Week 10 - April 28, 2014

First of all:

Woot Isabel! The picture was awesome, too, I'm sure it looked even more impressive in real life. Oh, also for Isabel - my companion just saw our family picture and said the two of us look a lot alike. 

Next transfer is may 12 - we're kind of figuring that my companion is going to be transferred because she's been here for 6 months, but I'm hoping not. We've gotten to be really good friends and we're working really well together. 

Nope, we don't teach any English classes, and we don't actually knock doors. We do street contact though, and depending on how many people aren't home or how long the street contacts want to talk with us, we spend a good amount of time contacting. People here are really open - give them the chance and they'll tell you their life's story on the street corner. It's pretty cool, and it's even cooler when they accept a visit from us, which happens slightly less often. 

How far we walk... I don't know, pretty far. I ought to get a pedometer, because I personally would also like to know how far we walk in a day. (Although Dad, you telling me I would lose weight is NOT true, because the sisters here feed us until we're bursting with deliciousness)

If used to the heat is supposed to mean that I don't sweat anymore, nope! (Did you know that chins can sweat? I didn't. it's one of the those things I didn't really need to know, to be honest). I think I'm more acclimatized then before, because it doesn't make me quite as tired. I've been told that it cools off a little bit in may because the rainy season starts. 

Spiritual experience and friendships in the ward go hand in hand - a counselor in the bishopric is a doctor, and my companion has been sick this week and she finally conceded to go to the doctor on Friday. It was really lovely because after he gave her a prescription we had a lesson with their family. We joked around and I really felt like I was with family, and the Spirit was also there in that living room. I'm going to take pictures with them, because they take really good care of us. 

Dad, your other questions will have to wait. Better yet, send them to me again next week so I don't forget what they were.

Anthony, have fun and be safe in San Diego

Mom, enjoy women's conference. I know it'll be weird without a Fofy in Provo, but go to Slab pizza for me. 

I love you! The Church is true. Go share it with someone, have a family home evening with the missionaries and a friend. They'll be over the moon. 

Hermana Juliana 

Week 9 - April 21, 2014

Hermana Juliana at your service, to try to answer as many as possible. When was the earthquake? Because one sister did mention feeling an earthquake on Saturday, but neither my companion or I felt anything. 

Mom: Cacahoatán is pronounced Ka-ka-wa-tan. I have been told that is so named because cacao is a product of the area. I don't technically have a street address, but I live close to the corner of Calle central oriente and Avenida 15 norte. Good luck :) 

Something that made me laugh: Last week when we bought food, we bought some packages of beans that say, in English, Mexican Style Beans. Last I checked, yes, I am in Mexico.  

Easter is a whole week of celebrating 'Semana Santa'. Some traditions here in Chiapas: 1. A march carrying a model of the Christ, the Virgin and the cross to the park to reenact the Crucifixion. 2. (and this one makes less sense) men of all ages cross dress and put on masks and dance through the streets asking for money. They also stand on either side of the highway and pull on a rope when cars pass, also to ask for money. Everybody has vacations and the city basically shuts down. 

I personally didn't really do anything for Easter, but yes, it is a big deal here. 

I'm hoping this week the pictures will upload, they're being super slow. One of them is a picture of what we did for fun - we played basketball with some of the youth. It was pretty fun. You'll laugh at this next part: they were all expecting me to be good because 'I'm from ''there'''. HA. but it was fun, even though we could only play a little bit at a time because the sun is so HOT. 

No pictures so far, I'll give it another try in another email. 

Scripture for you this week: Mosiah 26:27. Also, something cool. A missionary in the Book of Mormon received a really powerful promise that I always love to share with people, Helaman 10:4-5. I realized this week that his tireless work was 7-10 years, based on the years at the very bottom of the page. Wow. I don't know about you, but that hit me hard. We can never stop becoming better, working harder, doing more. There are so many blessings our Father in Heaven is waiting to give us. 

Love always, 

Hermana Juliana

Week 8 - April 14, 2014

I don't have a whole list of questions to answer! What to do, what to do?

