Ok loved ones... here goes.... I have a very long list in front of me...
I thought I would be staying in La Gomera (I only had 3 changes there)... but I didn't!! It was very tough, especially to say goodbye to Ana and Julio (Mom, could you find the picture I had emailed you of her baptism and email it to me, por favor :) gracias).
I had to say goodbye to Hermana Wetzel... but it was a huge blessing to be at her final change meeting. And get this.. I didn't cry!! The Lord has been preparing me for these past 9 ish months to be able to say goodbye to her.
I may or may not be in the coolest place ever... ANTIGUA!!! But I'm not in the same area that Hna Wetzel was in. I am not in the center, but in the little villages (aldeas) of Antigua. We just have to drive 15 ish minutes to get to the center. It is gorgeous. Reminds me of home (weather, mountains, etc). So, Dad, there will not be any problem with me finding the things that you wanted.
I am with Hna Guaranda. She is from Ecuador. She is VERY feisty and it is awesome. I went on divisions with her one time in La Mariposa when I only had a few weeks in the field. She finishes her mission in December. We're both hoping I'll get to kill her. We already get along TOO well. She's 27. Has 2 bros, 1 sis, mom, and her dad died just 6 years ago. She and her family have only been members for five years. She's incredible. She has had two other gringa companions - the only two Hawaiian sisters in the mish - and she ADORES them, so she was happy to hear that I was born in Hawaii.
Ya... I am in love with my area. San Pedro Las Huertas. We live in that aldea, but also work in 2 more. I'm in another branch. It's bigger than Sipacate, but smaller than La Gomera. I fell in love as soon as we got there. It is so peaceful. The spirit in the area is beautiful. I have not felt nervous or sad one bit, honestly and truly, since I arrived.
Our home is GORGEOUS. I can't describe how completely opposite La Gomera and San Pedro are. It's hilarious. I thought the weather change would affect me more, but it helps that it's almost exactly like Oak Harbor, so I still haven't gotten sick :)
However, we don't have a hot water heater or anything, so we heat water up every morning and bathe in the shower with buckets :) haha.. have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE Guatemala? I've gotten good, too, at first I had to use two full buckets of water, but I can now do it with just one.
All of my Gomera plagues are slowly going away... without the help of frogs :)
I saw a family from La Mariposa here in Antigua on Saturday... family Morales (it's weird to know that Hna Wetzel could - should - be reading my emails now) don't ask how... I'll tell you in 7 months. We may or may not have seen downtown Antigua at night time, with fireworks and everything... DON'T WORRY... we had permission. Gorgeous. I love this place.
The people here are wonderful. All of the members are VERY new members. Most of them have under 5 years to be members. They are soooo humble and willing to do whatever. We don't have a capilla or anything. It's in a house... probably a little bigger than the capilla in La Gomera actually.
It's been easy to get to know everyone. The attendance is usually around 35 people.
It's cool to be able to see, yet again, how the language has come along. I've been able to be myself, so it is much easier to be able to get to know the people faster.
It's also fun to see a few people that know and love Hna Wetzel, so that's fun.
General Conference is next week!!!
I can't express how happy I am. Plus... I'll probably (hopefully) be passing the Navidad in Antigua!! Pretty cool, huh? It will be beautiful.
The Lord, yet again, has blessed me way too much. I don't know why He insists on making my life so blissful, but I just know that that gives me so much more reason and responsibility to work that much harder. I know He expects so much from each and every one of us. I know I don't receive all of these blessings because He loves me more or anything, but because He knows each and every one of us perfectly. He knows what we need, who needs us, what we can handle, what we are capable of, and from there WE must cumplir. I know He lives and loves us... too much really.
Love you all,
Hermana Marin
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Another change
Well, we find out if we have changes tonight. I don´t think we will, but who knows.
We went to Antigua. I didn´t buy a thing (sorry dad), but I´ll def be going a few more times before I finish. I saw Hermana Wetzel!!!! That´s the main reason I didn´t buy anything. We didn´t know if we´d see each other at the change meeting this Wednesday... so we had to say goodbye. It hurt LOTS. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE goodbyes. But I think that I´m getting better at them... even though they still hurt real bad...especially with Hermama Wetzel.
