BK (Burger King), YW (Young Women), and OJ(Olga and Jorge, haha)

The Zone in Burger King crowns!

The Young Women in the Branch

Jorge and Olga

District & PANTS!

Here is from our last district meeting of the change, we will see how many change areas!

Um just so you guys know.... WE ARE IN PANTS!!!! We are now allowed to wear them
when we are proselyting to prevent the bug bites!

Week 42

Happy 4th of July!!!!! Hope you all enjoy your watermelon, fireworks, and time with family and friends!! We celebrated today with a nice hike (I sent pictures).

Well this week went pretty well! Here are the highlights:

-We had a Noche de Hermanamiento, which is kind of like a Family Home Evening, but with families and investigators in every neighborhood. We had a great turn out in our area!

-We had a superb District Meeting! We talked about enduring to the end and setting goals. Both things I can improve! :)

-In divisions Martha accepted a date to get baptized!! She is awesome, and basically already a member. She is the mother of Maritza that got baptized about a month ago. Martha just needs to get married to her husband... 

-Also, Melvin, (the son of Maribel that got baptized last week) accepted a date to get baptized!!! 

-There was an activity for the Youth in Zacapa, and we had 9 investigators that went!! We weren´t able to go, but they all loved it!!

-We had some members of the district that came to weigh children and see if they are underweight, or have any problems. We had lots of our investigators that were able to get vitamins and incaprina for their kids.  

-My companions had their final interviews with the president. That was a little sad.. 

Ponderizing: D&C 112:14 and 28 I love the invitations in these verses. 

Well love you all!!! 

-Hermana Garrett

Bones, Birthdays, and Beautiful Views

Happy Birthday to my companion!

Happy 1-year anniversary to Hermana Perry on divisions

Baptism

Week 41

HOLAAAAAA!!!

Well this week flew by!! Here are the highlights!!

Monday:

We went to the museum (I sent some pictures) that is here in Estanzuela. Then in the evening my companions had to do something for President, so I went to a few Family Home Evenings with some members. That was fun! :)

Tuesday:

Multi zone conference, that was awesome!!! We got a call while we were in the bus from the Assistants asking if we could give a 30 min workshop on how to help investigators go to church. So that was crazy!!!! But it went well! And now in theory we should be off the hook for a little bit! :)

Wednesday:

Maribell had her interview, and it went super well. She was so excited afterwards. 

Thursday:

We had divisions with the sisters from Teculatan. They are pretty great and we were able to have lots of wonderful moments. It was also my companions birthday and we surprised her with a cake!! :)

Friday:

We contacted a reference, and she ended up being super pilas (cool)!! Her name is Beatrice. She even attempted to go to church yesterday, but she didn't know where it was, and the tuk tuk drove her all over the place trying to find it, and then her daughter was crying so she decided to go back home, but this next week we are going to walk with her to church! :)

Saturday:

MARIBEL GOT BAPTIZED!!! It went so smoothly!! It was so great to see her all in white. She has been working with the missionaries for 6 months. She is a miracle. Then after the baptism we went to visit Jorge, and he is doing well. His brother joined us in the lesson, and at the end of the lesson he said the prayer and it was so powerful.

Sunday:

We had 5 investigators at church! And Maribel told us a story, that when she got home from church her neighbor started to make fun of her saying that ¨she is a mormon and that she doesnt even believe in God¨, and Maribel said ¨yes, I am 100% Mormon, every part of my body, and you cannot judge me, because you havent even talked to the missionaries.¨ Well last night she was there in our lesson and said that we could come back on Tuesday. Her name in Milagro. which means miracle. 

Ponderizing: D&C 105:19 I love this because it says that God always hears our prayers, but sometimes we have to have trials of our faith. 

Well love you all!!!

-Hermana Garrett

Week 40

HOLA!!!

Well folks, this week was one for the books! First off, I am 9 months into the mission. THAT IS CRAZY!!! And well here is a quick overview of the rest of the week!

