What A Wild Week!!!

So this week was so flipping crazy. It started out horrible and ended fantastic. I had the baptism on Tuesday and honestly it wasn’t good. I mean I was so flipping happy for the family. And they were so happy and felt different and all went well. We went to Dora´s house to pick them up for the baptism. And Dora wanted to walk solo. I just thought she needed a moment to herself but my companion got so ridiculously stressed. . So my comp was really stressed and said something that cut me to the core which she didn’t really mean she was just so stressed I love my comp and we have some of the best times ever.. So I couldn’t shake that awful feeling for the whole baptism. And I felt so incredibly defeated. But the confirmation was amazing which almost didn’t happen. Sunday was crazy. Church starts at 8 so we live our apartment at 7 to get all of our investigators. We knocked on Dora´s house to wake them up. We were visiting one of our less active members and my comp remembered we forgot the papers for the confirmation. So we literally ran to the house, then back to Dora’s and Ronny wasn’t awake and he didn’t wake up until 8. And so we were super late for sacrament that we missed the sacrament. And me and Hna Lopez had to give talks that day. So I literally walked in when they announced my name. So I quickly walked up to the stand, sweating like crazy my face was red. And I was so stressed out. I opened my book and I couldn’t read the words. So I basically winged it. And my companion said it was perfect Spanish. Miracles happen ppl. So after we talked we had the confirmation and it was awesome. 

But my favorite and craziest part of the week was Saturday. At 4 in the morning I heard scraping noises on the door. And at first I was like what the and then just went back to sleep. And in my dream it was Hna Adela cleaning a stove. And so I thought to myself of its just Hna Adela. Then I was like wait a minute why would Hna Adela be cleaning her stove in our room. So I woke up and yelled Hna Lopez, Hna Lopez and she didn’t respond. So I called out her first name and she woke up. And I asked her what is that noise? And she said where is the luz(light)? And I only had the light of my alarm clock and so I shined it over to where the noise. And she looked and said it’s a rat! And I flipped and she flipped and the rat flipped. And climb up the wall and we were all freaking out. Then she said ok let’s just go back to sleep and I was like there is no way in el mundo I can go back to sleep right now. So she said ok you turn on the light and I will run and grab the broom. And when the rat starts scraping again I will smash it. Of course all of this is in Spanish. Anyways we did this but the rat was scared and never went back to the door. We tried to stay awake but I feel asleep and my dreams were about what we tried to do to kill it. Anyways in the morning we were dead tired but we started to find and kill the rat. And it was under my suitcases. So we moved the suitcases but we both starting screaming when we saw that rat. It was tiny in all honesty but it’s a rat. Anyways.... So my comp moved the suitcase again and the rat flipped and climbed up my towel. (Don’t worry my towels have been soaking in major soap for days now) anyways so my comp started smacking the towel with the broom and the rat wouldn’t leave. She was smacking it and smacking it but it would not fall. Then when we least expected it - it fell from the towels. And we both started screaming and laughing so hard. And I said alright let’s ask Hna Vicky for her cat. So we did and the cat went to business and killed it in like 2 secs. We have the most hilarious video. We didn’t get it with the cat because it happened so fast. But it was probably one of the funniest weirdest days of my life.  

We had multi zone conference and President Baptista came. IT was so great and I learned a lot. It was on Thursday. We also had some awesome lessons. And a member came with us and man he is pila(awesome no se que es in english) and the spirit in the lessons where so strong he strengthened my testimony. And I just want all of his knowledge. We have some great investigators right now. Anyways I need to send pictures so that’s all I have for now. We went to Mayan ruins today. One of the coolest moments of my life. 

Love you all so much thank you so much for your prayers and support it means the world to me. Love you

Hna Anderson 

Ok so I didn’t have my first baptism this week - but its tomorrow

So to explain the subject Dora had to work a double shift on sat so we moved the baptism to tomorrow because she doesn't have to work tomorrow. But I am absolutely stoked! They are such a great family. She is so golden! We taught her tithing last week and the law of chastity and both of them make total sense to her. She didn't have a problem with either. It was awesome! I love this little family so much. 

