One more year

Dear everyone,

Today is kind of special because in exactly one year, I'll be on my way home. Due to some weird things with Christmas and a 7 weeks transfer and other things I don't fully understand, I will finish my mission on 21 July 2015, not 4 August. So, you know. There's that. It's kind of exciting, but also kind of scary, because I ONLY HAVE A YEAR LEFT. I've already completed 1/3 of my mission. Tomorrow, I'll have less than a year to go. Seriously. What happened.

It's been good, though. This last week has probably been one of the craziest, most dynamic and life changing weeks of my mission. I'm not going to share everything, but here are some hightlights. 

1. Roberto. Roberto is/was one of our investigators that absolutely loves the church, and especially the Book of Mormon. Our lessons are always hilarious because he always shares with us what he's been reading, and how it's affected his life. He was so impressed with Lehi's dream that he read it 4 times, and then we spent a lesson talking about it. He refuses to read or participate in anything that isn't in the Book of Mormon. We started off trying to teach him with the scriptures and pamphlets, but he just refused to read the pamphlets and straight out told us that they weren't interesting to him at all, and that if we wanted to teach him something, we had to do it with the Book of Mormon. It changed my mission because I suddenly had to learn how to teach the entire Plan of Salvation from the Book of Mormon, or different commandments, or the Restoration, or various other things. It's been amazing as a missionary, because now I have such a greater knowledge of the scriptures, and my testimony that the Book of Mormon can answer literally every question we could ever have is absolutely true. I love it when investigators have questions, and we can just be like, let's read about this in the scriptures! The words of God are so much more powerful than our own. The other funny thing about Roberto is that last Sunday he suddenly announced that he was reading in the Book of Mormon, and praying, and God told him to be baptized, so by golly he was going to be baptized that week. It was a little crazy, but he was baptized Thursday, and is well on his way to converting everyone he comes in contact with. Seriously, there's nothing like the referrals of a recent convert. 

2. I'm finally getting the hang of this Holy Spirit thing. This is going to sound strange coming from a missionary that has 6 months in the mission, but it's actually a pretty common thing, I think. As new missionaries, we seem to think that we just go out and teach, and the Spirit just likes to hang out with us all day and give us everything we need and ask for. Ha. Nothing worth having was ever that easily given. I've been working for months now and finally feel like I can let the Spirit speak through me. He will accompany the words I say, and touch the hearts of the people we teach. Our lessons, in some form or another, really took a turn this week, and I could feel the power. One thing one of the missionaries in our zone was talking to me about is that when he feels like he doesn't have the Spirit, he says a prayer in his heart and asks for it to accompany him. This really changed the way I think about the Spirit. I think a lot of times, as members and as missionaries, we just expect to have the blessings of God because we're being good people and trying to make good decisions. It doesn't work like that, though. We have to put more effort into the things that are actually worth having, and ask God to give us the things that we seek. We have to humble ourselves before Him and recognize that everything we have comes from him.

3. Speaking of which, I'd just like to testify that this is the Lord's work, not ours. We witness God gathering his children before our eyes, and it's not because of anything we're doing as missionaries. We teach people, and give them the tools they need to improve their relationship with God and become converted to His plan for them, but that's all we do. We are instruments, and just like it is impossible for an instrument to play itself, it is impossible for a missionary to do this work without God. When God works through us, we have the opportunity to follow His will and help Him in bringing His children back home to His presence. 

Well. I've got to go. Hopefully someone learned something from my incessant ramblings of the typical missionary who talks too much. Hehe :P I love you all, and have an excellent week!

Hermana Day

Another week

Dear everyone,

Did you know that this week I complete 5 months in the mission? Yup, July 5. Crazy, no? 

This week was... crazy. Monday night I was talking with the Elders on the phone, and suddenly I heard them protesting and fighting and then the phone cut off. It was probably the most terrifying 15 minutes of my entire life because we couldn't call them back, we had no idea where they were, and they are both fighters, so of course they're going to fight, and probably get killed. Luckily, they didn't get killed. They were almost at the point of fighting back when the Spirit spoke very strongly to both of them that they should not fight. So they didn't. And then they got a knife pulled on them. And then they were robbed of all their money and the cell phone. Revelation is real, people. Listen to the Spirit, because it might just save your life.

