The Mission Changes You

This week I had the wonderful priviledge to have an interview with President Hansen once again. I was tremendously happy. I love having interviews with him! But the funny thing was when I entered into the office and ofter saying the opening prayer, he got right straight into it and asked me, "Hermana Santeco. When are you to go home? What date are you going home?" He took out his list of the transfers and I said to myself, "He is already asking me when I am going home??? I still got time left!" After talking about the situations of school starting in November, I told him that I would like to go home as I am called to go home. The 26th of August. It looks like that there is a possibility that I will be arriving in Hawaii on the 25th. We will see. Because lately missionaries are now being sent monday nights instead of tuesday nights. But they will send me my itinerary when I am a month and a half away from going home. That would we when I would have 16 and a half months.......that is crazy to think...and to even think that I have been out for almost 11 months. I keep telling you guys this, but really...I look at myself and ask myself constantly who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? I am Hermana Santeco. A missionary and representative of our Savior Jesus Christ and I am serving the Lord in Bolivia. I literally loved my interview with President Hansen, but I can´t lie but say that I always cry in those interviews because I am just so happy to be a missionary. He told me that he has seen a huge growth in me since the first time he became President and he asked me to share of the things that I had learned thus far in the mission. I told him...that I am learning that we are truly doing the will of the Lord....that God works miracles to this very day...and that the spirit really works through people. He looked straight at me and smiled....and said, "The mission is really changing your life". I nodded my head yes....the mission is changing my life tremendously. My heart is absolutely full.....and my love continues to grow more and more for the gospel and the people of Bolivia each day. 
 

Now...I got a question. I talked to Sister Hansen, the mission president wife and she told me that gas price has gotten down really low...like $2????? Please tell me that is true in Hawaii too????? And explain to me how that is even possible??? Because hearing that makes me want to drive all day and go out to buy some pandas express...hahaha. But really tell me!!

So I have been studying a little different in my language studies. I am studying Bolivian Sign Language!!!! Its pretty awesome! Apart from spanish, I´m studying the signs so I can talk with one of our investigator´s son who is deaf. She lended me her book and its an awesome book! We had intercambios this week and my companion was the one who stayed in our area. She told me that that day they found him in the street hiding behind a tree...he is a funny guy. And my companion tried signing the word mom, but instead it turned out to be a wave just under her chin just using her fingers...hahahahahaha but the following day I was able to put into practice a few words that I learned in Bolivian Sign Language. I asked him if he was hiding behind a tree the other day and all he did was laugh and say yes. This is a blast really. Sign Language!!! But I have been thinking...I have a feeling that I will not go back to studying ASL....I think I´ll minor in Spanish at BYUH so I can cultivate the gift of tongues and continue speaking the language. I think that would be awesome and also a blessing.

So as I mentioned, we had intercambios. It has been rainy these few days but when it doesn´t rain, it can be really hot or really cold. Its a bipolar climate here. You never know. But during intercambios or companion exchanges, I was in the other area with my sister trainer. Her area is a hill...and full of dirt. And after it raining so much it was pure mud. I was in muddy shoes.....but that day was great. I learned a lot :). Plus I missed my companion, but I was able to learn!

I have been helping my companion learn english this week and she has improved tremendously. She has gotten to a point to share her testimony with me in English every morning. I´m so proud of her!

When I study, Joshua, the Balderrrama´s family which we live with, their son who is 6 years old, always visits me at my window. This morning he came to say hi to me and just started to talk to me. One day we promised him that we would play with him at night when we get home, but that night we were sooooo busy and all I heard was a knock at the window and after at the door. He was waiting for me with his soccer ball. I quickly did everything and got to play with him for a few moments. Hahaha but here are a few pictures of him, from my view from my desk, from his view from the window. Plus that morning I found out that my camera can take pictures by itself by detecting smiles. I was stunned that it was taking pictures when I wasn´t even touching the button...hahahahaha

I was able to buy a skirt for one peso.....that is one seventh of a dollar....that is amazing. 

Yesterday was the fireside in our stake. I had to sing and I was nervoussssssss. But it was a beautiful fireside. We had truly felt the spirit the entire time. I loved every testimony and message we heard. I can honestly say that the mission is changing me...its changing everything about me that I can´t even remember who I was before at home. I had never felt so much love for others and for the gospel. I had never felt so compelled to serve our Lord until that very day at the temple when I prayed and asked God if He wanted me to serve a mission....and I am so grateful for that day...and the moments that had brought me to that day to bring me to where I am today. 

It our last week in this transfer...and I have no idea what exactly what I want...to leave or to stay...I love this area so much, our pension, our investigators....And Jenny will be getting baptized in two weeks! I love her so much...I seen so much changes in her and how the spirit is working through her.....But iré y haré lo que el Señor me mande que yo haga. 

As for packages.....can you send me some hersey kisses with almonds? or just normal chocolate bars of hersey with almonds? I miss that good stuff. 

Oh and little of culture background of Bolivia..I was always meaning to tell you all. NO ONE wants it to be their birthday in Bolivia. Why? Because they throw raw eggs in your hair...also flour. And you have to bite the cake after blowing the candles and its most likely there will be someone behind you to shove your face into the cake.......I´m not letting anyone know that my birthday is coming up...or I´ll just stay home all day...lol 

I love you all so much. I hope the family in Thailand can come back to Hawaii or at least I can go there to visit them. I would love that so much. I love you and I know that this gospel is true. I know that the Savior lives....I know that the Lord is preparing people to receive the gospel in their lives. I know it with all my heart.

Have a wonderful week. 

Until next week!

Hna Santeco