We had one of the best lessons on Friday. We went and visited the chicas that taught me how to make tortillas. I made them my Oreo dessert and we watched the testaments with all of them. I was just praying my guts out that they would feel the spirit. Yulisa is the boss and we hadn't really talked about the gospel with her. But we just got to know her and became friends. Well she absolutely loved the movie. And she had so many questions about our church. And she had been reading the pamphlets we gave Sonia. She basically asked us to be baptized it was amazing! The problem is getting them to church because they work during the time we have church so we got to figure out how to get them to go. And keeping the Sabbath day holy is a lot harder to accomplish here in Guatemala. 

This week was just a weird one but a great one. We had really good lessons with people. And we also had an activity Hna Gonzalez planned to make cinnamon rolls. It kind of sucked because me and Hna Lopez only made them once and we were supposed to teach the whole entire relief society. It went ok but they took forever to bake. 

My Spanish is getting better but it’s still not the best. I understand a heck of a lot more and talk more but it’s still hard. I just want to wake up one day and have all the Spanish in my brain but sadly it doesn't work that way. 

One of our investigators Hna Tomasa the one that felt like the church is the same as others and didn't see the point of being baptized. Well we found out the real and true reason. Her Husband is a horrible man. We meet him the other day and he is scary. They are separated. Anyways he HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATES Mormons. Doesn't want anything to do with them. And when Tomasa´s daughter Paola got baptized he stopped paying for anything that has to do with Paola. He doesn't know the son (Emanuel who we had the birthday for) is baptized otherwise he would stop helping with him too. So if Tomasa gets baptized he would freak and stop helping them all together. And they are so poor she sells tostadas and they sell gasoline too. So we will stop helping with the gas business. It’s so hard. I know HF wants her to take this step in her life it just has to be a giant step of faith. We have a dinner tonight with Tomasa and her family with the bishop and I want the bishop to give her a blessing of comfort. But her goal for baptism is the 25th of August. Hopefully things will work out. I am praying my guts out to know what to do with her. 

Oh yeah we had a lesson with a family. They are siblings I think their parents died. But they are really interested in the church and one of them has a ton of questions about Joseph smith. He is the Latino twin of Logan its so flipping freaky how much they are alike. Like it freaks me out. Anyways right now I can’t think of anything else but I love you so much! Thanks for your support and I feel a billion times better so thanks for the prayers! 

This Saturday I have My FIRST baptism!!!

Dora accepted her date for baptism and so she is being baptized this Saturday with her kids Ronny and Mary Lisa. I am so EXCITED! The ward has been so amazing with them and has totally accepted them. Ronny and Mary Lisa have so many friends and it is the best thing in the world. I love this family so much! 

We also had a really good lesson with Cristian. We had to move his goal for baptism because he never comes to church. But he feels like he needs a whole year to research the church. But I just pray that he will receive his answer and know he doesn’t need a whole year because the gospel is a thing that you will always learn for the rest of your life. The problem with Cristian as well is his family. Especially the brother he always slams the door in our face and tells us to leave. Cristian has family members that are LDS and his parents are also taking the lessons from us as well but they are ridiculously hard to get lessons with. It’s hard not to get annoyed. 

