4 meses!!!!

Holaaaaa Familia!!!!

Esta semana fue maravillosa. Wehhh English, english, english. So we worked hard. Like so hard that our body aches. We were at first struggling to help the family that we are teaching to progress. Mostly because we needed the permission from the parents in order for their children to be baptized. The problem was that their parents were never home. Well...mostly that their father wasn´t. In the beginning they told us that they didn´t want their children baptized yet but wanted to learn more. But after many prayers, faith building moments, and being EXACTLY OBEDIENT...one day we went to visit them and to teach them the doctrine of Christ in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nefí 31. It was powerful. Using the Book of Mormon in a lesson is key. The book brings and carries the spirit into the lesson and the investigators can really see what power it contains. We invited them to be baptized on a certain date again and they accepted. Then we talked about the situation of permission. It so happens that their father told them that they can be baptized. It was a miracle! I was soooo happy! and I still am. We had 4 of our investigators come to church yesterday. It was a crazy day. Running around in our ward...200 members or more in our ward. 50 primary children. It was a rush. We ran here and there to make sure they were with a member to help them around and that they were in good state. But really...usually its SO HARD to have our investigators to come. We had to pick up a few of them in the morning. We left our house at 6:30 and took 2 trufis to their house. It was freezing cold too....like smoke out of your mouth cold. I am not in Hawaii no mó!! We also had a man that we are teaching who had a hard time accepting a baptismal date because he didn´t quite want to change his life just yet. But after an amazing lesson, he is coming to church now and we can see how much his spirit is growing and learning by just looking into his eyes. I was always told that eyes are the windows to their soul. And really, you can see that something is happening..and its a good thing.

We had lunch with a member this past saturday, which is normal and we did not know where the house was. When it comes to addresses here and directions....there is no labels or numbers on the houses. When we receive a person´s address it is like this: Its up 2 blocks and 1 and a half blocks to the left, curve up 5 blocks, there´s a store in the corner, and my house is the one with a black door. -______- It is the hardest part for me to be honest. To find houses! When we receive references and they don´t have a phone number...can you imagine how hard that is? Yeah its tough...but we are gonna do it. But anyways...the lunch at the members house. We had to walk 8 blocks uphill and go left 3 blocks and up a hill 2 blocks. Did I mention that one block is like from our house to the Veras´ House???? ES LEJOS! LEJISIMO! Its far....My legs are in pain but its a good kind of pain. Good thing lunch was ricooooooo. It was delicioso!!!

I have been training for two weeks and I learn something new each day from her. Besides patience....haha I learned a lot about teaching people with love. The way she teaches in the lessons is incredible. She invites the spirit so quickly. It was really hard in the beginning because it was a lot of pressure, but after we had worked so hard everyday that we have, it does get easier. There is a quote in preach my gospel in the attributes of Christ under the attribute of diligence. It is by one of the general authorities which says that the secret to missionary work is to work. When we work so hard, we will have the espirit and when we have the espirit, we will teach by the espirit and when we teach by the espirit, we will touch the hearts of the people we teach, and we will be so happy. This is an incredible promise and I can testify that it is true. This promise is fulfilled when we work hard.

Presidente Dyer and Hermana Dyer left the mission this past weekend and we officially have our new presidente Hansen and Hermana Hansen here in the mission. It was really hard to say bye to them. It just crushed my heart all over again. Ah the mission really plays with your heart but it is really a blessing. I have some pictures of them when they dressed up like a cholita and choilto. Hermana Dyer´s final talk in the mission was all about eternal marriage. I swear she made all of us trunky in wanting to get married already. But it was hilarious because she had us write down notes and advice that she gave us. She taught us something that I realized recently. The mission really does prepare you for marriage. You have a companion that you have to be with 24/7 and you have to talk to them when there are problems or you won´t be able to have the spirit and if you don´t have the spirit you won´t have any success. Then there is cleaning....you have to help each other clean. You have to clean the mess even if its not yours. You have to serve each other to build up the love and the spirit in our companionship. It was hard for me to love my companion in the beginning, but after all these things that I pushed myself to do, I have grown to love her. Her first night with me, after she said her personal prayer, she cried. It was already past curfew and I got up and talked with her telling her that I was here for her if she needed anything because really I knew what she was feeling. She could kind of also see that I was nervous as her trainer, but I told her straight that I may not be perfect in the language but I am here to do whatever it takes to work with her and to help her adjust to the mission. What we do to be bonded is...we eat bread and jelly every night before bed. hahahaha we love to eat! I hope that my husband can eat. He better....or I´m going to be the fat one in the family.

We taught a lesson in Church yesterday about missionary work and the need of help from the members. It was incredible. We can truly see that we have made an impact on the ward to change their hearts and put a little more effort in the work. So Kahuku 1st ward, help the missionaries! Help them to find people to teach and accompany them in the lessons. Recognize the happiness, peace, and the knowledge that you have and share it with others who could use it. Recognize the atonement in our lives which gives us the hope and the joy in this life. There are people who are searching for that hope. The atonement is for everyone. Not just for the members of the church but for every child of God. We are all children of God. Jesus did not only die for me, but for all of you. We all have trials and tribulations and as well as the for the need for the love of God. I can not imagine my life without knowing that my Savior lives and that we do have hope to have a fullness of joy in our lives. He blesses me with a family that is eternal and the restored gospel. The restored priesthood and a prophet that leads and guides us in these latter days.

This week I am really gonna work hard until I can´t sit down for a moment....oh marvy? Can you send me a black pareo? Everyone is asking me to dance for them but I can´t do it in my skirt...its weird....hahaha So it looks like I really might be dancing in our ward activity. I´m kinda of nervous because I haven´t danced since I was home.

Thank you for your love and emails! If you can, please pray for the people we are teaching that they may be provided a way to be baptized..1 nefi 3:7. He always provides away but we need some help and your faithful prayers! Enjoy your week. Your summer in Hawaii...in the nice warm sun and at the BEACH. ahhhh! I miss the beach and bbq days with the family. When I come home, lets plan a whole week of things to do please before I go back to BYUH.

The language is coming. Slowly and slowly. Its important to understand sometimes because Hermana Torrico, who lives with us fainted the other day and hit her head on a rock and broke the rock in half. Apparently I understood nothing of what she said until we had to go to the hospital....bahahaha but she is fine. I learned how to say faint in spanish! That´s good right??? I am learning....and I am enjoying every moment I have here in Bolivia. Its a gran opportunidad. Una bendición y ojala que ustedes son bendicidas tambien, mi familia? ojala. es dificil para ser una misionera pero es una maravillosa adventura.....Felicidades a las personas que recibieron sus llamamientos misionales. Disfruten sus misiones! No es facil pero es la mejor cosa podemos hacer en nuestras visas.

Les amo mucho y muchisimas gracias por todo. Disfrute su vida aca en la tierra. Aprenda mucho y siga adelante.

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Santeco :)

HERE'S SOME PICTURES :)

 

service project!!!! i was playing with the elders and the kids in the yard after we weeded out grass and such 

con hermana hill!!! i love red.....only in the mission i like red. sorry kahuku red raiders...so late me. 

we were teaching recent converts. chilimarca!!! a lot of houses in chilimarca are like that. 

alejandra and hermana santeco. she named her cat after me :)

hna and presidente dyer!! farewell day with them!! 

we were at the hospital waiting for hna torrico to come out from exams.

 

con carlitos!!!!! Con Carlitos y Manuelito

kisocos with preguntas de la alma! its not easy doing those things. we sit and wait for people to give them their info for references. not really effective....

Hermana Torrico and her stone in half. fainted and broke it with her head.