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| P-Day Selfie |
Monday, June 16, 2014: Today we had a really fun and busy P-Day. We did personal study and then all 4 of us did Comp study in the car together as we drove to Valpo to the Chiropractor to all get fixed. He was so amazing and knew immediately what the problem was and fixed it with each of us. After I told him that I walked weird because one leg is shorter than the other, he gave me an adjustment that made my legs even and made it possible for me to walk like a normal person. Now I just have to retrain my brain! :) He also called me Hercules because he had been doing this thing with each of us here he tried to pry apart our thumb and pointer fingers. In the beginning he could do it easily, but then on everyone else he popped a vein back into place and they could hold it so much better. But with me, he was surprised because he couldn't get them apart in the first place. He knew that I had been a swimmer because I was so strong. Us four sisters then had some fun in downtown Valparaiso. We tried on bridal veils at one store, ate pretzels, had designer cupcakes, and enjoyed walking around. We then went back home.
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| Huge Lollipops in Valpo! |
Tuesday, June 17, 2014: Today after personal study Hermana Escobar and I left to go and pick up member Hermana to take with us to some appointments. After some U's turns and a detour on a sketch dirt road in backwoods sketch Gary, Indiana, we picked up the Hermana and headed to Chicago Heights to meet with a Hermano. It was a really good lesson with him. He really opened up to us and told us some things. He really has a desire to change and so we are working really hard with him. He uses a lot of ghetto Spanish vocabulary so it is pretty hard for me to understand him, but I am getting better! We then stopped by some of our investigators, with our hermana member. We were supposed to have an appointment with them but they hadn't confirmed so we weren't sure that it was going to happen. The hermana investigator was home so we had just a little lesson with her. She is very Catholic and not open to changing at all. But her husband is interested so we are trying to teach him, it is just difficult to find him at home. We shared Ether 12: 4, 6, and then 12 and talked about faith. She seemed to like those verses. Faith is something she is comfortable with, so we talked about that and the peace and comfort we have from knowing that God is control and then brought in some restored truth by talking about how families can be together forever. She was cordial but obviously still is not really interested in our message. We then took our hermana member home and learned that we were supposed to be home in 30 minutes because apparently the English Sisters were moving out to their replacement apartment and we had to be there. We went home and helped them get all packed up and ready to move out. Our other appointments cancelled so we were able to spend the afternoon letting Hermana Escobar rest and reclaiming and cleaning our apartment. It felt so good to start putting things back in order. The English Sisters did, however, end up sleeping over in our apartment with us again because the carpet in their apartment hadn't been cleaned yet.
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| Hump Day Olive Garden Take Out Dinner |
Wednesday, June 18, 2014: 9 MONTH MARK!!! Wow! I never imagined being at this point! I think back 9 months ago, getting on that plane, flying to Mexico, it all doesn't seem that long ago. Then I think about 9 months away and how it is just that far away. It is SO weird and a little scary to think about. Today was a great day! We had studies. In my personal study I finished reading el Libro de Mormón in Spanish out loud! It has been my goal to finish by my 9 month mark for several months but I had gotten so far behind that I didn't think it was going to happen. Then on Saturday I was feeling bad because I was in 3 Nefi and didn't think I could finish by Wednesday. But Hermana Escobar encouraged me and so I read 20+ pages every day since then and finished the entire Book of Mormon in Spanish by reading Moroni 7-10 this morning. It was the best feeling in the world to accomplish such a goal. It was an amazing experience. After some comp study we headed to District Meeting. It was really good and we learned a lot about Faith, Hope, Charity. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was this statement: "God did not send me here to wallow in mediocrity." I just fell in love with it because I feel like it is something I definitely need to work on as a missionary but also it is something that anyone anywhere can apply. I also was surprised to be called upon to share my talk that we were supposed to have prepared for Zone Conference on chapter 4 of PMG about recognizing the Spirit. I had prepared before Zone Conference so I had my notes and was just able to talk about what I learned and how I am applying it. I emphasized relying on the Spirit and how we need to feel what an investigator would in order to teach with converting power. After that we had District lunch at Subway and watched a crazy rainstorm roll through. Hermana Escobar and I then went home for a little bit so that she could rest before our appointment in Chicago Heights that evening.
