Adventures of the Panamá Canal

 

 Alyssa at the Panama Canal. The perks of getting to spend p-day in one of the most beautiful countries in the world!

I am good. we went to the canal today with the zone.

Please tell Grandpa to tell the Bishop of my ward that I want to sing Called to Serve in Spanish for the closing hymn of my homecoming. What is Grandpa's calling? Is he still the secretary? and Hna. Leydi is getting sealed in January.

Q.  It seems like your emails are shrinking  Are you ok? Are you upset or mad? Just busy? Have nothing to say? Have more people to email? 

A. I just don't have much to say... sorry... (ok if someone has a question they would like to ask email me because apparently she has run out of things to tell us and I have run out of questions to ask :(  ) 

So this week Abby lost her 2nd tooth. The other one in front on the bottom. She is so funny she can't put it under her pillow yet because she has to write a note to the tooth fairy telling her not to leave her money but blue fruit roll ups instead LOL 

Blue fruit roll ups... she's too cute!! 

So does anyone go home at the end of this transfer even though it's only 4 weeks long?

I don't have any idea about people coming or going.

Was the painting for the Panama day of service?

No the panama day of service we picked up trash on the beach. 

Do you have any new investigators? How is J. doing? Have you heard from Heidy since she went home? How is she doing?

Its' so weird to hear her be called Heidy... to me she is Chavez. and yes we found a mom and two daughters this week, so we will see how it goes. J. is good, he is getting names ready to take to the temple. 

Shout out to Candace, I got your letter this week! Thanks for writing! Love you girly!

Dear Alyssa, I really really miss you but you will be home in 16 Mondays I think. Did you know I lost another tooth. I lost the one right next to the other one I lost. Let me tell you how I lost it. I went to school and my daddy came and got me after and we were going to Winco. I was eating a jelly bean on my way home and it fell out in the car. Alyssa I did not understand your jokes. Did you know my friend Sophie likes to come over everyday except for Sunday and we play. Did you know she can do the monkey bars backwards and so I learned too. Dear Alyssa have you tried any new foods lately? If you did will you tell me in your next email. Alyssa, I love you very very very much. To Alyssa love Abby

Dear Abby, 16 Mondays huh? I liked your picture of you without your teeth. what do you think the tooth fairy is going to give you this time? If you don't want the money you can give it to me! Haha you can do the monkey bars backwards? That's cool! I cant even do that! Um I haven't tried anything new lately.. I love you to the moon and back little girl. I will see you really soon! And I promise that we will hang out every single day!! Love Lyssa!

We went and saw Meet the Mormons. Did you guys get to see it? I know the stateside missionaries did.

No we don't get to see hardly anything. 

I love you!!

Yes, the email is really that short..

So this week was pretty boring. We painted a house and picked up garbage, that was the exciting part... (I am pretty sure that was part of the Panama day of service, but she didn't mention that part)

I am doing well. Things are fine. Today we had a talent show with the zone. No there are no pictures of the talent show part... sorry.

I said I was gonna start saving something?? 

Dear Alyssa, did you know I have a cold? And I got it on Friday. Did you know Friday has 2 syllables? Right now I am drinking some medicine so it will go away soon. How is your new companion? Do you like her?I hope she is being nice to you? Did you get this companion before? I am sorry that you are sad because you miss Hermana Chavez but that is nice she got to go home safe. Pretty soon you will get to go home too. I bet you will be super excited when you get to see Hermana Chavez again. I am sure that you are sorry that I have a cold. Dear Alyssa I've got a joke for you. What do call a chicken dancing on the top of the mountain? You call him on the phone and tell him hey get down off that mountain you are supposed to be on a farm. hahaha Dear Alyssa I miss you very much and I super excited to see you when you come home. I love you so much and I am so excited to see you. I love you so much because you are my best best friend. 

Dear Abby, I am sorry you have a cold. I hope you feel better soon. drink lots of water and take the medicine that mom gives you okay? My new companion is nice, she is from Guatemala too like Hna. Chavez. Hahahaha I like your joke Abs. I have one for you but it only makes sense in Spanish... Cual es la diferencia entre de una pera y la novia de un misionero? La pera es pera pero la novia no espera. okay I have another one also in Spanish... porque los nefitas siempre tenian su ropa arrugada? Porque Moroni escondio las planchas. HAHAHAHAHA... anyways. I miss you a lot but hey guess what! I will be home in 4 months from today!! It will go faster than you know it with Grandpa´s birthday, Halloween, Mom´s birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New years and all. I love you so much cause you are the best best friend I could ever ask for and I love you with all my heart! Be good little girl! And give mom a great big hug for me and hug a boy for me because seriously I am going through withdrawls.... 

It is so weird to think how fast time has flown by. I love you! See you soon! Chao for now!

Alyssa and her companion

Hermana's M. and Wandell

Elder's Quijada and Hernandez and Alyssa

Painting

Hermana Wandell and Elder F.

Hermana's Wandell and S.

Hermana Wandell and Elder V.

Alyssa and her companion

Hermana's O. and Wandell and Elder A. 

Hermana Wandell and Elder A.  

My new companion and I saw Doug on conference!

So I saw Doug on conference! That was cool.

