antes de la oracion...

Familia,

I have a lot to talk about so I ran into the internet shop first to get the good keyboard:) sometimes sacrifice has to wait until after internet time.....

THE RUNDOWN:

-When was the last time you found a slug in your bathroom?  For me it was saturday!

-The mission is just like a really long mom-prep class.  I cook for myself (kinda), i take kids to school, make sure they said their prayers, buy them clothes and make sure they look nice for church, make sure our investigators kids don't run around screaming and getting all dirty during church, I learn how to boss lazy men around....

-Everyone in Canton is dying I swear.  Every day we see people bleeding everywhere.  Watch out, there are crazy people on the loose.  Or just really clumsy drunk guys.

-It has been really hot and humid for a few days.  We were in a lesson and for the whole 30 minutes this lady's ceiling was falling apart all over us because of the humidity.  When we left it looked like we were covered in snow hahaha so gross

-I had to do a 450 Q parasite test today haha  I feel fine but the doctor said I had to do one because the last time I went nothing showed up.  So the struggle continues...

-A guy from our ward will be going to utah in 2 weeks and has offered to take things home for you.. any requests?

FAMILIA GONZALES

SORRY IF THIS IS ALL OVER THE PLACE

I love these people.  They have so many problems but i just love them.  Luvia is the mom, she's 29.  Wesley 13, Dulce 12, Blanca and Josue 8.  Wesley hasn't been going to school lately because he never feels motivated enough by his mom.  He has already been held back 2 grades and his mom is convinced that he has just given up.  So lately we have been getting up in the morning and taking him to school!  It is the only way he will go!  Half of the time he is late though, so we end up sprinting (LITERALLY SPRINTING IN OUR DRESSES) to get him there on time.  Haha we probably look ridiculous.  He loves it though.  They have been starting to pray more often because in primary they learned what to say that teaches them how to pray:

antes de la oracion, poner mucha atención (Before I pray, play close attention)
mis brazitos cruzaré (cross my arms)
mi cabesita inclinaré (bow my head)
mis ojitos ceraré (close my eyes)
a mi Padre Celestial oraré (pray to my Father in Heaven)
It's the cutest thing and they always say it right before they are going to pray.

I've told you about luvia's crazy boyfriend Colocho right?  Anyways, the other day Wesley and Josue came to the relief society activity with us because it was better than being in their house with Colocho.  But first we had to buy him pants in a paca because he didn't have any to wear.  When we were at the activity (we taught the relief society how to make those rolls that we made for valentines day) Wesley told us he doesn't want to wait for his mom to get her act together to get baptized.  On the way back from the activity the power was out in Canton and it was really dark and raining.  Hermana Allen and I let them use our jackets because they didn't have theirs and we all held hands to get them home safely.  When we got back to their cuarto their mom wasn't there (once again) and the girls were sitting in the dark because they didn't have candles.  Hermana Ällen and I bought candles for them and stayed with them for a little while until the power came back on.  We talked about Lehi's vision and had them draw it as we read it.  They are so smart!  They love reading in the BOM and are honestly a lot more pilas at understanding the scriptures than most of the youth in the church.  Their mom still hadn't gotten home and it was going on 9:00.  They told us they hadn't eaten since breakfast and they were on the verge of tears, they were so hungry.  They literally had no food in their cuarto, so Hermana Allen and I ran to our house, made sandwiches, bought juice boxes, chips, and ran back to give them their dinner.  Gosh we would do anything for these kids.  (p.s. we are adopting them when I get home if Hermana allen doesn't do it first)  We had to leave because it was time to be in the house, so we had them all kneel down to say their family prayer even though their mom still hadn't gotten home.  I told them that in my family we hold hands for family prayer, and they all held hands.  Once we got them kneeling, hermana allen and I snuck out.  As we walked out we heard Wesley start to say "antes de la oracion......." 

Yesterday they all went to church!!!!  A few weeks ago hermana allen and I bought them all dresses and white shirts and ties so that they would look nice for church.  They looked sooo good in church yesterday we were so happy.  Luvia had an interview with the bishop and he helped her so so much.  He helped her feel her Heavenly Father's love and helped her realize that she needs to ditch colocho.  (p.s. she put a restraining order against colocho but he won't leave....)  Then the bishop talked to Dulce and Wesley and helped them too and invited them to a family night tonight!  Last night we went to visit them again and Dulce prayed thanking God for the Sacrament.  I know that we are supposed to prepare for the sacrament all week long, but she taught me in her simple prayer that we should always show our thanks for the sacrament!!

Luvia started talking really poorly about Wesley again and saying everything he does wrong.  It was so sad and he tried to leave because he was embarrassed, sad, and felt like it wasn't fair.  Hermana Allen dragged him back inside and we talked once again about how things should be in the home.  How they need to love each other and build each other up.  We played a game where someone would tap a pencil and until they stopped tapping it we would pass an object around.  When they stopped, the person who had the object had to say something they liked about the person next to them.  It helped them SO much and it might have been the first time they had heard a compliment from one of their family members.  They are progressing so much, but they have a lot to improve still!  I love them and am so happy to be able to help them.

