The Field is White: Week 44 -- Miracles (and rats and bees, oh my!)

Hola!!!!

So this week was really, really good. but it was the week where nothing went according to plan. We had a noche de talentos (talent night) planned and two dinners with members and a manana de talentos (talent show) with the zone today and a baptism to go to with Hna I and her son and nothing went according to plan...so either the plans changed or we couldn't do those things, but in the end it ended up being okay and although it was stressful and a lot of work, it was a great week!

Han N and I so far have cooked pancakes from baleada mix and random stuff and it's not really cooking, I guess, but we make sandwiches... how ironic. (Note from Mom: Ironic because Alyssa really doesn't like sandwiches!)

I do remember Hna Woodbury! I like her a lot:)

Brie must be a lot taller than me now....

I really hope that people can come visit when I get home because its been a long time and everyone looks so big in pictures. I have 10 months now. I feel like I just said that I had 9 months and wow, it's just a little crazy.

1. Have you done any cooking with Hna M this week?

Not this week. We didn't have extra money for that this week.

2. What did you do for P-Day today?

We had an activity with the zone in Choloma (where I was born! (NOTE FROM MOM: "born" means that was her first zone in the mission)) and we played games like usual, so volleyball, a little bit of basketball, and some more slaughterball because everyone loves it...and we attempted to play capture the flag but it didn't go so well, haha. And we went shopping in a grocery store that was kind of like one in the States and I almost cried because it reminded me of shopping with you and I haven't' seen that many things on a grocery shelf in a long time. That isn't a joke! I bought cookie mix and root beer, just because it was there.

3. How was church yesterday? Did you have any investigators there? Are I and her son still planning to get baptized? How about the man you met in the street who came to church last week – did he come back? Were you able to have a cita with him this week?

Church was really good. The bishop gave me the look like "hey you need to come up here" and then I didn't get up and then he told me to get up from the pulpit so I had to get up an bear my testimony... and then all the other missionaries followed me. But church was good yesterday because two new investigators came with their kids so we tried to entertain the children so the moms could pay attention and a bee stung one of the little boys which was sad. But we are really finding people who are super pilas and who seem like they are ready to accept the gospel! Hna I came to church too but her son didn't so they cant get baptized this week. Well, she can but he can't yet. Due to stake conference next week, we are going to have their baptism on the 23rd.... but the most important thing is that they are going to be baptized and that that is their desire. The man in the street is an interesting story... no, he didn't come to church but see the next question for what happened with him...

4. What miracles and tender mercies have you seen this week? Answers to your prayers?

This week and in particular in this fast that we had, we saw miracles. And really all week. One in particular, with the man we found in the street. We had contacted him, Hermano G, on the street last week, or rather he contacted us. And then he came to church last Sunday and we scheduled a cita (appointment) with him. We showed up at the cita a little bit late (an hour late) due the baptism we took Hna I and her son to because it went late, but we went to find out that he actually didn't live there. A little disappointed and worried about how we would ever find this man again, we continued our walk home, as it was 8 pm. In the tiny stretch from that house to our apartment there he was walking down the street. We were able to talk with him and find out where he really lived and help him in this difficult time in his life. It was a miracle to me. We didn't have a phone number or an address for him, yet the Lord put him in our path. All of the things that we had done that day too, and the Lord still managed to place us all in the same stretch of road in the same 20 second window or so. We are now teaching him with high hopes that he may be baptized. I have seen this week more of the Lord in the work than I ever have. Hermano G didn't come to church, though, which was sad, but he is having some really difficult times so I imagine that something popped up... but we have a cita tomorrow with him.

5. How has someone else blessed your life this week?

I just love my companion. She is so great. She is patient with me when I get stressed out because it's stressful when you have to teach someone in an area especially when there really isn't anyone to teach. But she's just an angel. :)

6. How have you blessed someone else’s life this week?

So we went to the baptism at the stake center and the lights went out while the young man was changing clothes and a panic hit the room. We had been listening to CD hymns but with no power... you can't really do that. So to maintain the spirit Hna N and I sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" and it was really beautiful and kept the spirit.

