One Year in Making

This week was so fast. It went by so fast. And I already shared with you about the days of Carnavales......Even after those two days of SUPER WETTING days, everyday in the street I would get hit by a huge waterballoon, sprayed on foamy soap, or they would dump on me buckets of water from their car...or kids would be with their water guns. It was kind of annoying just with the waterballoons because they hitted me from behind from their car. But I was fine. These days were really hot, so it didn´t really matter to me. It made me laugh too because I had no luck whatsoever. We even had a ward activity. We did a water activity. It was awesome. The frustrating part was that....I had to guard the waterballoons from the kids most of the time....they were testing my patience. I was going crazy telling them over and over again the the waterballoons were for just a little more later. Then they started pushing my buttons touching the balloons to taunt me.........but I´m going back to normal now...I get uptight talking about that. Those kids really drove me nuts....lol but they´re kids. What do you know....

I was able to do an intercambio, or companion exchange with the Hermana Bender from Idaho! She is newwww and greenie! It was so much fun and I had never had to be with a new north american sister in a normal day. Going out teaching and trying to help her adjust to the mission life was cool. When we did language study, I was able to teach her and taught back at the CCM with Pdt. Dyer gave me that comfort blessing and promised me that I would be able to teach the language....that I would come to point to be able to teaching it to others....The blessing was fulfilled. :) But Hermana Vender is awesome. She reminded of me so much when all I wanted to do was teach already, but the language barrier does come in the way when you want to express yourself.

We had zone conference. Guess what we did?? We watched MEET THE MORMONS! Finallyyyyyyyyy. All my friends were emailing me and telling me that they all got to watch it on the mission....but finally we could see it :) and I loved it! We had to watch it in Spanish and it was just HILARIOUS. I don´t know if you guys got to see it, but in the end there is a part when an Elder says bye to his family in the airport in Utah to go to the African mission....that part just made me bawlllllllllll......I was doing perfectly fine not missing home, not thinking about home, but I thought about that day when I had to say farewell to my family in the airport. I recently talked to my companion about that last night when I was hugging Gabriel and realized that he was crying....ahhh I miss Gabriel. I miss you all so much. But as I go back to work, I always say to myself and my companions....Oh I wish I could just stay here forever and be a missionary forever....then I laugh because I know it can´t happen....and when I say missionary...I mean full time missionary with plaque and everything. Its just amazing to be here....then I read in Alma when prophet alma wanted to be the same...to preach the gospel as an angel...then later one he says that its a sin for him to desire such a thing....hahaha....oh I must do the will of the Lord however it shall be.

But the conference was awesome. We ate good burritos. We learned a lot about become consecrated missionaries. My companion and I did a role play in front of 4 zones and president Hansen and his wife. We were so nervous, but we enjoyed it. Because of carnavales and zone conference, we weren´t able to work so much as normal this week but we were able to see many miracles. Oh and I¨m getting so much better at Bolivian Sign Language. Yay!

One of our investigators wanted to pay tithing. He told us he already has his tithing slip and evelope ready. He even came to the chapel with the pamphlet about tithing. He was reading it as we met with him that day to help him get around the chapel. It was awesome. People are progressing here and I love to see progress.

Mom´s last email from last week made me realize how much the mission also helps me to become a mother one day. Being in charge of so many souls in the area is a lot of responsibility...and getting to know them...you learn to love them and to see them not progree or do things they shouldn´t do...is heart aching...and all you can do really is teach them, invite them, and pray for them. There is one thing I learned for sure to remember this week is that every one has their free agency. Sometimes people just are that way and don´t progress.....(sighs)......I can´t say that I´m ready for parenting life when after yelling at a few kids for touching waterballoons.....I repented of that...I felt bad yelling, but they were pushing my buttons hard...lol.

I cannot believe I will be making a year. Last night I realized that today makes a year after President Hafoka set me apart as a full time missionary. It goes by so fast.....Oh cool thing. I´ll be with Hermana Hansen, one of the missionaries from my group when we make a year. We will be doing a companion exchange that day! Yay! So excited. I love being a missionary. I love it all!!!

I am happy to hear that my family is doing the challenges that I am sending them. I love it. Keep it up.

I love you all and I hope you all have a wonderful week. I feel like I don´t have much to say because only 5 days ago, I wrote you all. My time in Villa Luz has gotten shorter and I feel that I might just leave this place soon..It will be so hard. I love it here.

But anyways until next time!!!

Hna Santeco

PS: FOTOS Del presidente hansen del bautismo con Jenny :)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0gett9rbm1df9up/DSC_0131%20%281%29.JPG?dl=0

CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK!

Family Home Evening. Take turns teaching the lesson. and I would like that you teach about this conference talk: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/lord-is-it-i?lang=eng

enjoy it!!!!!!

i love you!