I got a fun surprise at home. There was a package from my family that had the cutest stuffed camel inside and a little note telling me Happy Hump Day! We headed to teach an investigator but hadn't been able to confirm with her so we weren't sure if it was going to happen or not. She wasn't home so we left a card. Even though Hermana Escobar wasn't feeling great we decided to do a little bit of work since we were already in Chicago Heights. Our recent convert needed to cancel the appointment we were going to have with him so we went looking for some people at the trailer park and ended up finding a less active family at home, and they are never home! She let us in, gave us agua de Jamaica, and we shared Moroni 10:32 and 4:3 and talked about the Sacrament with her and her son. It went well and she said the might come to Church this week. After meeting with them we tried to find a few other people but everyone else was either not home or doesn't live there anymore. We ended the day by going to a Olive Garden and getting take out to take home to celebrate my 9 month mark. It was way good and a lot of fun. The English Sisters showed up later that night because they haven't had the chance to set up their new apartment yet and so they needed to sleep in our apartment again. I am halfway! I cannot believe it. Starting tomorrow, I am on the downhill side! I know it will be just as hard, if not harder, but time is now counting down rather than up and it is soooooo crazy to me! 9 months...
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| Hump Day Camel |
Thursday, June 19, 2014: We worked on cleaning the apartment and helping the Sisters get all ready to fully move out of our apartment. In the afternoon we went to Hermana Escobar's follow-up appointment with the neurologist. Really nothing new there, he just wants to check on her again in a month. We then met up with the STL's and started our exchanges. I stayed here in Indiana with Hermana Whitney and Hermana Escobar went up to Chicago with Hermana Smith. I LOVED being with Hermana Whitney! We served in the same ward in my first area so I know her well. We went into our apartment so that she could eat and we could do language study. We actually ended up talking and catching up for a long time. Sadly enough, our appointment with two of our new investigators, at 6:00 canceled. We went to the library and did some Facebook contacting and then drove to East Chicago to pick up a member hermana to take to our appointment at 7:00 with a hermana investigator. We show up and an investigator that I have never met was there. But so was a ton of family and she told us she couldn't meet with us then. It was a little disappointing but not unexpected. I decided to have us do a couple of stop-by's since we were there and had our hermana member with us. We tried to find a couple of PNI's but I couldn't find the address anywhere. We stopped by the other, who wasn't home. By this time we decided to take hermana member back home, especially because a pretty epic looking storm was rolling in. It was great to have our hermana member out with us. She is such a sweet person and really does have a strong testimony. We all enjoyed talking to each other as we drove. After dropping her off and driving home through a crazy rainstorm, I picked up hna Escobar's prescription, I tried to get gas (getting soaked in the process) but the pump was broken, and then we planned, had ramen, and talked until 10:30.
Friday, June 20, 2014: As we were stretching this morning Hermana Whitney told me about how the chiropractor that she had been going to was no longer able to practice because he wasn't licensed. She said her back was hurting pretty bad and I told her how much I wished I could take her to the chiropractor that lately has been working on Hermana Escobar, and even helped me out earlier this week . After thinking about it, I realized we had time to go to the chiropractor that morning. So we got ready, I made us some eggs, we has about a half hour of personal study, I made a game plan for our lesson with one of our investigators and then we headed for Valpo. We walked into the chiropractor's office and I told him I had brought him someone else to fix. As soon as she told him what had happened he knew what the problem was and set about fixing it. He was so good for Hermana Whitney and was able to help her a lot. He put her on an electric STEM machine with some ice for a couple minutes and then left the room. Upon coming back he mentioned that he had been praying in the other room about how to help her. Is this man amazing or what?!?! As we were leaving, with Hermana Whitney feeling so much looser and comfortable than she had for the past 2 months, he said he just hadn't started his day out right yet and asked if we would pray with him. He is just amazing!
We were able to leave just in time to drive the hour to Chicago Heights for our lesson with our investigator. I was pretty nervous for this lesson because I knew I would be leading it out and doing most of the teaching. We got there and she fed us like normal. Hermana Whitney made up a little fortune teller to play with the kids which I thought was fun. We talked with her and she is doing good. We then started the lesson with her and some of the kids. We read 1 Nephi 3:7 and talked about obedience and trusting in The Lord. We then transitioned this into talking about authority and baptism. I really could feel my mouth being filled with the words I needed to say and the questions I needed to ask. The Spirit was definitely there, testifying. It was going well, very powerful because we were being very bold but also loving, then our investigator's sister showed up. At this point the kids left. Her sister sat down and proceeded to interrupt and add in her own comments every 5 seconds. I was so heartbroken because it had been going so well. Her sister was starting to realize she was interrupting, although she kept telling us that our investigator had already been baptized and we didn't need to talk to her about it again, and was being quieter when another sister and her brother walked in! After teaching and testifying of baptism, we invited our investigator to be baptized and to set a date as a goal. All she said was, "Esperanme Hermanas." Meaning, "I am not ready yet, I need more time". I was so sad because she knows this is true and I know she is ready. Maybe if we can just have a one on one appointment with her next week, we can talk with her and resolve some of her concerns.