I still have the awesome arm gunk. It´s a little better though... Istuck with the lime and sugar trick.. it actually seems to work pretty well. But the same fam gave me a cream to put on it, because the hydrocortizon doesn´t seem to be doing much :)
THANK YOU thank you thank you for all of the bday wishes. It was fun to read all the snippets.
Yesterday was great. Only our neighbors and one hermana in the branch knew it was my bday, so it was almost exactly how I wanted it..without anyone knowing. But our neighbors surprised us with an awesome dinner and cake. It was very very sweet.
Again... we had more disappointments this week. A baptism that didn´thappen. It was going to happen yesterday.. the best bday present ever... but she said she didn´t feel ready. It was tough. This area has been real tough. But the Lord blessed us with a few different fruits yesterday. More investigators in church.
We are also working with an incredible family. Family Corzo. A widow,2 sons, and a daughter in law. The widow is Adriana and she is incredible. Her life has been WAY too hard. Everyone we talk to knows and loves her and they all always tell us how hard her life has been. She´s the most humble and faithful person. She is constantly in pain and has horrible arthritis, but the first time we met with her, she went to Church and has now been two times in a row. She is wonderful and makes me want to be so much better.
Love you all!
We went to Antigua. I didn´t buy a thing (sorry dad), but I´ll def be going a few more times before I finish. I saw Hermana Wetzel!!!! That´s the main reason I didn´t buy anything. We didn´t know if we´d see each other at the change meeting this Wednesday... so we had to say goodbye. It hurt LOTS. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE goodbyes. But I think that I´m getting better at them... even though they still hurt real bad...especially with Hermama Wetzel.
I still have the awesome arm gunk. It´s a little better though... Istuck with the lime and sugar trick.. it actually seems to work pretty well. But the same fam gave me a cream to put on it, because the hydrocortizon doesn´t seem to be doing much :)
THANK YOU thank you thank you for all of the bday wishes. It was fun to read all the snippets.
Yesterday was great. Only our neighbors and one hermana in the branch knew it was my bday, so it was almost exactly how I wanted it..without anyone knowing. But our neighbors surprised us with an awesome dinner and cake. It was very very sweet.
Again... we had more disappointments this week. A baptism that didn´thappen. It was going to happen yesterday.. the best bday present ever... but she said she didn´t feel ready. It was tough. This area has been real tough. But the Lord blessed us with a few different fruits yesterday. More investigators in church.
We are also working with an incredible family. Family Corzo. A widow,2 sons, and a daughter in law. The widow is Adriana and she is incredible. Her life has been WAY too hard. Everyone we talk to knows and loves her and they all always tell us how hard her life has been. She´s the most humble and faithful person. She is constantly in pain and has horrible arthritis, but the first time we met with her, she went to Church and has now been two times in a row. She is wonderful and makes me want to be so much better.
Love you all!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Marin Clan Growth and pics
Cool!!! This Marin fam is growin good!! WOOOOHOOOO.... Congrats everyone, especially Leslie, Kris, Izy, and Kaylie! I hope everyone is doing well (baby girl and Leslie!). Thanks for keeping me updated.
And thanks to everyone for the bday wishes. haha... cute.
Your eyes are not deceiving you in any of these pictures.
That´s our cute little bathroom... actually a lot better since we took down the curtain.
That´s our amazing view/perfect sky, weather everyday.
That´s a frog being rubbed againt my arm for the random disease (I don´t really think it´s a disease) that was once on my left arm, went away, and is now on my right arm :) This is one of the good old Guatemalan coast recipes for getting rid of whatever discolored skin problem someone might have. Last time, I used a different recipe, put sugar on a lime and rubbed it all over the skin, without washing it off, then slept like that all night :) Have I ever mentioned how much I love Guatemala?!?!?!
We saw some FRUITS!! The largest amount of investigators went to Church yesterday than in my whole time in La Gomera. It was very very happy. We found a ton of new people to teach this past week and now we´ve just got to keep the flow and help them all progress.
Love you all!!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
WOW
Holy email overload!! This might just be my favorite email day of my mish yet. THank you thank you for your love, support, and emails! Thank you President, Aunty Puni, Fay, Abuelita, Goddess, mi Papá, Toph, Izy, y mi Mamá Guatemalteca. I have lots to read. Thank you thank you thank you.
