Last week Dengue Fever...this week a cold!

SORRY!! we had a zone meeting so that´s why we´re late today! but...next week we're going to be on late again too because we have a zone conference.

We are going to baptize 23 this month in our Zone and get a prize if we do :) a super super pday. I didn´t have a relapse but I do have a cold :( but I guess I´m supposed to be grateful for my trials or something like that. 

First of all I want to start with conference. We got to watch both sessions both days like we always will. We also went to the relief society session the week before. I meant to bring my camera to send my cumplemeses picture but I left it so I will send it next week. Thank you for the skirts and the other stuff you sent momma :) I also got another unexpected package from grandma..PEANUT BARS!! haha they were a month old but I ate them anyway :) also I dedicate all of L. Tom Perry´s talk to you guys. It made me really baggy how he was talking about his family when he was in the war but it made me think of how awesome my family is and that I can´t wait to take advantage of having an amazing family when I get home! I´m not letting you out of my sight! hahaha well at least for the first couple of days :) also happy birthday month momma! I forgot to say it last week.

Answers to your questions:

What do you think about the changes in missionary ages? I´m legitimately MAD! haha the revelation came two years too late. Remember how I like cried because I wanted to go at 19? but that doesn't matter now haha but..I really did want to go at 19 so yes I would´ve felt ready

Have any of your Latina companions been younger than you? no I have been the youngest girl in the mission.

So is the Hna Garcia that you are still companions with the one that runs with you? No but I have a jump rope so I´m just gonna do that..a lot. Ana from volleyball told me that 5 minutes of good jump rope is the same as 2 miles of running

 So where you are now is just pretty much city lookin? Yeah I´m just in the city. I don´t know where those pictures are taken. They´re all of the assistants and secretaries though

Now for this week...

This week was pretty decent. We met a lot of interesting and positive people. First of all A still has the desire to get baptized so we´re going to talk to him about that. He has just been having problems with his family and everything but he knows it´s true so that´s really good. 

We also met a lady named Y. She is really receptive. We were teaching one day the restoration and I was saying the first vision and it was all quiet and spiritual and then I coughed and scared her baby and she started crying! So there went the spirit. I think the gripe (cold) is from satan. haha but everything else is going well with her.

We taught I. SHE IS AWESOME! She always reads her assignments and already said she would obey the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. We are just having a problem getting her to come to church. And for some reason she is afraid to pray...

We also taught J J. He has attended once church but says he still hasn´t received his answer that it´s true. He´s in exams right now so it´s been hard to teach him but last night we went 

to his house and his grandma was sick so we had a member nearby give her a blessing which went really well.

We are also teaching a really great family! WE had been teaching the wife before but on Sunday we met the husband. He was reading the Book of Mormon that we gave to his wife and we taught the restoration and they are SUPER PILAS! They understand and believe everything and said they would pray :)

One night when we were walking this guy was like hey what church are you from? and so we started talking to him...He´s pretty creepy but he was really interested in the church so we told him about conference and he came...to BOTH SUNDAY SESSIONS! We´re going to baptize him. We still haven´t been able to teach him yet though. 

Speaking of conference we had 9 investigators that went! That was awesome! 

I love you momma and I hope you have a wonderful week. 

So we have late church and afterwards we drove up the mountains to see the fall leaves which are beautiful! There is very sporadic cell coverage up there. So we're at the summit-10,000ft and a message comes through, so I listen to it.  It’s Pres Brough calling. He says he'll call back in an hour." Don't worry, Carolyn is fine." Yeah right. I told my husband to get down from this mountain NOW!  Of course we are on a windy road and there is a big trailer with already 10 cars behind it when we catch up to them... 
Well as soon as I got good cell coverage I called him back.  He said "Hello sister Brown!" Then proceeded to tell me that Carolyn has the first know case of Dengue Fever for a city mission.  It is caused by a mosquito bite.  They didn't know what was wrong with her for the first few days. She was tired and in a lot of pain.  Test came back negative but then they did them again and this time it said it was Dengue.  Now that they know what it is they sent her home to rest until Tuesday. She should be better by then. 

 To find out more information about Dengue Fever click here 
It was kind of nice to get to talk to the president.  He told us what a great missionary she is and said the best thing about her is how much she truly loves the people.  That made me happy.  So, needless to say, we were anxiously awaiting her email today… here it is!

