translating is fun.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

haha, so this week has been pretty great. I got to teach a few temple tours at he Visitor's Center about why we have temples and who in temples we can make promises with Heavenly Father that can bind our family together for time and ALL eternity, not just until death do you part. I love these tours...actually, they are the only tours I have really given but that's what people want to know. They drive past this huge white building for YEARS - i mean YEARS and one day the just "decide" to come in. I know they come in for a reason and they were led there by the hand of the Lord. They may not want to learn more than that that specific day but at least they had a good experience and they can learn more later.

 

Weather's about the same. Little less humid but rains randomly. LOVE IT! oh and yep, did I tell you my leg looks like it has a desease? Well it does, and not both, just my left leg because i have this problem with scratching my bug bites and then they get a little beat up looking...not sure why i don't get any on my right leg or when I do they don't really itch. Just kind of weird.

 

COOL NEWS - okay much cool news!

-1st - FRANCISCO IS GOING TO BE BAPTIZED!!! We talked to him about the importance of baptism more and that the Lord is preparing him, and has been for a long time, even shared D&C 39:7-10 with him, and told him that we know he can be ready for baptism on the 9th of September. and he was a little hesitant at first but we addressed the concerns he had, and then he said in Spanish "We're going to do this!" and shook Hermana Avelar's and my hands. That was a tad weird with the hands, but super cool! So that was our miracle of the week.

-2nd- Reina is doing well. She still has to work on Sundays, which is good because she needs money for her kids, but hard cause she can't go to church :/ we are praying for her and helping in the ways that we can. She's awesome though!

-3rd - the VISITOR's Center is getting REMODELED! Okay, not sure of any of the details but we're getting new exhibits AND a new mural behind Christ. I will send home pictures once it is all done...but they are supposed to start soon and be done in 3 weeks, because the festival of lights will start (well they will start putting the lights up after that). I wish all of you could come see it. I'm told some of you have! So cool - but it's changing some come and see it again!

-4th - I translated Sacrament meeting for President Matsumori and Sister Matsumori this Sunday. He literally grabbed me while the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric was standing at the pulpit about to start Sacrament meeting and took me over to sit with them to translate. I found out a- i understand more than I think. and b-translating is really hard :P haha, I give props to the people who do it live for General Conference and other things.. we have to do that at the VC for concerts and things when we speak the language better cause that is translated into Spanish! SO COOL!!!

 

Notes of love -

CHRISTY  - I'm sooo sorry...BUT HAPPY [belated] BIRTHDAY!!! you're all 21 and stuff! How does that feel? Did you do anything fun for your birthday?? BJ's?? love me some BJ's and pizzokies! hope it was wonderful and i love you!!

ERIKA - HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow!!! Can't believe my little girl is all grown up ;) haha, seems like just yesterday we were writing on cars and getting snowcones really late at night, and escapading through fields in really bad shoes. :D well love you and i hope it is wonderful! can't wait to hear and see some pictures!

-Sister Simper! Thank you for  your wonderful Email!! You are so great and I will be writing you soon!

 

That's all i have this week so I can get some pictures in. But I love you all. I want to leave a little testimony this week about talking it out. A lot of times we let little things frustrate us about another person but go along and just think it's all good and try to work together...I work with all the sister's in the mission and if we're off the VC is off. We all have to tell each other what is up with anything so that we can talk it out and the Spirit can work with us. It is the same in our homes. We need to talk it out. I encourage you all to talk with your family once a week about what's up...maybe something they did to annoy you but also something they did that you were grateful for. I PROMISE the spirit with be stronger in  your homes and you will be able to work more efficiently.

 

CON AMOR!!

-Hermana Word (2)

 

2881 - this is the "K" house...were i live :D

2884 - this is it at night with the fountain (love my camera - thanks SMash!)

..computer is too slow for more :/ sorry

 

well it's a little wet over here...

