The Field is White: Week 23 -- Hard Week

HOLA!

So the trip to Copan Ruinas last P-Day was for the whole zone so Hna P was there, but Hna M and Hna C didn't go.

I love the Crocs sandals you sent, they just aren't good to climb the mountains here which unfortunately we do more and more.

Our apartment is a lot smaller than our old house, but it meets our needs and is one of the only apartments in the mission with kitchen cabinets!

1. How was church attendance yesterday? Did you have some investigators and less active members there? How is Gladys doing? Did Gerardo come to church again?

Yeahm church attendance sucked. We only had 77... so that wasn't good. And none or our normal investigadores (investigators) came which made me sad. But two sisters showed up who apparently we invited to church like two weeks ago when we were contacting people in the street, so that was a miracle and we are going to start teaching them. It just shows that the Lord works in mysterious ways.

2. What miracles and/or tender mercies have you seen this week?

We got phone service!!!!!!! OnTuesday the lights in our sector of the city went out. So we had to go home at 6.30 pm. But both of us were so tired from Copan Ruinas the day before so we got to wash our clothes (with flashlights at the pila, lol) and go to bed early. But then at 8:30 pm the lights came back and we had phone service! So that was a huge blessing. Also we were led right by an investigator. We were on our way to visit her in the house of a member and we left and walked a different way and then all the sudden I just turned. Then a little ways down Hna V heard ¨hermanas¨and we walked right past where she was. So that was cool because the house was another 15 minute walk away. Also we showed up in a lesson with this old man and last time we just shared a scripture with him from the Book of Mormon because he talked so much and we left a copy of the Book of Mormon with him. We got to our lesson with him and asked if he read the pamphlet we left with him or the Book of Mormon and he goes, actually I have a question about something I read in chapter 11!!!!! CHAPTER 11!!! What! He read all the way up to chapter11 and we hadn't even taught about the BOok of Mormon or Joseph Smith yet! And He said he would like to be a member of the church (in 3 or4 months but still!).

3. What answers to your prayers have you seen/experienced this week?

I don't know this week.

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

Daddy will be proud. We played basketball as a district! It was acually really fun even though we didn't play with rules at all and I kind of just suck, lol. But I did make several baskets. Then we ate lunch as a district and did our shopping. Now we are here!

5. What kinds of groceries do you buy for yourself? Do you still have a sister in the ward fix lunch for you occasionally during the week?

Yeah, Hna M cooks twice a week for us. I really don't buy anything but apples, cheese and eggs because I have so much food left still!

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

I don't know, but the worst thing was that I got sick... A member made us dinner and it was really good steak, like super good! And I don't know what happened. I felt fine when I went to bed, but after 2 hours I woke up and my stomach just hurt and I felt like I was going to throw up. And I couldn't sleep for an hour so I woke up Hna V and she gave me peppermint oil and I fell asleep for another hour and woke up and threw up...but I felt a ton better. but I still couldn't sleep. SoI literally had 3 hours of sleep. I got up at 6:30 and I felt like I was hit by a truck. Everything hurt and I was hot and tired and didn't have an appetite. So after a shower and attempting to study, i went to bed.I slept for practically the whole day until 4:00. I woke up and drank water but was pretty much in bed all day and I had a fever of 101...but at 5:00 I felt more or less okay and we had an appointment with a member and Hna V wanted to leave so we left....and I was so tired after that and I went to bed at 8:45 pm and apparently I didn't set the alarm and we woke up at 8:00 the next day like plancheras (lazy girls)!!!! But it was ablessing. And that same member brought over some fruit forme to eat which was really nice. But I feel fine now and don't have a fever or anything, but it kind of sucked.... and I can't even remember the last time I threw up.

