Happy Monday!
Last week of the transfer! I feel like, seriously, it was just yesterday that Hermana Arellano was waiting for me at the bus station to bring me to the area, and now a whole transfer has gone by.
Monday was P-day with our new schedule. I finished washing my clothes and cleaning the house by 10 am. Usually we're still studying at that time, but I'm not complaining! It was great! There's a Walmart here, and it's the best thing ever because they have some stuff from the states that I've really missed.
Tuesday – Hermana Arellano wasn't feeling super well, so we stayed home in the morning. I didn't really do much - I organized stuff, got caught up on some scripture study, and wandered around our apartment. In the afternoon we headed out and had a good lesson with A, who is a new investigator. Afterwards Hermana Arellano mentioned that she liked something I had said, but I had absolutely no recollection of saying that thing, which is a big indicator that it wasn't my idea but the Holy Spirit's idea. It's really cool getting to be an instrument in the hands of God so that He can bless His children. We started preparing the baptismal service of Marisol, Janeth, and Pedor. They're going to be baptized on the 18th. It has been super cool to watch the changes happen within them throughout the transfer, and we're pretty stoked.
On Wednesday, we had to rest again a bit. It's also starting to get a lot hotter out here (though not as hot as it'll be in March-June/July.) That's when we start to feel like we are in a REAL oven. We're getting there, and the sun is pretty strong. We taught English classes as well, which is good. It's a huge blessing that Hermana Arellano knows some English as well because we usually split up the class in 2 groups, and she teaches the beginners, while I get to go with the people who know a bit. It's actually pretty fun. I've learned a lot about the English language. I had never even realized why we say things in the way we say them. Then we ate dinner with a member who always makes us fancy meats. I've mentioned before that my mom makes a garlic cheese bread that I really like (Texas Toast). Well, she doesn't actually make it, she just buys it and then puts it in the oven... but I kind of left that part out. This super awesome member, Ruth, wanted to make me something from home, so she bought the bread and asked me about which cheese my mom used and how much garlic to add and everything. So, we ended up making it, and they were all looking to me as the expert in the making of garlic cheese bread even though I actually had no clue and was just guessing about everything. My compa was laughing pretty hard during it all.
On Thursday we visited lots of viejitas (little old ladies) and taught the Plan of Salvation to Marisol, Pedro, and Janeth. I think the Plan of Salvation is one of my favorite lessons to teach because it helps us understand what we're doing here on this earth and where we came from and where we're going after we die.
On Friday we went to a doctor's appointment along with the secretaries from the mission office because they had to pay for it, so they brought me my package! Whooo! I was stoked! Thank you to those who sent me Christmas cards and Valentine notes as well. You guys are the best! :o) After we headed on out to Real del Bosque to do companion exchanges. I got to stay in Real with Hermana Feiloiaga! She's from Samoa and was a nurse before her mission. Plus she has a ton of energy because there are a ton of hills in her area and no shade. I don't think there are actually any downhills, just uphills. :o) I was low key dying but she seemed to be fine. We also sang, "Come, Come Ye Saints," in Samoan, and she braided my hair in a ton of super tight braids, which was super cool.
On Saturday the sleep over ended (haha), and we returned to Terrazas in a hot and crowded combi (yah!). We ate and then headed home to drop off the stuff, then went over to the stake center for a meeting with the zone leaders, which we had totally forgotten about until they called us asking where we were. We ran over, held the meeting, and then went to a baptism of the hermanas from the area Aeropuerto. We sang with them for a special musical number. It was cool because I had previously met the man who was baptized, Sergio, on a companion exchange while in Aeropuerto, and he totally remembered me. I felt famous. Then we grabbed quesadillas to eat, and the worker ended up being a less active recent convert... I feel that the Lord often guides us to people through my stomach. We got home, and our neighbor who always calls us her "Chulitas" (cuties) made us smoothies. Wahoo!
On Sunday Hermana Arellano gave a talk, and we visited with the ward missionaries, and we taught a lesson with R, who started speaking to her cousin in Tzotzil, and I understood nothing. Tzotzil is a language spoken by the indigenous Tzotzil Maya people in the state of Chiapas. It was kind of cool though. All in all, it was a good week. It's getting hot out here, and I'm doing well.
Con amor, Hermana Dangl
In our stake conference yesterday, Rachel was asked to speak about her sister serving a mission, the blessings we have received and about her experience thus far. Below the pictures is a copy of her talk for those who would like to read it. Katelynne had written the Young Men and Young Women of our ward a letter and some of the parts are from the letter.