I guess I'll have to think of something to write on my own... (Thank you for the recipe and the picture, by the way).

This week was exciting because I realized my 30 days of temporary visa were almost up. Fortunately, the mission president came to a training we had instead of a district meeting, and I ended up going with my companion to Tuxtla Gutierrez that same day, the next morning signing a couple of things and then coming back the next day. Eg. 11 hours traveling for 30 minutes in immigration. But now they can't kick me out until the end of my mission, so that's happy. Plus, the scenery on the way there and back is completely stunning. 

Let's see... anecdotes... The other sisters have bought their furniture, which means we have spent our last night sharing an apartment with 4 sisters. I think for the rest of the email, I'll send some pictures that Dad asked me for, of where I live, and then some of what it looks like around here!

Something that made me smile this week: as part of our training, we're supposed to spend some time learning about how to use familysearch, as a tool with investigators as well as new members to get them involved. I was poking around in our family tree, and saw that there was something uploaded for Gramps. It's a really great photo of him with a fishing pole, standing in a river grinning. I got really excited and showed it to my companion and would have showed it to more people if there had been more people around. I hope Gramps is doing well, tell him I miss him!

Also, say hello to the Gonzalez family for me! I was thinking about them the other day. I hope they're doing well.

Much love,

Hermana Juliana

Week 7 - April 7, 2014

I couldn't think of any clever titles to put on here. But CONGRAGULATIONS to Isabel, that's way awesome,  and happy almost anniversary parentals. I notice there was not much about Ben, aside from training, so I assume he's all in one piece. Tell him to email me though, but don't tell him it's because I miss him or anything.

First, a little neener-neener that I can't help (mostly directed at mom)... The fish tacos I had today were better than your fish tacos :) Although, basically everything can be considered tacos here because we eat with corn tortiallas (is that the definition of a taco? not sure) but we had fish and it was WAY GOOD. The sister who fed us today knows how to cook a ton of delicious things, and is teaching me names of vegetables that I've never even seen before. I'm asking about how to make things, but I'm going to start taking down recipes. (Unfortunately though, I don't have any experiences that I can relate directly to Percy Jackson... so mom wins there)

Second, please forward this to Gramps: I love you! I'm good, big good, and I miss you lots. We use sweetened condensed milk as a condiment, and it always makes me think of you and making carmels.

This week, we came late to email so this isn't very long. But there's a reason it's so green here: TONS of rain :) We've gotten caught in it a couple of times, and I've started carrrying around my rain coat. It's come in handy, even though there have been a couple of occasions when I didn't have it. They were quite entertaining.

I know you couldn't watch all of the sessions, but listen to them or read them. They were really good.

So I'm going to answer your questions here so you and mom can share your various information. I'm attempting to attach a picture of our living zone, and what we do on P-day, from last week, my companion and the other two sisters sleeping on the floor (just kidding, we do more than sleep, was going to be the caption). However, I don't think that it's going to work.So far I haven't gone anywhere, but we have a family that has offered to take us to the beach, and another that's offered to take us to Union Juarez, which is a tourist destination up the volcano further into the jungle.

The other companionship does live with us. They are going to move out soon though, they have had a house for a while, but they don't have furniture because they haven't received extra money from the mission to buy it.

This week, getting soaked through made me smile. We went to contact a reference from Mario, who is going to be baptized in two weeks, and got caught in the rain with his ten year old son. Everyone who saw us afterward scolded us for not carrying an umbrella or a change of blouse, "don't we know that the rains are starting?" It was really fun. Next week I'll send a picture of us all soaking wet.

This week we taught 16 lessons - a lot of the people we were going to visit fell through. We're working on that. I personally talk about a third of the time in the lesson - but I'm trying to participate more, and one of my goals is to use a scripture from the Book of Mormon in every lesson.

Love you lots, take care of that knee, and take mom out for tacos for your anniversary. Thank you for always encouraging me to be obedient and work hard.

I love you all. I love my Savior, and I am so grateful for the opportunity He gives me to be better every day through His Atonement.

Hermana Juliana