-We had a Family Home Evening with a family that we have reactivated and with some investigators, and it went suuuuuuper well! And the reactivated family is now on the ball. They are always giving us names of people we can visit.

-We are now able to do 3 way divisions!! That is just about the coolest thing because we are 3X more effective!!! :) The sisters in the branch are sure helping us a ton! And for the first time in my mission we had more lessons with members than we did without!! 

-Rebecca: So she is 24 yrs old. The only family member that hasn't passed away is her aunt. She lives alone and is going to school. She is really great, and this week she read the pamphlet that talks about the plan of salvation and was super happy when we told her that she really can be with her family again. 

-We found a new family!! Ana Virginia and Victor Alejandro! They are so awesome! More to come on them next week!

-We had divisions with the Hermanas in San Jorge. That was fun. We got eaten alive by mosquitoes! That was not fun. But it sure made me thankful for my area! :)

-We had a movie night with the branch, and we had 15 investigators show up! That was pretty awesome!! And when we got there they were having problems with the disk. So us missionaries got together and said a prayer that everything would work out. Well a few moments later the other missionary remembered that he also had Meet the Mormons on his USB that was in his house. So they ran to their house to get the USB. Well the USB worked, and it taught me a lesson that Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, but not always in the way we expect! 

-Maribel is getting baptized this Saturday!! Pray that everything goes smoothly!! :)

Ponderizing: D&C 101:36 ¨Wherefore, fear not even unto death; for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full.¨ This just reminds me that even if we think we are happy here, we are going to be EVEN MORE happy after this life!! But I also thought about how the world offers lots of THINGS to make us ¨happy¨, phones, money, advancements, movies, etc, but these things will not bring us JOY. We find JOY in Jesus Christ and in his church. We find JOY in living the Gospel. We find JOY in being obedient. And if we can find JOY in these things while here on the earth, we are going to be so very joyful in the life to come.

Well I love you all. Have a great week!

-Hermana Garrett

Joana's Baptism

Week 39

HOLA!!!

Well this week was pretty great! 

-Okay first thing is first. Last P-day we played soccer. On turf fields. That in and of itself was enough to make my whole week!!! But other than that we had a super great week! Here is what happened!

-Joana got baptized!!!! We had so many members and investigators that came that we had to make 2 trips! That was a great problem to have! She was glowing after she got out of the water. And it was sure a tender mercy when we had the interview, because normally her dad is at home (she is 24, but lives with her dad and sister), but he wasn't there when we went for the interview. But we needed a male so that the Elders could have the interview... So we started to pray, and a few moments later, Francisco, one of our other investigators walked by. And he was willing to go and be at the interview with us. What a blessing!

-Maribell this week told us that she is ready to get baptized! She said the wait is over, and now I am ready!!!

-We had divisions with the Hermanas from La Reforma this week. They were sure awesome! There was one moment when we were with a member of the branch, and all of our plans had fallen through, and I honestly didn't know where we should go. So we said a prayer, and the hermana from the branch said, I know where we need to go, and took us to a less active, and it ended up being such a spiritual lesson!! 

-Heavenly Father really does prepare people, and then help us find them when they are ready. We have been teaching a part member family, and this week the brother of the mother of this family (his name is Ronny) was there for one lesson. Well yesterday when we passed by their house to take them to church, he was all ready to go! And we hadn't even planned on him going! He told us as we were walking to church that he want´s to get baptized, he wants to change, and we explained that he has to change some things in his life, but he was all smiles and like yes, I can work on that!!

Well this week I am ponderizing D&C 90:24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

-Hermana Garrett

Week 38

HOLA!!!

So this week was a pretty great one! Here are the highlights!!

-We had been teaching Kareni for a while, but then she started to not have time, or was about to leave, so we stopped visiting her (this was about 5 weeks ago). Well, this week we decided to stop by her house and she was so receptive! She kept asking when we could come back. It was great timing because she had been reading the Book of Mormon just a few days before we visited her and had questions!

