A Week of Miracles

Happy Wednesday everyone. Sister Carmack (Mission President’s wife) has a blog that I follow. Each Fast Sunday they will be fasting for the same thing and they are inviting the families of their missionaries to participate. Excerpt from Hna. Carmack’s blog  à“ Our monthly emphasis for the mission in February will be unity within the mission (especially within companionships) and unity between the missionaries and the members. We will be asking all the missionaries in the mission to fast with these purposes in mind this coming Fast Sunday -- Feb. 2. We also want to include the Presley's recovery in our fast. Any families of the missionaries that would like to unite with us in fasting are more than welcome to join with us!”We would be happy to have anyone join us that would like to. You will read about the Presley's below and you will see that is clearly a miracle they survived. I don't think there is any doubt that Heavenly Father watches over his missionaries. 

My new companion is Hna. Medellin from Mexico and she is AMAZING!!!!  No but seriously she is super awesome and we are already super good friends. Heavenly Father definitely knew I needed a change. She is super fun and I am teaching her English (:

Hermana's Medellin and Wandell

We finally have food with the members! Lunch and Dinner!!

Okay so the Presley's got in a super serious car accident on Wednesday. It is literally a miracle that they are still alive. Especially Hna. Presley. There was a bee in the car and Elder P. looked down for a split second to let it out and then they ran into a metal guard rail that went straight through the car, exactly where Hna. Presley's head had been. It demolished the car obviously and here is the other miracle of it all. The only broken bone was his nose. Hna. Presley had to have part of her face reconstructed because her lip and cheek got ripped and also they had to amputate the Elder's pinky on his right hand. The doctors at the hospital told them that it was literally a miracle that they were alive and that they will never forget this case. When they got them out of the car Hna. Presley's head was against the window and that is the only reason that she is still alive. It just goes to show how protected the missionaries are. There was an awful picture of it in the news paper all over Panama. They were still in the car in this picture... (she couldn’t find the picture to attach so I have used the one from Hna. Carmack’s blog) She was against the window and he had blood all over his face and white shirt, and thank goodness that they had their name tags on because it was super easy to identify them and to find people that were associated with them. We went and saw them in the hospital and they are home now. Literally a miracle. But they are fine and they are at home recovering.

Okay I didn’t realize you knew about the Presley's but I am glad you saw the picture because I couldn’t find one to send. Yes, we are the closest to them, we are going to go over to their house every Tuesday to help clean and whatever we can do to help.

I LOVE HAMMOCKS!!!!!!!

You would love Boquete!!! 

Yeah there is this disgusting bean (but they are in pods so I call them peas) called guandu or something like that. Yeah well they are in season right now and everyone has them in their gardens...

Q. Who are you teaching English and Spanish too? Investigators, members, other missionaries, anyone who will listen?

A. We have an investigator that we are teaching English and I am teaching Spanish to the Swalm family.

Q. Don't the Panamanians use bright colors to paint their houses? Like pink and blue? I know Hna. Palmer lived in a bright pink Barbie house when she first got to Panama.

A. We only painted it white but yes the Panamanians usually have house that are bright blue or pink or green or purple or yellow or orange or turquoise or whatever other color.

Q. Oh when you told me about the meat being cow lung. I nearly gagged. Really? People actually eat that?

A. They also eat cow stomach and intestines...

Q. When does the Romell leave on his mission? I am just wondering if you will be there for his farewell. Or do they even do that in Panama?

A. Farewells are really just a Utah thing or a United States thing. Bahaha I learned that the full name for Mexico is the United States of Mexico so it is funny when I say I am from the United States because technically my companion is too.

