Bread What-whats

Okay so I had divisions twice this week. Anyways so we had divisions once and then the second time because my comp had to go to panama for her visa stuff.

So the first time that we were on divisions we were teaching this girl and her little brother started talking to me. This is how the conversation went down.

Boy: Usted habla ingles? (Do you speak English?)

Me: Si (yes)

B: Okay como se dice pan (okay how do you say "pan")

M: ... bread

B: Y como se dice que? (and how do you say "que")

M: ... what...

B: O entonces como se dice pancakes? *pan-que-ques* (so then how do you say pancakes?)

M: bahahahahahahahahahahahaha pancakes.... It’s not bread what whats! Bahahahahahaha

Then we had bread what-whats for breakfast the next day. (:

We aren’t going to have any baptisms this change. L

Our investigator that was the most positive is scared because her family told her that they would disown her if she gets baptized... (She knows it’s true, she just doesn’t want to admit that she knows it) We aren’t going to have any baptisms... we are working hard and fasting and praying and doing everything but obviously the Lord wants us to learn something...

Q. I hope you get to stay there for at least one more transfer. How did you go from 6 baptisms to 0?

A. Because no one is progressing. No one wants to go to church. No one wants to change L If people don’t want to change then we can’t do anything about it. People are prideful and it is just like what Christ told Jose Smith, that the people draw close to them with their words but they are farther than you can imagine in their hearts. It’s easy to say you believe in Christ, it’s another to prove it.

Hna. Swalm had a mini heart attack... but she is perfectly fine, they said it was a stress attack which feels just like a heart attack.

We have new gringos in our branch.

We may or may not be getting bikes in our area because it’s huge!

I watched TANGLED today!!!!!!! My comp was laughing the whole time because I can quote the entire movie like it’s my job....

Q. When are transfers and do you think you will be getting transferred?

A. Transfers are on the 5th, my 7 month mark (HOLY CRAP) and I honestly don’t know. I told President that I don’t want transfers in my email, but time will tell. I will tell you in a week if I have transfers or not. 

Q. How do you get rid of the ants and keep them from coming back?

A. Lots and lots of raid is the trick for ants... we had headaches afterward... that tells you how much we had to use.

Q. I hope that your investigator comes around. Hold old is she? Does she live in Boquete by herself?

A. So our investigator is 19, she is living here for 6 months then going home and then coming back again in September I believe. She is working here at her aunts store. She is from Ecuador. 

Q. So you mentioned that you guys never had a fight. Does that mean you have had fights with your other companions? What about this companion inventory I have heard about. How do those go? Good, bad? Have you learned anything about yourself?

A. I have had arguments with all my comps except Hna. Chavez. That’s what happens when you are with someone 24/7 for 6 weeks straight. I love and hate companionship inventory. Because you have to swallow your pride which is something that no one likes to do.

Tell Stephen and Amy congrats and tell Stephen I said "Thanks for finally pulling your head out of the sand and asking her."

Q. Dear Alyssa I really hope that I told you about my new Easter dress. If I did write back to me so I can tell you if you didn't hear about it. I really miss you when you are gone to Panama. Did you know that I fell asleep on the floor today. How is Panama?  Mom told me everyone has to have have a birthday then you can come home.  Guess what Courtney and aunt sharon had theirs. I really really super duper miss you and I cannot wait until you come home.    To Alyssa love Abby Hedenstrom

A. Dear Abby, I love your new Easter dress, did your dad cut your hair again?? Do you know that you don’t have to put your last name because I know who you are? I miss you to pieces and I will see you in less than a year! One time I fell asleep on a desk... 

Q. What are you doing for Pday today?

A. We are just watching movies today and relaxing.

Sorry I don’t have many pictures this week. I had to go to David twice. So there are only two this week. One to show you how long my hair has gotten and the other of a cute puppy that I thought Abby might like to see.

I love you I love you I love you!! Hug my Abby and tell her I love her more than most. Okay I have to go now but I love you and I miss you! I will see you soon! Less than a year!! And it will go faster than you think!

Chao for now!! 

