Mark 16:15

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Mark 16:15

Elder Weston and Elder Quimiz

 

Yeah forgot my notes so I am gonna wing it.

First and foremost!!! There is an elder here who leaves December 12. He is from Sandy, Utah. He is a super nice person and agreed to deliver a Christmas package for you guys! (: wooooooo Thank You Elder Hawks!! A.K.A. life saver. I gave him your address and your phone number so expect a call and a visitor.

My comp found a spider in her bed and we were up till midnight trying to kill it because we were both afraid, she finally used her sunscreen.

Idiot of the week story.... So yesterday we were at a member's house helping them clean and there were a ton of bugs.  So I was like "Hermana do you have any repellent??" and she said yes and went and got it... well I started spraying it on my legs when Hna. Chavez was like... uhhh what is that?? Yeah it wasn’t repellent it was bug killer.... haha (I guess that is one way to repel bugs)

We had divisions this week and I was with Hna. Vasquez. She was in my zone last change and I was kind of afraid of her. Boy oh boy did I learn a lesson. Do not judge a book by its cover!! She is so nice and such an AMAZING missionary!! She knew the bible like it was the back of her hand. She was awesome and I learned sooo much!! Hna. Chavez was with Hna. Bustamonte and when Bustamonte saw our house she was like... Hna Chavez... would it hurt your feelings if I bought stuff to clean your house...? hahahahahahaha and Chavez was like UH NO!! PLEASE DO!! Haha (:

Happy birthday on Friday.. Sorry I can’t be there. I hope the package I sent gets there in time.

Not gonna lie I am kind of sad about Thanksgiving. I miss your food... So Hna. Chavez and I are going to order Pizza that day (: haha.

I can’t remember anything else... so now to your email.

The kittens we found and service project, notice how dirty the Elders are. They were handling mud for like 3 hours!

Abril and Alyssa

Service Project

 

Elder's Bitter, Weston, Astudillo and Ulloa

 

 

Elder Weston

 

I will take a picture with Stick Abby and send it next week. Tell her I am sorry I have been lacking lately. It’s kinda hard when you are working all the time. Speaking of working all the time I have good news!! Hna. Chavez and I had a goal to teach 30 lessons this week. (in the past the most we have had was 21.) well we taught 32 (:

Daddy just ruined my whole life!! Bahaha what a ham!! Hug her for me please. (Abby’s response to me when her dad told her she couldn’t play hide and seek in the garage anymore while he was working in there)

More beef jerky please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And chocolate. Face wash please (but I want the kind I always use, it is a greenish color, I hope you know which one I am talking about, it’s like a cooling something) No pictures because I can print them out here. No makeup I can buy that too. No cash, I have tons. Carmels pretty please!! Anything that you can really. Obviously you can’t send cheese potatoes or banana split pie.

I am good on medicine, vitamins yes. Chocolate, always chocolate.

Heavenly Father works in funny ways... which reminds me of one of my notes that I forgot!! So the other day we were in a part of our area that is far from our house and so we wanted to take a bus home. Well we both said prayers that a bus would come... well 40 minutes later there still was no bus and it was almost 10 o'clock and we were supposed to be home at 9:30 so finally we were like okay let’s hail a taxi. Well it just so happens that the taxi that stopped for us had 3 people in it. A husband, wife, and a daughter... all members!! So he took us all the way home for free (:

Tell Sarah I say hello and that I am so excited to meet her and that I hope she loves the CCM.  But tell her that Panama is 470 billion times better than the CCM. (:

Guys are always creepy. I literally can’t go a day without getting called something or being whistled at. The other day we were buying bread for a snack and the guy called me a queen, his love, and a doll all in the same sentence. yeah.

Yes I got the chain and it is hanging from my ceiling (: I will take a picture. (countdown paper chain to Christmas)

Elder Astudillo is seriously like my brother, I would do anything for that kid. He wrote the nicest things in my trunky book.

Elder Astudillo

 

Oh about the tuna, so we had lunch with the same member again this week and she made this rice with tuna in it, but this time we were at her house. I took one bite and knew what it was.. so with the food still in my mouth I asked  Hna. what kind of rice is this?? She said tuna. and I said I can’t eat seafood... and then she felt really bad and I went and spit it out and was trying not to throw up. And my comp was like chill Hna. Leydi, she's fine, she won’t die. (Okay chill sounds kind of harsh but that is kind of the translation, it’s like relax. Tranquila)

I saw Bianka this week (: I freaking love that girl!! I hope and pray that we are companions one day. Oh my comp and my Z ellas (Zone leaders that are sisters) think I could train in January. So there is hope. (: Because I speak "bastante espanol!!" haha.

