I have a child...

Familia,

Oh hi guys.  I almost have a year left.  Wait, didn't I just start?

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-I have a child and she's 22 years old and latina...

-People get upset because my name is hard to say.  I'm sorry it's not my fault.

-My right arm is pretty ripped from hand washing my clothes in the dirty pila... doesn't matter if the water is black, as long as it's wet it's clean right...??  I just try not to think about it.

-We are breaking mission rules.  We are told that we can't have pets of any kind... does a house infested with cockroaches count?

-You know you're tired when you go to sleep with a bunch of mud on your legs every night.  I have forgotten what clean is.

 

So yeah I'm training folks.  My comp is Hermana Lopez, she is from Nicaragua, and she is super dope.  The first day I was with her,and a bunch of other missionaries before we left to go to our house.  A bunch of them were talking in English and I said something hilarious like always and she started laughing..... UH WHAT.  SHE SPEAKS ENGLISH.  I about cried.  I have a sweet comp, she has an amazing testimony, and she speaks english.  In other words, she is sent straight from heaven above.  STRESSED BUT BLESSED.

 

We went to our first lesson and after teaching about faith and repentance she invited to baptism.  whaaaaa.. she is blowin me away.  I am still scared to invite people haha.  She is really animated, friendly, a little sad, but strong.  I think about all I have to offer her is a bunch of incorrect spanish and a little help not getting too lost in our area haha.  It's good.

 

We had a super cool experience with a less active member yesterday.  With hermana gonzales we always placed appointments with her but every time we went looking she said she was busy, about to leave, about to eat, about to do whatever thing that didn't involve listening to us.  aight.  Last night we were close to her house but walking in the opposite direction to look for someone else, but I had a random thought, "We should look for Heidi again."  It seemed like a lost cause but I thought we could try anyways.  We went knocking and she let us in!  I was amazed.  We had planned to share 2 Nefi 31 with her to give her a little sincho. (there's literally not a word for sincho in english.  For example, she is baptized but doesn't go to church, so we were going to tell her she needs to shape up and endure to the end.... that's sincho)  After talking with her for a few minutes and we were about to share the lesson, we both paused and looked at each other.  We knew there was something else Heidi needed to hear last night.  We asked her what she was hoping to talk about, learn about, or wanted us to teach her.  She asked if we could talk about faith.  Immediately Hermana Lopez and I had thoughts, insights, questions, and scriptures come to our minds and we had a new lesson formed in about 3 seconds without saying a word.  We knew there was a lot more meaning to her request to talk about faith.  She was searching for help.  We were able to teach her and turns out it was exactly what she needed, exactly when she needed it.  She apologized for not receiving us for so long before, but that she hadn't been ready to let Christ back into her life yet.  She said that our visit was perfectly timed and that maybe she was at home alone without any distractions for a reason.  She needed to feel Christ's love.  We left her with a few scriptures to read and the invitation to come back to church.  When we left her house and walked quickly out of the scary dark lane in our scary dark area, we were smiling and talking about how we both had the same promptings and how perfect it was.  Oh how grateful I am for tender mercies, especially on days when I feel like I really don't want to keep going.

 

I love you all!

No Empty Chairs

Hermana Llátez

Stressed...Blessed??

Familia,

 

Well hey folks.  I have a lot to say, and then again nothing haha.  I don't even know what life is anymore.

 

SOPHIE HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!  I freaking love you so much bff, I can't even tell you.  You are the most lovely thing to walk this earth and you look better in my clothes than I do.  So sport them.  I wish I could be there with you for your birthday, but I'll only be a little late for your birthday next year ;)  Love you to the moon and back sissy.

Barrett and Erin, it is so pretty there!!!  Thank you for the pictures!!  You're right Erin, I'd go absolutely crazy there taking pictures..

Fun fact: all my pictures got deleted again.  For real this time.  Sorry mama.

I have a request.  Someone needs to film Isaac's homecoming talk for me.  No, not just a recording of his voice, but a video please :)  I don't care who or how, but it has to be done.  Thank you :)

I got the tapes thank you!!  Dang it is so great to hear your voices.  Should I respond on the one you already used or a new one or both for you and Barrett and Erin....??? idk what to do..

We have a baptism on Saturday!

And yes changes are tomorrow.  I got a call on Saturday night from one of the assistants, Elder Trujillo, when we were walking in the street to buy some food for my comp.  "Hermana Yates!  Quiere saber su cambio?"  ".....no...."  "Pues felicidades Hermana Yates, usted va a entrenar!!!!"  "..............."