Feliz Cumpleaños Courtney y Hermana Chavez

Hermana Medellin and Hermana Wandell

Hermana's Chotto, Wandell and Tryon and Elder Rosales

Happy Birthday Courtney!! And Hermana Chavez!! I MISS HERMANA CHAVEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Oh look you have two daughters with the same birthday!! By the way I have adopted her as my sister so therefore she is your daughter. I also told her that she could live in my room and I am being serious. She wants to move to Utah to work, so she is going to get a work visa and move to Utah and I told her she could live with me. In her Patriarchal blessing is says that she needs to learn English because it will bless her life. Yeah she´s moving to Utah... I will even sleep on the floor. I was talking to her this morning and I was asking how it was possible that we never fought once and she said "Oh I know why, it’s because in the pre-earth life we made a promise to each other that we wouldn’t fight." I like it!

 You should email her and tell her Happy Birthday.

There was an infestation of ants in my desk this week, eggs and all...

Read Alma 22:32 (PANAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA)

“And now, it was only the ^adistance of a day and a half’s journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water, there being a small neck of land between the land northward and the land southward.”

Our investigator that was super positive started telling her family that she was getting baptized and they talked her out of it... but we are still trying to work with her.

So I sent you a package and it should be there in about 3 weeks. There are 3 things in there, one of them is mine, but if you can make it work then feel free to use it. The other two things are yours. You will understand when you see it.

This was my favorite Valentine’s day of my whole life because I hate Valentine’s day and I didn’t even have to worry about it this year!!

Can you send me a paper with a picture of all the Utah temples on it so I can show people. Including the ones that aren’t built yet.

Yentry leaves on her mission tomorrow, do you know she doesn’t speak any English??

Yes I loved the hearts, but no more candy, I don’t want to get sick, or fat. And I noticed that you used the cricket because they were all perfect.

Hna. Medellin loves the little candy hearts, so I gave them all to her.

Q. How do you know a rich guy from Holland lives there? Did you knock on the door? If you didn’t you should!

A. No we asked someone who lives in the neighborhood who lives in the castle, that’s how we know. But it’s all gated off and no one can go in but it has a mote!!!

Q. So how was the tour of Boquete?

A. We went to a waterfall and an old abandoned castle last week with the zone. All but 4 people from our zone went, it was a lot of fun!! I have tons of pictures, don’t worry!!

Hermana Wandell and Hermana Flores

It is guava, but that’s how you say it in Spanish.  (The guayaba from last week’s post) And yes, I eat tons of those oranges. People always give them to us out of their gardens. It’s just like a normal orange but with green peel. There are tons of orange orchards here.

Elder McEntire is awesome! Tell him hello for me please!

So what do the sisters think of you since you apparently take them to lunch all the time??

THE HEAVENS HAVE OPENED AND THE GOOD MAN UPSTAIRS HAS SPOKEN!! STEPHEN AND AMY ARE FINALLY GETTING MARRIED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Abby, te amo muchisimo!! Mas que puedes imaginar!! I am so glad you are learning spanish and I promise to help you learn more when i get home. Please stop eating and drinking so much candy and soda! Capeesh?? I am glad you like Jake now and that momma got to stay home with you. I really love you too and I will see you in less than a year baby sister!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN MOST!! HAHA BYE!! (:

We are just chilling today and cleaning the house.

I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!! Take care of my Abby for me and don’t let her drink any more soda or eat more candy.  Chao for now!!

P.S. can you find me in that last picture??

Hermana's De Leon, Elizondo, Medellin and Wandell

Hermana's Medellin and Wandell

Elder Barrie

Hermana's De Leon, Bonilla, Wandell and Elizondo

 Hermana's Navas, Bonilla and Wandell

Hermana's Wandell and Medellin

Hermana's Medellin and Wandell

Where's Waldo Alyssa?

Muñeca de la navidad

Okay so I got 4 packages the other day. 2 from you, one from Grandpa and 1 from Hna. Chavez. Oh and mail. By the way thank you for that and I think I am good on candy, and beef jerky, you don’t need to send it anymore. 

Oh and Hna. Medellin wants you to tell Abby thank you for the present because that is her favorite kind of candy.

So we found a castle... yes a castle. I will send pictures. But really how many people have a castle in their area?? 

 

Hermana Medellin

Hermana Wandell

So there is this fruit called Guayaba and its good, but the skin tastes like mustard.

Here is a picture I found online. Apparently it is either a guava or closely related to one depending where you get your info from.