-We had a lesson with Maribell last week, and she was really distraught and didn't want to accept what we were saying about the temple. Well this week when we passed by to visit her, she was so much better. She was more open, and said that she is starting to accept it more. She was caught on the fact that even if a person is bad here on earth, they can end up with God after this life. She did't think that was fair, and so she didn't think that the temple was necessary... Well, after lots of prayer, some from her, more from us, she is all good now and understands how merciful our Heavenly Father is.

-We had a little challenge on Saturday to see how many people we could invite to church, and although we spent a lot of time teaching English classes, and also classes to learn how to read and write, we were able to invite 54 people. And Sunday we had 54 people! :) Obviously not all from our invitations, but I thought that was pretty cool that we invited the same number of people that came! :)

-Well Johana is going to get baptized this week!!! She is so awesome! Last week we told her that she should start to read the Book of Mormon from the beginning, and when we asked her how it was going she was like, well I am in 2 Nephi 10.... And started telling us all about everything! It was awesome!

Funny Moments:

-One investigator asked in her prayer that ¨these sisters might have strength like the buffalo¨ ... That was a first :) I guess buffalos are pretty strong. :)

-Oh and you know you are in Guatemala when you have to have a fish in your pila (sink) to eat all the larvae so that you don't have a ton of mosquitoes in your house!

-My companion, well Hermana Bertha is vegetarian, and her mom sent a whole package full of beef jerky!!!! FULL!!! It was for someone in her last area, but she died*! SO MUCH MEAT!! haha

-We have changed tortillas in Guatemala. Revolutionary movement. We have started making tortillas in the shape of stars, butterflies, flowers, moons, and suns! The kids love it, and the moms look at us like, what are you doing? Tortillas only come in circles? Were you raised making tortillas? :) But they always end up smiling and trying to make one too! :) 

Ponderizing: D&C 84:85, 88

Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.

And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Well love you all!!

-Hermana Garrett

*CLARIFICATION: in the mission, there is quite a bit of jargon. "To die" means to end the mission, not physically dying!

Week 37

Buenas!!!!

Well this week was full of miracles!! Here they are!

-We were able to have divisions with the sisters in the ward and were able to pass our goals for the week

-Maritza got baptized!! And her mom, Martha shared her testimony at the baptism, and man. She hadn't told us, but she fasted 2 times so that her husband could give permission to Maritza to get baptized. She isn't a member, but is just as strong as one. 

​

-Alicia accepted a date to get baptized! That is a huge miracle!!

-We have a new fridge and blender... :)

-I killed the scorpion...

​

-Jorge is progressing so much! And the youth are getting him involved in everything! The branch President passed by his house to invite him to an activity in another ward, and he went! He also went to the baptism of Maritza and brought his brothers! And he came to church yesterday! He has a baptismal date for the 25 of June!

-We had divisions with Gualan, and we were able to see lots of miracles! We also made our own burritos!

​

Well this week I am ponderizing D&C 82:10 10 "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." I love this promise. And as a missionary I am seeing why it is so important that we are exactly obedient. We can see miracles when we are obedient with exactness.

Well I love you all!

-Hermana Garrett

Week 36

HOLA!!!!!!

So this week has been a good one!!

Here are some of the Milagros (or miracles for my English friends :) )

-We had a lesson with Alicia (one of our most stubborn investigators) and she cried during the lesson and was super open, and was the first time that I have really felt the Spirit in a lesson with her!

-Melvin (the son of one of our investigators) accepted a date to get baptized! He is super stellar!

-Jorge and Alejandro came to the District conference on Saturday, and Jorge also came on Sunday although his family didn't want to go!! And he loved it!

-The Sisters in the ward went out on divisions with us yesterday so that we could meet our goals for the week!

-Our investigator Maritza finally has permission from her mom to get baptized

-The power came on in the middle of the District conference when it was really starting to get dark!

-We are constantly finding mangos in the streets. They are our mangos from Heaven. We are always eating mangos between lessons! haha

-Today we get to finally buy another fridge! After a week without one I have really come to appreciate cold water... cold milk... cold fruit... haha 

-We had 6 investigators at the conference on Saturday!