Last week of the transfer! I feel like, seriously, it was just yesterday that Hermana Arellano was waiting for me at the bus station to bring me to the area, and now a whole transfer has gone by.
Monday was P-day with our new schedule. I finished washing my clothes and cleaning the house by 10 am. Usually we're still studying at that time, but I'm not complaining! It was great! There's a Walmart here, and it's the best thing ever because they have some stuff from the states that I've really missed.
Tuesday – Hermana Arellano wasn't feeling super well, so we stayed home in the morning. I didn't really do much - I organized stuff, got caught up on some scripture study, and wandered around our apartment. In the afternoon we headed out and had a good lesson with A, who is a new investigator. Afterwards Hermana Arellano mentioned that she liked something I had said, but I had absolutely no recollection of saying that thing, which is a big indicator that it wasn't my idea but the Holy Spirit's idea. It's really cool getting to be an instrument in the hands of God so that He can bless His children. We started preparing the baptismal service of Marisol, Janeth, and Pedor. They're going to be baptized on the 18th. It has been super cool to watch the changes happen within them throughout the transfer, and we're pretty stoked.
On Wednesday, we had to rest again a bit. It's also starting to get a lot hotter out here (though not as hot as it'll be in March-June/July.) That's when we start to feel like we are in a REAL oven. We're getting there, and the sun is pretty strong. We taught English classes as well, which is good. It's a huge blessing that Hermana Arellano knows some English as well because we usually split up the class in 2 groups, and she teaches the beginners, while I get to go with the people who know a bit. It's actually pretty fun. I've learned a lot about the English language. I had never even realized why we say things in the way we say them. Then we ate dinner with a member who always makes us fancy meats. I've mentioned before that my mom makes a garlic cheese bread that I really like (Texas Toast). Well, she doesn't actually make it, she just buys it and then puts it in the oven... but I kind of left that part out. This super awesome member, Ruth, wanted to make me something from home, so she bought the bread and asked me about which cheese my mom used and how much garlic to add and everything. So, we ended up making it, and they were all looking to me as the expert in the making of garlic cheese bread even though I actually had no clue and was just guessing about everything. My compa was laughing pretty hard during it all.
On Thursday we visited lots of viejitas (little old ladies) and taught the Plan of Salvation to Marisol, Pedro, and Janeth. I think the Plan of Salvation is one of my favorite lessons to teach because it helps us understand what we're doing here on this earth and where we came from and where we're going after we die.
On Friday we went to a doctor's appointment along with the secretaries from the mission office because they had to pay for it, so they brought me my package! Whooo! I was stoked! Thank you to those who sent me Christmas cards and Valentine notes as well. You guys are the best! :o) After we headed on out to Real del Bosque to do companion exchanges. I got to stay in Real with Hermana Feiloiaga! She's from Samoa and was a nurse before her mission. Plus she has a ton of energy because there are a ton of hills in her area and no shade. I don't think there are actually any downhills, just uphills. :o) I was low key dying but she seemed to be fine. We also sang, "Come, Come Ye Saints," in Samoan, and she braided my hair in a ton of super tight braids, which was super cool.
On Saturday the sleep over ended (haha), and we returned to Terrazas in a hot and crowded combi (yah!). We ate and then headed home to drop off the stuff, then went over to the stake center for a meeting with the zone leaders, which we had totally forgotten about until they called us asking where we were. We ran over, held the meeting, and then went to a baptism of the hermanas from the area Aeropuerto. We sang with them for a special musical number. It was cool because I had previously met the man who was baptized, Sergio, on a companion exchange while in Aeropuerto, and he totally remembered me. I felt famous. Then we grabbed quesadillas to eat, and the worker ended up being a less active recent convert... I feel that the Lord often guides us to people through my stomach. We got home, and our neighbor who always calls us her "Chulitas" (cuties) made us smoothies. Wahoo!
On Sunday Hermana Arellano gave a talk, and we visited with the ward missionaries, and we taught a lesson with R, who started speaking to her cousin in Tzotzil, and I understood nothing. Tzotzil is a language spoken by the indigenous Tzotzil Maya people in the state of Chiapas. It was kind of cool though. All in all, it was a good week. It's getting hot out here, and I'm doing well.
Con amor, Hermana Dangl
In our stake conference yesterday, Rachel was asked to speak about her sister serving a mission, the blessings we have received and about her experience thus far. Below the pictures is a copy of her talk for those who would like to read it. Katelynne had written the Young Men and Young Women of our ward a letter and some of the parts are from the letter.
"La caridad nunca deja de ser." - Charity Never Faileth - for the Relief Society Women's Class
Cross stitch of Jesus
Trying to keep cool with my compa (companion) Hermana Arellano
On exchanges with Hermana Feiloaiga from Samoa.