 Hermana Medellin

Q. Guess who is Sarah's (Hna. Moss) mom/trainer? Hermana Hoff! Maybe you already knew this.

A. Yes I knew that Hna. Hoff was Sarah's trainer. Woo hoo!! She was born in the best zone in the whole mission!!

I MISS CAFE RIO!!! Lucky elders.... (I usually pay for the missionaries meal when I run into them at  a restaurant)

I’m not a polygamist mom!! - Even though half the world thinks otherwise - I will only have one husband and he most definitely will not be Panamanian!! (I teased her when she said Hna. Chavez told her she could marry her brother. I said she could have a Panamanian and a Guatemalan husband LOL)

Q. So if the zone leaders didn't go to changes, how did your new companion get to you? I am not sure she would know where to go?
A. There was one elder that helped everyone get on the bus to get out here. Hna. Gonzalez is a Z ella (her 1^st companion) now in the zone next to mine, which is also where Hna. Chavez is (2^nd companion).

Q. No fridge, no washer, no dryer? What happened to the washer and dryer?

A. The washing machine is "broken" and the dryer ran out of gas apparently.

Oh yeah that picture of the car is my area!!!

Pictures:

Hna. Medellin, The church, a cool bridge and stream, and the two of us.

Anyways I miss you and I love you! Hug my Abby for me please

Chao for now!!

When she mentioned their church was in a strip mall I asked her to send a picture. I am really grateful to be able go around the corner to our meetinghouse.

Assignment #2

Hermana's Navas, Wandell and Elizondo

Notes: My comp has changes. (she should have gotten her new companion on Wed.)

We have 11 baptismal dates but probably only one of them will actually get baptized. We are supposed to set a date on the first lesson so that’s why.

So there was a fair in town this week and oh my goodness there were no taxis so we had to walk like 2 miles to get home..

We don’t have a washing machine or a dryer right now..

I have come to the conclusion that when I have my own house, I will have a hammock. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I will have one.

I have shelled so many peas....

I am teaching English and Spanish (English is easier)

Okay so there is this tradition here that the Panamanians paint their house every so many years so they can change colors. Well it is kind of like a right of passage for a missionary to paint houses... I have officially been initiated into the club!!

So when we had to walk home because there were no taxis I was super bored because my comp never talks to me, so I started waving at all the people in the long line of cars and I was laughing the whole time because they were all honking and what not. Well my comp was walking like 5 paces behind me like she didn’t want people to know we were together because she was embarrassed.. Life is for living.. So live it. Do something fun and loosen up a little bit.

I am craving a Cafe Rio pork salad like it is no one's business...

My heels keep cracking so I am using lots of neosporin and curel...

So the other day we were at this store that a member owns of a bunch of souveniers... well I saw this purse (satchel) and I fell in love... well you know my rule how I will only buy it if I keep thinking about it, well everytime we stopped by the store I would look at it again but I didn’t want to pay 20 bucks for it... Well finally I gave in, but I paid 18, and I really don’t care. When I bought it the girl that works there (the one I think that will actually get baptized) said to my comp, she is in love with that bag isn’t she?? And then when I handed her the money she said and now you have lived your dream. Haha it’s cute I will send a picture.

This is the bad thing about being in a tourist area, all the cool stuff!!

I don’t like the scriptures in Spanish... they don’t have the bible dictionary, the topical guide and the index, they have a super summerized version of all three. English is better. It is the language of the restored gospel (:

Okay now your email

Okay assignment number 2: People of the world!! Tell your Heavenly Father that you are going to vow to do something nice for the missionaries because honestly they are under appreciated.. I don’t care if you make them cookies, or go on visits with them (that’s the best option) just do something to help them and to show them that they have your support because not all of us are that lucky...

Q. How far is your church from where you live?

A. I will take a picture at the church. It is about a mile's walk from our house. Maybe a mile and a half.

Q. With your last area, I got so many details about the people in your district and zone and so many pictures that I feel like I kind of knew those people (as weird as that sounds) but now in Boquete I don't really know anything about anyone except Hna. Valdez, the Presley's and Elder Kipp (he was in her district in Alcalde Diaz and I know his amazing mom). Hna. Koehler is in your zone, she is the one from Cottonwood Heights that her mom is on the missionary mom email. I saw her in one of the pictures you sent. Other than that I don't know anyone or where they are from.