This past week was a very good one. We had divisions... I didn´t get to go to La Mariposa, but I did go to El Esfuerzo in Escuintla for the second time and my third time with Hermana Manzanares. It was cool being with a latina comp again for a day.
I don´t feel like I have very much to share. We are working hard, but, as I´ve said before, the fruits aren´t as abundant or as easily grown here... But we are so positive and know our efforts are not in vain. One of our biggest challenges is just getting the people to attend church!!! It´s a big problem... especially when we aren´t in the two areas at the same time during church.
But know that things are great and we´re happy!
Love you all! I´ll try to write back :)
Hermana Marin
This past week was a very good one. We had divisions... I didn´t get to go to La Mariposa, but I did go to El Esfuerzo in Escuintla for the second time and my third time with Hermana Manzanares. It was cool being with a latina comp again for a day.
I don´t feel like I have very much to share. We are working hard, but, as I´ve said before, the fruits aren´t as abundant or as easily grown here... But we are so positive and know our efforts are not in vain. One of our biggest challenges is just getting the people to attend church!!! It´s a big problem... especially when we aren´t in the two areas at the same time during church.
But know that things are great and we´re happy!
Love you all! I´ll try to write back :)
Hermana Marin
Here goes... (Monday, August 29th, 2011)
Sorry about last week... I´ll try to do a quick sum up of the most important things...
Familia Marin. Older couple. Juana and Jacinto (crazy, huh, Mom?!). The way we met them was awesome and I truly thought they were elegidos. He went blind about 7 years ago and sought after God. They are poor poor poor. He sings beautifully... evangelical hymns that are truly quite pretty. Les amaba. We were teaching them and all was well, but when we got to Joseph Smith, we couldn´t even get a word in. They got defensive and said he couldn´t be a prophet because his name isn´t in the Bible. It was tough. There was no way for us to try to explain. At the end, Hermana Jacinto asked us what our true purpose was in being there and I bore my testimony, telling him that all we asked of him was to pray. Pray to find out the will of God and the truth. I started crying. I had never cried in front of investigators in a lesson before. Never. It was heart-breaking. I just saw the closed mindedness of it all.
That same night, we were in a branch activity, when my drunk, street friend that we have talked to a few times showed up. All of the members were a bit caught off guard and surprised. We asked him to come talk to us outside of the church. He basically told us his life story and it was heart breaking, too. I bore my testimony of the Savior. I saw a child of God in front of me, who has dealt with horrible challenges in his life, and somehow (including many choices and actions of his own and others) ended up how and where he is now. He cried. I cried.
The next night, we were with one of my absolutely favorite La Gomera member families. They have been having marriage trouble lately, so I had given them the talk by Pres Monson in Phood meeting, but in a week they still had not read it, so we did with them. We each shared our thoughts. The wife cried, the husband teared up, and I cried.
I just know that the Savior is capable of everything and anything. Only He can truly heal us. Only He can make this life worth living and enduring. I have seen so much pain in these past couple of weeks. So much. I know I can´t fully understand, but I have felt a little bit of it, too. But only Jesus Christ truly knows firsthand what each and every one of us feels, goes through, and thinks.
Needless to say, I cried a bit the week before last. This past week was a bit better, but still with lots of disappointment.
The week previous we invited at least 30 people personally to church in Sipacate, but only 1 of those who we invited came. The attendance was 13. This past week, we invited at least 35 people personally to church in La Gomera, and a few showed up. We have been working so incredibly hard. Waking up extra early, running around like crazy, challenging people to fulfill commitments, so much... but something President Brough talked about in interviews this past Friday was the importance of not just being diligent and obedient, but also having faith and hope. I like to think that I´m a pretty positive person with a bit of faith, but yesterday, I noticed that I was finally allowing all the disappointments, lies, etc. to get to me a bit. I know what I need to work on.