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

Well, Hna N and I composed a song this week for the manana de talentos (talent show) that we were supposed to have as a zone this P-day but we are going to do it next P-day instead. We wrote a song in Spanish to the cup song from Pitch Perfect and themed it with mission life and it's pretty legit. I recorded it but it's too big to send by e-mail.

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

Hna N is just super funny. So we were playing with matches, not really -- we were mending my wax scripture crayons and then she lit some matches and based on how the match fell or bent or whatever she told a soap opera with it and so it was a matchbox soap opera and it was really funny. Gosh, I just love her!

9. What did you learn in church yesterday?

That when the bishop tells you to get up to bear your testimony, you should do it. And don't sit by a bee.

10. What did you do for your district meeting and zone meeting this week?

Elder Scott gave the capacitacion (lesson) and he talked about how we have to help investigators to feel like regret or pain or sorry for their sins... it was actually pretty good. It made sense even though it sounds kind of terrible that people sometimes have to feel bad before they can feel good in the gospel... but someone who really has felt the weight of the things that they have done will have a deeper conversion when those things are washed away. So it was interesting.

11. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

There were lots of things. But we had a multi zone conference with President Dester. He talked about God and who He is. And so he mentioned some of the same things that he had mentioned in my last interview with him and I really enjoyed it. And the Assistants to the President gave some little workshops that were pretty good. I kind of left feeling like there was so much to do, but when we got to work I just felt so motivated to be better. I just love President Dester and he is the best. Anytime I even get to see him, it just makes me happy.

12. What did you learn from your personal study this week?

This week we didn't get much personal study in. But that reminds me that I want papa to send me an email on the signs of the second coming. :)

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

Always!

14. What was the most beautiful thing you saw this week?

Definitely not what happens in the answer to number 15.... but I think whenever the water comes here, a full pila just fills me with so much joy because it means that at least for one day I will be able to shower normally. I am so thankful for the shower thing the Swansons gave me -- I use it a lot!!

15. Did anything unusual or strange happen this week?

So I was washing clothes in the pila and it was like the second shirt I had washed or something (by the way, I'm so tired of my clothes) and all of the sudden a HUGE rat comes crawling out of the drain... that's exactly what you want to see at 6:45 in the morning... so I screamed really loud and woke everyone up... ooops... and we hardly had water this week..... UGH.

16. What are you looking forward to this week?

Working really hard!

17. What did Pres Dester have to say this week?

He said we need to speak more Spanish.... and he talked about the example that we are for the members and how we always need to be worthy of their trust and we shouldn't do anything that would lose that fragile confidence.

18. Do you ever get asked to help out in Primary at church on Sundays? It seems like the missionaries here are always being asked to help out – a few weeks ago one set of elders was asked to do Singing Time! LOL

Nope, I haven't been asked to do anything yet, but in other areas YES. Like Hna N taught Primary by herself for like five months in Copan... and Hna Miller teaches Young Women's. It depends on the branch. But I haven't had to do anything. Sometimes the missionaries get asked to teach Sunday School but our mission leader is teaching the lesssons.

19. What was the best thing and the worst thing you ate this week?

I don't know.... I ate pan de coco which tasted like a biscuit. But I don't remember anything bad... maybe a bug on accident...I don't know.

20. Is it still really hot and humid there? Have you used your umbrella for shade again? (Really, that’s not a bad idea!) Are you remembering to wear sunscreen and bug spray?

It's still dang hot but I haven't used my umbrella yet. It started raining and I was so hot that I went outside just to stand in the rain and be cold for once. I don't wear sunscreen to be honest but bug spray, yes!

My little Energizer flashlight broke so I only ahve the head lamp which is GREAT for the house but not so great to have on me all the time because of its shape so if you can find a really thin but poiwerful tiny flashlight that would be great...and new clothes would be wonderful because I'm so sick of my clothes. I feel like I'm asking for too much....

This computer is having problems uploading my pictures so I can only send a few this week. I'll send more next week.

I love you!

Hna Gisseman

I am so thankful for this shower that the Swansons sent me!!