Anyways, we also had a cool experience where we set up a multifamily Family Home Evening with the Elders as part of our strengthen the dying ward project. We weren't sure what we were going to teach, so the Elders said, look, we're going to pray, and you guys pray, and then we'll call each other again in an hour with our answers. So we did that, and then they called us in an hour, and everyone was like, 1.... 2.... 3... ATONEMENT. Everyone recieved the exact same answer. I'm telling you, revelation is real. 

Besides that, this week was really hard, haha. :P Sometimes, missionary work seems pretty impossible because you can't see any progress. While there are never any doubts about the church or the doctrine, because it's as true as it's ever been, in these times you start to doubt yourself. Like, What the heck am I doing here? I can't change any of this. I'm wasting God's time. I'm not capable or spiritually sound or strong enough to handle this. Every piece of knowledge I thought I had is completely insufficient. I feel dead. I can't make a difference. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I have no idea where to begin. I am just so dang worn out and tired. 

I'm a person who likes to be in control, to have a firm mental handle on everything, and I'm facing problems greater than I ever imagined. It's impossible.

It's times like these, though, when you learn to rely on God, and He helps you out a ton. I testify that these thoughts come from the devil, and that they are not true. They only bring us down and take away our hope. We are given these hard, extremely difficult experiences not so we can fail, but so we can grow stronger in our faith in God and be triumphant over all. This week I remembered Moses 7:28-41. I read it every morning, and it gives me more peace than anyone can ever imagine. It is my favorite scripture story in all the scriptures, and I hope everyone will get out their scriptures after they're done reading this long, boring email, and read it. I won't bother to explain it, because it's a scripture that should mean something personal to everyone individually, and I'd like everyone to have that experience. 

Well, I'm out of time, but I'd like to close with my testimony. It's strange, because I'm not sure if I've ever done this in a letter before, which is very strange in and of itself. But here we go. First off, I know this gospel is true. I know it through every fiber of my being, I've known it for eternity, and I'll know it forever more. Nothing with ever change that, because it feels eternal. God is real. He exists and He hears His children when they suffer. He is a loving Heavenly Father and He weeps with us. He communicates with us, and loves us dearly, and nothing we can ever do can change that eternal love. I testify that Christ is the Savior of the world, that His role in our lives is more essential than the air we breathe, and that without Him there is no hope, but with Him there are no limits to our potential. I know that this gospel literally changes lives, both for people outside of the church, investigators, members for life, and less actives who haven't gone in years. This gospel is a gospel of change, and it is a gospel for everyone. There is no better way of living, no other manner that will bring greater happiness. This is it, and it is beautiful. I love you all dearly, and I feel your prayers beside me every day. Stay golden, and have an excellent week. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hermana Day

Have you ever been so hot that you've bled from your eyes?

I really hope that title sufficiently freaked mom out. No, I did not bleed from my eyes. But a poor sister from Canada that just arrived here 2 weeks ago did. Apparently the change in climate was so drastic her body couldn't handle it and she started bleeding buckets of blood, but the blood couldn't leave fast enough, so it started seeping out of her eyes as well. 

Also they found a car full of dead bodies in the area of some Hermanas in Caborca. Just another day en la frontera de Mexico. How have you guys been?

Bahia, Guaymas is awesome. Our ward is pretty much impossible, and we're not going to baptize anyone in this transfer, and probably not the next one either. Or the next. Because this ward is, like, dead. We have to actually save the members and keep the ward floating before we can start anything else. You can't build a building if your foundation doesn't even exist. But it's been good. 

Hermana Boitel is awesome. We have a good time and work hard. The Elders in our ward are.... interesting Elder Ensey is a black wrestling champion from Oregon and Elder Contreras from the ranches of Celaya, Mexico. Whew. You never did meet such a pair of intelligent, complicated, powerful set of Elders. They have extremely strong personalities and quite a bit of pride. This ward has all the potential and tools in the world... but it's going to be extremely difficult, especially trying to balance all the strong personalities, but we are determined to build this ward from literally the dirt up. 

I keep seeing commercials and promotion for The Fault in Our Stars movie.That's been more difficult than it should be. :P Also, I eat sea food now. I've lost count of how many times I've had octopus, not to mention everything else. Our area is pretty interesting because it's right on the ocean, so we teach a lot of sea men, and also quite a few naval men as well. Everyone seems to be either in the navy or working on private ships. It's a completely different culture that anything I've ever experienced. The ocean is a 5 minute walk from our house! But I love it. 