Hermana's Wandell, Palmer, Johnson, Morales (Bianka), Bonilla and Chavez

Thanks Bianka and Viviana for the picture!!!

Hermana Morales (Bianka) and her companion Hermana Bonilla

LOVE LOVE LOVE the shirt! Good thing I know someone in Panamá that I can tell to bring me home one :)

You don’t need to forward me anything but like for example if there are letters from other missionaries just delete them. Will you do the same with my yahoo account?? please and thank you!!

I sang A Child's Prayer and Quimiz told jokes (but half way through the second one he forgot his joke.. haha) (I asked what she sang at the talent show)

He already has an HLJ tie tack cause I gave him the one I had.. haha. Great minds think alike.

It is the Independence Day (November 28, which happens to be Thanksgiving here this year) but because it is at the end of the week the government changed the day they are going to celebrate to Monday the 2nd haha.

Duros (: Love them... yeah that’s pretty much all it is. (A frozen fruit smoothie)  haha. but you put it in a bag and then cut of the corner when it is frozen and eat it. the little kids love them, especially because it is so hot sometimes.

We had 60 people at church this week..

Elder Jaurez (El Salvador) is in the picture, Hoff's comp is Hna. Walstrohm (Peru)

 and there is one more... Elder Aguare... (Guatemala) (the people in her zone I didn't know their names)

Of course you sent something for them... that is such a you thing.. I am not even surprised.. What am I gonna do with you?? Haha. (the mission president and his wife)

Honestly you can never go wrong with chocolate.

Choa for now!!

Love you love you love you!! Hug my Abby and tell her how stinking cute she is!
 

"monkey thing" she doesn't know what it is

Geese that remind her of Quazie

(A goose we named at the duck park)

 

Panamanian Sunset

Bonboncita!! - 100 days in the Mission!!

100 days in the mission!!

 

 

Alyssa in Panamá

 

Hermana's Wandell and Hoff

Some guys here can be really creepy... I have been called everything under the sun... 

Anyways.. my notes... I got the first package but not the 2nd, the beef jerky is fine. I like the decorations but the thing is that they will just get thrown away eventually so if you send stuff I’d rather get stuff like pictures or letters or chocolate. (DearElder.com is a fantastic way to send her a letter, it's free to Panama and she gets an actual letter in hand, you should try it, she will LOVE to hear from you all!)

We can really use the window clings because our windows aren’t a flat piece of glass, it’s a bunch of pieces together, they move kind of like blinds.

I was sick again this week, that’s the one drawback about having a comp is that if one of you is sick the other one is bound to get sick as well.  

 

Alyssa and Hermana Chavez 

We had a talent night. I sang and other people did random stuff. Chavez and two members were the judges and the one lady was like I think Hna. Wandell should win and Chavez told her no she can’t because she doesn’t count haha. But it was sweet of her to think so. Later Elder Quimiz called to see if we got home and to see who won and he asks did Hermana Wandell win?? And Chavez said no and he goes WHAT?? HOW DID SHE NOT WIN?? So Chavez explained how I didn’t count and he goes, well in my mind she won.. haha thanks Elder Quimiz!! That’s my dad!! (Mission dad)

Talent show judges (Hermana Chavez - middle)

 

 

Elder Quimiz and Elder Weston 

 

We had a service project this week and we made food while the elders moved a bunch of dirt (but it was really clay) and they have to go back again this week to finish the job. It was funny because one of the elders broke the wheelbarrow and so they ended up having to make an assembly line and threw chunks of clay from one pile to the other by passing it to each other.

Hand hugs is the new thing in our zone, we can’t hug the elders so we hand hug the elders. haha

Quimiz, Astudillo, Walstrohm, Willis, Weston, Juarez, Chavez, Wandell, Bitter

 

 

Maybe it turns into Prince Charming or an Investigator

 

Okay now your email...

No thanksgiving here.. lameeeeeeeee (I asked if they have celebrate Thanksgiving in Panama)

I miss your cooking!!!!! It’s okay it just means I will appreciate it more when I get home.

You could probably make duros, really all it is, is fruit with milk and sugar mixed together and then frozen.

I knew she lived in Provo (Her companion Hna. Chavez has an aunt that lives in Provo and friend’s with my good Missionary Mom friend Viviana whose daughter is also serving in Panama, what a small world!) that is cool that she knows her. Her mom was with her aunt last week but she is home now.

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Chavez

 

 Hermana Chavez

 

The elders are awesome!! Elder Astudillo especially, I guess his mom isn’t a member. Just him and his brother and last week his brother told him that his mom had been listening to Jehovah´s witnesses and that she was being baptized, so he was pretty sad. L And he also found out that his girlfriend had started dating someone else. The kid is seriously like my brother, I would do anything for him. So I wrote him a card with my testimony and stuff like that to cheer him up. So everytime he looks sad I give him a hand hug.

