Week #14 Fireworks and a Wedding

*reply to Jessica.Larimer@myldsmail.net*

Hello Everyone!
I hope you all are well. It was a good week! I am beginning to count the weeks until I get a new companion because I am going to be sad to change companions because I love Hma. Paniagua but change is for the better!

Monday, I talked in Spanish in my sleep! two days before I hit my three month mark! so that was exciting for me. It was something tangible that I could see my progress with. I know I am progressing and changing everyday but it's so fun when I can look back and see it! Also one of the members here gave me fake nails last Monday so I have really been trying hard to stop biting and it has been helping! Glamorous fake nails...I am not in the jungle. :P

Tuesday, we had district meeting like always. It was good. also Alma 26 is super chilero! Chilero is an expression that means super cool. :P

Wednesday we found a new family who is menos activo. So that was pretty exciting. It was a lesson with one of the members.

Thursday, was the day of Independence here! People throw little bolsas of water at each other in the night. Then they run through the streets waiting for people to throw water at them. (see the pictures) There is also a picture of a guy dancing under lit fireworks. Not super safe, but super cool. We also had a new investigator.

Friday, we had an activity in the church for a few hours. It was super good but super crazy! lots of people came. There was a hot air balloon that was let free into the sky. The activity was centered around Independence day as well.

Saturday, I studied Alma chapter 30, specifically Alma 30:60 is super good to read. Read it! and pray for forgiveness. ;) We also decorated for the wedding that the elders were going to have most of the day. from 11:00 in the morning until 5:30 in the night! We were in Barberena. (see the wedding pics)

Sunday was good like always. We didn't have noche de hermanamiento because we had it on Saturday.

Fotos!

Night of independence people running through the street!

The activity in the church

Fireworks of the activity in the church. Hermano was dancing under them. Super not safe. But cool.

Wedding decorations!

Up close shot of wedding decorations

And the photo booth! hma paniagua and me!

Love,

Hermana Larimer

Week #13 Earthquake and Blessed

Hello!

I am chuckling as I write that because that is what all of the men here say to me. They are crazy. :) But everything is good!

We had cambios this week so I had to get a new planner so I dont have the first two days of this week. Usually, I make notes in my planner each day of what I am going to put in the weekly email but I didn't have my new planner until Miercoles so that's kinda stinky. Also I lost my other planner!!! My first planner of my mission. I was super sad that I won't have it to keep as a memento but it's ok because there is a reason for everything.

Anyway wednesday we had our district meeting with our new leader. He is different but he is good. I like him. We have our nightly call with him too and it changed a lot from our other district leader. But like I said it's good. All is well.

Thursday! Guys there was an aftershock here in Guatemala of the earthquake in mexico! at 11:00 pm. It was for a minute and a half. My companion was sleeping But I was wide awake and pondering why I couldn't sleep and then I started moving. But i was sure it wasn't my intent to move. So I said Hma Paniagaua are you awake and no reply and again and no and again and no reply. and finally she woke up and I told her I was moving and then she didn't believe me for a minute but then she felt it and bolted running out of our house. I was very confused as to where she was going. But of course I followed. Anyway, that was really exciting. Lots of people were talking about it. It was also a testament to me that the Lord really is here next to me helping me and giving me strength and comfort. He kept me awake so that I could wake Hermana Paniagua up because she was fast asleep. And actually that is what one of my investigators said. I hadn't thought about it like that until he said it. But that is the reason for the title of the email. blessed.

Friday was pretty normal. Supposedly we found a man who was one of the first people here in El Cerinal who was baptized or atleast thats what he told us. We weren't sure whether or not to believe him. It was while we were contacting.

Saturday!  Was really good! normal but my personal study was crazy. Coincidentally, I read Alma chapter 24 AND MY MIND WAS BLOWN TO PIECES. That was on accident but it works. :) It's the story of the Lamanites and the Nephites battling. Read it. It really strengthened my faith.

On Sunday there was some big event going on here so we only had two investigators in church. a record low.but its ok. We also had family home evening as a rama and Hma Paniagua gave the thought it was about the crossing of the Red Sea found in Moses chapter 3. Another story about faith!

All is well and I am extremely blessed. Because of how much I'm learning and growing. I am having experiences here that I could never have in the United States or If i had chosen not to come on my mission.

Love,
Hermana Larimer

Week #12 Falling in Love ;)

Hello Everyone!

This week was crazy. Actually every week is crazy. 

On Wednesday we had divisiones(splits)! The Hermanas de Cuilapa came here to work with us. That was really good. I love love love the Hermana that worked with me. She has 14 months in the mission. Her teaching is outstanding and she is a native Spanish speaker but her English is also super good. She likes practicing with me. Also Wednesday night we actually really seriously had our first baptism. (I feel like I've been saying we will have a baptism for like 4 emails straight:) That was really good. It was cool to see it and really cool to watch her receive the Holy Ghost on Sunday. I feel so blessed to have the fulness of the gospel in my life and even more blessed to have the chance to share it. Pictures below. 

Nothing really happened on Thursday. I mean we planned for the week and set goals but it was a normal day full of appointments and walking. :)

Friday we had a multi-zone conference.  Elder Ceballo came to our multi zone conference. He is an area seventy here for Central America. I learned a super ton. He also said that he reads everything in English from the English he learned on his mission. That's my goal is after my mission read everything in Spanish. Preach my Gospel paraphrased says that the Lord might have uses for your language ability later in your life and because i have the opportunity to be completely immersed in spanish for a year and a half I am grateful. Also we learned a new way to plan and it takes forever but it's just because we aren't good at it yet. We will get better with time. 

This week I found the secret to missionary work. Hence the title of the email. LOVE. I have been trying earnestly to be the best missionary I can be all this time and I have been learning a ton. But I have not learned to give my heart away and that is the secret. One of my investigators friday night started bawling before we even started the lesson. My heart left my body and I felt feelings that were not my own. I could speak spanish perfectly and understand everything she was saying. My Compa told me that I delivered the baptism in completely perfect spanish. Like I wasn't a gringa trying to speak spanish I could actually speak it. Anyway that’s an experience I am not going to forget. 

Hope all of you are well!! Thank you for the prayers. The mission has made me painfully aware of how unperfect I am, but I am aware it is all part of life here on earth. So thank you. 

Love, 

Hermana Larimer