A. It is because our area is an hour away from the rest of our zone and I thought Koehler was from New York?? Hinckley is from Wyoming and his grandpa is Pres. Hinckley's brother. Arismendi is from Argentina.

Elder Romero (Argentina), Vaca (Bolivia - his name means cow), Cruz (El Salvador), Arismendi (Argentina), Rosales (Colombia he always practices his English with me and he is super nice), Alfaro is the kid squating that isn't really in either of the two rows and he is from Costa Rica,

Next row, I don't know her name, Kipp (Riverton), Barrie (Idaho Falls, new zone leader), Juarez (mini missionary from Panama waiting for his mission call.) , Hinckley  (Wyoming, district leader) , I don't know her name either

next: Koehler (Cottonwood Heights), Flores (Nicaragua), me, Choto (Cali) , Curtis (Provo) , Tryon (AZ). Bonilla (El Salvador) , Solis (Peru - my step sister because Chavez is her mom), Quispe (Peru)

Front: Valdez (Guatemala), Mendez and I have no idea, Elizondo (Costa Rica) , Navas (Honduras, other Z ella) , and Chavez (Guatemala but not as cool as my Chavez)

Hinckley, Wandell, Valdez, Solis, Quispe and Romero

It’s a good idea but there are no post cards from Boquete that I have found and there are none from Alcalde Diaz, that’s like trying to find a post card from Sandy, Utah... (I asked her about sending us postcards from each of her areas)

Q. Who do you go on divisions with?

A. We do divisions with our z ellas (sister leaders)

 Hna. Bonilla  and Hna. Wandell

(she is from El  Salvador and her English is awesome, she is going to BYU when she gets home from her mish, my Z ella)

Q. When is Hermana Chavez’s birthday?

A. So it is really easy to remember when Hna. Chavez's birthday is. Both of my sisters have the same birthday. My Guatemalan sister and my older sister. Feb. 20.  I made her a case for her hymn book for her birthday and yes she got her Christmas package. I am sure you will meet her one day since I offered her my house when they come for vacation. She offered me the chance to marry her brother.. haha yeah he is hot... I’d be cool with that. I would have an awesome sister in law!!

Q. What do you want in the next package I send you?

A. I am good on vitamins for now, and more Disney movies maybe?? But send them in a smaller case that I can throw away because I have a cd case I can put them in.

Q. Do you guys eat a lot of fruit?

A. There are little fruit stands but we don’t have a fridge still so we don’t buy a whole lot of fruit because it will go bad.

Q. Did you get your package from Grandpa yet?

A. I won’t be  getting my packages because the zone leaders aren’t going to changes... so I get to wait like 3 more weeks! But whatever it’s not the end of the world.

I plan on going back to panama with you and Abby one day. I just don’t know when. But I think we should do a Disney cruise through the canal and a few years later go to panama.

Tell Kallie hello and that I love her stinking guts!!

The following is what happens when Abby does talk to text as a letter to Alyssa - Alyssa, did you know that I hurt my leg and this is why because I am always like I had this much room and Emily had this much room and I got tripped and then she got in my way and I like really really want to take a couple days for it to feel better and like now I walk slow.  I'm going to give you lots and lotsa hugs when you come home and I'll be really super excited so um I've been wondering have you switched to another companion? I'm really really miss you and I can't wait to you come home and see I was wondering if they have french fries in Panama?  Did you know that I have T-rex's? Did you know that my dinosaurs are plant eaters and they dont eat other dinosaurs? Alyssa, did you know that I have a little baby dinosaurs.  I love you, love Abby.