These past few weeks have been ones of sooo much change. I feel like I have lost so much of the fear and hesitation I had before. I´ve come to understand more of ¨many are called, but few are chosen¨ and how it is my duty to find the elect, so we must invite all to come unto Christ. I will not be held responsible if others don´t accept, but I will be held responsible if I don´t invite. I´m opening my mouth more. At times, I feel like I am just condemning people more, after they refuse the light and truth we (try to) give them, but it´s all part of the plan. Yes, God is merciful, but He is also just. He loves us and does everything for us, but at some point, we must realize our nothingness and realize that our part is huge and we have a lot of work today if we truly want to return to live with Him. It´s not just about our happiness, but it´s also about the love and appreciation that we show the Lord. HE wants us to be happy, that only comes through keeping the commandmets, building our faith, action, etc. When we settle for less, we are just condemning ourselves and denying Him.
I am happy. I know I am in the right place doing the best thing. I have a lot to improve, change, and do, but I know that it is all possible.
All my love,
Hermana Marin
Familia Marin. Older couple. Juana and Jacinto (crazy, huh, Mom?!). The way we met them was awesome and I truly thought they were elegidos. He went blind about 7 years ago and sought after God. They are poor poor poor. He sings beautifully... evangelical hymns that are truly quite pretty. Les amaba. We were teaching them and all was well, but when we got to Joseph Smith, we couldn´t even get a word in. They got defensive and said he couldn´t be a prophet because his name isn´t in the Bible. It was tough. There was no way for us to try to explain. At the end, Hermana Jacinto asked us what our true purpose was in being there and I bore my testimony, telling him that all we asked of him was to pray. Pray to find out the will of God and the truth. I started crying. I had never cried in front of investigators in a lesson before. Never. It was heart-breaking. I just saw the closed mindedness of it all.
That same night, we were in a branch activity, when my drunk, street friend that we have talked to a few times showed up. All of the members were a bit caught off guard and surprised. We asked him to come talk to us outside of the church. He basically told us his life story and it was heart breaking, too. I bore my testimony of the Savior. I saw a child of God in front of me, who has dealt with horrible challenges in his life, and somehow (including many choices and actions of his own and others) ended up how and where he is now. He cried. I cried.
The next night, we were with one of my absolutely favorite La Gomera member families. They have been having marriage trouble lately, so I had given them the talk by Pres Monson in Phood meeting, but in a week they still had not read it, so we did with them. We each shared our thoughts. The wife cried, the husband teared up, and I cried.
I just know that the Savior is capable of everything and anything. Only He can truly heal us. Only He can make this life worth living and enduring. I have seen so much pain in these past couple of weeks. So much. I know I can´t fully understand, but I have felt a little bit of it, too. But only Jesus Christ truly knows firsthand what each and every one of us feels, goes through, and thinks.
Needless to say, I cried a bit the week before last. This past week was a bit better, but still with lots of disappointment.
The week previous we invited at least 30 people personally to church in Sipacate, but only 1 of those who we invited came. The attendance was 13. This past week, we invited at least 35 people personally to church in La Gomera, and a few showed up. We have been working so incredibly hard. Waking up extra early, running around like crazy, challenging people to fulfill commitments, so much... but something President Brough talked about in interviews this past Friday was the importance of not just being diligent and obedient, but also having faith and hope. I like to think that I´m a pretty positive person with a bit of faith, but yesterday, I noticed that I was finally allowing all the disappointments, lies, etc. to get to me a bit. I know what I need to work on.
These past few weeks have been ones of sooo much change. I feel like I have lost so much of the fear and hesitation I had before. I´ve come to understand more of ¨many are called, but few are chosen¨ and how it is my duty to find the elect, so we must invite all to come unto Christ. I will not be held responsible if others don´t accept, but I will be held responsible if I don´t invite. I´m opening my mouth more. At times, I feel like I am just condemning people more, after they refuse the light and truth we (try to) give them, but it´s all part of the plan. Yes, God is merciful, but He is also just. He loves us and does everything for us, but at some point, we must realize our nothingness and realize that our part is huge and we have a lot of work today if we truly want to return to live with Him. It´s not just about our happiness, but it´s also about the love and appreciation that we show the Lord. HE wants us to be happy, that only comes through keeping the commandmets, building our faith, action, etc. When we settle for less, we are just condemning ourselves and denying Him.
I am happy. I know I am in the right place doing the best thing. I have a lot to improve, change, and do, but I know that it is all possible.
All my love,
Hermana Marin
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