Katie's Mission Blog: August 3-August 7, 2023-Week 13-Guadalupe

Hey all!! Just to clarify, my pdays are almost always Monday, but at the end of transfers it is Wednesday!! But it has been having a really fun week getting to know Hermana Hatch. She is from Anaheim and went to BYUI for two years and wants to be a teacher. She is really funny and we get along really well. Panama loves to be moody and we experienced Polar opposites within 24 hours. On Saturday, I got so burned. The worst ever on the mission. Maybe in my life haha. Everyone was commenting on it and Panamanians think that sunburns equal death haha. Then the following day we got advisories to stay in our house because of a terrible rain and lightning storms. Luckily, we stayed in a members house but literally lightning was striking all around us. Our power was out for 7 hours! Kind of crazy how Panama changes so fast. I have honestly been a little stressed this week since I received a new companion, I have to direct us where we are going, plan our days almost solo since my comp is new, and begin our lessons and remember peoples names. But, it has been good and my companion is really reassuring and she says I'm doing well. My Spanish is still progressing super well and I hope by the end of these six weeks I will be able to talk well in all normal conversations, not just about the church. My tender moment of the week is that I was asked to translate for the mother in law of President Forsberg at stake conference. I came into conference excited to just absorb and not talk to anyone or be bothered for two hours, but I was ready to serve her as well. And God really blessed me for it! It was so cool to see that I understood everything, and really it is all thanks to God for His aid. And, God blesses us so much when we do his will. She reminded me so much of the love my grammy and grandma and aunt Marsha have for me and it felt like another piece of home! My funny moment from the week is that we were contacting this women and she starts explaining how she has been messaging this American from Seattle who is in the military in Irán for 2 years. She says they are super good friends and asks us to pray for him. Then she adds he is asking her for thousands of dollars hahaha and that her kids keep saying he is using her. He keeps saying he wants to move to panama and marry her. We just sit there and laugh but are really like, uhhhh listen to your kids. He is trying to rob you blind, woman. But, oh well. Pobrecita. Something that always makes me laugh is people cat calling in English, especially out their windows haha. They always say "hey how are you? I love you!" That's all folks! Make it a good week! I love you all!

Hermana Hatch!!