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

haha and not because it rained but because I'm sitting in wet clothes after zone activity : D SOO FUN!!! We had a mario party remake/live action game...not really sure how a slip n slide ties in but it did. and now i'm soaked to the core but it is great. I also am wearing a super bright yellow shirt that I bought this morning for team wario :) it's great.

 

first few items people have been asking about/i want to tell you in general.

1. my address - I have no idea what my building address is. President Matsumori asks us to have all letters sent to the mission home. Yes, I get my mail...comes to the Visitor's Center about 3 times a week and I'm there that much so it's not biggie :) please just send it there. Sorry. Don't even have a mail key.

2. pictures of my apartment - I will try next week...I was going to take some before email but we came right here after zone activity

3. The weather's great! haha, but truly, just thought I'd through that in there...getting eaten by some bugs but that's alright.

4. I'm going to buy a backpack and send mine home soon. the zipper is broken and I don't want it to get more ruined because it is a nice backpack.

...okay that's all

 

 

SO THIS WEEK...

We had some really cool experiences - first was with Reina. She is a single mom who can't go to church because she  works on Sunday. But what was cool is that she wants to! She knows the Book of Mormon is the word of God, as well as the Bible, and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet :D... So she is working on finding another job to be able to go to Church on Sunday and be baptized soon :)

next was with Francisco....I did my first exchange this week and we did a comp study where we studied for Francisco and see why he might not want to set a date for baptism even though he has a desire to be baptized. We ended up studying about the difference between the Holy Ghost and the GIFT of the Holy Ghost which can only be given by the laying on a of hands, after being baptized by someone holding the proper authority of God. Well Francisco is a scripture buff and loves the Bible, even loves to read the Book of Mormon...and had a scripture open in the Bible (can't remember where :/) about the Holy Ghost = Coincidence?? NO!! That was inspired. Heavenly Father wanted him to realize this for himself. We just helped him understand it better with what we were teaching him that day. He told us that he thinks the Book of Mormon is a good book but doesn't know if it is the word of God so we asked him to pray about it and he did at the end of the lesson! SO GREAT! His prayers are always so sincere - this is a man who knows what faith is...it is an action and if he excercises his faith in prayer and receives and answer - he will act! I find that even hard to do sometimes, we all have trials but as we get pass the natural man, get past who we are and want to follow him, Heavenly Father will hear our prayers and send his Son to help us grow stronger!

 

What else....Messages of LOVE -

-Travis Davis= thank you for the letter! I will be getting back to you asap!

-Mom - thanks for keeping my acct secure you're the best!

-Kaity - love your emails but never get to read them while I'm here...sorry for that :/ but One day we will talk...or I'll eventually have time to write you back.

-HERMANA WATKINS!!! - i need your address again please :)

-...that's all i can think of this week :) but you are all wonderful!!

 

Okay some fun stories -

One - the other day i was eating dinner and couldn't open a can of salsa so Hermana Avelar came over, pointed the jar away from her/towards the table and the salsa proceeded to cover everything on the table which was all mine :P I had a letter, mini PMG, and my white handbook in Spanish! Haha, lets just say it looks like a salsa salad in my books...

one other - Hermana Avelar thought she threw the keys in the dumpster yesterday and proceeded to try and move things around in the dumpster(which is probably 30  years old) and couldn't find them...we found them up stairs on her bed :P long story short - she has a bad memory and I hear it "runs in the family" haha, hope not.

 

Just want to let you all know that FHE is important...I've been thinking about this a bit cause it keeps coming up in my life - at church , with investigators, other things...but it is set apart to be on monday for a reason. So when every mom out there wants to do FHE...support her. Take just a bit and spend time with  your family...i know it is hard and things happen, but try your hardest. It has be set apart by the general authorities for a reason, all church stores close early just to get home for it. Blessings come after obedience. I know that to be true.

 

Love you all!!

Chao!