7. How are your investigators doing?

Well, they are doing alright. None of them are progressing fast at all....but w eare learning patience. We did get to talk to the husband of one investigator who didn't want his wife to listen to us.Turns out he is a member of like 15 years, but a member offended him and now he won't let his wife go to church unless the member apologizes so we will see what happens....but yeah, the work is so slow here which frustrates me. It's the hardest part in the mission. It's the slowest growing and it's still a district!!! The member of the district presidency said that this district is the poorest as far as numbers of missionaries in the field in ALL OF CENTRAL AMERICA! And I can see why... the people here are hard and the members are few.

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

The lights went out several times this week during planning, but we just whipped out our flashlights and put them in our bra straps, lol, and kept planning so that was funny

9. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

I dont know. I guess that the investigator read 11 chapters.

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

Eh....no, because I was sick we had fewer lessons. :(

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

I am in Philippians. I am flying through the New Testament now. I really liked what Paul says in one of the books, that all the saints were foreordained to receive the gospel. I thought that was cool! But he says a lot that he is bold. So that made me think that I should be more bold. I think I tend to be more quiet than I really should be. I have really been thinking more about what it means to give all to the Lord and it's not just a mission thing, it's a life thing. Our whole lives we will face this. I don't know that I could give up TV... But I can't see President Monson watching X-Men in his living room either...I don't know. I feel like there should be a balance, but at the same time the Lord requires all so I don't know. It's just the more I think about it, the more I realize how inadequate I am and how far I still have to go. It's not easy at all to give EVERYTHING to the Lord, our wants, desires, time, thoughts, everything. SoI don't know...something interesting to think about.

12. Did you see anything interesting this week?

There was a bunch of lightning in thecoulds this week which was really cool to see. Heat lightning or something like that.

13. What have you learned about yourself this week?

I still lack alot and have a long way to go.

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

I don't know.

15. Have you found it easier to enjoy yourself and be happy this week? What was your happiest moment this week?

I dont know. It's really hard for me to enjoy myself right now because Hna V and I are so focused, but it was fun to just wash our clothes in the dark, LOL, and we talked in English! She doesn't talk in English very much because she is trying to use the mission language at all times... but it was nice to have a breakand speak English.

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

Always

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

The lighting clouds

18. How has the weather been this week?

HOT! Thank goodness!

19. What ways have you found to serve your companion and others this week?

I try to wash dishes when I can.

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

It's really important to teach by the spirit. if we don't have the spirit we are nothing. And we can teach doctrine clearly all day long, but the people who are really converted aren't the ones who know that the church is true logically, it's the people who feel through the spirit that the gospel is true.

21. Are you and your companion asking for more help from the branch? What other families in your branch are helpful to the missionaries besides Hna Veronica, Hna Amanda, and familia Miranda?

Yeah, now that we have phones but still it's hard because not a lot of people can help us and just about everyone lives far from our area.

22. Any weird or new foods this week?

Nope. I do really like cinnamon tea, though

Something else funny, we keep seeing gringos and it's really weird because we don't know what to do. Do we say hi or buenas or anything at all? LOL I don't know, it's super awkward to see other gringos. Today I was talking with other gringos in the mision about how it's awkward to say hi to other gringos and I was giving an example like ¨buenas, oh hi, um hey...¨ and I did a little American wave and a Latino walked by and thought I was talking to him! And he said hi back to me and it was really funny and embarassing.

Sorry this letter is not very exciting or uplifting. This week has been hard. I just am not doing enough....I don't know...and it's hard when I am not having fun nd I think I tend to be more sharp with people than I should and, I don't know...I just have been lacking a lot this week and don't really have anything great to share.

I really am just so down on myself this week and I don't know what to do and I don't know how to change how I feel right now.And I feel like I am the problem because Hna V is a great missionary.

I just want to be a good missionary and I don't talk as much as I should and instead of taking more charge like i did at the beginning, I feel like I am slipping more into my box. Papa warned me about that like 2 months ago. I just feel like I've failed everyone. I don't know. It's just been hard this week.

I got a letter from Jan Speroni.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

les quiero!

Hermana Gisseman