No pants, that is okay, I wear a skirt everyday!
Delicious smoothie!
Rachel's Stake Conference Talk 2-12-17
In Doctrine and covenants section 4 verses 2 and 3 it reads, "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work."
My sister Katelynne is currently serving in the Mexico, Tuxtla Gutierrez Mission which is located in the southernmost part of Mexico, right by the border of Guatemala. By her willingness to serve, I have seen how my family and I have been blessed in many ways.
Our family prays together for her so she can find people to teach, learn the language and be able to communicate with the members and investigators. She has sent home names of investigators so we can pray that their hearts can be softened so they can be ready to hear and accept the gospel. I never thought I would say this but now I actually look forward to Mondays because I get to hear from my sister. We put her letters and pictures on a blog so we are able to share them with family and friends, many who are not members. Many people have told our family how much they enjoy reading her letters and hearing about the progress she is making and seeing her testimony grow.
At my mom's missionary homecoming, my grandma said "We are in Heavenly Father's debt for the blessings he has showered upon our family in her absence." I know that we are also receiving blessings for her service in the mission field.
A couple weeks ago some people from our stake had the opportunity to go to a Mini MTC activity. We were taught by past mission presidents and we were able to better understand how a mission can help us grow spiritually and can help touch other's lives. We were able to practice teaching the missionary discussions and it helped me realize that when we are in tune with the spirit and keeping the commandments, the spirit will be there to help and guide us.
How my sister has grown from serving a mission has really impacted me because she is such a great role model and her example has helped me to strengthen my testimony. Her willingness to devote 18 months of her life to carry out the Lord's work and exercise faith in difficult times is so inspiring to me that I want to strengthen my relationship and increase my faith in Heavenly Father. In a letter Katelynne wrote she said:
"Before I left, one of my uncles told me that the lows would be really low, but that the highs would be really, really high. I didn't get that until I was in my first area, and I went through some if the hardest months of my life. I felt a lot of low points. I was so, so, so hot and sweaty always. And I couldn't sleep well because of the heat, so I felt totally exhausted. I understood very little of what was said to me, and I'm not sure that anyone else really understood all that I said either. I was super sick and had a lot of stomach pain – I was actually miserable. I wanted to come home and forget about it all. So why didn't I? Well, I learned a few things. First, I had trust in the Lord and I knew that He had inspired those who I sustain as prophets and apostles to send me to Chiapas, Mexico.
The highs are really high. It would be impossible to express the supreme joy I've felt in my heart and how strongly I have felt the spirit guide me. I have seen a true conversion happen within myself and also in the lives of the people I've had the opportunity to help come unto Christ. I've learned what patience is, humility, and charity. I've cried with those who cry, mourned with those who mourn, and comforted those that stood in need of comfort. Going on a mission is so, so, so worth it. The blessings are so much greater and abundant than the trials; the highs far outweigh the number of lows you may experience, and you will form a close and personal relationship with your Savior and Redeemer.
Our family first had the opportunity to Skype her last Mother's Day when she had only been out 2 months. She was exhausted and we could tell that she was struggling with the learning the language, mosquitoes, exotic food, and heat. When we skyped her 7 months later at Christmas, she started talking and I thought to myself, who is this Mexican woman and what has she done with my sister? She was a different person. She explained to us that she had decided to embrace the mission and immerse herself in the language, culture and gospel.
Then Katelynne said, "I imagine that it would be like living in total darkness without ever being able to turn on a light. Imagine being in darkness until one day when two young men with ties and name tags show up at your front door. Their simple message that Jesus Christ made it possible for you to be saved from sin and death provides you with a flicker of hope and light. Now imagine that the young man (or woman) knocking at the doors is YOU. The name of Jesus Christ is written on your chest and you now have the opportunity to teach the things that can put a new glow in the lives of others. You can help them recognize the role of Christ in their lives so they can repent and be baptized. You can help them find a new purpose and an understanding about why they're here on the earth and what their Creator wants them to do or be. And as you help someone else to do those things, it will happen to you as well. You will find a new purpose, gain a new understanding, and gain invaluable experiences that will shape you as a person for the rest of your life.
By having Katelynne serving a mission it has changed how I see missionaries. I watched her change from being just my sister and a college student to an amazing missionary and I know this is because she has the spirit in her life helping her. This is an example to me that if I strive to have the spirit in my life that I can be a missionary to others. I can be a better person and I can let the light of the gospel shine through me. I can be the person Heavenly Father wants me to be. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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