And just for your information, everyone thinks that my new companion and I are sisters! haha I mean we are all brothers and sisters, so they aren't exactly wrong.. :)

Ponderizing 

D&C 58:4

LOVE YOU ALL!!! I´ll have pictures to send next week!

-Hermana Garrett

Preparation Day in Esquipulas

Zone, Ward Activity (Tree of Life), and Pretty Moment

I really wish she had explained what the stuffed animals with celebrity faces was all about. Haha

Temple Sealing of the Barrias Family

Week 35

HEY HEY!!!

Well this week's phrase is "If you are comfortable you aren't growing."

Monday we had Family Home Evening with Johana and Maribell, it went super well!! Oh and also we went to Esquipulas! That was super interesting! I sent some photos of that!

We had divisions with the Hermanas of Guastatoya this week! They sure are great! They were with us on Mother's Day (which is always on the 10th in Central America) and there were not many people home, but we were still able to have a great day with them! But then on Wednesday they could not return because there was some type of manifestation and the buses were not passing through! SO we had another day with them, and it was pretty great! We had an activity in the ward where we did an obstacle course where people were trying to make it to the tree of life, but they were blind folded and also there were 2 people guiding them. One for good and the other for bad. It went super well, and we had lots of people there!!

Then the highlight of the week was when we went to the temple for the sealing of the Barrias Family!! They are so amazing! And there were 4 sets of missionaries in the sealing! And the mission president was there with his wife. What a wonderful day. 

Then we also had a new addition to our companionship. Her name is Hermana Bertha. She is from California, and has 8 weeks left in the mission. 

We had a lesson with Jorge yesterday, and wow! He is so awesome! He went to church and after was asking if he can go to seminary and how he can go to the temple because all the youth were talking about how great it was! He is reading the Book of Mormon and is really progressing! 

Well I sure do love you all!!

-Hermana Garrett 

Mutual and Exchanges

Sister missionaries are responsible for the youth in the ward, and therefore
holding weekly Mutual activities for the Young Men and Young Women

Sisters in San Jorge

NOTE: Sister Training Leaders in Amy's mission work as 4 missionaries on exchanges
(i.e., they alternate which area all of them work in rather than "exchanging"
one sister in a companionship with a Sister Training Leader)

Week 33

HEY HEY!!!

Well this week was pretty great! It sure feels like Vegas here! I like it lots! :)

Well to start off, Monday night we had a super great lesson with an older sister in the ward. She is my new hero! She is always so excited to go on visits with us and I always feel bad about taking her all over the town, but she always says she can keep going! She is great!!

We also had interviews with President Crapo and his wife. I have had so many missionaries tell me that I act just like Sister Crapo, and my companion told her this week that ¨she has sister crapo with her 24/7¨ :)

Well we contacted into a lady this week, Maria de Rosario, and it turned out to be a great lesson! We taught Maria, her son, and 3 of his friends! The son and the friends are all about 13-14 years old, but were so attentive and answered all of our questions! 

We also taught a new investigator, well new for us, Joel. He is 14 years old and is just amazing. He went to seminary all of last year, and has only missed a few days this year. A year ago when he asked, his parents said that he could not get baptized, but this week we invited him to baptism in July, and he said yes. So now we are going to work really hard on his parents. 

Well this week it rained super hard in Estanzuela! The first time my comp has had rain in the last 6 months here!!!!! We also found a scorpion in the kitchen, that was fun to kill. 

We also had divisions this week with the sisters in Teculatan! That was super great, and we all learned lots! It was so hot, we could not sleep... that was rough, but the rest went well!!!

Ponderizing: D&C 29:4-6 I really like these verses. And I love in verse 6 how it says that if we pray, with faith, we will receive all that we ask for. 

Well sure do love you all and look forward to talking to the fam on Sunday!!!

-Hermana Garrett

oh and the photo.. they even sell smoothies in bags...

Sister Training Leader

Guastatoya

Teculatán

Gualán

New Companion - Hermana Hernandez