Elder Astudillo

 Hermana's Wandell, Walstrohm, Hoff, Chavez and Elder Astudillo

The FHE thing is a work in progress, someone who was here before us killed our area so now we are working to fix it, it will take time and probably more time than I will be here.

The churches are different, they are two buildings, one with class rooms and one with the chapel. Google it I am sure there are pictures. (I tried I can only find pictures of the temple, if someone else find’s any let me know)

I have the cutest little sister in the entire world, may I just say. That’s so cute! There´s Wilbur!! Haha!! (I told her about the pictures last week when I showed them to Abby, the one with the little pig and Abby said “There’s Wilbur”, “Where’s Charlotte?” so of course the spider picture from a few weeks ago was brought back up J)

We made juice for the elders because the people wanted men to do the work. That’s why. It is always like that, it is just a way of life here. So... usually a member says I need help with something so then we tell the zone and then all go that week to help them do whatever it is that they need. (I asked why they couldn’t do the manual labor and how they found service projects to do)

Yes we will get to Skype if a member in our area lets us use their computer. (Christmas, it is what Abby is most excited for!)

I haven’t had to speak, but I direct the hymns all the time!! But thing that is awkward is that no one knows the tune so most of the time I have to sing the first line and then direct it. (I asked if she has had to speak in church yet)

Yes they have locks, normal toys, M&M´s , stuffed animals, normal candy, they have mac and cheese, my favorite fruit is pineapple, it is soooo much better here!! It’s really sweet!!. In reality it is pretty much America here, but then again I am in the city. I haven’t been to the interior.  (All answers to Abby’s questions)

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Chavez

 

Actually she is super nice, she is like my favorite person now.. haha (In one of her early emails in Panamá she mentioned a branch member who didn’t like her much because she didn’t think Alyssa spoke enough Spanish, she was an English teacher, I asked if that lady had warmed up to her yet)

Okay choa for now!! Love you!!

Hug my Abby and tell her I love her!!

 

Pictures!! - Alyssa sent a few pictures this week that I had no idea what they were. So my friend Google helped me figure it out and they are actually pretty interesting when you know what they are. Enjoy!

This is called the Palacio Municipal, it was built in 1910 as the seat for the country's legislature. Today the bottom floor is the Museo del la Historia de Panamá (Museum of Panamá's History)

 

The Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest Cathedral in Panamá. It was built in stages originally in wood around 1673. The 2 side bell towers were moved from the Old Cathedral of Old Panamá. After renovation in 2003 it is now a major tourist attraction in Casco Viejo.

 

The San Francisco de Asis church is very popular for weddings

 

 Casco Viejo

 

Vamos a P-dayar!!

Hi everyone J Before I get to Alyssa’s letter I have a request to all of you in the Salt Lake area. Brent has a sweet sister in his ward in Florida who joined the church a little over a year ago against her parent’s wishes. She has made the choice to serve a mission again against her parent’s wishes and because of it they are not willing to support her. She received her mission call and is leaving at the beginning of December to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission (yes this is the mission I live in). She is in need a women’s bicycle as she has to be able to ride it in a skirt. If you or if you know anyone who has one they would like to sell or get rid of one please let me know.

 Okay my notes first!!

We went to a Christ statue on top of a little mountain or maybe a big hill, don’t know which one. But it was cool and the view was awesome, I will send pictures (: Last Monday was Panama independence day #1, and there were parades, well people were selling stuff on the streets and Elder Astudillo got his favorite food from Panama... Pig's foot... I literally almost threw up... Just watching him eat it was disgusting!! And the kid loves it!! Anyways....

Christ Statue 

View from Statue

 

 

Hermana Chavez and Hermana Wandell

 

On Tuesday we had lunch at a place called Pio Pio.... Which is like a really mediocor (no idea how to spell that, sorry my brain is having a hard time with English lately.) Chick-Fil-A. The food is alright... the workers are….interesting. There is a special name for these people, Racatacas. I can’t do it justice to try and explain, so I will give you a Youtube video to look up, because it explains everything, just in Spanish... Look up "Bon Qui Qui and King Burger" on Youtube. You will understand... (I looked it up and thought it was funny, ofcourse the one I found is from MadTV so it was certainly a comedy spouf)

So on pday last week one of our investigators called us asking for money, well we can’t do that. She got mad and was like my family can’t eat. Well we called the branch president to see if they could give them food, well they couldn’t because they have to help members before they can help investigators. So we called her back and told her and said sorry. The next day she called us again and said I need you guys to give me money because I want to go visit my family... WAIT WHAT?? So your family didn’t really need the money for food, you just wanted us to pay for your vacation?... yeah no.