Abby, did you know that I am sorry that you hurt your leg and that like I hope you can learn to walk fast again. And like I am going to give you lots of hugs too because I like love you more than most and like I will have a new companion this week and like yeah we have French fries here, they just aren’t very good, and Abby I am so glad to hear that your dinosaurs are plant eaters and that they aren’t eating other dinosaurs!! I love you more than most,  Alyssa

BAHAHAHAHAHA she needs a handicap sticker!! Love it!! (Abby told me she needed me to get her one of those handicap things for the car until her leg was all better)

Yeah Yendry showed me that she put it on Facebook.

I know exactly what you mean. For the first time in my life I am proud to say that I can’t watch the Superbowl this year because I hate both teams...

Pictures: a little boy and his mom, they are super poor and they don’t have electricity and they live on a dirt floor, there are 6 kids in total but he is the cutest.  The clouds were like right on the ground and the case I made for my Book of Mormon.

I love you I love you I love you!!! Hug my Abby and chao for now!!

Hermana Wandell and Elder Juarez 

 Hermana Flores and Hermana Wandell

Elder Juarez

Elder Juarez and Hermana Navas

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Elizondo

Elder's Arismendi and Romero

Good stuff happening in Alcalde Diaz (old zone)

Boquete, Panamá

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Valdez

Yaneth got baptized, (that is technically my baptism because I found her and taught her and set the baptismal date...) 

This is my investigator!! I just wasn't there to see her get baptized! 

My last week in Alcalde Diaz we were on the bus on pday and I met this guy from Africa that only spoke English. He had asked if we had an English speaking church. Well then we went on our way. Well a half hour later we were outside the chapel and he walked passed... he lives in the area of the zone leaders and so I told him that this is the chapel he would come to and that Ulloa could translate for him. Yeah well that same guy is getting baptized on Saturday... You're welcome Elder Ulloa... your last baptism of your whole mission happened because I sat next to the guy on the bus  J ... haha yeah

We had divisions this week and it was a lot of fun! I learned a lot. We also had interviews with president this week and both the z ellas and I told president about the health issues my comp has. We will see what happens. I know she has to go to a doctor, I just don’t know where.

Hermana Chavez made a copy of Charly for me and sent it and I watched it this morning (: 

We didn’t get to go to the temple this week because of the interviews.

So the lady who's number you gave me lives in the area next to mine and she finally called me back... guess what!! She's moving to Utah!! haha

Someone gave us some really gross meat the other day, some kind of beef but I think it was pure fat. I am officially a missionary in a foreign country...

So we have been eating lots of carbs cause that’s pretty much the only thing that wont rot... my comp was trying to get the ice out of the freezer but was using a knife to do it... anyways it should be fixed this week.

So the investigators family is there visiting and they have like 10 kids. 

The kid going to Mexico is named Rommel. He is going to the Mexico MTC, I have a question what mission is Kaylee going to? It might be the same but I don’t know.

No packages, but changes are next week so we will see what happens.

The pictures are from last pday (bahahaha my district leader Elder Hinckley was trying to hop over that and caught his foot and fell.) 

Elder Hinckley

Okay love you!! Hug my Abby and tell her I love her and I miss her and that I will be home in a little over a year (HOLY CRAP) chao for now!!

Elder Arismendi and Elder Romero

This was today at this event that is going on here. It is a bunch of flowers and then a bunch of people that aren't even from panama selling things that say panama on them (that are really made in Ecuador or Colombia). I found a stitch hat but I didn't buy it because I hate hats...

  Yes, that is a huge Panamá flag made of flowers!!

  The case I made for my hymn book

I can never think of creative titles...

My notes!!

My comp had to peel like 20 oranges the other day for the plethora of little kids that live in the house of our investigators.

Also the fridge broker and now it doesn’t work what so ever, which means we are living off of literally bread and water, and like oreos and stuff that doesn’t have to be in the fridge.

We are working on Personal Progress!

