I don't know where exactly to start because there is so much to say, but first thing first is that I have been putting grandma's name in the temple every time I go. I actually put Sister Soh's name in just this Tuesday. I felt prompted to do so. Please extend my love to them. And as for grandma as well. Ah it just hurts my heart, but because of the plan of salvation, I gain comfort from our trials.
So I have a latin companion. Her name is Hermana Bedoya. She is from Colombia and serving the Bogota Norte Mission. She is the only member in her family and apparently she left her mom living by herself. So it was a huge sacrifice. Most of the latin missionaries here have lived hard lives. It just makes me feel so sad. But they are so in tune with the spirit. I want to be like that. With my new companion, I am really learning how to be patient. Like REALLY patient. She takes 3 showers a day. THREE. and she just likes to take her time you know? And if you know me, I can get ready pretty fast. She also likes to wake up at 5:30 everyday....I had such a hard time being patient, but I have gotten better. She always thanks me for my patience. I also made a new friend, Hermana Ferrusca! She is from Mexico. I need a photo with her. I had no time to take pictures. But seriously she is the sweetest. I love her so much I told her she can marry Gabriel so we could be sisters. By the way Gabe, there are two sisters here who want to marry you because they love asian boys. One of them is from Bolivia. She is gorgeous. I approve.
So I have a latin companion. Her name is Hermana Bedoya. She is from Colombia and serving the Bogota Norte Mission. She is the only member in her family and apparently she left her mom living by herself. So it was a huge sacrifice. Most of the latin missionaries here have lived hard lives. It just makes me feel so sad. But they are so in tune with the spirit. I want to be like that. With my new companion, I am really learning how to be patient. Like REALLY patient. She takes 3 showers a day. THREE. and she just likes to take her time you know? And if you know me, I can get ready pretty fast. She also likes to wake up at 5:30 everyday....I had such a hard time being patient, but I have gotten better. She always thanks me for my patience. I also made a new friend, Hermana Ferrusca! She is from Mexico. I need a photo with her. I had no time to take pictures. But seriously she is the sweetest. I love her so much I told her she can marry Gabriel so we could be sisters. By the way Gabe, there are two sisters here who want to marry you because they love asian boys. One of them is from Bolivia. She is gorgeous. I approve.
The second day with a latin companion, I kind of had a break down...a melt down. I was in a district full of Latins and I could not understand anything they were saying. They were talking SOOOOO FAST. Then when my companion asked if I understood, I just broke into tears. I talked it out with Hermana Dyer and she helped me so much to relieve of my stress. I also had a blessing from President Dyer. They told me what I was feeling is normal. It feel overwhelmed and frustrated. But seriously, I was torned. When President Dyer gave me a blessing, it was incredible. He was once a patriarch, and so when he gave me the blessing, I really felt like I was receiving another patriachal blessing. It was the BEST blessing I had thus far, besides the ones dad gives me. The next day, he came up to me and asked if I noticed something special in my blessing. I said, "I noticed a lot of things...." and he said, "I had a strong impression to say in your blessing that after you learn the language you will be teaching it in your future". He said that..He said he felt that! It gave me so much hope and appreciation for the priesthood authority where we can receive messages from our Heavenly Father. Can you believe that? I have the blessing in store to be teaching the language!
I have gotten better at speaking. I see improvement each day. My district is awesome. They always pray for me to be able to understand them and to be able to speak the things of my heart. Once we were watching a video and it was in English. Then they all looked at me saying, "No entiendo." They wanted me to translate and I was like uhhhhh "Eso!" (That). Then I realized that their spanish subtitles were frozen hahahaha. Even one elder said, "It's not fair for you to not understand us...but we here for you". His english is really rusty. But really they are so encouraging. They make me pray in spanish so I can practice more. They make me read and say that I am improving. I am so blessed to have a district that is so patient with me. I taught them individually lessons and they all said they have felt the spirit even though I speak slow. I am sooooo happy.
We went prostelyting yesterday. It was hard because people are so hardhearted here. Most of them are catholic or Jehovah Witnesses. But then there were a few people that were really prepared to hear the gospel in their lives.
Can you believe that this is my last pday? I don't know when my next pday will be in the field. I am honestly really nervous, but so excited to go because I can finally teach REAL investigators. This past sunday I learned something really sweet that I love to keep in mind. It is that we have help from the other side..our ancestors are praying for us. Ancestors of people here who don't have the gospel are praying that their family will receive the word of God. I also learned that we can ask for help from our ancestors...our angels to help us. I prayed for grandpa and lolo and lola to be with me and seriously I am not kidding that I could feel them with me while I taught. It was so comforting. Try it! I promise you can feel them with you.
I got Marvelyn's letter from dearElder, but I didn't get yours yet :( entonces...I will ask if they could forward it to me when it gets here. I want your letters! One day I was craving everything. BBQ, Pizza Hut, Mom's cooking, taco bell, jack in the box, pandas....it was depressing. When I come home we better eat everything and I mean it even if I am getting fat here...
Oh! So I was able to escort my companion through the temple on tuesday. I thought I would only escort my future daughters. I guess not! It was such a blessing and priviledge to be there for her. It was a beautiful experience.
General conference is here! So excited! I love hearing all the words from the Prophet and apostles. I have learned that you show the spirit that you are ready to learn when you write things down. And that is why I always write things down. I want to be ready for the people who are waiting for me in Bolivia. I can testify you that the spirit really guides through love and patience. I want to become more like our Savior. I am so happy to hear that you are feeling so blessed at home while I am gone. I can not believe I have been out for a month and a half already. It freaks me out.
My next email will be from BOLIVIA!!!!!!!!!
Yo quiero compartir mi testimonio...se que Dios nos da su amor para que podamos recordar su hijo, Jesucristo. Se que mi familia es eterna. Mi familia es una gran bendición en mi vida. Les amo mucho. Yo necesito tener paciencia y todos los atributos de Cristo. Se que la Iglesia de Jesucristo es verdadera. José Smith es un profeta de Dios. Yo estoy muy agradecida por todas las cosas que yo aprendí en mi vida. Se que aprenderé mas. Muchas gracias por sus oraciones para mi. Les amo mucho.
Siempre con amor,
Hermana Santeco
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