This week we met a catholic lady (okay 3\4 of the people we meet are catholic) but anyways we taught her and gave her a Book of Mormon... and get this, she read it, believes it, but she was born catholic so she is gonna die catholic... okay...

We had dinner with a member this week and she gave us tuna... yeah I can’t eat tuna... so Hna. Chavez was slowly but surely taking bites of mine off of my plate so I didn’t have to eat it. Well she has a really small stomach and can’t eat much so she was trying to put the food into a plastic bag in her purse but she kept laughing... so we just ate super slow until the lady said we didn’t have to eat anymore (:

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Chavez

There is something here called a duro. It is pretty much juice poured in a little bag and then frozen and then you cut off the corner and suck on it or eat it. They are AMAZING!! I have tried the coconut flavor, pineapple, rice with pineapple (surprisingly that is the best one), and papaya. They are super good!!

I got my visa stuff all done. So now I have permission to be here for a year and then I have to do it again next November.

Hna. Chavez is sick... L

We were at the service project for like 3 hours and that dog was asleep the whole time.

Elder Astudillo

 

  

Elder Bitter and Elder Quimiz

 

Elder Ulloa and Elder Weston

 

Elder Ulloa and Elder Astudillo

Elder Quimiz

 

They wouldn't let us do manual labor so we made juice instead. It is grapefruit juice but much better than the grapefruits that we have.

 

Hermana Chavez

Our zone loves to eat at the restaurant after district meeting. There are these little restaurants called Fondas everywhere here, and some are pretty sketch, but this one is fine (: and it is so good!! You can get a plate of rice, beans, fried chicken, and these plantains that are sliced and then cooked in butter and cinnamon sugar all for $3. It’s awesome!! but it is a TON of food!!

We made up verbs. For example Chinar, which means to buy food to eat at a chino. Pdayar or to have a pday. Fiestar is to party. Ulloar is to be really happy all the time like Elder Ulloa. Astudillar is to talk with a different accent. Yeah and there are more. Oh like machetear which means to machete the people with scriptures (: it’s a favorite among missionaries!!

DyC 6: 14, 32 Kinda cool, I liked them, so I thought I would share.

14 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast ^ainquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I said unto my disciples, where two or three are gathered together in my name, as ^atouching ^bone thing, behold, there will I be in the ^cmidst of them—even so am I in the ^dmidst of you.

Cool story, apparently when president Monson dedicated the temple here, at the very end of the dedicatory prayer there was lighting really close and HUGE thunder!!! Then once the thunder stopped Pres. Monson with like the most calm voice said "The Lord has accepted His house" WOAHHHHHH CRAZINESSSSSS!!

A lot of people think I can’t understand them so they tell Hna. Chavez I can’t speak Spanish. She always says no she can, just try listening to what she is saying (she is a rock star) and then there are people that are like WOAH!! Where did you learn Spanish?? You are a Gringa!! Your Spanish is really good! Sooooo I’m confused... because I get both all the time....

Our goal is to strengthen our branch, so we are starting Family Home evenings with the families in our branch. I hope it works. This is the little profile thing I made to put on the bulletin board at the church.

 

 

One of our members have giant pigs!

Hermana Chavez

 

(Abby named this one Wilbur)

The other day something really awkward happened and I don’t remember if I told you or not. We were visiting a family and shared a scripture about the atonement, well all of a sudden the wife starts ripping on her husband and saying how they are separated. And Hna. Chavez flat out told her, I don’t know how you feel because I have never experienced this, but the Lord knows. And then Hna. Chavez was like honestly sister this is something that you and your husband need to discuss alone, not in front of your kids and not with other people. Well then yesterday her daughter was at church and she told us that after our visit last week, her parents started talking to each other again!! Woooooo!! So we will see how it plays out. We are going to have a family home evening with them next week.

Okay now to respond to your email.

Hna. Johnson is the one in the picture at the temple who is taller and super skinny. She is a sweetheart, she is from Lehi. (I asked who the other girls were in the temple picture from a few weeks ago)

HAPPY PANAMANIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY!!! AGAIN!!! I told you they celebrate all month... today is their 2nd independence day... yeah. Uhhh they have parades and they drink and they party and yeah..

No I haven’t tried those oranges. (some special orange in Panama that I don’t know how to spell)

Tell Sarah that when she feels homesick or worried, just to remember that every day she is here, her family is being blessed because of it. It helps. I can promise her that she is going to love it here!!

Hermana Chavez 

Alyssa

These are the types of hills her whole area is filled with

 

Okay I love you I love you I love you!! Hug my Abby for me and tell her how freaking cute she is. Tell everyone hello for me. Choa for now!!

 

 

Elder Bitter