Dear Alyssa, 

I really love and I am sorry that you are sad that Hna. Chavez went home but I think she is going to come to Utah so it is going to be ok so don't cry. 

Did you know my tooth is growing back in? My big one. Did you know I went a field trip to the farm? Wheeler Farm. I love you so so so much. Did you know there is no more September before you come home? How long until Christmas because you know I get to Skype with you. To Alyssa Love Abby I love you.

Dear Abby, I love you too and I know I will see Chavez again. Its just a matter of when. Send me a picture of your tooth!! Did your other one fall out yet?? Hey guess what!! Today is 14 months!! That means I will be with you really soon!! In a little more than 4 months! I will see you soon little girl! I love you with all my heart! and my butt, cause that's a lot bigger than my heart... BAHAHAHAHA

Hi, I am okay. She left on Monday for a day and then came back on Tuesday. She was saying goodbye to people in her other area. My new companion is Hna. O., she was Chavez's comp in Volcan. She´s fun but right now I still miss Chavez. I am still in Brisas. S. and M. are still here as well. This change is only 4 weeks long so we will see what happens. 

Hermana's Chavez and Wandell

Q. Where is your new companion from? Is she nice?

A. She is from Guatemala as well (I think it is a sign that my future husband is from Guatemala.... because this is my 4th companion and my 6th change with chapinas *chapina = Guatemalan*) she was Chavez's comp when she was in Volcan. O. is my step sister and my niece in the mission. Oh and I am senior comp now... Yes she is very nice. 

Hermana's O. and Wandell

The ice cream is pretty much the same. 

Q. What about conference? How did you like that? What did you get to do go to the church and watch it? Do you have pictures? Do you realize that next conference you will be watching at home in your jammies?

A. I loved conference! It was amazing!! I loved all the talks! Yes I cant believe that that was my last conference here.

  

Don't worry, I can find almost everything here. oh and I bought clothes today... haha 

Q. What do you want me to send to Panama for Christmas

A. I don't want anything grand. I just want to be able to enjoy the spirit of Christmas, o sea the spirit of Christ. I think that we get lost in the world and what the meaning of Christmas really is. 

Can you ask Leydi when they are going? Hna. Leydi, quiero saber cuando van a sellarse porque quiero ir. si puede llamarme cuando saben, seria perfecto. Les quiero mucho!!

We went shopping and cleaned the house today. Don't worry about clothes, i am taking care of that... hahaha shopping is really cheap here. i bought 5 blouses, 6 dollars each. 

WOOOOOOOO CAFE RIO IS OPEN LATE ON FRIDAYS! THANK YOU WORLD!! hahaha 

(she wants Cafe Rio on the way home from the airport) 

I love you! See you in 4 months!! 

lunch at Price Mart (Costco)

Patacones - her favorite Panamanian food 

Hermana's Chavez and  Wandell

 My little thing I made to put on the bulletin board at church

Baptism and no me olvides

Hermana's Chavez and Wandell

eating "no me olvides"

(forget me not's)

At the temple

Hi!

Q. How was J's baptism?

A. J's baptism went really well. It was on Sunday and I realized that Hno. Luis and J. got baptized the same day, just a year apart. so I called Hno. Luis to tell him congrats as well. I sang, but no I didn't record it.. I forgot...:(

J. and Alyssa

Hermana's Chavez, Wandell and J. 

Q. You said last week you got really sunburned doing something with multi zones but you didn't say what.

A. we just hung out and played sports last week.

Q. I sent you the recipes for the banana split pie and the cheese potatoes. Did you get them? 
A. I got the recipes thanks!

Dear Alyssa,

I will be really happy when it's February and you come home and I am sure you are going to be really happy to see me too. Did you know I have a whole in my mouth and there is a tooth growing in there and did you know that right next to it is another wiggly tooth. Alyssa I am going on a field trip at school on Thursday and I am excited because Mommy gets to come. I really love you Alyssa and you are my best friend forever and I have present for you. Dear Alyssa I am sorry Hermana Chavez has to go home. I know she is your bestest friend but I really hope you get a really good companion that you will love love love. 

Hermana Chavez I am sorry that you guys are not going to be together any more. I really love you and Alyssa does too and I hope you have a good time flying home and I hope Alyssa gets a good companion. Please come to Utah. Thank you for being so nice to my sister, Love, Abby

Dear Abby, I will be so happy to see you its not even funny! I love you a lot! Do you know that? Thanks for being my best friend (:

... I wont know until tonight who my comp is but I know it wont be the same. Okay end of the conversation. (I knew Alyssa was upset to have to say goodbye to Hna. Chavez, they truly are best friends and sisters.)

Hermana's Wandell and Chavez

I want the new 1 direction cd to be waiting for me...

J. and the little boy´s name is S.

S. and Alyssa

I love you! 

Alyssa and M. 

The ice cream is called "no me olvides" or forget me not. and The S. family.

J. and his mom, bubbles, the super long road we have to walk all the time (and what you see isn't even a tenth of it).

Hermana's Chavez, Wandell and the S. Family

J., his mom and Alyssa

Their long walk

Alyssa at the Panamá Temple

Hermana's M. and Wandell

Hermana M. 

no me olvides

Hermana M. 

Hermana's Chavez and M.

Hermana's Chavez, Wandell and J.