-Hermana Word (2)

 

Can I just tell you that the Lord is wonderful!!

 

Wednesday, 8/1/12  So this week has been pretty slow - we had many appointments fall through and only taught maybe one person a day...we usually have 3 scheduled appointments with backups. Even our backups fell through. But that is okay because Heavenly Father blessed us with new people to teach in the crunch time of finding people. Usually out here we study and do things to prepare until 6 (including meal times) and then we start teaching after that. We cannot start teaching after 8.30 but if we are teaching then we have to be in our apartment by 9.30pm. bed by 10.30pm up by 6.30am to workout and get ready...just a cycle that is full of spiritual knowledge and learning for others - NOT YOURSELF...because I'm out here to serve but be served and kick back and study for me.   We also had our first Zone Meeting last week - things are switching up out here...no more transfer goals, only monthly goals...and less meeting with a zone or district a transfer. Sorry, don't have much time to explain that but maybe Kaity can help  you with it, I'm actually still figuring out Zone's and Districts. But our "white washing" is doing well - that area has a good amount of people interested to learn more of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! OH _ speaking of...we have an investigator named Francisco who is so great! He loves that Bible and even reads the Book of Mormon. He knows that they compliment each other and loves that they are from God. He is so great!! Well the other night we taught him about Joseph Smith and that the Church is the same as Christ's Church when he lived...and then we invited him to be baptized. The Spirit was there, but I wasn't sure what he was going to say....He said yes, but was hesitant on setting a baptism date because he wants to be ready. We promised him that if he continued to read the scriptures, pray to know for himself if the message we shared with him is true, and goes to church that he will be prepared for his baptism. He is wonderful and even prayed with us that night! You know, I can't understand everything hispanic people say , but I can feel when they really say yes - that they really desire it and they are not just seeking knowledge but want to follow Jesus Christ's example and be baptized by someone holding the Priesthood Authority of God. So truly amazing!   On a less concentrated note - I WENT TO WASHINGTON DC today!!! We live about 35 mins on the Metro (subway) from DC and we got up at 4, left at 5, and ran to the Lincoln Memorial to be there by 6.15...tad far from the Metro. To be able to see the sunrise behind the WA monument....except it was a tad cloudy but that's totally okay - just plugged along in nice weather.   Little notes of LOVE - -Danielle - you are wonderful!! thank you for your wonderful little letter! You are the best pen pal! -Timmy Hodges - I'm waiting for this "timmy hodges" knowledge that you are going to bestow upon me...letters please! **all who want to write letters, it goes to the DC mission home - my mom has the address** :) -SMash - didn't get a dear elder from you but mom says i should have - send it again please :) -Popsicle and B-man - I got both of yours and have letters to come back to you but working on one for mom as well :) -Richard's Family - How are you all?? Brielle you're married now right!? Congrats!! and Hailee how is school! I'd love to hear from you all!   tried to attach pictures but I'm way out of time and it's too slow - next week.. maybe I can send my card home and someone can put some on facebook :). I LOVE YOU ALL SOO MUCH!!! This work is amazing!! Keep up your missionary work! -Hermana Word (2)

Llorando es me mejor amigo!

haha - jkjk! I did have a few breakdowns this week because of all the wonderously hard things that come with being a missionary but that's okay cause it is supposed to be hard and I'm working on being humbled! My companion is awesome and tries to tell me in whatever way she can. I get nervous saying things but she forces me through them because she knows I can do this...it's just taking me a little more time to realize I can. I know I can do it with my big brother at my side, and Heavenly Father too, just need stronger faith to do it all.

 

So this week started with Visitor's Center training - that includes learning all the kiosks in Spanish and English, Teaching a sister who has been there longer and being taught by them too - all the lessons in Spanish and English. I also have to outline lessons that I can do and questions I can ask - english and spanish. I'm also having trouble with the Spanish! I LOVE SPANISH - I just can't speak it very well yet... and not really sure how to do my language study, so if anyone has ideas for that it would be wonderful!! I'm trying to figure it out through prayer and study, but getting chastened so that I can become stronger. In the eye of the storm everything looks soo overwhelming, but it is only after that storm that we learn we were being lead the whole time by our Father in Heaven...just working on that.

