Week 27 - August 25, 2014

A little boy was telling me how old he was this week but instead of saying years he was saying how many piñatas he had. He said he had four piñatas, and in September he was going to have five. He then asked me how many piñatas I had. I said 20. He stayed kind of stunned for a moment, but being a four year old he shook it off pretty fast and very curiously asked me here I kept them all. 

 Every day there are small moments - like a puppy running through the lesson or a rainbow when we walk out, or a four year wanting to know where I keep my piñatas, that just brighten up our day. And when we have an attitude of gratitude, we notice the little things and are strenghtened by them. When someone lends us an umbrella or gives us an extra slice of flan, I feel so blessed to be here. I know it takes more effort to see the good things sometime, but that effort is what makes the days fly by. 

I'm so grateful for the opportunities I have every day to meet new people and make new friends, and help someone learn more about the Gospel that has made me who I am. 

This week, look for the little things. They're there in every corner just waiting to be noticed. 

Love,

Hermana Juliana

Week 26 - August 18, 2014 - So the world is small and time goes fast

I just discovered that my companion's parents have found and are reading the blog that these emails end up on, so internet hello to Phillip and Laurel Peine! Your daughter is lovely. :)

Here's the time goes fast part: this week, I hit the one third of my mission mark. I know, it's kind of crazy but who am I to tell the clocks to stop. (I've tried - it doesn't work very well, and if only mine stops, then what would I do? Be late to all appointments, that's what - and that's just not an option). ANYWAY. This week was fantastic, we got to see lots of miracles.

One of which, a man named Hugo who when we arrived to his house said, nope, not anymore and walked out the door (this after he had arrived to church with his wife without us having invited them). We stayed to talk with his wife anyway, and throughout the course of the lesson, his elbow started to be visible by the door, then he was standing in the doorway, and then he came to sit down and listen. I am so grateful for the changes the Spirit can make in a person, and grateful that I get to see it happen, every day.

My poor companion got the same welcome by bugs as I did and spent a couple of days getting to know some of the ward members while I worked with Cinthia. She's back to normal ankle size now though, and we're workin' away. It's really been amazing, what we've seen happen this week.

In the 'cool things we get to see in Mexico' front, we went to the border with Guatemala this week. It's fifteen minutes away, and so we went to take a picture. (For your viewing enjoyment, see attached)

Have a wonderful week, and look for the little things.

Hermana Juliana

Week 25 - August 11, 2014 - New Companion for my birthday!

And we´re both from the US! It's kind of weird, but it's also way fun, seeing the beginning of the mission from someone else's eyes (foreign) eyes. Poor thing, she doesn't really like fish, and guess what we had, two days in a row - her first two days here in Cacahoatan :)

I know you're all dying to know what we did for my birthday - and like the subject says, I got a new companion! (That joke got old within the first 24 hours, but you hadn't seen it yet!) We were in the mission home and the other sisters who were receiving new companions made me a cake (see the second attached picture). Hermana Garcia drew a little slices on scraps of paper for of us as well. It was pretty fun. 

Here's what I've learned a lot about this week - we get to choose. How well we fulfill what we've been called to do, how we use our time, how diligent we are - we have control over what we do. We can creators of circumstances, not creatures of circumstances. We can't control other people, but we can control ourselves. I know that someday we'll account for what we've done with our time, and I want to use it the best I possibly can. How about you?

Have a great week! 

Hermana Juliana 

Week 24 - August 4, 2014 - twenty reasons my mission is great

twenty? where I possibly have gotten that number from? who knows, because I'm DEFINITELY not that old. (yet...)

1. Every single day I get to talk to perfect strangers

2. I'm learning how to make snap decisions and just go with it.

3. Mexican food is pretty delicious.

4. TROPICAL FRUIT.

5. Electric storms. Apparently it's not normal for there to lightening pratically every day, but I think it's awesome.

6. Sometimes you get to live with your MTC companion for a week and reminisce about how fast the last five and half months have gone.

7. Cinthia bought me a cake for my birthday :) naturally, being the loving friend she is she told me to take a bite and then pushed my face into the end of it. 

8. I get to stay in Cacahoatan for another six weeks! Woot! We've been joking that I'm going to be here for my whole mission.

9. We have arcoleological ruins that I get to go past every single week.

10. people will give us food and insist that we take it with us.

11. The members here are really helpful - two young adults from the ward (Cesia y Cinthia) were my companions during the week.

12. When there are transfers, we get to travel in super comfy buses.

13. Chiapas is absolutely beautiful. 

14. The same rain that makes a road muddy enough to steal your shoe is also perfect for rinsing it off again.

15. I'm learning and growing in ways that I didn't know that I could/needed to

16. Spanish is fun. I'm getting to the point that I can make jokes! (and sometimes people even get them!)

17. I'm learning more about the organization of the Church - how it works, and how much trust the Lord gives His children to help each other learn and grow.

18. People wave out their car windows (hi, missionaries!) and we have no idea who they are, but we wave back (usually they're members who aren't in our ward).

19. i feel a connection to the scriptures and the people who wrote them stronger than ever before.

20. I have lots of people who love me back home. Thanks for the birthday wishes! 

Have a great week!

love,

Hermana Juliana