Hola from Hermana, 28/11/11

Hola mi familia!  :)

Estoy muy agradecida!  It's been a great week.  I'll see how much I can get through in the time I have left.  :)

Because mail is so sketchy, we've been told we can email friends!  Please post my email on Facebook and if other people need it, please send it to them via email, not on my blog.

I love President and Sister Bautista.  They are both very kind and inspired. 

My new companera is Hermana S, from Nicaragua.  I'm so grateful to have a Latina trainer!  I'm with her for three months (two transfers), and we are using the new three month training program the Church produced, which includes guidelines and resources for what to study and what goals I should be meeting. Hermana S is very patient with me, and has a gift for being able to explain simply and clearly when I don’t understand.  She often asks me for my opinion and what I want to do, includes me in planning and in teaching, and is happy and optimistic.  :)  I am grateful.  :)  We are in Quetzaltenango City.  

Wednesday through Saturday we spent five hours every day at the Queztaltenango Temple!  It is GORGEOUS!  We were at the end staffing tables with ~6 other Hermanas answering questions and helping people fill out comment forms that would all us to contact them later.  I had some really sweet experiences.  We handed out copies of The Living Christ and The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  Wednesday night before leaving for the temple I grabbed some pamphlets of the Plan of Salvation.  I gave a copy to the wife of a man filling out a comment form, and she started to read it.  About 15 minutes after they left, they RETURNED and asked if I had another copy, which I gave them.  The Spirit was so sweet and strong.  I am so grateful for them and for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 

Yesterday we taught the first lesson to Candi, a single mother who lives with her brother Leonardo and their parents, Leonardo and (?).  She accepted our baptismal invitation, and we extended Viernes Dec 16 for the date.  She was excited because it is her birthday!  I was grateful to teach the First Vision part and extend the date part of the invitation, and very grateful Candi was blessed with the gift of understanding in tongues with my English!  :)  We had thought her whole family would be at the lesson, and hope to teach more of them this Jueves.

Finally, last night I had a sweet realization that I'm going through a process similar to what I'll be asking all our investigators to do: stop doing that which is keeping me from doing the work of Christ (English), and diligently do that which will enable me to work for Christ (Espanol).  I'm grateful I can ask God for the same divine help I promise our investigators.  

Suggestions for incoming missionaries:

--Quetzaltenango is COLD.  At night the temperatures are similar to Wyoming when we went camping.  Cement houses retain the cold throughout the day.  At night I wear socks, sweats, long-sleeved shirt, my red sweater, my gloves, and my ski hat.  The little blanket from Deseret Book doesn't help a whole lot: I use a thick flannel blanket and another Spiderman fleece blanket from the mission.  I'm also going to buy another blanket today because I've been told it gets even colder Dec-March.  Hermana S and I are opening an area with two other Hermanas, and our apartment was new: no blankets.  The first night I was freezing.  So, I would suggest that incoming missionaries bring their own pillow and blanket (if possible).  I was also really grateful for the cans of beans Mom sent me because it was a couple days before we bought food.  For Hermanas, bring multiple tights.  I wear them every day, and will probably buy a third pair of wool tights.  It gets really cold after about 6 pm, when it gets dark.  The wind also blows a lot, and Hermanas with "shorter" (knee length) skirts have problems... While it would have been nice to fit everything in the two medium bags I brought, I’ve decided to purchase a big duffle bag to replace one of my hardshells.  I hadn't expected to receive so many books in the MTC (a full third of a half of one of my suitcases), and I am ALWAYS going to take both my little blanket and new blanket and my pillow with me in future transfers.  

Mom, I have felt all your prayers.  I've felt the sweetness of the Spirit often and unexpectedly throughout these past few days, and last night I understood that it was because of all the prayers being offered for me.  That means so much.  I can't thank you enough.  I love you!

I testify Jesus Christ LIVES!  He has established His church once again on the earth, with all the ordinances and covenants necessary to return to live with Him and our families forever!

I love you!

--Hermana Ivy [-]