 

We have had some awesome investigators this week. One is in the area we are whitewashing - her name is Reina. She is a single mom and struggles getting to church because she has to work. It is so great to visit with her because her desire is there! She WANTS to learn and she WANTS to be baptized, she just needs faith to know Heavenly Father with provide for her. My comp was talking to me today about how we only study to help others and in turn we learn for ourselves. I studied patience today for me but after thought of Reina and how great she is but how much she needs patience to help her with her struggles. Maybe I'm going  through this to help her. I will let you know when i figure it out. but I know Heavenly Father is going to help us both if we just stop worrying and continually come to him.

 

I had my first papusa yesterday - kind of like a quesadilla but a lot smaller and just bread closed on all sides...from El Savador! It was delicious! One of the new members took me and my companion for lunch! So nice of him!  Love the people here!

 

 

Messages of love:

-temporarly on hold this week...I'm a tad flustered...but they will be up and running next week. but you are ALL AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU!

 

Keep it up out there - spirits high and always have love in your heart! You can do it, never hurts to try! Be ready to serve others at all times - my companion is great at this and I hope I can improve on this as well! OKAY - love you all again! Hey - if you are a convert to the gospel, can you send me your story? I also invite you to send it to the missionaries who taught you if you can find them! I know they would love it and I really want to get into the spirit of missionary work more!

 

Con Amor!

-Hermana Word (2)

Pictures attached to July 18, 2012 Email

Flower in front of Provo Temple 

Mission District at MTC

Hermana Avelar, first companion in the field

tengo calor and it's great!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Mi Familia! Can you believe I'm here?! Well I am and I know it because it is SOO hot outside :P everyone says that today is hotter than usually but the humidity is about the same! I'm ready for the winter - love me some cold weather! Except not cause there is work to do right now.

 

So - Yesterday we arrived in DC at 9.15am local time! and My Mission President, President Matsumori, Sister Matsumori, and the Assitants to the President (Elders who are serving in DC and assigned to help the president) were there to pick all 9 of us up. It was great! First thing we did was come to the TEMPLE! The temple is under construction because some of the spires tips broke off in an earthquake (i think it was an earth quake some say it was a major storm). But we got to go on the temple grounds and say a prayer of how we were going to work and what we were going to do to stay strong in this work. It was amazing - I love talking to my Heavenly Father and it was the first time in a while I was able to prayer outloud...I love praying outloud because my thoughts are more focused on talking to my Heavenly Father and not on what I'm going to do next. The Spirit is amazing here. It's funny when you don't feel it overpower you all the time, but you know it is there everyday. I LOVE that feeling.

 

After praying - President Matsumori picked up a dead snake, yes it was down by the temple, and let me take a picture of him with it. I love him and Sis. Matsumori already - they are so excited about this work and it shows in everything they do! We got to have IHOP for brunch :) then headed back to the house to sign their guest book of all missionaries that serve in their missions, a poster with the DC temple in the middle, and then marked our favorite scripture....then we napped! YAY! that was great but ended with a charlie horse! Definitely need more water out here - that is the lesson! drink lots of water!!

 

After - training and practiced teaching.DINNER and interview after with President Matsumori :) then we had a wonderful testimony meeting :) it was so cool to hear from all the elders I only met on Monday night. They are all so wonderful and can't wait to hear more about their missions.

 

Today started with early breakfast and then we headed straight to the visitor's center where I met my companion/trainer/ "mom" HERMANA AVELAR!!! Native spanish speaker from SANTA ANA,CA. and she is wonderful! I'm so excited to serve with her for the next 3 months! Oh and we're white washing one area plus covering her old area (to white wash is they take all of the missionaries out that have been serving there and put new one's in - so basically we know nothing of the area but it is all good!) We're already learning from each other and I'm so excited for more!