NOTICIAS! I've been mistaken for a Mexican. It all started when I got here and everyone we talked to said I had a really good accent. And then we were at a multi zone conference and one of the APs was like, how many months do you have here? Your Spanish is excellent. And then one day we were walking in the dark, and we started talking to some people, and they asked where I was from, and I said Utah, and we kept on talking for awhile, and then they were like, wait wait wait, but you're North American, right? And I was like, well yeah. And they were like, how strange, because your accent it almost perfect. 

But then my pride started to grow and it was bad.

I'm no where near close to perfect, though. Yeesh. I have a Dominican companion, and I can understand about 50% of what she says. Her words are all weird, and she speaks through her nose. Love her to death, but I definitely prefer Mexican Spanish. 

Bueno. I have to go, which is really too bad because I always have more to say... but it's cool. There's always next week. I hope you all are doing well, enjoying your climate, and loving each other.

Hasta luego!

Hermana Day

I'M IN GUAYMAS WITH A DOMINICAN COMPANION

She's awesome. Now that I've opened this letter, I can't remember what I was going to write. This always happens on Pday. Anyways, I have an awesome companion who has a buttload of months in the mission and a really awesome reputation and I'm super excited because I have been given this opportunity to learn a ton and become a super awesome missionary. Shes's from the Dominican Republic and speaks absolutely no English, so I'll learn more Spanish fast. There are only 2 other American sisters here in Guaymas, so no more English for me. But seriously, my Spanish is going well. I just need to expand my vocabulary so I can speak more eloquently (dear heavens I've forgotten how to spell), and practice identifying every single word that people say so I can understand 100%, not like 85% or 90%. :P Yeshhhhhh I am so excited! Also I am excited because I am ON THE OCEAN. It's ridiculously, ridiculously humid here, with the heat of Hermosillo, so I live in a state of constant wetness, but it's all cool. 

Speaking of heat, did you know that Hermosillo reached over 53C last week? It topped the charts for the hottest place on earth. Yes, I was living, walking, and breathing in a place hotter than Death Valley, hotter than the Sahara. I'm not sure exactly what 53C is in F, but I know it's over 120F. We died. 

Things have been great, though. Our favorite family was all baptized, which is definitely the most beautiful thing I've seen on this mission. The dad was hilarious. Sunday night his wife and kids were baptized, and something changed in him. He went home, waited until everyone was asleep, and then started reading the Book of Mormon. When we came to visit, he had read 10 chapters, and was like, yeah, I would like to get baptized, and I recieved an answer and I know this is true, it's just a lot of responsibility, this covenant, and I have a little bit of fear. IT WAS SO COOL. He was baptized the following Saturday. It was terrible to leave this family, and Barrio Pueblitos, but I really feel good about what I did in that area, and that we left it much better that when we arrived. And now I'm in Hawaymas. Haha. That's what the people call it- like Hawaii and Guaymas. It's freaking hot and humid, and now I have to learn how to eat sea food, which is total karma, but it's all cool. I'm excited. 

Honestly I can't remember what else I was going to say. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your beautiful temperatures in your respective parts of the world. Also, that you all live in green places. I am sorry that I never seen to write anyone back. I get annoyed emails quite frequently. Sometimes I'm really good, other times I'll go for weeks or months without writing someone. No, I promise I have not forgotten about any of you, and you will get an email. :P Disculpeme. :D

Until next week! 

Hermana Day

PS Literally sorry this email is so pathetic. Hopefully my previous letter makes up for it. :P

If anyone would like to send an actual letter to Elizabeth we are going to mail a package soon! So if you have a letter get it to us by Thursday, May 29, 2014.

I said I'd finish my email from last week, so here I am. :) First things first. 1. If you want to contact me, you're going to have to do it though email. :P I just barely received a bunch of Dear Elders, a letter from Opa, and a letter from the YW of the ward. They were from March. Seeing as it is almost June now... I think we can all safely assume that email is the way to go. :) 

