Katie's Mission Blog: January 2, 2023-January 8, 2024-Week 35-San Miguelito

Letter to everyone:

Happy Monday!! Next week we are going to have transfers. I cannot believe it! I am so lucky to have lived with Hermana Christensen and worked with her and become besties with her. I don't know where I am going, but I will email it next Wednesday. Today I also hit 8 months on my mission!

But overall, the weeks are flying by, and the mission really is but a small moment. I enjoyed one of my personal studies this week studying my mission calling and my patriarchal blessing. Something I loved was how my mission calling described missionary service as a "labor of love". It really is! Yes, it requires a lot of work, but it is a joy! I have had a lot of time to focus on goals this week and how I can continue to give my Heavenly Father my heart, might, mind, and strength. Somethings I thought about was choosing to smile, at all times -- climbing hills, sweating a lot, when people are rude or are ignoring me, when I am tired -- just to smile and EMBRACE it all. I have found so much joy in just choosing to have happiness. I invite you guys to smile MORE --- you and others need it.

Our friends are progressing really well, and we are always seeing so many miracles. We are always adding to our teaching pool, grinding to find new friends that are solid by finding inactive members of years, asking for references, and just talking with everyone. We have two great friends -- Reymundo and his wife, Mercedes Arana. They are the grandparents of our recent convert, Keller. We found them because Keller is there a lot (they take care of him most of the time) and asked them to be baptized and they readily agreed! It is so cool how the spirit speaks that this is THE truth! The Lord guides us to those who are ready and prepared. They came to church, and even helped us get other friends to church, yelling "vecina ven el bus esta esperandote' (neighbor, come, the bus is waiting for you).

I love being a missionary! It is so good and has taught me to choose joy and choose Him everyday!

Letter to family:

Happy p-day! I love you! Thank you for always emailing me and praying for me.

This week was really good. Some other life updates are that I am thinking of doing speech pathology after my mission instead of nursing. One day, I was eating lunch with a member and she was asking about what I studied, and she was like "well nurses have to work on Sundays". And, I was like "well yeah but not all the time". But then I got to thinking and I realized I don't want to work on Sundays. I always want to be at church. And I think I would like working with kids. So, I am going to have to look into that. But in a year I will be back and studying at BYU, so that will be crazy. I am hoping to live with Hermana Christensen too, so our mission shenanigans will continue. She has a boyfriend out on a mission, and he comes back in May 2025, so we will hang out before she gets married.

Our friends seem to be progressing really well. I don't think I get frustrated or upset with people, I think I just get a little more sad when people don't accept the gospel. They just don't understand how much they need it. I think people leave it or reject it too because they don't fully understand it. I still don't either, but I know enough, and know that my life needs it. If I want to be exalted, I need my covenants in baptism AND the temple...and I can't be wishy washy. Sometimes I get scared about going home and thinking, "shoot, how am I going to maintain this strong conviction". I don't ever want to be an RM, who literally for 18 months persuaded, testified, taught, and lived the gospel of Christ and just trades it away for a mess of pottage. But I read in 4 Nephi 1:38 and it basically says the generations fell away because they INTENTIONALLY chose to rebel. My dad and I were talking about conversion, and really it is just wanting to follow Christ. Do I want to read my scriptures? Do I want to go to church? Do I want to be who He wants me to be? Listo: conversion! (Listo is the Panamenaina word for everything). President Nelson has said "as true converts, we are motivated to do what the Lord wants us to do and to be who He wants us to be".

Today we went to the city and I felt so white again -- we want to a Bath and Body Works, Old Navy, and Pink. Funny story: I needed more bras so we went to Pink and then there were only men employees. I don't even understand. It was so weird. I guess they can get nice gifts for their girlfriends.

I also had a little hiccup in my week, or moment of not quite knowing what to do. I had an exchange with one of the hermanas, since I am hermana leader, and she told me that her comp doesn't really include her in decisions and is not too obedient. And it is a little harder road to navigate because her comp is my hermana leader companion. So, I don't want to step on her toes, but I want her to see miracles in her area and for her companion to like her mission, and she told me that this has been the most difficult transfer. I read in Doctrine and Covenants 121:43, and I fasted for her and I just felt like I need to show an outpouring of love and be more charitable with her. I should not be upset or annoyed that there are some holes in her obedience, but just appreciate all she has to offer and that she is here and help her feel Christ's love. So I am working that, and not praying for her to be obedient, but praying for her to feel loved.

I will have transfers next week, so I am interested to see what that brings. I don't want to be separated from Hermana Christensen, but President told me that that will happen. She has been here for three transfers, and I for two, so chances are she leaves. But, I have no idea. I would love to see more of Panama, but this area is golden and has lots of good stuff to be found and miracles to be worked. We are trying to get four people baptized next Wednesday so we can all be here together for it, so please pray for Reymundo, Mercedes, Milagros, and Erick :)

Not much is going on -- I peed in the woods the other day since there is this one area that never has water in their houses so if I go, I can't flush it, so it is just better to pop a squat in the trees. Mom sent me new dresses, shoes, and garments, so I feel like a new woman. Now I have new bras, so really I am feeling pretty good. Nothing will stop the endless sweat though.

Giving our dog away to someone. (They had a dog that was outside their apartment for several weeks that wouldn't go away. They found someone in their ward to take him.)