Hi...I´m ok now still just my body is tired and now I have a rash for a couple days that itches like crazy so that sucks. This was the hardest week of my mission for sure. I was seriously seconds away from calling home on Sunday morning. I have never missed you guys so much or been so baggy here in the mission! Probably not what you want to hear,  but it´s true. Being sick on the mission is the worst ever. I guess you want to know what happened then...well basically Wednesday morning at like 1 am I woke up with cold chills and a fever. Like I was shivering so bad I was shaking the bed haha so I was just thinking it was a flu or something the whole time. Then I saw Hna Montgomery (she’s the missionary nurse) later that day because we had to all meet as sisters to switch back from intercambios and I took my temperature and it was at 102.7 and so she wanted them to do blood tests. Dr. Drake was positive that it wasn´t dengue...Anyway I had to go again on Friday to get my blood drawn and then on Sunday I flipped out, wanted to call home just a bunch of junk haha and then Hna. Montgomery called and said she was on her way with Hna. Brough to take me to the hospital. Then the Dr. there said it was dengue and that I just had to rest and wait it out. Basically Wednesday til yesterday I was in the house sleeping or in the capital getting blood work done. This week sucked really bad. Oh and I had to go get blood work done yesterday too to make sure I was getting better. Now my whole body is just itchy so that sucks too. 5 days in the house with fever is what dengue looks like for me and I hope I never get it again! That’s about all my week. As for your questions, only one of my companions was with me at all times because the other two had to go out and work. I went running on Wednesday when I just thought it was the flu but then Friday I was dead and I couldn´t do anything so I didn´t go that day. I lost like 5 pounds. Yeah I take the garlic pills but only sometimes when I remember so I´ll be better about it now haha  I´ve been bit by a dog and got dengue...I think my mission is about complete. Anyway I miss you

For transfers this week, it´s just going to be Hna Garcia from El Salvador and me starting tomorrow.

Can you send me family updates again?  (So family, write her!!!)

For Christmas maybe a long sleeve SUU shirt or sweatshirt for me if it´s not too bulky.

love you momma have a good week. You´re the best! Can you send me some temple pictures? LOVE YOU! how´s Mit Romney doing? What's the news on the temple in Star Valley? anyway...LOVE YOU!

(She wrote Brian that there had been another sister missionary who said she had Dengue Fever, but she never told the Mission Office.)

So this week went really well. We had the confirmation of M. He is really happy with everything and his wife too so we´re really proud of him that he's been able to make the decision to be baptized! 

We also had a family night with “My” and his dad “Ma”. They didn´t come to church this week but “My” said that he hasn't had any alcohol this week and accepted the invitation to be baptized so we are excited about that and we´re going to keep praying hard for him! His goal is the 13th of October.

We have also been teaching the grandma of S who is a less active member. She is catholic and at first she didn´t want to receive us but since we are always teaching S  to try and reactivate him she decided it would be ok if we came and visited her too. She is really great and has warmed up to us a lot so hopefully we can help her understand the gospel better and baptize her :).

We finally got to visit with an investigator that we´ve had for a long time. It´s only the second time that we could teach her because she is always out of town. She is great and she has friends who are members and she is really positive. We just need to find her in a time that she is available. She has a lot of potential. We are also going to try and teach her husband too so they can be baptized together!

We taught JJ and he still hasn´t received his answer yet he said but he´s going to keep praying. He has some difficulties with some of the commandments and he said that he knows he needs to change but he´s just having a hard time with it. But he´s really positive and he understands everything that we teach him really well.

We are still teaching J and C. They are having doubts and problems with their mom because she basically hates Mormons even though her brother is a member. We watched the restoration with them which went really well and they said they haven´t received an answer but they are going to keep praying.

The best thing about this week is that A  said he wants to get baptized! He turned 18 yesterday so he´s going to get baptized Saturday! Woohoo!!! 

The only thing that really had me discouraged this week is that we taught a couple of less active families and they seemed really great and sincere but when it came time to show their love for God...they didn´t come to church. I think it´s the hardest part for me here in the mission is when people that have had testimonies of the gospel, or still have testimonies, negar (for lack of the word in English) (negar =deny) the Holy Ghost and what they have felt.

The thing that surprised me the most this week was when we went to teach a evangelical lady and at the end of the lesson she said the prayer, even though we taught her right, with her hands in the air practically yelling "el sangre de Jesus tiene poder" (the blood of Jesus has power) and then she touched my head like she wanted to cast out demons. 

We´re in divisions right now...I have a gringa companion for 2 days! 

Six months...but who's counting?

6 months...and isn't she beautiful!!!

So this week was pretty good we had lots of lessons and there were a lot of really positive investigators that we were able to teach. We taught the mom of a member about family history because she had doubts about baptism for the dead because her daughter was talking about it. We took the family that is in charge of family history in our ward to help us and it went great. She is really positive and understood everything.

The family I am teaching in English is doing really good. They seem to be pretty interested. He had doubts about the Book of Mormon so as an assignment I gave them 2 Nephi 29 to read and he understood that God can talk to whoever he wants whenever he wants haha so that was good. They still haven't come to church but they promised to come someday...they won't put a week though so hopefully they can come.

We also taught “My”. He drank again so that wasn't too great. I don't know how to help him! It's hard but we're going to keep trying to help him do whatever he needs to get on the right track! 