Can you send me like 8 or 16 GB memory USB thing?

My comp is pretty good with English. She can communicate but you can tell she is translating it directly into English because the sentence structure is wrong.

Oh the title, the other day we were in a taxi and the driver told me that I looked like a Christmas doll... 

Hahahha I  can picture her not being able to walk, was she okay? Holy crap!!! How many cavities??????? I am never drinking soda again.... 

Ahh man!! I love the olympics!!

That was a short email....... 

Tell Kallie hi for me! And tell Abby that if she can find a place for the hammock then I would be more than happy to let her use it.

Pictures: The panama flag and the Chiriqui flag, a swing, our mustaches and a river in our area where we are going to have a baptism...

Okay well... uhh chao for now... I didn’t have much to reply to so I guess you get a boring letter this week... 

 (guess that means I didn't write enough)

Hug my Abby and tell her I love her more than most!

Flags of Chiriqui and Panamá

Hermana's Medellin and Wandell

 

 Hermana Wandell and the view of Boquete

6 Months and 6 Baptisms

Hi everyone,

This week I would like to start off by mentioning a tie drive. Alyssa has mentioned that there are lots of men and boys in Panamá who don’t have a tie to wear to church. We thought it would be a great idea if anyone has ties their kids have outgrown or ties you no longer wear or would like to donate to those in Alyssa’s mission. You don’t need to buy any as I am certain we all know someone with ties they no longer wear. I have seen my dad’s closet. He still has ties we gave him when we were kids!  We would like to start collecting these asap so we can get them to Panamá by Easter. Yes we have to plan way ahead! It took 7 weeks from the time I sent her Christmas package to the time she actually got it. If anyone has any they would like to donate you can either drop them at my house, my office or call me and I will come get them! Thank you in advance for participating.

My notes!!

Our goal for this change is 6 baptisms, and we will have 4 this month if all goes well and if we pray, fast, and have enough faith.

6 months!! Holy Sabanita!!!

Sooo when I get home I am gonna need a new sonicare toothbrush because mine is getting trashed because of the humidity...

Last night I was trying to finish Hna. Chavez's birthday present and my comp was sleeping so when I went to turn off the light she started freaking out “ahhhh I’m sorry we forgot to pray blhaldhflajdf forgive me we didn’t pray...” So I was kind of freaked out and turned the light back on. She had told me that she talks in her sleep so I was going to wake her up. So I woke her up and then I start laughing and I was like holy crap I thought you were kidding about the whole talking in your sleep thing, and she starts laughing too and then she says your family has very beautiful hair... what?? Yeah well this morning she couldn’t remember any of it.... hahahahhahaha

Who won the superbowl? We had dinner at a gringo's house last night and they were watching it so I know who was ahead after the first half. And I saw Bruno Mars...

My comp is from Monterey, Mexico, she only has one more change than I do. 

Q. Ok can you clear up this confusion. What exactly is Hna. Hoff's last name? Hoff or Hoffmanner? So I guess that means they are in Alcalde Diaz?

A. Hna. Hoffmanner but we use Hoff for short because the Latinos can’t say Hoffmanner... and Hna. Moss is in the best zone in the whole mission!! Wooo Alcalde Diaz!! But she is in Villa Grecia, the other area of sisters. 

Yeah one day I am going to do the Book of Mormon land tour that Aunt Lynda is going to do. It sounds awesome!! 

Oh I need a dentist appointment once I get home cause the cement on my retainer on one tooth came off.

Q. Alyssa did you know that I tried celery? Did you know that I liked it? I'm gonna try a new kind of cereal tomorrow.   Did you know that at Walmart we got 2 cases of my kind of cereal? I love you, I really really really miss you.  and I am gonna be super excited when you come home love Abby

A. Abby I am so glad you tried celery, please stop eating candy and drinking so much soda so you dont have more cavities. I love you more than most and I really really miss you too! I will see you in a year!! 

Q. Your release date is 1 year exactly today! Happy 6 months in the mission this week.

A. Actually my release date is on the 5... 

Pictures:

The bird that says hola and freaked me out!! My love of hammocks, and the view of the main part of Boquete.

I love you I love you I love you!! Hug my Abby and take care of her, give her a hug for me and tell her to stop eating candy for crying out loud!!

Chao for now!!