Training Hermana Geronimo

Week 19

Buenas!!

What a wonderful week! I can honestly say I have been the happiest this week than in all of my mission up to this point. Every night we are super exhausted, but we are sooooo happy. Now I understand that as we work harder, we really do feel more accomplished. My new companion has so much energy from the CCM and is so great about being willing to work hard. It has been amazing.

So yesterday at church we had a record breaking 42 people at church!!! It was wonderful!! 

Nora, Roy, and Wendoline update:

They are amazing! Yesterday was their 2nd Sunday at church, and after church they were like, "You guys are still going to come over today, right?!" And then when we went over to their house last night we talked all about baptism and we have started to plan their baptism!! For the 13 of Feb! They are so wonderful! So this week, Roy, got in ANOTHER car accident! It is a miracle that he is fine!

Benjamin:

We were contacting in the Fincas* (where they grow and process bananas) and we contacted into Benjamin! He is 17, and let us come in and talk to him and his family. We taught them about the Plan of Salvation. And at the end of the lesson we asked how he felt, and he said "I feel like all of this is true." The lesson went so well! And the siblings were all very quiet and listened!

Well you might be wondering about my companion! Her name is Hermana Geronimo! She is from Mexico! She is awesome! And yesterday was her birthday! So we cooked in the house! There is a picture of what we made. It was super rico!!!

It has been FREEEEEZING cold this week! I have worn a sweater every day!!!

Ponderizing scripture: Alma 48:15 I like this one because we have to have faith and act!!

Sorry I don't have much time, but more to come next week!

Love you all!

-Hermana Garrett

*finca = farm or plantation

Hermana Gerónimo's Birthday Meal

"We had a record-breaking 42 people at church!"

Reunited with my MTC companion

Week 18

Hola familia y amigos!! 

Wow, this week was calidad!! We started off the week with divisions! I had an Hermana Leader that came to Los Amates to work with me. She actually goes home Wednesday! So it was awesome to talk to someone with so much experience!! 

Also, today we have cambios (changes)!! And big news, I am staying in Los Amates! Also, I'M TRAINING!! I am super excited!! I will meet my new compañera(companion) tomorrow!!

Tender mercy of the week: SO on Tuesday we were contacting in a new area, and there was a lady that walked out of her house and so we decided to contact her, and asked if she had a moment to talk. Well she let's us in, and starts to tell us how when she was younger and lived in the capital she went to activities at our church, like mutual and things like that. Then she continued to tell us how the Elders had come by her house here in Amates a while ago and read something out of The Book of Mormon to her. She really enjoyed it, and had lots of questions, but wasn´t comfortable asking the elders right then. But after they left she decided that if she saw them again she would stop them and ask. 

This is where we come in. So it was amazing because the Elders planted a seed, and then we were able to step in and answer her questions! She is amazing. Her name is Nora. She has 4 children, Roy(17), Wendoline(15), Fernando(10), and Sharon(4). We continued to teach them throughout the week, and then we went over on Saturday to make sure they would come to church, and before we could even remind her, she said, ¨now you guys are coming over at 8:30 tomorrow to pick us up for church, right?¨ Never has an investigator ever been so excited to go to church that they confirm with US!! Anyway, so they came to church, it was wonderful, they had lots of great questions, the son wants to go on a mission, and Nora, Roy, and Wendoline have baptismal dates for the 13 of Feb!! 

So I feel super blessed to be able to teach them. They are amazing. We also went to a nursing home on Sunday with the Elders. We sang hymns, showed them pictures, and shared some spiritual thoughts. It was super.

So this week I am ponderizing D&C 43:16.

Love you all so much!!

-Hermana Garrett

Our district

The Elders on the bus

At the beach (Playa Dorada)

Week 17

Buenas!!

This week was a fun one! We went to the cap on Monday for a doctors appointment for my companion. She is fine, just has been having pain in her shoulder. She is doing better now. We ate McDonalds breakfast.. so it was a successful trip! :) I never like McDonalds before.. haha

We had an amazing zone meeting on Wednesday about changing the Culture around here. Not changing the culture like the customs, but changing us! We can always change. I loved that reminder. They really focused on the small and simple things that we can do to change. It is amazing how little things really can add up. So we have resolved to work on one thing a week, and it has really helped us re-focus! I highly encourage it! Just take one thing at a time!!

A few quick moments from this week:

-had a contact in English, it was so odd to talk to someone in English in the streets! haha

-We contacted a deaf kid, he was so nice, and now we see him EVERYWHERE and his dad was the driver of our bus this morning, and he used to live in Utah and Vegas! Small world. We had a good conversation! 

-Lets just say Spanish over the phone is so different.. that made for some interesting moments this week haha

-we made stuffing and potatoes... it was amazing. I almost cried.

-Hermana Mendoza and I are always thinking the same thing.. haha

-There were no clouds in the sky the other day and we got super burnt! In January! Who would have thought!

-We watched Meet the Mormons with our group, and it was so awesome! I understood most of it, but I don't know if that is just because I have in memorized in English orrrr I actually understand Spanish..let's just say it is a little of both! :)

-There is a blue tuk tuk driver here that is so nice! He will give us free rides around town sometimes, and it always seems to be when we are both needing it the most! Tender mercies!

-We met a new investigator in Quirigua! Her name is Lila. She is amazing, and has a true desire to change and do everything to live with God again. She has a baptismal date for Feb. 6.

After the doctors appointment, the doctor said that Hermana Mendoza should not carry much on her back. So we decided that I would just put all of her stuff in my bag! I was a little worried at first that the heat and the weight would catch up to me, but let me tell you, miracles happen. I know there is no way that I have been carrying that backpack on my own this week. I am so thankful. It has been an amazing week. 

Ponderizing: Alma 46:9: This is talking about Amalickiah. He was super bad. You might think it is a strange one to ponderize, but I think it is so important to remember that it only takes one. It takes one ¨negative Nancy¨ to ruin a fun day. We can always have a positive impact if we choose.

Love you all tons!

-Hermana Garrett

Week 16

Buenas!!!

This is going to be a short email! Sorry!! First off, Feliz ano nuevo!!! We celebrated with Hermana Lupita and her husband Dennis! They are wonderful! She made sooooo much food!! Dennis speaks English and is hilarious! He is also atheist. So that makes for interesting conversations. She is amazing. Dennis calls Lupita a Mormon already. She basically already is one! She had an amazing experience this week! She is having lots of problems with her son. He is making some poor choices right now. So she got her Book of Mormon and randomly opened it to Mormon 9:27. It was EXACTLY what she needed to hear. It was so great for us to see her testimony grow as she told us about this!!

Vilma is still so great. She told us this week that her sons have told her that they can see the change in her. They told her she is happier. I know that is what can happen with this Gospel!! How amazing!!

La familia Alonzo Paau is really progressing also! They are all giving up Coffee, and the son Carlos is doing great! Doris the daughter came to church yesterday! She is so strong and will be a great member! They have a baptismal date for the 30th!!

Ponderizing: Alma 26:11-12 I love how he says ¨As to my strength I am weak¨ Oh how I can liken this scripture unto myself. I love these verses. It is so true. With God we really honestly can do all things. By ourselves we are nothing. 

Sorry I don´t have much time!

Love you all

-Hermana Garrett