FAMILIA IBARRA

Well this week might be make or break for them.  They are going to decide if they are going to be baptized.  We will be fasting with them tomorrow to help them make that decision.  Please pray for them.

wow sorry I still have so much I want to tell you about but I have no time!  hopefully one of these days i'll find time to write in my journal... that's probably why I have so much to say, I don't want to forget it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMMY!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA-W!  I love you both so much!

BARRETT AND ERIN THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE!!  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

so do the office elders because I shared the chocolate haha

Dad, don't worry too much about the flood in the house.  People here would be happy to have something other than a dirt floor.  The house can be fixed.  Be happy that more important things aren't falling apart in the house, like our family.  It could be worse.  Love you.

NEC

Hermana Yates

im gettingreallysick of these keyboards

Familia,

these internet shops...

p.s. happy valentines day :)

THE RUNDOWN:

-no one got shot this week!

-sophie CONGRATS ongetting your young womanhood medallion!

-erin, so crazy you are goingtohave a baby!!  take pictures!!!!

-Igot the package! Thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So to say this week was insane would be an understatement.

beingthenurse's companion means that i getto tag alongwith all of the errands she has to make and it'sa good time.  Exceptthisweek.  There were elders calling in the middle of thenight, people having surgeries, insuranceproblems, shoulder problems, other secret problems, running to the plaza and back, and i don't even know what else.  Then at thesametime we were having to plan a Valentines Day activity in the church.  The elders were in charge of the invitations, the other hermanas were in charge of the game, and hermana allen and I....the food and decorating.  are you kidding me??  We recruited the relief society to help with the food and we ended up making 130 rolls from scratch.. .. which I did on a table in the oficina while hermana allen was taking care of health things.  Haha hopefully i have time to send pics because it wasfunny. we also decided to hang a million balloons from the ceiling for decorations because i saw iton pinterest onetime haha.

Saturday cameand we werehoping to quickly decorate after correlation so we could teach..... we endedupbeingthere ALLDAYLONG!  900 balloonslater and we were left alone to try to find a ladderto hang the balloons.  People would comeandgo trying to helpbut notreally doinganything haha. we conseguir'd 2 rickety ladders and got to work.  oneof them wasn't tallenough so we had toputit on a tableto reach haha!  ITwasinsane andprobablyvery dangerous, butwe had tosave Valentines Day!  We ended up havingit done right before the activity was going to start.  It was a crazy night but a good time!

Sorry My fingers are cramping.  gotta stop.loveyou all andlove beinga missionary.  adios

NEC

Hermana Yates

asjdflkñaksd

FAMILIA

No se precupen, i got the good keyboard again!!!! wooooooooo

THE RUNDOWN:

-It's warm today. halleluja

A whole lot happened this week, so I guess I'll just go day by day?

Lunes:

Talk about baggy.  We had a family home evening with the bishop because it was Elder Gomez's last one!  It was cool but sad to hear him bear his testimony.  Remind me to not ever leave the mission ok?  Also, they invited a family from Chamelco, my first area, and it was so nice to see them again!  It was crazy to realize that it was almost a year ago that I started there.  I was able to see how I have progressed in so many ways.

Martes:

CHANGE DAY.  I was the nurse's assistant and it was fun :)  haha I got to see everyone, help her by erasing the board during her presentation, and help put together first aid kits for the news.

Miercoles:

Talk about baggy x2.  We had to go back to the offices in the morning to get the olds their medicine to kill all of the parasites they are going home with.  It was SO WEIRD to see all these people super baggy and waiting for their last brunch with President.  they were sad to be leaving, yet happy.  Once again, remind me to not ever leave ok?  We cried and said bye, and ya.  That night we had a noche de hermanamiento and the stake president gave the message because he lives in our area.  It was so great!  I learned so much and it was surely an answer to my prayers.  We talked about faith, hope, and grace.  How they are all connected and how they are all necessary.  How real the hope is for the resurrection and for a better life with our Creator.  He told the story I told in my farewell talk about the little kid who wanted a bike but only had 61 cents.  It was so interesting to see how much I have learned about the atonement since I gave that talk.  How much MORE it means to me.  How much more I love my Savior.  How much I have learned about grace, mercy, our responsibilities, and our inadequacy, and just how necessary the atonement was.