I didn't have a single word to say to him.  Then I started bawling in the street.  That was not the phone call I was hoping to get.  I bawled all night long.  I think I'm numb to feeling anything about it now because I cried everything out.

No, I'm not ready.

No, I don't understand spanish.

No, I don't have anything to teach another missionary.

Yes, I'm terrified.

 

help.

 

I don't know who I will be training, if she speaks english, spanish, or chinese.  I hope hope HOPE she speaks spanish.  Pray for me.  That's about all folks.

Love you all.

 

nec

Morgan

Welcome home my brother

Familia,

I almost sent my letter to Isaac's missionary email.  Welcome home my brother.

Hermana Faught

I'm not gonna lie, I'm really not in the mood to write today.  I'm still in Guatemala and I'm still a missionary and even though it is pretty much impossible to explain how hard it is, I'm glad I'm here even though I'm not with you all.  I'm so grateful for my family and I love you all so much.

I'm going to send home a bunch of pictures and see if I have time to write more.

NEC

Morgan

Crammed in the taxi to take our investigators
to see a baptism

New area with Hermana Gonzalez

Animo!

Familia,

 

THE RUNDOWN:

-I don't know how, but the men here have whistle sounds programmed into their cars.  When they pass, their cars "whistle" at us and it's pretty hilarious.

-I accidentally said a bad word in spanish.. I didn't know it until my comp said, "What did you say??  That's bad!  Where did you hear that?"  hahaha couldn't tell ya.

-We have sought out every weight scale in Coban.. and we're convinced they're all rigged.  Either way, my diet starts now.

-I HAVE ANOTHER PARASITE WOOOOO!!!!!  No, really it sucks.  But I'm taking meds and I'm on a strict diet of sandwiches and oatmeal.

-We have a street in our area that is full of bars.  There are always women sitting outside and I've always wondered why.  Maybe they are showing the men of Coban that women work there...?  I asked my comp, "Why are there always women sitting outside?"  Yeah definitely prostitutes haha.  Oh how innocent I am...

Zone Conference

-Last night a man was throwing rocks at our window and wanted to talk to us.... definitely not Romeo.  We are super careful when we leave the house now :)

 

Well family.. Isaac is going to pretend like he wants to be home for a while.  Don't take it too personally, the mission is just really special.

 

I find it all too fitting that in the Bible dictionary, when you read the name Isaac it says -He Laugheth.  If you know my brother you know he is always laughing and can make anyone laugh with ease.  If you know my brother you'll also know that he writes letters that inspire, make you laugh, cry, and ponder.  I always wonder how it's done.  Maybe one day I'll figure it out.  He doesn't want to disappoint anyone, especially his Father in Heaven.  He has always been a faithful brother and friend and an example for me, even though I've always been that annoying little sister ;)  He left with a desire to do the right and found a joy and conviction in the light of the gospel and the special experience of sharing it with others.

 

A little less than 2 years ago I was going through a rough time.  I remember writing my brother about my worries and concerns and saying "I need a missionary!"  I am so grateful for the response I got a week later.  He said, "No you don't need a missionary.  What you need is to trust in the healing power of Christ's atonement."  What neither of us may have known in that moment is that more than needing a missionary, I really needed my missionary brother.  Someone with a testimony, someone who cared and knew what I was missing, and someone who could help me see it.  Without that letter, I'm not sure I would be on my mission right now.  In that moment I began to see more clearly the strong, caring, selfless missionary he is.  He truly is an instrument in our Savior's hands -he was prepared, humble, and worthy to receive promptings and listen to the Spirit to help me with exactly what I needed.  I can only imagine the miracles he has performed in the lives of others in Mexico City because of his dilligence and worthiness in the work.  I wish I could have had divisions with him this past week to learn from him and feel his love for the people as he teaches.

 

Alma 29:9-10 is his mission scripture:

I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.  I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

And behold, when I see many of my bretheren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heared my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he exteded towards me.

 

I feel that this scripture represents a lot of what my brother has learned and who he has become on his mission.  He doesn't glory of himself, but in the Lord.  He finds joy in the work and his work will not stop this week.  He has the surest testimony that God hears his prayers.  He sees God's hand in all things.

 

Izee, I am so grateful for your example in my mission and in my life.  Thank you for showing me how to be a true servant of the Lord and helping me work harder to reach my potential.  You are amazing and I'm so proud of you.  ánimo!!!  Your mission does not stop here and I know you will continually be a light in my life and in the lives of all those around you.  I love you so much!

 

Fam, give him a big hug for me, give Barrett and Erin and Lily hugs for me as they leave for Norway, and take a million and a half pictures.  I'll bring tissues to internet next week, like I did today haha.

 

Nunca silla vacía

Mo