 

Letters of love-

-CARREE BRITT!!! you are amazing! I have been here since yesterday and already received THREE letters from you! that is insaine!

-Kaity - can you please send me my ipod now and my cds? :) Oh - but first, take off the disney music and I had left some instrumentals on there but it was from "the Notebook" soundtrack if you could take that off too please.

-Mom - got my box of bedding! you're the best! Can you let me know how much money I have on my card for the time being? I will be back on here next wednesday so before then is great (maybe like tuesday :D)

-Grandma Lewis - i got the books and sent you a letter! You are wonderful and thank you soo much - love you and grandpa both!

-OH and to all! - I can't receive or send voice recordings except to my family...and no videos to or from anyone, even families. Just wanted to let  you all know cause that was new to me yesterday.

 

I love you all so much! i know this work is true and there is a reason I am here at the time I am...still working on figuring it out but it is wonderful! ENJOY THE PICTURES!!

 

Te Amo!

-Hermana Word (2)

Personal Note from Lauren's mom

Dearest Family, Friends, and Loved Ones,
I just wanted to share with you that Lauren made it to the DC-North Mission Home this morning. She had the pleasure of flying on the red-eye. She left SLC at 12:45am. We were able to talk to her when she was at the airport and it was wonderful! Each family member was able to speak close to 20 minutes, except maybe poor Kaity who was left for last. Considering that Kaity's mission president only allowed a total of 30 minutes for each phone call home we felt very blessed.

We were also blessed to receive two phone calls from the mission president today! Unfortunately I missed the first one, but he left a beautiful message letting us know that she had arrived safely, been taken for a big breakfast at I-Hop and that they would be allowed to nap for a few hours before starting orientation and training. She is very blessed to have President Matsumori watching over her. I was disappointed that I had missed the call and the opportunity to talk to him.

But my dear Father in Heaven did not leave it at that. As I arrived home from work, I was listening to President Monson tell a story on my conference CD. I sat for a moment to hear the end of the story and then started to go inside the house. I was going to leave my phone to charge for a bit and would have missed his call again had I not been listening to the CD! Just as I opened my car door, my phone rang and it was President Matsumori. He was so kind. He told me that he was not going to call again but had just come from testimony meeting and Lauren's testimony was so strong that he just had to call and thank us once again for sending Lauren to them to serve the Lord. He then asked if he could share a little about their day with me. OF COURSE! I was so excited to hear.

He told me that most missions would take them immediately from the airport to the busiest street corner in the city and make them proselyte for a couple hours upon arrival.(That is exactly what Kaity did on her mission!) He said, "We take a kinder, gentler approach." They took them to the Temple. Though the Temple is currently closed, the visitor's center is open. And the temple sits surrounded by 40 acres of woods. He said that they allow them to go off by themselves (last time they are allowed to be by themselves on their mission)in the woods and to make a committment to their Heavenly Father for the next 16 mos. It is their own little Sacred Grove experience. I am sure Lauren will have much to share about that.

He let us know that she will meet her companion tomorrow and it is a "P" day (personal day) so she will be able to email us tomorrow! President then assured me that he would take care of Lauren while she serves there. I told him that I know that he will and I am so grateful to him for being so kind to call and speak to me. He said that he has had children on missions and knows how much it means to parents to know their child is safe.

We are truly, truly blessed to have him as Lauren's mission president. He assured me that if I ever have any concern, I am welcome to call him and discuss it. That is truly amazing. I know that Lauren is in good hands and the Lord is watching over her because she is doing His will and bringing the joy of the gospel plan to His children. I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior and I know His plan can bring great joy to all who will but receive it.
With all my heart and unending love,
April