Katie's Mission Blog: December 12-December 18, 2023-Week 32-San Miguelito

Hey hey!!

I love the mission! I know I say this a lot, but I have been reflecting more this past week how I am so lucky to be here on my mission. I love growing closer to Christ, knowing Him, and trying (and failing) to be like Him.

Two weeks ago we had the baptism of our friend, Johan. Here is how this miracle goes. One day, all the way back in October when I first got to this area, we were looking for a point on our map that some previous missionaries had left, and we were lost! We could not find them. Things are not too terribly well mapped here in Panama (they don't use maps like we do, they use something called Ways but we don't have the access to download that on our phone). Anyways, after 1.5 hours, we find this family. But, that was a miracle in and of itself. Along our way, we contacted a woman named, Marlyns. She has a cute boy named, William, with a cleft palette. But she didn't have a phone number and she gave us her address, but it went in one ear and out the other because people don't have addresses here either, they just have "barriadas". Basically they say, yeah, I live in South Campus Provo, and that's it. So really, fat chance to find them. But the next day we are walking on a new street, and we SEE her son. And it is unmistakably him because he is a little two year old with a cleft palette. So we begin teaching her. Slowly, we learn that she has been to church and her mother-in-law, is a member, and her pareja (partner) and her sister-in-law! We begin reteaching the whole family and they begin coming to church, and finally, Johan, her nephew, is able to be baptized. The family and their light has changed. They are more happy and have renewed desires to follow Jesus Christ. What a happy day to see another baptism!!

This week was really good -- I went to the city a few times, which always requires waking up very early in the morning to avoid traffic. I went once for my first leadership conference in person (my first one was on zoom with all the protests)!!! It felt like Christmas! We went to the President's house (he lives in a penthouse that overlooks Panama and the ocean), sang Christmas music, ate yummy food, and sat on real couches haha (Panamanians don't have very comfy furniture). All in all, it as so spiritually uplifting! A 70 from the church came too! I always am able to receive a lot of revelation and inspiration for how to be a better missionary. One cool thing that came to my mind was the face of someone we had once talked to. He is the son of an active member, and I thought he was baptized with her 17 years ago. Turns out, he just knows so much about the church but wasn't baptized because of work. I felt like we needed to go visit him again. The next day we had lunch with his mother, and I asked her about him. She just laughed and then I continued the conversation asking about how she choose to be baptized. She said she was really sick, but went to church and all the sudden (not coincidence), she was healed. I testified to her that God works MIRACLES, and if her sons face came to my mind, God has something great in mind. Now we are going to visit him tomorrow!!

So really, God has miracles waiting for us. I love the scripture in 2 Nephi 27:23 that says -- "For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith". God is just waiting to give you miracles, but He requires first your faith; your heart; your might; mind; strength: YOUR ALL! "God be thanked for the matchless gift of His Son" (The Living Christ).

Hermana Guarin de Mexico fue mi primera hermana líder y ahora somos hermanas líderes jjntas. (Sister Guarin from Mexico was my first leader sister and now we are joint leader sisters)