We also invited this cute chica that works in a tortillaria to be baptized on the 30 of August. She said she has to prayer about it but she is really positive. Her name is Sonia and is 15 years old. She also works with two other chicas they taught me how to make tortillas and it’s the hardest thing in the world. They make it look so easy but it’s flipping hard. I love these girls so much we have become such good friends with them! One of the really hard things here in Guatemala is keeping the Sabbath day holy. It’s next to impossible not to work on Sunday. So we always try to find a space of time Sonia can come to church on Sundays. But yesterday I wasn’t able to go to church. I was puking and had diarrhea the whole bloody day. Guatemala hates my body.  Also my boots aren’t good because they are for the snow and they get soaked to death and take days to dry out. So that is why I needed boots for rain. I don’t know why you sent two pairs though. And I pray they are for the rain. It has been raining here for a while though. But when it rains it POURS!  Anyways but today I feel a waaaaay better. So pray for my health and that I won’t have more problems in the future. 

Anyways Hna Tomasa one of our investigators thinks our church is the same and doesn’t want to get baptized. And she had a huge barrier with us. But this week we presented service just a ton of service and she loves us now. So hopefully this will help her be more receptive to the church. Her son and daughter had their birthdays this week. And we bought him a cake. It was one of the best nights of my life. It was way better than my bday will ever be. They are so poor and to see all of their smiles on their faces was the best thing in this world. Words cannot explain. I love this gospel it is the best thing ever. And I love my mission it’s so hard but it’s so great!! 

Also this week the wards in the stake had a huge soccer tournament. They are so amazing at soccer it was so cool to be there for a minute. We brought some investigators to the activity and we got a new investigator that night too. It was so fun! I love this place. We also ran into keivin the person I contacted but he wasn’t in our area. He knows this church is true he is just scared to get baptized because his whole family is catholic. But we had a mini lesson to not listen to his fears.  

Sorry my email is all over the place like usual. But I love you all so much! I will send other emails with pictures. Thanks for your emails. Sorry that I can’t reply to everyone but you have no idea how good it is to hear from everyone. Love you!

Hna Anderson

Just the two of us

There have been so many changes this week! But great ones! On Tuesday Hna Lopez got a call from her mission president of Venezuela or maybe it was President Bautista but maybe not. Anyways it’s nearly impossible to get a visa for Venezuela so she had the choice to stay here in Xela or be put on a list to change countries. Well this was an answer to her prayer she wanted to stay it Xela. So we thought she would just finish up the cambios I don’t know what it’s called in English. Changes I think. We had a crappy lesson with this chick that knows sooooooooooooooooooooo much about the people and she didn’t need to read and pray about the Book of Mormon because in the bible it told her it wasn’t true. It was horrible. After that we got a call, Hna Gonzalez got transferred the next day. We were all super sad about that. But I Know I needed this! With two comps I would just let them lead the way and I wouldn’t participate as much as I should have been. but I just listened to all my fears and let them control me. So I needed this so much. And I decided to stop listening to my fears. Hna Lopez and I work so great together! We are trying so hard to be the best missionaries we can be. Our wall is covered with the names of the people we are working with and what we need to do to help them. I stopped thinking about how much Spanish I don’t know and how much I do know. That can be really hard sometimes but I am trying to not listen to what the devil is telling me about my weaknesses. It’s been so great working with Hna Lopez I love her guts. 

 

We have a baptism for 17 of August with Marilia and Ronny and hopefully their mom. We think she will want to be baptized as well. It’s just a goal for her right now. Tomasa has been an investigator that doesn’t think there are any differences with the churches but everyone is trying to help us with her, including the president of the mission. So hopefully we will get a date for her. 

 

I had divisions this week. I think its called exchanges or splits in English. I was with Hna Folland who is a gringo and it was an absolute blast. And what I needed. I understood so much those days and we worked so well together it was awesome!! We had a lesson with an investigator who has been an investigator forever believes all is true but doesn’t want to be baptized. And every missionary has tried to get her to pray and she always says no. but we got her to pray and it was amazing! 

 

I love this work and I am doing great. I am basically over my cold now thank goodness. But many Guatemalans have colds right now. And they act like it’s the middle of January freezing cold. Which it’s not at all. But I am loving it and learning to love Spanish. I will send pictures in next email 

love and miss you guys like crazy! 

Hna Anderson