We also taught the husband of a member which went really well. His biggest problem is Soccer. He plays on Sundays and so he doesn't want to come to church. But he knows the church is true and everything he just needs to make the right decisions. He said he had a dream that he was in a white shirt and tie with a "bible" preaching the gospel and he saw his uncle and he said that the bible he had was wrong and was making fun of him. But he knows the gospel is true. His son and wife are awesome. He'll get baptized, he just has to come to church! They promised to start praying as a family and to have family night so that was good.

Now for the best part of the week! M got baptized! It was such a special baptism. His parents aren't members but the spirit was so strong and after everything he hugged his dad and they were both crying a ton. After Hna. Garcia said we want to see his baptism soon now too and he said it's not too far off!!! woohoo! M's father in law baptized him and they're doing great! Now they just have to go get sealed in the temple! It was so amazing. He was seriously ready to be baptized so we're all really happy for that. Especially his wife :)

Answers to my questions:

1. We are not in the capital but we are in a city and yeah I'm pretty sure it's the place you saw on Google Earth.

2. Escuintla is in the coast..the investigators in San Pedro went to El Tejar so no she doesn't know them

3. The ward is Las Margaritas

4. My hair was curled in the picture but not with a curling iron I'll show you how in like....11 months haha

5.I have a mustache but it doesn't matter because when I get home I'm having a spa day..pedicure, hair cut and color, massage, wax..The works haha  (And I’m going with her!!!)

6. Yeah we have hot water.

As for Christmas I still need to think about that so I will send the list next week. (I asked for ideas for her companions)

What happened with the volcano we haven't heard anything about it?! That’s crazy.  Volcan de Fuego erupted this last week and they evacuated 33,000 people from towns around it.  She was very close to it in her last area and took pictures of it spewing hot lava when she was in San Pedro las Huertas, by Antigua.  (see May 29^th blog)

 I'm glad you're not a crazy missionary mom but you better cry a little when I get home! Haha

El fin se acerca y hay poco tiempo....pero les amo muchisimo y estoy segura que son los mejores padres en todo el mundo. Que tengan una buena semana. les aprecio mucho!  (The end is near, there is little time left... but I love you a lot and I am sure that you are the best parents in the whole world.  I hope you have a great week.  I appreciate you a lot!)

Teaching, teaching...and teaching!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

This week has been really good. It's a little hard having 3 companions and switching all the time but I like it at the same time because I am learning a lot from all of them. We split our area and one companionship goes to one area and the other a different one so we're not getting all confused about where our appointments are.

Last week we taught My a couple times and he even came to church on Sunday for sacrament! He is doing really good not drinking so that's great. Last night we had a family night with his dad and his sister (his sister is a member) which went really well. His dad Ma is progressing too. His daughter said he wants to go to church all the time and that he is reading the Book of Mormon! 

This week I did something a lot harder than I thought it would be...I taught in English! TWICE! There is a girl here that we taught one time and her husband is from Belize and doesn't speak any Spanish so when he came to listen I had to teach in English! It was so hard to do! I never realized that it would be so difficult to speak my own language ha-ha. I guess I really was called to teach in Spanish because doing it in English is hard work! But they are part of a different church. They are really receptive and said they would read the book of Mormon and pray so that's the key right there. I think if they will come to church they will feel the spirit really strong. The wife has family that are members so that’s really good.

We also taught M & S. He is doing great! His work is making it hard to teach him because he doesn't get home till really late some nights but he is ready for his baptism this weekend...and so are we! I can't wait. I can't describe how awesome this family is and how much love they have for each other. His wife is really happy and he already asked his father in law to baptize him. His mom who doesn't really want anything to do with the church said she would come to the baptism too! We’re all really excited for them!

We found a new investigator named A. He was prepared to listen to the lessons. He has a friend in Argentina on a mission right now and he told us he's been looking for a church because he wants to be closer to God. He said he would go to church but he had to go out of town. We taught him later on Sunday though and he's really receptive and said this Sunday for sure he will attend.

We taught a less active teenager named S which went really well. We even got him to give up his earrings ha-ha I'm wearing them right now...at least I have a pair of earrings now! (Guess I should send her some earrings?)

Well I love you lots and I hope you have a good week! Tell everyone I know that I say hi ha-ha especially the football team ;) hahahaha but really tell them I say they need to win some games..You can put that on facebook if you want. Direct quote...WIN SOME GAMES! Ha-ha 

but I love you momma you're the best tell Mike and Richie I love them

The Fearsome Foursome

I forgot to tell you last week that when I had to leave everyone cried lots because they all love me so much haha. But really! The G  family cried..Even their two sons! And then in the morning they all came to say goodbye to me as I was leaving! How sweet :) The place I live is in Villa Nueva San Miguel Petapa.

