Katie's Mission Blog: November 21-November 27, 2023-Week 29-San Miguelito

Happy pday!!! Before I forget to say, my next pday is the following Wednesday because this transfer is already coming to a close, which I cannot believe!

This week was so good, as are the others! We had multizone conference in the city, and that is always so special. We had conference with the everyone east of the canal, so Tocumen, Colon, Panama, and San Miguelito. President talked about how this is the time for the church to grow in Panama and that a lot of us will be here when they announce a second temple and another mission, and I feel blessed to be apart of this! Now is the time of Panama! Hermana Forsberg focused a lot on how we can practice living happily -- including not letting our circumstances deter us and choosing to have joy amist the adversity. So I have been working hard to apply that in my life -- smiling when I wake up everyday at 6:30am, not complaining about the big or small things that are far out of my control, being truly grateful, and being more present in every moment. At the conference I also got to give a workshop with my Hermana líder companion on making effective questions in lessons! It went well, though everything is pretty last minute in the mission as we hurriedly planned everything over a zoom meeting a few nights before since we are not companions right now. Afterwards we were finally able to get more of our exchanges done, and I went to Brisas del Golf with Hermana Evans for the day.

The biggest thing that stuck out to me this week was the example of faith my companion, Hermana Christensen, is! She always teaches me so much and will always, without fail go the extra mile to see miracles. We decided to go look for and go to church with some friends that live pretty far away, granted we have a free bus to get us to church, it is a sacrifice of time. We went to the family of Carolina, and show up and she starts trying to make excuses why she can't go to church -- her husband's not there, she can't take the baby, they haven't eaten, they aren't dressed. But, Hermana Christenen didn't take no for an answer and said "we have 40 minutes and we are here to help you get ready, let's go!". Carolina sat there for a minute in silence and then got up and said "ok". So, her and all her five kids, came to church with us. And for me, I would have let our two visits earlier that week and our phone calls suffice as invitations to get her to church and count that as my best effort. But, as we were waiting at her housed I thought of the scripture, in Luke 15 that says:

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost

Christ would search out the one, and as missionaries, we should and must! So, no matters how begrudgingly we do His work, when we go to the edge of our faith, that is when miracles happen. So, thank you Hermana Christensen! We got to church and 12 of our friends came, we played the piano, and talked in church too and it was a good day!

We just got done playing basketball with the zone, and lets just say it might have been the worst basketball game ever, but still was very fun. The rain luckily didn't fall today, but earlier this week it rained and the rivers were overflowing and flooded up to my knees! I love being a missionary and I know this is going to be the best Christmas ever! I know that Christ is our personal Savior and He loves each and everyone of us!

The miracle metro bus -- a driver picked us up after waiting for close to 45 minutes and he turned out to be a member. He totally just played us and he acted like he knew nothing about the church, but towards the end was like "yeah I'm endowed" and flashed his garments

The miracle metro bus driver, Hermano Tejada, who actually served in my dad's mission at the same time!

Visiting an inactive member, Amelia

RAINING SO MUCH that the streets are overflowing

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO3YGrw5yM2JbVYhMTBN0UdvbI4zmlEi5drioHM3n-7Cev7c4-evsaGLTWGPTYwYg/photo/AF1QipN1Ibu7OJ_6HOBsFYxulwUvmQTDAiTE4tElIeL4?key=Ml9TSGpoSmxyYV9ySkxVWHJ1RWdVeGxEQmlLWjB3

Soaked after five hours out in the rain

Multi Zone conference in the city with zona Panama, San Miguelito, Colon, and Tocumen

My classic picture with Marys cousin, Elder Fredrickson!

Best part of conferences are seeing the amazing hermana Hatch

The three Christensen's in the Panamá mission

Hermana Euceda and I had the chance to give a workshop this week at our multi zone conference about asking effective questions. We gave the class to smaller groups three times.