigators pray or read and just know that
the church is true and is that a fault on our part? I don't know. But during the women's
conference something that stood out to me was that (I don't know who even said it) we
can know that Heavenly Father is pleased with us. Every time that we even try
to do the right thing He is pleased. So I just thought that was an answer
for me. I try to do the best I can and I try to be the kind of missionary that He wants me to be. Does than mean I will be perfect? HECK NO! But as long as I
am trying, the Lord is pleased. So I liked that a lot. But that conference made
me a little baggy (homesick) because I really missed you, Mom. But I figured that you were
watching it, too, so that made it a little better. It was funny though because the elders came and watched it with us because apparently they were supposed to have an investigator there but she didn't show up but during the video part with
the acts of service and stuff with the hands theme, when the couple got married
the elders shouted BAGGY! at all of us sisters because all the sister missionaries talk about how they are going to get married when they get
home....umm not mem but thanks...LOL...I'm going to need some time, lol, but it was
funny
5. How has
someone else blessed your life this week?
There is this man in the mercado (store) and
everytime we walk through there (which is like everyday) he has alwasys
shouted Doctrina y convenios (Doctrine and Covenants), perla de gran precio (Pearl of Great Price), mormonas (Mormons) and we just thought he was some weirdo making fun of us. But the other day we stopped to
talk to him to ask him how he knew so much about the church. He said he had a
friend in the church in San Salvador and learned a lot from him. But then he
went on for like 15 minutes about how much he really respects us and how much
he admires our work. Then he bought us arroz con leche. Then he had bananas for
us the next day when we passed by and yesterday he gave us bread. He is just so
sweet and he went from being someone super weird who really annoyed us to
someone really amazing who appreciates what we do even if he isn't willing to
come to church right now. He has a ton of knowledge in his mind and not in his
heart about the church but I really feel like one day, when the circumstances
are right, he will join the church. But, I don't know, it was just a blessing to see that
there are lots of people who appreciate our work and then that he gave us food
just makes me so happy because I love food!
6. What did you
do for P-Day this week? Did you play soccer again? The missionaries
here only are able to do P-Day stuff between 10 am and 6 pm. Is it like
that for you guys, too?
Yup...and I really wish it was longer.... but we
actually leave in the morning because we usually have an activity at 9 so we
clean and do all of that before 9 so really from when we wake up to 6 pm. But we
played soccer again and it was SO FUN! Our zone leaders came and 4 other
missionaries from Entrada which is an hour away. and it was so dang fun! Like
the funnest time I have had playing soccer yet! Our new Zone Leader, Elder Shuga, who
cracked the whip on us, is super funny and pretty awesome. But it got everybody
playing and I even hit the ball with my head and went after the ball so that's
improvement. Then we all went out to eat again and then we went home and took a
rest...since I don't sleep, lol. I bought some black and white leggings:) and now
we are here!
7. What was the best
thing that happened this week?
Okay, well the women's conference. BUT I want to tell a
story! We were in la Cuchilla walking home one night this week at like 7 45 and
we stopped to contact this lady and a drunk man came up and was like what are
you doing with these girls! And then the power went out and we were on top`of
this mountian and it was pitch black. There was no moon, no light, no NOTHING!
It was so scary so we bolted. We started running away from this drunk man! And
then Hna V whipped out her flashlight which usually is super bright and it
was so dark that it was not really that bright. So we walked super fast back to
the house but this guy started like howling, and laughing and cackling and it
was sthe scariest thing I have ever heard. And we were walking with this light
and it was like we were in some scary movie where people just pop out of
nowhere because it was so dark we couldn't see very far and without the light we
couldn't see anything AT ALL, like not even my own hand! We linked arms, too, and
it was so dang scary. Legit, the scariest experience of my life. But then like 5
minutes later the lights came back on and we were fine but it was so funny
afterwards. But I am getting better at handling situations like that. Hahaha
8. What are you
most looking forward to at General Conference this weekend? Will you be
able to watch all four sessions this weekend? Do you go to the church to
watch them?
We will go to the chapel. So it's like our district conference
before. We will get to go to all of the sessions.
9. How are your
investigators going? Find any new investigators this week? How
about your less active members?
Yeah, not so well. We have been teaching a good
handful of people now for about a month or so and they still aren't coming to
church and that's a problem so we have had to drop some of them which is always
sad. They just aren't progressing and not keeping their compromisos (promises). So yeah...
and we didn't really find all that many new ones either. We looked and looked
but we haven't had that much success this week. And our less active members....
well they continue to be less active despite our efforts, althogh one family
all 5 of them were at church this Sunday which made me really happy.
10. What was
the funnest/funniest thing that happened this week?
Okay, I have a good one this
week. So we were walking up in Santo Eduviges, in parte alto. So the part that
is really high, the highest part of our area that we actually go to. So
they are putting in another water line up there so that people can have
water...right now nobody has running water there which sucks. Anyway, it was dark
and we were walking down the hill and all the dirt is really loose because they
just dug it up. Out of nowhere these 4 kids came up to us and started talking
to me in "English" Hello, how are you. They were asking me what their
names were in English and they they were telling me that I was going to fall.
"No hombre, no voy a caerme," (No man, I will not fall) I told them. Then like 2 seconds later I
slipped like a classic fall, feet in the air and everything. So I fall in the
dirt and the little kids immediately take my arms and "help" me up.