 Also Hna. Alvarado called and said Mama L was going to get baptized on Saturday so I need to find out if she did or not!

My companions are, Hermana Andrea Garcia from Ecuador was here before and we came and joined her (me and Mandy Garcia from El Salvador). We have the mini missionary for the rest of the cambio. She is from Escuintla. We have our own apartment in a little residencial.

This week was pretty decent. W isn´t progressing so we had to drop him. If he can come to church on his own someday we´ll keep teaching him. We tried to teach him 3 times last week and every time he was busy. We even helped him shovel dirt and stuff for his house and he still said he couldn´t take time to listen so I said we can´t help him unless he really wants to change so when he´s ready he can let us know. On a happier note..S got baptized! It was hectic but it happened! She felt the spirit really strong and we sang in her baptism Teach me to walk in the light and she started crying so that was sweet.

As you know Friday we received Hna. Melgar. She is really great and we can tell that she really wants to learn and she has a great desire to serve the lord and do all she can to start learning here. It´s different because we´re basically 2 companionships since we have to split to teach. These last few days I have been with Hna Mandy Garcia getting to know the area. That has been really great. We have been contacting areas and trying to find new people to teach so that was good and we had some good progress with that. One of our members that just got home from his mission even came and contacted with us and taught the people that let us into their houses!

On Saturday we had the interview for S so that was good.  After that we went to an area called Israel but the people there weren´t really receptive. 

On Sunday was the baptism and M and S came to our ward! We visited him in the night and he said he is ready to get baptized! His fecha is for the 15th or 16th..It just depends on if he has to work on Saturday or no. He has progressed a ton! I am so excited for this family! They are great! Also another kid we have been trying to reactivate came to church and sat with us. His name is E. Yesterday we had a Noche de Hogar with the bishop and an investigator that went REALLY well. She is really positive.

She's on the top bunk!

Apartment study area

Yesterday for Pday we went to the dentist and to the paca to buy clothes...I´m wearing used clothes! haha aren´t you proud? My filling fell chipped so we just got that fixed.

Her kitchen

Closet

Love you momma have a good week :) oh yeah there is a curves here! crazy huh! 

New Area in the City!

Here I am!! In Las Margaritas in the capital...well it´s not the capital but it´s not the coast or the mountains haha I´m in a trio with Hna Garcia de El Salvador and ..Hna Garcia de Ecuador! It´s cool I really like my area.

So I still don´t know too much about the area but we´re learning fast. All I can say is that it is really different than the mountains! I really like it here and I like the change. I love my companions Hna Mandy Garcia is really outgoing and it always makes me want to be more animated about the work so that´s great. I also really like being in my first barrio (ward)! Even though I still had to lead the music in church haha. It was awesome to see a full chapel!

This week we´ve been focusing in on a few really good investigators since the goal this week is to have a baptism for every companionship and our area hasn´t seen a baptism since April!  We visited a kid named W. He´s 16 and he is preparing to be baptized this week. His family has had a lot of problems and right now he only lives with his brother who is 17. But he is really great and really positive when we go to visit him. We´re planning on him being baptized this weekend.

We are also visiting a member’s husband. He is awesome! We´re going to baptize him for sure we just don´t know when yet but he´s been coming to church and he wants to have an eternal family so he´ll be baptized. He´s really positive too and he understands a lot. We are going to have family night with them tomorrow. They have twins and they are such an awesome family.

We are also preparing S to be baptized. She is 16 and she lives and works for some members in our ward in a circus. We are also planning her baptism for this weekend we just have to teach a few things and she´ll be ready. It´s a little difficult to teach her sometimes because it seems like she doesn´t understand a ton but she wants to be baptized and she´s learning little by little. We have an appointment with her tonight.

We taught a guy named M and he has a sister that is a member of the church so that helps. His biggest problem right now is futbol and the word of wisdom. His sister that is a member is dating a boy who wants to be baptized too but he´s 17 and his family won´t give him permission so that´s the big problem there. He turns 18 the 24 of September so we´re going to plan for some time that week! 

Yesterday for PDAY we went to metro centro...which is what they call a MALL!! Ahh man it was awesome. I had to get new shoes so that was fun. Other than that we just cleaned for like 3 hours because our house was a disaster. There were tons of spiders and ants and cucarachas. Now it´s not so bad.

This week we are getting a "mini missionary" from Escuintla. It’s just a sister that is preparing for a mission so that will be weird but interesting. We´ll divide into 2 companionships since we´ll be 4 missionaries..in one house..with one shower...haha

This week we have to have a perfect week as a mission because our goal for September is 300 baptisms so we have to be obedient with exactness to achieve it. 

Sorry the email isn´t that long..that´s what happens when you go to a new area!

Oh.. and the thing to send photos on the computer doesn´t work so you´ll have to wait till next week