Soooo I’m not entirely sure what is going to happen with that package for you cause now he isn’t my Zone leader.... that’s a story for another day... let’s just say that gossip does damage. Which is stupid because he didn’t do ANYTHING!!!!!! So I am going to try and figure out how to get it to him, I will let you know what is happening. He said he could still do it I just have to figure out how to get it to him.

You should have or are about to read one of my most favorite chapters in the BOM, Mosiah 2. Pay attention to all of it but specifically 9-11, 17, 19-26, 31, 34, 41 (:

D&C 121: 7-9 is one of my most favorite scriptures, I could quote it for you if you would like.

So we are going to the temple. We leave Thursday get home Saturday.

Please tell Kal I love her and I miss her. 

So remember the picture with the kid with the bows, the really tall one? Yeah well he likes to joke around with me, we like to bug each other. Well the other day he was like.. You will never get married.. and then the next day he said it again but that time he said I am going to go on my mission and when I get home I am going to see if you are married and if you aren’t I am going to ask you and if you say no then you really never will get married... I’m not sure if he is joking... like I know he is but I don’t know if he is trying to say more than that... Get my point? Anyways so now I have started playing along and when he teases me I always say "Is that anyway to treat your wife?? You are a terrible husband!" haha yeah

Okay end of my notes, now your letter.

So I decided I liked the question and answer format better like I did on the Christmas day post so I have inserted the questions I asked her and then her reply.

Q. So how did New Years go? I know you said you were going to the Presley's as a zone for New Years. Just wondered what you did and if you had a good time.

A. We didn’t go to the Presley´s but the family we live with had music on until midnight and it was American music and so I was dancing and singing all night (: there were songs from efy and yeah... 

Q. So you used an iron to straighten your hair?  How do you get the top of your hair without getting burned? And didn't you take your straight iron with you?

A. I left my straightener at home, because it is my pride and joy and I didn’t want anyone to touch it. And I put my head on the side of the table. 

Q. I can't wait to hear what happens with the next transfers, to see if you get to train and/or get a new companion. Do you want to stay in Boquete? or would you rather go elsewhere? You haven't really told me about any of your pday's in Boquete other than you went paintballing. 

A. I would love to stay here. Yea anyways the reason why I haven’t told you anything about p-day is because we never do anything yeah. But today we are going with our district so that should be fun. 

Q. I am sorry your baptism's fell through. Do you think they will eventually get baptized?

A. We are still working on getting them baptized, we will see what happens.

Q. Would you rather just get a surprise package in the mail one day? Or do you like knowing it's coming so you can tell me what you want in it?

A. I like knowing its coming. Haha and I like surprises if I don’t have any knowledge whatsoever of it.

Tell me what your days are like.

We wake up at 6:30 then we study from 8-11 then we leave for an hour, come back for lunch and then go back out to work and come home at 8 for dinner.

Q. Are the Nez’s still going to the temple?

A. The Nez’s are still going yes.

Q. You said in your email "I don’t need anything really, other than patience and time to go by quickly.. which doesn’t make any sense" - I understand the patience thing and where that is coming from but the time to go by quickly leads me to ask the question, Are you not enjoying your mission?

A. No no no! I love my mission, it is just hard to having gone from someone who is seriously like my sister to someone that doesn’t even talk to me.

Q. Who is the cute little boy in the middle of you and Hna. Valdez standing by the Christmas tree?

A. That little boy is a little kid in the branch. There is a family that the Presley's have kind of taken in, the older brother of the little kid is the other kid leaving on a mission. 

Q. I am hoping that someone has taught you how to make patacones so that when you come  home that you can make them for us!

A. Yeah I can make patacones easy!! And they are oh so good!!

Q. Are you sick of rice yet?

A. Not sick of rice surprisingly. The thing is I can eat rice, so I prefer that over something weird. 

The pictures, me being cold, the cool rainbow, and Yentry ( just got her mission call to Costa Rica)

I love you I love you I love you!!

Hug my Abby and chao for now!!