Week 40 - November 24, 2014 - Just relax

This week was lovely. For the first time in months and months, I went to the temple. I love being there. Need I say more?

I was also able to work with my lovely friend Hermana Zúñiga. She was my sister training leader in Tapachula and I just love her to pieces. She was actually here in Teran 6 months ago, so while she was here we passed by to visit a couple of people she had taught. One of them I had met, and had very politely turned us down. But when Hermana Zúñiga showed up, she got really excited to see her and let us in, and we were able to answer some of her doubts and questions. That is something that never would have happened without her. The best part is that the original plan was not for hermana Zúñiga to come, but we changed it last minute. The Lord puts us where we need to be to help His children in the way he knows they need it.

I know that the Lord puts us where He needs us when He needs us, and that sometimes we won't even know until much later.

Also, I just realized that it is Thanksgiving this week. Be grateful. Life is full of things to be grateful for: including members who give us ice cream and rides, lasagna for the first time in a year (not for me, Hermana Van. She was super excited).

Love,

Hermana Juliana

P.S. Not all of the things I'm grateful for are food, but it's harder to describe moments than plates.

Week 39 - November 17, 2014 - The email I just got that made my week.

'Great news!  The area is progressing great here, we currently have 10 investigators with baptismal dates.  Noel and Lupita have a baptismal date for Novemeber 29th and Hermano Jorge will baptize them.  Victor Lopez also has a date for the 29th and his brother Carlos will baptize him, I am so excited for them!  Leyli and her girls accepted baptismal dates and Romina did as well, Guadeloupe and Gonzalo too (don't worry I will send lots of pictures).'

This came from Hermana Peine. I know all of these people, and they are families that I love. I can´t even express how incredible this news is. The connections we make are eternal and I CAN'T WAIT to see these people again. It's just a matter of time before they'll be here in Tuxtla coming to the temple, too. The Lord loves us. He lets us know and love so many people, because He knows it's what we need.

In news about me, I have another new companion. Her name is Hermana Van Valkenberg, (also known as Hermana Van) from South Jordan Utah. She's hilarious, and can sing like an angel, and smart as a whip. 

I love being a missionary. It fills me up like nothing else on the planet can.

Have a wonderful week. Mine started out on the best note it possibly can. 

Hermana Juliana

P.D. The young woman in the middle has been going to church for years and was taught by just about everyone in the mission  (ok, but not quite, but all of the elders who passed through her town before she moved to Tuxtla) including Elder Peterson, the obviously American elder. The monday I arrived she told us, yeah, I'm ready to take that step. She's just darling. And her mom always gives us candy :) 

Week 38 - November 10, 2014 - Teamwork

You have a team. Did you know that? It might be a team of two, a team of twenty, and you might have lots of different teams. But you have a team. So work with your team.

 

This week was several different meetings, and lots of needing our various team. Our team here in Terán is the ward. They are willing and ready to play, but we had to ask for their help first. I'm super grateful for my team, especially because even though as players some times we mess up, our coach never ever ever will. He knows who He needs where and when, and how to pick us up when we're down.

 

Like I said, we had several meetings this week. One of them was zone conference! (all the missionaries in the stake). AND our stake is 1) HUGE and 2) almost entirely sisters. See attached photo. Seriously, it's nuts. But the picture is more colorful than suits and ties so that's a plus.

 

Depend on your team. Trust them. Get to know who they are and communicate your needs.

 

Have a lovely week! (and count how many times I said the word team in here - I'm not sure but it was a lot).

 

Hermana Juliana

 

Week 37 - November 3, 2014 - Halloween

On Saturday the 1st, Day of the Dead, which is the day kids dress up to trick or treat instead of the 31st, the neighborhood was full of kids dressed up as just about everything, with their parents, some dressed up and some not.

 

One of my favorite things about the week was this:

A car passed by an a little grinning sparkly pumpkin popped her head out of the window and shouted at us, I like your costumes! We laughed and laughed at that one - and said it's a good thing we put in effort putting on our costumes this morning.

 

We ran into them again coming back up the same street, now out of the car. It turns out that the family is LDS and the little pumpkin told us again that she liked our costumes. We asked her if she was going to wear the same costume when she was big, and she said yes. She also told us very proudly that her mouth was painted. (she was very excited to have makeup on.. I think she was probably 5). I have to say, this is my favorite costume I've ever worn.

 

I know now a little bit more about where I am. It's a set of three or four neighborhoods, and while it's not QUITE as green as where I was, we have a river with GIANT trees that we cross whenever we go to San Jose Terán. We share the ward with another set of missionaries, Elders, and our bishop is also the mission doctor. The members spoil us - yesterday we ate brownies with vanilla icecream after enchiladas with mole and quesadillas.

 

Remember who you are - a child of the being who created EVERYTHING. You have unlimited potential, and you have all the tools you need to do everything He asks of you. When we do that, He has promised us innumerable blessings.

 

Love,

Hermana Juliana