After our lesson we went to see if one of Hermana Whitney's old investigators was home. Unfortunately she wasn't so we ran to the library to do just a little Facebook contacting real fast. We then tried to do some stop-by's.
After exchanging back, Hermana Escobar and I went to try and find a less active. The one we were looking for is still in Mexico but her son, who is also a member, was there with another boy and we think an uncle. They immediately let us inside, we later found out it was because they thought we were Jehovah Witnesses'! When they found out we were from the Mormon church, they were not very happy at all! We tried talk to them but there were very closed to us. Several years ago they were offended by an hermano at Church and now they want nothing to do with it anymore. It is so sad to see how people let something from so long ago affect their and their loved ones', eternal salvation. We felt like we were begging and pleading with them, especially because the one boy that is a member seemed to have interest, but they would have none of that. We both left there very heartbroken for them.
We had a lesson with a less active in the afternoon. She was so sweet and we talked a little about the Plan of Salvation and how we are here on earth for a purpose. We shared some scriptures and then she talked a lot to us and shared a lot. It was so nice to see her feel so comfortable talking and sharing with us. She knows so much about the Gospel and really does have a strong testimony, we just need to get her and her family to come to Church!
That evening we drove to Gary and had MCM. It went really well. We had a lot of people to talk about so everyone was happy! They made us this really good agua de cantaloupe. All that it is is: water, sugar, and cantaloupe, all blended up. It was super good! After MCM we went home and had a little language study. As we were studying, the doorbell rang. We opened the door to find a chocolate shake and a thank you card from "Pablo Pedro Alfodo Michaka". It was pretty easy to tell it was from the English Sisters, it was so sweet of them!
Saturday, June 21, 2014: We woke up today to Hermana Escobar having a pretty nasty cold. My poor companion is just having to deal with one thing on top of another! She slept until it was time to do personal study and comp study. She made it through those and then had to go back to bed. She can't even take NyQuil or any decongestant because it might react with her prescription medication. Pobrecita! For the rest of the day she slept and rested. We journaled some and got some weekly planning done. I was able to clean and scrounge up enough quarters to do a load of wash. The English Sisters also came by at one point and asked for some food because they have nothing in their apartment. That really was all of today, another day inside but luckily I am always able to find things to do to keep myself busy.
Sunday, June 22, 2014: After getting up and getting ready, we drove to the Church for our meeting at 9:00. Funny enough, no one ever showed up for the meeting so we just listened to the English Sacrament Meeting again. For Church we unfortunately didn't have any investigators come, but the one of the less active families that we have been working with came! Since there were no investigators in attendance we sat in on the Temple Prep class with the Branch Presidente that the less active family attended. For Relief Society, my getting to know you paper was read to all of the Hermanas, Hermana Escobar guessed who it was within the first three clues. In Sacrament Meeting we had some visitors from the Stake so Elder Whitehead translated for the five people in the congregation that didn't speak any English. The talks were so wonderful. They were about the Book of Mormon and the power that comes into our lives when we read it continuously, every day. It was a little sad today though because there was hardly anyone there, about half of normal attendance. Which in our small of a branch, that means there was like 15 people there! After Church we went home and made lunch and then had studies. We then had our dinner and lesson with Presidente and his family. It went really well and we had a good time talking with them, even if he was teasing us about Costa Rica and the World Cup!
I am so grateful for the 9 months that I have been able to serve the Lord on my mission. I have grown so tremendously, and I have been fortunate to see others grow in their faith in the Lord as well. I am grateful to all of my family and friends who have been such a support to me during the first half of my mission. I cannot fully express how your support, as well as the love I have felt from my Heavenly Father, has sustained me during the ups and downs of my mission. I am so looking forward to the next 9 months and all of the wonderful opportunities that await me!
Love, Hermana Allyse
