The Field is White: Week 74 - In the Home Stretch, but the Hardest Part is Always Just Before the Finish Line

1. You said you played card games on P-Day last week. What kind of card games?

9ers was one of them and I think that you should buy it because it was waaaaay fun and I really liked it. And phase 10 and Uno. Pretty normal.

2. Did D's son get baptized this weekend? If so, how did that go? How is that family doing?

He did get baptized! WOOHOO! I was freaking out though because we got a call on Friday night at like 8:30 and Hna D wanted to change it but it ended up not being changed. But it was all stressful and then we didn't have keys and the bishop didn't come and the water was dirty but he got baptized and was so excited! And it's all over now.

3. How was this week? Did anything unusual or exciting happen?

Well, when we got to the internet right now I saw an old investigator from when I was in Fesitranh... that was unusual.

4. How is Hna S doing?

She's doing alright.

5. Were you able to talk to a lot of people this week? Was it another busy week full of work for you?

Yes, it was... busy, busy, busy and lots of walking. I don't like having double the area because it means a lot more walking! LOL

6. How was church yesterday? Did you have many investigators and less active members there? Did you learn anything new?

We had lots of less actives and we actually had a lot of new people come to church. Well, by new I mean 2 new people and one who came for the 2nd time. It's just refreshing to see our new people in church. It gives me hope that there really are more people out there to find.

7. How is Familia R?

They are alright. They are having a few unexpected problems with the land they are trying to get and didn't come to church this Sunday. But we went to visit them and I hope they keep coming.

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

Nothing! I tried to organize another beach trip to play socer and everyone bailed so whatever. We went and ate in Wendy's and that was it.

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

Well, I have been praying that Pres Dester would let me go visit familia C in La Victoria and he gave me permission. :) But other than that my big focus this week was that everything would go well in the baptism and there were bumps in the road, but it all turned out fine.

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

Hna S made me pancakes today. But more than anything I am just so grateful for Familia G because I can be myself with them. As misisonaries a lot of times we can't even be ourselves with members or investigators, but it's so nice to just have that kind of confidence with people to where you can just be yourself.

11. What other members have you spent time with this week?

We got a new lider misiona (mission leader), Dony. He is a convert from the elders and got baptized my first week here. He is really willing to work with us and is planning on going on a mission when he has a year of membership. So we have left with him this week. But other than that we spend most time with Familia G because they treat us like family and are always willing to help and are pendiente de todo (thinking of everything).

12. How are Hna M and her family doing?

Well, M didn't come to church but her kids did. We couldn't go eat with them this week because our zone meeting was in Choloma ... like a hour away so we just couldn't make it back for lunch.

13. How have you served someone this week?

We shoveled a huge pile of dirt. A family was putting dirt around their house to keep the water out. Puerto used to ba a swamp but people just put down a bunch of dirt and it became a city. So they were putting more dirt down to keep away the water. And so we shovelled for like 2 hours and barely made a dent in it. And I was forced into holding a baby which I did not like. LOL

14. What was the best thing happened this week?

Going to San Pedro to listen to Elder Ochoa... i talk more about it in 16.

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

I don't really know. It was a stressful week....

16. What was the spiritual highlight of your week?

We got to go to San Pedro and have a multizone conference with Elder Ochoa of the Seventy. He talked about faith again. But it's something that I really feel like I need right now. And I liked that he said that missions really aren't to go out and change ths lives of other people, it's to change our own. And I feel like that is so true. The mission has changed my life more than anything else. But we got to shake his hand and take pictures with him and I got to lead the music. And I really liked it!

17. Do you know that I love you and I miss you?

Always.

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

I got to see Hna M at the conference which made me so happy.

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

For lunch on Saturday familia G made us something that I hadn't tried before called tapado.. it's like a thick soup with rice. It was really, really yummy. It had beef in it and cooked green bananas and plaintains. It was good.

20. What has been your biggest challenge this week?

Having patience and trying my best to love others.

21. What was your biggest personal success/triumph this week?

I don't know that I was very good at triumphing this week. I think I let things get to me too much.

22. What are your goals for this week?

To love my compainon and to just try to be happy.

23. Tell me about a time you felt really happy this week.

I don't know.

24. What has Pres. Dester had to say lately?

He says that I am doing a good job training and that the most important thing to do right now is just love as many people as i can.

Should I just leave my leather sandals here? I haen't worn them a ton in Puerto or really since I got the Chacos.. just for nice things, but I don't think that I will wear them at home... I don't know. And I don't know how much clothes I should really keep.... and if I would really wear any of it at home. But I feel bad that you will have to spend so much on new stuff for me. And should I just leave the broken suitcase behind? I think I can fit everything into just one big suitcase and my carry on. I would feel less stressed if I could get it all into the big suitcase and the carry on. I tried doing a rough packing today, just organizing things that will stay and things that will go with me and it looks like I can do it. I just worry about all my books, LOL, but I think I can do it. This is crazy, Mom. I'm coming home.... I work so hard every day and I love this mission, but I'm just so tired.

Today there was a show with wedding dresses on it and last week Brie told me she wanted me to get married. Hahahahaha...

I liked this quote I found in the Liahona, and I also liked an article by Elder Callister, "When Doubts and Questions ARise," but this was a quote by him that I found, in one of the talks you sent me and in the Liahona again:

"I can live with some human imperfections, even among prophets of God - that is to be expected in mortal being. I can live with some alleged scientific findings contrary to the Book of Mormon; time will correct those. And I can live with some seemingly historical anomalies; they are minor in the total landscape of the truth. But I cannot live with out the doctrinal truths and ordinances restored by Joseph Smith. I cannot live with out the priesthood of God to bless my family and I cannot live without knowing my wife and children are sealed to me for eternity. That is the choice we face - a few unanswered questions on one hand versus a host of doctrinal certainties and the power of God on the other."

I'm so excited about Paula and Robert going to the temple -- tell Paula I want to go, too!!!