Happy‏

Help: does anyone have any hair loss tips... because I am still losing A TON. Luckily, I still have a good amount, but not nearly as much before :(

Jeronimo received the gift of the Holy Ghost and got confirmed a member of La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Días... it was VERY relieving and wonderful. Right afterwards, he went around the Sacrament meeting room (don´t worry, it´s pretty tiny) and shook everyone´s hands. It was a little out of the ordinary and maybe a tad unorthodox, but it made me soooo incredibly happy. He was just so happy and grateful to all of the members and their support and to God. It was beautiful.

We constantly find widowers here. It´s insane. Hna Guaranda says that it has been like this her whole mission, she doesn´t know why, but she promised me that once we aren´t together that I won´t be finding them like we are now at all... haha.

As always, one of our biggest hinderances is getting people to go to church, but we are bound and determined to help these people progress.

I feel like each week I have less and less to share, not because it was an uneventful week or anything, but maybe because missionary life is becoming more normal.... but it can´t be like that! I must recognize the miracles and blessings that are constantly being given. That is one gift that my companion has. She recognizes the most seemingly unnoticeable tender mercies. Her prayers are so specific and completely different every time. She remembers so many things that happened in the day, the people that are in need (even if just a little bit), and so much. I can´t even explain it. She is very unselfish. She would give all of her belongings away in an instant if someone was in need. Her love for the people is huge.

I hope that all are doing well. As always, thank you all so much for your love, support, thoughts, and prayers.

Love,
Hermana Marin

Jeronimo!!!!!!!!!!!‏ (October 17th, 2011)

After a few scares, LOTS of prayer, a fast here and there, and a few legit fights from Satan.... Jeronimo got baptized yesterday!!!! My testimony was definitely boosted this past week. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. Satan has nothing on Him. Like Elder Holland said, ¨Satan is real¨ but he cannot win if we are on Heavenly Father´s side. Honestly, when Satan knows that we are working hard and truly have faith in Jesus Christ, he will do all he can. Thank you all so much for devoting part of your prayers to Jeronimo. He was truly strengthened and SO HAPPY after his baptism.

We went through so much with this man and he knows it. He even got up and shared a few words after his baptism... we didn´t even ask him to, he volunteered. You could feel the sincerity and gratefulness in his words. He teared up and bore his testimony. It was beautiful... and worth every scare, worry, and effort that went into his making of a new life.

We had to go to Antigua in bus (about 30 minutes) and then walk to the chapel (15 minutes on foot)... and get this - about 25 people from the branch came. It was incredible. Jeronimo also made big sacrfices. He has a bad leg and it´s hard for him to walk, but he did it all, and we took our time. He was very overcome with all the people that went to support him.

We had a zone conference this past week with President Brough. He is absolutely incredible. He doesn´t just tell us to do things differently or better... he shows us, gives us examples, makes promises, and bears his incredibly strong testimony.

There was LOTS of rain this week. Especially Saturday. I got soaked. It was a tougher day, but all the better because it made Sunday that much brighter... literally and figuratively :)

Hermana Guaranda is much better. She made a lot of sacrifices, and even though her foot is still bothering her... we worked. Hard.

Love,
Hermana Marin

Blue, green, purple ankle.‏

2551 - Hermama Wetzel!!!! When we said goodbye....
2486 - My bday dinner that our sweet neighbors made for us, complete with a delicious cake :)
2553 - Hna Guaranda!
2568 - Our night on the town ;)
2571 - Self explanatory... I think
2580 - How we celebrated my year in the mish.. aye aye aye...
2593 - And you´d better believe that that is my comp with her not-broken-but-very-injured foot.

So.... we didn´t really work that much this week. On Tuesday, as we were finishing up our grocery shopping for Pday, Hna Guaranda fell and twisted her ankle. It got real bad real quick... swelled up a lot. She attempted to go out for the first day on Saturday, but before that I was just going out with a sister from the branch and another one would stay with Hna G... when it was possible. It´s a very small branch, so we don´t have a big pool of people to help us. Let´s just say that I studied A LOT this week :)

But it was a good week. Hna G and I did lots of bonding and talking, so it was fun. She was going a lot more crazy than I was though, because I got out a few times, but she just wanted to get to work!

We are so close to seeing the baptsim of Jeronimo. He has a few fears that we are trying to help him get over, because his testimony is so strong and we know he´s so close to being ready. He´s a widower of about 45 years. He´s hilarious... and talks A LOT. I have to interrupt him a lot ;) I´m getting real good at it... kind of. So, if you could include him in your prayers... that would be incredible.

Well... I don´t have much to say... just that I read more than 50 pages of Jesus the Christ these past few days... and I just love Him. I love learning about Him. He was/is absolutely incredible. I love feeling my testimony grow as I learn and testify of and rely on Him more every day. He lives. He loves us. He did all He did... for US. Our part in thanking Him is insignificant and so meesly in comparison, but He accepts it as long as we try our hardest to be obedient to all of His commandments.

Con much amor,
Hermana Marin

Frio!!‏ (October 3, 2011)

I think I'm going to get fatter here. We constantly are given food. I DON'T GET FULL... I don't know how it works, but I can eat and eat and still keep eating. I think it's because it's so cold here. In La Gomera, I would get so full so fast and just wanted to drink fluids all day.

I love my area. It's so small and cute. The members are great, but we need to work on this loving and serving each other thing. Everyone is very poor, more so than in La Gomera.

Things are good with Hna Guaranda. Did I mention how feisty she is? I'm definitely learning a lot about myself with her. I think Heavenly Father is giving me a piece of my own medicine, because she has some of my feisty qualities, but more in extreme. I am understanding a little bit more of what I must have been like with my other comps. But she is fantastic. She has so much love for the people and if someone falls well with her, she is willing to go way out of her way to help them. It's awesome.

General Conference was incredible. Thanks to my get-what-she-wants companion, we actually got to watch it in English, so that was a huge blessing. I just adore conference. I hate when it's over. BUT... we have a lot to learn and improve on for the next six months :)

With mucho mucho amor!