Last week I really wanted to talk about the Atonement and the Gospel in people's lives, but I didn't have time. But now I do! :D I cannot explain how heartbreaking Mexico is sometimes. I thought that since I was going to the north of Mexico, it would be a bit more Americanized and not as poor. Well, seeing as I've never been south of here, I still can't really make a comparison, but it's.. well, heartbreaking here. There are areas where I just walk down the street and I want to cry. The worst is the faces of the people and the children; you can tell they just exist because they exist, and have no real purpose in life. The contrast between everyone else and the members here is stark. I don't think anyone realizes what the truth gospel of Jesus Christ does to people until they've lived in a place like this. There are so many people who take the church for granted, or feel negatively toward it for the stupidest reasons, and sometimes I wish they would be transplanted here to Mexico, or anywhere, really, to see how the rest of the world lives. Haha. That was a little harsh, but I feel like that. There's a reason why the church sends all their youth on missions for 1.5/2 years of their lives. When you walk down the streets and see parents beating their kids in their houses, or men drinking themselves to death with sallow faces, or the terrible, terrible effects of drugs... When you see things that you don't know how to explain, and don't want to either,.. You realize you have a whole lot to be thankful for, and you realize what a blessing this gospel really is. Our message is truth, and it really does improve lives and bring happiness. It's not just a catch phrase to convert people. And we teach people about Christ because we love them and we want to share this happiness with them in their destitute lives, and bring them to change for the better, not because we're looking for more baptismal statistics. 

Throughout all of this, I'm just really greatful for the Atonement. I can't imagine the world without the Atonement. All of the terrible, awful things that pass, all the suffering of children and families and hopelessness in the world... the Atonement makes up for all of that. It gives all people hope now, and in the future. It is the only thing to bring balance and order and completion and fairness to this world. I never understood how necessary it was until I saw all that I've seen. A world without Jesus Christ and his Atonement is a world of hopelessness and nothingness. It is a world that, despite all the well-intended people that work so hard to make it a better place, will never be better, and will continue to degrade in sorrow and calamity. However, with the Atonement, we have a bright burning hope and knowledge that all the pain and unfairness in the world will be rectified. What a beautiful, unexplicable blessing that is. I cannot explain my feelings in words. I'm just very, very grateful. It's beautiful to see faith work miracles and literally change lives. It's beautiful to see terrible lives turn into great ones, and broken families and hearts become strong. 

It's beautiful to be a missionary, and it's beautiful to be a servant of God. 

Peace,

Hermana Day

I've been bitten by a Mexican dog.

I'm sure mom freaked out when she saw that title. Hehe! Yes, I was bitten by a dog. It was terrifying, and it hurt, but the good thing is that I was weaing fairly thick tights, so his teeth didn't pierce any skin, so no worries about infection or anything. I just have bite marks and a huge bruise on my leg. It was a big dog. :P 

Well, what a happy way to start my bi-weekly email! Just another week here in Mexico! :D This week was actually really awesome. I'm not sure exactly why, probably because the contrast between the week before was so terrible that anything seems better in comparison... but this week was cool. We taught a lot of lessons to a lot of really awesome people, and as always, I'm getting better at this missionary thing every day. 

Truly, I'm grateful I'm finally getting the hang of Mexico, because when I got here I just felt oppressed haha :P I couldn't express myself properly, and I felt like Sister Missionary Robot 2.0. It was terrible. But now in lessons I can be creative and express myself clearly and with the spirit, and seek to connect with people, and everything is better. 

We taught some pretty cool lessons this week. One was to these two young men who have been members for most of their lives, but know practically nothing about the gospel. They are studying and working here in Hermosillo and live with their sister, who is also a member. They're 18 and 22, and are from a ranch about 3 hours south of Hermosillo. They are the most good natured boys anyone has ever met. They are always early to church every Sunday and they help with the Sacrement, and talk with our investigators. They both want to serve missions but their dad won't help them, so the older brother is working full time to save up enough money so his little brother can go serve. Literally, I want to cry. They are so strong and good in the church, and we get the opportunity to teach them. It's great. It's like teaching investigators though, because they recieved the discussions when they were kids and don't remember anything. :P

We also have three niñas that we are teaching. They live right behind the church, and just showed up one day. It is literally the saddest situation I have ever seen. They live with their grandma, who is mentally ill, and their mom works day and night to support them and pay all the bills. Their house is the most erie, depressing place I have ever seen in my entire life. Their hair is in knots and they always have dirty clothes, but they go to church every Sunday because they love learning and being around people who will love them. This last Sunday before church we went to their house and brushed their hair out and washed their faces, and braided their hair in beautiful braids and took them to church. They were so happy and I cried about three times. We did get to teach their mom after church, however, so we're really, really hoping we can actually do something about this situation. 

I have no time and it's really frustrating because I literally have a billion more things to write! Well, consider this part one of this letter, and I will try to finish it next week! I love you all!

Hermana Day