Jueves:

One of those days where you feel weighed down by the worries and problems of the world, yet at the same time, so grateful for what you know and for your own blessings..... it's a weird feeling, I'll tell you that.  Our member who was going to leave with us is having a hard time with the usual problems here in Guatemala... her husband is cheating on her, has another family, wants to live with her, beats her.. blah blah blah it's awful and I'm sick of that.  Remind me to have a good husband ok?  We helped as much as we could and headed to our appointment with Luvia and her kids.  As usual, she was complaining about Wesley (her 13 year old son who we love) about how he doesn't want to study, he doesn't do anything, he is good for nothing, and how she was going to send him back with his terrible father because she didn't want to deal with him anymore.  We told her for the millionth time that she has to support, love, and motivate her kids.  She left and we talked to Wesley.  We asked why he wants to go with his dad and he starts crying and says "because my mom doesn't love me"  of course we start bawling.  He knew she does, but she just has a hard time being a parent to say the least.  We helped him see that if he went to school (he hasn't been going all year), went to church, and was super obedient and awesome, she will change too.  He has to be the example in the family.  We read about the 2,000 stripling warriors and he decided he was going to be like them and fight for his future and his family because his mom is having a hard time right now.  We asked him if there was anything else we could do for him and he sat there for a long time wanting to say something but was nervous as always haha.  Then he said "can you come every day?"  (cue the tears again)  of couse we can come every day.  Freaking love that kid.

Viernes:

We went with Luvia again and she was telling us how much Wesley loves us.  She said "Wesley keeps telling me how happy he is when the hermanitas come.  He doesn't know why, but he feels good.  He feels motivated."  That, ma'am, would be the spirit and the gospel that he has never had before.  It tends to do that :)

Sabado:

p.s. mom... you might want to skip this part.  or if you keep reading (which i know you will) i warned you.  don't freak.

So we had left in the morning to visit some people and thought about stopping by luvias place to tell her we'd be there right after lunch, but decided not to and just went back to eat.  Here in Guatemala there are a lot of bombs and fireworks going off all the time, so we don't really think much of it when it happens.  I used to laugh about it because it sounds like the Hunger Games when someone dies and a bomb goes off, ya know?

Anyways, we heard some and joked about it and moved on.  There were also some sirens outside but that's normal too, it's usually nothing exciting.  Our member came to get us and we went to find luvia and saw a bunch of people a few houses down the street from our house.  Turns out that Luvia's 24 year old next door neighbor got shot outside of his house in broad daylight in front of a bunch of people.  As far as we know, they don't know who it was, just that they drove by and shot him.   so remember those hunger game shots/bombs at lunch.....?  yeah.  Luvia's kids saw it happen because they are always running around in the street, and we saw him laying there covered.  It was a little eerie but everyone else acted like it was normal and we were super surprised.  A few hours later they moved him and life went on like normal.  All I know is that we were protected.  I already knew that, but that was just another testimony to me.  so thanks for your prayers folks :)  they are very appreciated.  mom, I'M OK!!  just pray for Luvias kids because they told us that it was scary for them and they can't get it out of their minds.  They are 12 and 8.  We told them to read their BOM and they would be able to forget about it.

Later that night we taught a cute 19 yr old girl who was listening to the missionaries about 2 years ago.  She is SO READY to be baptized!!!  She just needs to get work off on sundays.  Pray for Nolvy because she wants to get baptized this month!!!

Domingo:

THE FAMILIA IBARRA WENT TO CHURCH!!!!!  We left them for a while because they weren't doing the things they knew they should, like reading, going to church, and preparing for their baptism.  SO HAPPY.  Also luvia's kids went to church without her.  Pilas

Anyways, don't have time anymore!  I love you all and I love being here!  p.s. WELCOME HOME ELDER PINCOCK!

NEC

hermana yates

How to kill a comp

Familia,

lastima porque I finally have a perfectly new keyboard, but I'm spending all my time today in internet saving my pictures on flash drives.  sorry, I'm just scared to lose it all!

quick rundown

-We saved a man's life.  Well maybe.  A drunk guy covered in blood came up to us on the street and held out a very bloody hat asking us for a quetzal for a bandaid.  Uh sir, I don't think a bandaid will help that huge cut on your head.  We took him to stores and a pharmacy to get water and gauze and helped clean him up.  Everyone was looking at us like we were crazy but someone had to help him!  Eventually someone called the ambulance but he wouldn't go with them.  Turns out his brother was drunk as well, they were fighting, and he cut his head open with a table knife.  It's casual.

Cleaning up the drunk guy. 

-Changes are tomorrow and we don't have changes!  So turns out, I will be killing Hermana Allen (aka sending her home from the mission)  So sad!!

-Jeronimo didn't get baptized..Yet!  We went and talked to his wife and she has calmed down a lot and we are hoping it will work out for this next week!  I'll keep you updated.

-I accidentally left the key in the house the other day and we realized it right as we shut the door........ the best solution that anyone had was to just break the window and put wire in it to open the door.  So they did.  Lesson learned!

I was able to come so much closer to my Savior this week.  I love Him and I love learning about Him.  He's the best.

Well sorry but that's all folks.

Love you all!

NEC

Hermana Yates