Then they take it upon themselves to begin to wipe all the dust and dirt off of
me....so I had 8 little hands all over my butt dusting off the dirt. Hahaha It
was super funny.
11. What was
the spiritual highlight of your week?
I really loved the women's conference. It
was awesome that it was the first one with everyone! We got to watch it in English which I loved!!!! I liked that they had the song "I am a Child of God" in all
the different languages. We even sang in Spanish when they had us all sing:) I
like that song better in Spanish. Which reminds me, it was really weird to
sing in English! I like singing hymns better in Spanish, I think. But
I really saw the emphasis that they put on our covenants. We have made promises
that we need to keep!
12. Were you
able to teach more lessons this week? Do any service? Go out with
any members this week?
We didn't teach as many total lessons, 41. BUT we did
have more lessons with members and that's better than having more lessons in
general. So that was alright. And we did help Hermana W, the menos active
who we found last week, move. Thankfully she moved to a house that is still in
our area so we can keep visiting her! But it was so sad because really all she
had fit into a pick up truck. All we did was move the bags out of her old one
roomed apartment. now she has a house that's still really sad, but it's better
than what she had which is good. We go out with the same members all the time which is sad
and we feel really bad because we always ask them, but they are the only ones
who will actually go out with us.
13. What are
you on in your personal study right now, and what stood out to you this week?
I
am reading in Leviticus.... I think I got out of all the chapters about the
tabernacle and sacrifices... those were quite exciting... But I really liked
how the punishment for breaking the Sabbath Day was death! The Sabbath really
should be kept sacred. It's important. But so many people today don't honor that
commandment which is really sad. Especially when way back then the punishment
was so severe. It just shows that the world really has fallen so much. I
encourage everyone to look at how they treat the Sabbath day and the kinds of
things that they do on the Lord's day. But yeah, I guess out of all the tabernacle
chapters I realized that, just like how Nephi built the boat acording to the
Lord's way, the tabernacle, too, was built in the Lord's way. I liked that
connection and just the fact that everything we do in our lives should be done in the Lord's way and not in the ways of men. But there was so much specific
detail in how the tabernacle would be built, how the sacrifices would be done
and I like that God really is a God of order in all things. I have also been
rereading conference talks and reading out of Preach My Gospel and I just love
the conference talks.
14. How has
your testimony changed/grown in the last couple of months?
I guess more than
anything I have really seen how everything makes so much sense! I love to
analyze things and I like things to fit together and just be logical. And
the gospel just makes sense. Everything just makes so much sense. In my mind
there is no way that this gospel can't be true. It just is. And I think that I
see that I can have questions and that's okay and I can find answers and they
all just seem to fit into the gospel. And I have seen that really we don't have
to be perfect, we just have to try. It doesn't matter if I'm not as whatever as
somebody else because I'm just me and I'm not supposed to be like somebody else, I'm just supposed to try to be like Christ. And as long as I am trying to do that then that's good enough.
I just always think too much about how I have to do more, that I have to be perfect, and that's not it. We just have to be beter than what we were before and keep
trying. When we stop trying is when we aren't really living the gospel anymore.
And I can see how the gospel and the scriptures have blessed my life. I love
that my knowledge of the scriptures has grown so that I can recognize scripture verses and that I can make connections between the Bible and the Book of Mormon that
just continue to show me that it's all true!!! There's no way that it isn't. I don't know if that makes sense or if that's the kind of answer that you wanted,
but this whole experience has just helped me really cement that knowledge.
15. What have
you learned about yourself this week?
I still don't like it when people call me
out on things. I am still really stubborn and can still hold a grudge. But
then we went to church and I repented of those things that I did wrong in that vein this week and everything is fine again. I feel like some people here don't understand how impatient I really am. During my life I have
always done things at my pace and at my level. I am
trying to be patient and it's really hard for me sometimes.
But yeahm I still don't handle peopple calling me out on things very well and I
should change that.....
16. In what
area do you think you’ve improved this week?
Not freaking out so much and just
trying to have fun! I did have a lot more fun this week!
17. What was
your happiest moment this week?
Suprisingly enough, it was when we played soccer today!
And the women's conference and our district meeting because we all got to be
together, lol.
18. Do you know
that I love you SO much and I miss you?
Always:)
19. What has
been the most beautiful thing you’ve seen this week?
I love the view from the
parte alto de Santo eduviges, although it's certainly a climb! It was so pretty
to see the view in the morning since we usually only see it at night!
20. What did
you learn in your district meeting or zone meeting this week?
That we need to
work with the members better. The trend in Copan is that there are a few really
pilas (awesome) members and they always go out on visits with the missinoaries and the rest of the members don't.... so we need to try to change that and work with more members
and just be patient. Things won't happen overnight, but they will happen
eventually!
Oh and I saw a fight
this week... it was legit. And really scary at the same time.
We had a lesson by
candle light because one family couldn't pay their light bill.
Someone told me I've gotten fat but whatevs because the food is good! We had a lesson and a
bunch of chickens just walked in while we were singing and i just busted out
laughing and we couldn't finish the hymn, lol....
We have a ton to do
but we will just keep working...
Love you all!
que le vaya bien!
Hermana Gisseman
My hair is getting long again!
With our district today
