Cambios, Cookies, and Conference

April 6, 2015

Hrma Baez

Hermanas Field and Baez

Hola todo <all around>!! This week has been the craziest week of my mission so far. Ok, maybe not but it has been reaaaaaaal different. We started it out with some awesome divisiones <divisions>. I went with Hermana Field to her area in Obligado -- AKA jungle paradise!! It is so beautiful out there and is all CAMPO <countryside>! I have forgotten how much I miss the outdoors and campo <countryside>! I have missed the stars. It was so awesome to be out there and smell the fresh non-ciudad <city> air!! Since it was so beautiful and I brought my work out clothes, Hermana Fields convinced me to go running with her in the morning to the track we had found the night before. It was great! So good to run again and push myself. You can only do so much in a tiny, little apartment. 
Their area is huge and we had to take a colectivo <minibus> for about 30 minutes to get to the part we would be working in. There I had the honor to meet and work with Hermana Baez who is in her 50's or so. She goes out every week with the hermanas and works with them. The ENTIRE day! She knows pretty much everybody in her area, and most of them are cousins or family. She is so humble and loving of everyone. Cross my fingers that at some point I can be in this area! 

Lamanitas and Nefitas

We ended our divisions by coming back into Encarnacion where we had our combined zone activity (noche de rama gigante). Each set of missionaries was in charge of acting out a Book of Mormon story and then we ended in the sacrament room and listened to "Rey <King> Benjamin" and the primera conferencia general <first general conference>. It was incredible. We had a war between the lamanitas and nefitas <Lamanites and Nephites> out on the basketball court, Mormon and Moroni and the gold plates, the tree of life. Todo <all>! It was an awesome activity!!

Hrma Sorensen

To top it all off, when I got home I was told that I had a surprise that I had to find in the pension. I searched and searched and what did I find!!! The secret ingredient to make snickerdoodles amongst other things in
my....PACKAGE!!! So happy!! It was so fun to see all the treasures! Thanks family!!! Thanks all the cousins who drew me pictures! Savannah, Jocelyn, Caden...etc. You guys are the best!!! 

Ahhh! Snickerdoodles

This week was a bit different because here in South America or really anywhere that is very catholic they celebrate Easter over the whole week. It is called Semana Santa <Easter week or Passion Week>. Meaning it was pretty dead as far as missionary work. No one was out or doing anything. Lucky for us an Elder had an incredible idea to show the videos, "Because of Him" and "Because He Lives" in the plaza and contact as missionaries. We did that every day in the afternoon and received a LOT of referrals and interest. It was so cool to go around and contact and really help people watch the video and feel of the spirit of our message of the Savior! This church is so true!!! 

Hrma Moreno - So adorable!

Then we topped it off with General Conference. It was incredible! Cool story: Right at the end of Elder Packer's talk it started to rain really hard and it cut off our feed. We all went into the main salon and said a prayer with everyone that the Lord would stop the rain and that we could continue watching the broadcast. I am sad to admit but I didn't really have that much faith it would work. I know miracles happen but I don't believe they happen in my life. Boy was I proven wrong and humbled. The rain didn't stop immediately. After the elders ran around like crazy finding a solution and after time it stopped and the broadcast was available again. It was also after I excused myself to the bathroom and took some time to cry and ask for forgiveness and that the Lord could help me with my unbelief. I KNOW the Lord answers prayers, I KNOW that miracles happen, I KNOW they can happen in our own lives. I KNOW that the Lord can help our unbelief and bless us with strength and ability to believe! I KNOW faith is something we can and always should be strengthening. I am so grateful for all the talks in conference about faith and the strength and humbling that came from it. The Lord knows how to help us and how to truly succor us! If you are struggling to see the miracles or hand of the Lord in your life, I urge you to pray to be able to see it and then to LOOK, SEARCH, and RECORD his hand in your life when you find it! I know He is there, and I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES! This was made so clear as I stood to sing with everyone in the world during conference. Oh and for those that are wondering, I was able to watch it in English but when the native Spanish speakers started speaking, all the English missionaries ran for the other room to listen to him in his native language. It was awesome to be able to understand and feel the spirit of the messages they had to share.

So.....it is that time of mission life again! Cambioss!!!! <transfers!!!> So I will be staying here in Encarnacion but Hermana Moreno will be heading to my old area in Ciudad Del Este. We are super sad but excited for each other at the same time!! I am going to be with Hermana Mamani from Peru! This is her last transfer! We are going to work ourselves to the ground!!! It is going to be awesome! I will let you know more about this cute Hermana when I meet her!!! 

Love you all and hope that all is well! Remember the Lord loves and knows you! Remember we must truly come unto him to be healed and strengthened! 

Hermana Albach


Notes from emails to mom:
Package joy!!! So Hermana Moreno hid my package in one of my suitcases because I was on divisions when she got it. She told me I had a surprise but I just thought she had bought me a bow or something. So when I found it I just started squealing and jumping and dancing around everywhere! It was awesome!! Oh and that is my snickerdoodle dough and cookies!! They were SO GOOD! Cream of tartar! Amaaazing!

Hermanas Field, Palacio, Sorenson, Albach,
Watts and Moreno (L-R)

Total class!

FOTOS!!!! My cute comp and I at district meeting and our whole district!! Oh and the ladies!! Silly me....that is classy right?? --> 

Comments about Conference:

My district

"Yeah general conference is especially incredible on the mission, for sure. Except it was ALL about marriage and families, well at least Saturday was. Guess I will know where to look after my mission for advice!! I loved Elder Nelson's talk about Sabbath day worship and Presidente Eyring's talk about fast offerings. It has been so hard on the mission to see the poverty and struggling and not be able to just take all of them to America and give them all I have. But his talk helped me realize I can really help the members in my rama <branch> and area by giving a generous fast offering. I am going to give a big chunk of my monthly amount because I know I will be blessed, but more importantly, I can bless those that I truly love and am closest with!" 

"Oh and I have to go but here is an awesome experience I had reading my scriptures yesterday during personal study!! So an experience I had as I studied the part of the Savior's life when He was resurrected on Sunday in all four gospels was when he talks to Mary Magdalene... She doesn't recognize His voice until He calls her by name. We truly need to learn to hear the Lord's voice as He calls us by name. He speaks to all of us in a different way as we learn to recognize that we can truly respond and know our Savior just from our names being called. It was pretty awesome for me!