Nov 25

Can you believe it has already been a week?  I can't!  I know I say this like every week, but missionary timing is SO STRANGE.  It is never, ever normal.

This week started out with a whole ton of rain.  SO FUNNY. I was on exchanges with Sister Lee and Sister Ahonima.  They are just amazing.  And we were out trying to contact people in the rain and NOBODY was out.  Except some fiercely devoted asian lady who was walking her dog, like she does every day, and some funny man who told us we were going to hell.  It was kinda ironic- clearly we are going to hell because we are giving people pictures of Christ in the rain.  Sometimes I don't understand people's brains haha 

Anyway!  It was hysterical though because we had just lost all sense of pride because we were DRENCHED so we were just like chasing people down. (when I say drenched, I mean complete with running mascara and pool hair.  And if any of you know, me and wet hair= a wet cat.  No wonder nobody wanted to talk to us haha)

  SO funny.  We were like knocking on people's car windows and everything to try to get them to listen.  

Yep, we were "those" missionaries.

No shame.

Also, this week we were able to go to the temple in Oakland.

I love the temple so much!

Like half of the mission decided to go at the same time, so we had this mini mission reunion in the celestial room.  So amazing.  I was able to see my two old companions, (Hermana Chavez and Hermana Zimmerman- funnily enough, they are now companions(: )

I never thought I would love these missionaries so much.  There is a special place in my heart for every one of them!

OH!  I was able to put my Student Council skills to work here too!  We are having this big open house this weekend and so I was able to make some pretty sweet posters! It was too funny because I just whipped out the butcher paper and paint.  All the other missionaries laughed at me.  I felt like I was in High School again.

But by golly, we better get some people coming to this open house!

What else... 

I love this place and I love these people and I am starting to love Spanish.  Slowly but surely.

I don't really have any words to the wise right now... I guess don't make fun of missionaries if they are like booking it down the sidewalk trying to talk to someone.

You don't know what kind of week they have had haha

I was going to attach some pictures, but this computer says I am not authorized to do so.  Whatever that means... 

So I apologize that ya'll don't get to see my face this week.

So Christmas is coming up...

And I love hearing from ya'll!

So I am not putting this to pressure you all, but I am saying that if you feel like sending me anything, I wouldn't mind receiving:

-Gift cards to Target or Panera Bread

-Cardigans

-Sticky notes

-Anything you look at that screams my name(:

YAY!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Stay strong and keep the faith(:

Nov 18

So this week was so good. Even though we had to take a chill day because Sister Fredrickson got attacked by the flu and nearly died... but even with that, we were able to see some amazing miracles!

So... The main theme of this past week has definitely been obedience.

So we have this rule in our mission where during the 12:00 hour, we need to be out meeting people no matter what.  Which sometimes become really inconvenient because sometimes that means we get to do a fun "put off lunch until dinner" thing.

Anyway!  The other day, our studies went too long and and because of that, we had a choice- be obedient or not.

So we decided to go out to the streets and contact people.

Nothing really amazing came from that, I mean we met a lot of people which was amazing, but none of them were really that "golden".

Well that night we went to go teach a lesson with these people we had found a few days ago.  And as we were teaching, we noticed this guy sitting at the table.  So we invited him to come join us and he starting talking about how he helped build the San Salvador temple in El Salvador and that the only thing he knew about Mormons was the "big man with the trumpet" that was on top.

WHAT?  Who knows that??

So we started talking some more- turns out the wife (who we originally had the lesson with) has read a good chunk of the Book of Mormon and knew the story of Joseph Smith and everything.  She even started teaching it to the other guy!

AH!

Anyway, we gave him a Book of Mormon, and he said he cannot stop reading it.

Golden.

And I know that we met him because we were obedient.

So- my challenge to you this week is BE OBEDIENT!

Pray, Read, Go to church!  Primary answers!  You will see miracles!  There is a reason we are told to do these things.

Funny story of the week...

So up to this point in my mission, I have managed to avoid...

menudo.

That is until this past thursday.

WHYYY.

For those of you who are unaware, Menudo is this absolutely disgusting soup that is made of cow stomach.

Which, first of all, ew.  I am reminded of Lilo and Stitch when she only had tuna and had to make a sandwich for Pudge.

"It's an abomination!"

Why on earth would I feed my poor stomach other stomach?

Plus, have you ever seen menudo?

I knew it was going to be bad when my soup had feelers.

Anyway... all of us missionaries tried our hardest to down as much as possible.  I am proud to say I ate almost all of it... except the chunk that looked like a dead rat.

Poor Sister Ellsworth put in one bite and it all came right back out.  Elder Minhondo was a champ though and ate it for her- even the part that she attempted to eat.

PLUS!  Even the Mexican missionaries weren't eating it!  Elder Ruvalcaba just drank the broth and put a napkin over the top.

Elder Mathusek, our greenie, was smart.  He ate a Jabenero chile to distract everyone from the fact he hadn't eaten anything.

I wasn't that smart.  And I was on the verge of up-chucking the entire rest of the night.

Oh man.  Next time, I am saying no. 

Too funny.

Welp.

That is all I have.

Some missionaries survive natural disasters, I survive menudo. 

Nov 11

Oh man, do I have a story.

So.  One of the things that we teach is keeping the Sabbath Day Holy.

This includes:

-Going to church and participating in the Sacrament

-Not participating in sports or other commercial activities

-Not shopping

Okay.

So last night, on Sunday, I was walking with my companion down this street and there was a soccer ball in the middle.  So, wanting to make walking more exciting, I started just kicking it in front of me as I was walking.  The thought didn't even come to my mind that I was technically playing a sport.

Well... I started trying to be cool- which was just a bad idea, because we all know how not coordinated I am, and I TOTALLY BIFFED IT.

Like somehow my foot like slid over the ball, and I just like belly flopped.  Like it wasn't a trip where you fall on your knees and palms, it was a hard core face plant.

Anyway, I was laughing so stinking hard, and my companion almost peed her pants.  It was SO FUNNY.

So I have this sweet skinned knee and palms, and my pinky looks like it had a fight with a cheese grater.  

But!

My tights didn't rip!!!

So that was a blessing!

And now I know and have a testimony of not playing sports on Sundays.

The Lord pretty much struck me down for that one.  Oops.

I encourage you all to learn from my mistakes and make this next Sunday the best one ever!

I love you all!

Nov 4

So- after almost six months, Spanish and I have finally come to an agreement.

And I am sort of being able to communicate a little better!

Things kinda just clicked(:  Well- which is a lie.  It is more like, I am not telling people false doctrine anymore(:

Okay.  What else... I love you all so much.  And I only have a few minutes to write, but I want to let you all know that you will receive answers through the Book of Mormon.

Because it is the word of God(:

And if you don't know, read and pray(:

I love you all!

Have a blessed week!(: