February 20, 2024-February 28, 2024-Week 42-San Miguelito (Wednesday P-day Because of Transfers)

What's up everyone!! Transfers are happening tomorrow and I am going all the way to DAVID in Lassonde, wayyyyy out there!!! Literally to the other end of the country, near Costa Rica. I am going out with Hermana Rhodes, and we are white washing, or rather neither of us have ever ever been there. So we will have so much to learn, but I am so excited for the adventure! 

But, this transfer overall was really good, of course full of highs and lows, but I learned that our faith really determines the results. I wish I had exercised more faith, but I have learned that when we let our faith replace every doubt, worry, and fear, there is NO limit to what we can do, with the Lord. I feel like I am leaving San Vicente better off than it was before, and I am so happy for the 4.5 months I had there. I have learned much more how to choose joy in every circumstance, learned to practice seeing how the Lord sees, and to listen even more to the Spirit. 

On Friday, we had a special all hermana conference. It was awesome!! I got to see all but one of my previous companions (since she has already gone home) and it was great to be together with all the hermanas. Our President talked about how our we are so essential to the work of the Lord and in the eyes of the Lord. He expressed how there is no coincidence in the fact that Eve was the last creation, that Mary Magdalene was the first person to see the resurrected Lord, and I thought of how Mary Whitmer was one of the few people who saw the golden plates. Then he shared how Panama is the mission with the most baptisms in central america, and there are the most hermanas here. He said this was a direct correlation. I loved our president reaffirming how needed we are! 

Something really cool that has happened in these few days is how we have been bringing a lot more members to lessons. These people before had not been keeping their commitments to read or come to church, but we brought members and something magical happened -- they seemed to understand the need for the true gospel of  Jesus Christ and to do something about it. So, members are SO necessary!! Go out with the missionaries this week and make time and see all the blessings that come!!

I love you all and am excited from my next adventure!!

On an exchange with Hermana Drew in her area

Hermana Conference

With Hermana Euceda (hermana Christensen's trainer), hermana Forsberg , hermana Christensen, and me

Us with Hermana Aparicio at the conference, who is the girlfriend of someone in our ward so we are their mail carriers haha

Lots of pictures with Hermanas Christensens at the Hermana Conference

seeing BEST FRIEND at the hermanas conference we had in the city

Sister Luntz

Contacting once again in the metro

The hermanas from Volcan, Hermana Wise and hermana Shirley, stayed out our house to come to the hermana conference with us

Member lessons with Leidys and Antonio Sanchez

Member lessons with our recent concerts Mercedes and Reymundo and Keller

Member visits with Eleutaria Moran

Our recent concerts have been helping a lot with our teaching!! We love Reymundo and Mercedes!!

Hermana Inerys, a menos activo that is now coming back to activity

Member visits with Hermana Kora Soto

Noche de Hogar via zoom!!

At summit zoo as a district -- Elder Torres and Pineda, Hermana Drew and Linares

Last visit with Andres

February 13, 2024-February 19, 2024-Week 41-San Miguelito

This week was fairly good -- we found some people who could potentially have some good potential to progress. We have been finding, teaching, and dropping pretty fast with people not reading or keeping commitments or going to church. But we have chosen to just keep our heads up and keep going! We can't control what other people do, only ourselves. 

I had two exchanges this week, one with Hermana Connolly and the other with Hermana Drew. It is always fun to learn and know new missionaries and work with other people. 

We are starting this cool new initiative as a zone, called the 40 day fast -- but not from food or water, but from what gets rid of the spirit. We fasted this Saturday to help us know what we need to improve to feel closer the the spirit. It really is a principle of consacration. But I'll attach the article that inspired it all. I have a list and I am excited to start feeling even more closer to the spirit and be the missionary that the Lord knows and needs me to be.

Sunday and today were pretty great days!! I turned 20, so that is kind of wild. But even crazier is that my aunt and uncle and cousins visited me here in Panama!! We went to Causeway and biked and ate lunch and they drove us around to get groceries-- so basically the best p-day ever without having to deal with Panama transport. They also came over yesterday on my birthday with food and we celebrated and my family sent gifts with them! It felt like a piece of home. Best birthday gift imaginable!!

The thing that always keeps me going on the mission is to always think of the people I have gotten to know that have been baptized. The Lord is so loving to allow us to be part of someone's conversion. One of my favorite converts is Señor Andrés. Two memorable experiences this week were:

- we were in his house and we were going to look something up for him since he is 86 years old to put on gospel library. He tells me to wait, then searches for another phone and says "THIS is my phone purely for the church". Get you a friend who has one whole separate phone dedicated to God

- we were on his patio the other day and he was like "I don't want you to go in November. You can call me and write me, but it's not the same!!" and made cute childlike puppy dog eyes. I LOVE PANAMA AND MY PANAMA FAMILY!! 

Overall, the Lord is in the work, we don't need to doubt it. He has something so perfect planned for us, and we just need to continually trust in Him. 

I finished reading the Book, The Infinite Atonement, because I wanted to learn more about Christ's love in the month of love...duh. But I learned so much! I learned that His Atonement is what makes everything possible and gives reason to everything. There is no bad day, tragedy, misfortune, disappointment, or setback that can't take new light thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He can give us strength through it all because He knows all and has felt all. I love Him and He gives my life meaning!!

Someone training their chicken to cock fight

....almost twentyyyy

Exchange with Hermana Connolly and riding in the car with Zoe Riasco

Noche de hogar with familia Riasco

Ending the exchange with Hermana Drew and Linares

We found some good new friends out in the jungle this week

Holding hands with Mercedes in church

Jon, Michelle, Nixon, and Scarlett went on vacation to Panama and got to go to church with Katie.  They sent this picture as their 1st Katie sighting. 

Michelle brought Katie mini Cadbury eggs

Grammy made Katie a birthday sign.  The day that Jon and Michelle got to go to church with Katie also happened to by her 20th birthday.  Such a tender mercy.  They brought all kinds of gifts down for her from home (thank you so much for carrying all those heavy gifts around) plus hugs, love, homemade brownies (made by Michelle in Panama), and even a birthday sign made by Grammy.  (Grammy didn't realize that she had spelled birthday wrong.  When Katie saw it, she said "I thought Pompa had the brain tumor." Too soon??)  Jon and Michelle also got to go take Katie and her comp a pizza dinner on her birthday.  Katie got to call me on her birthday in the evening and I got to watch her open her presents.  

Then on Monday, Katie and her comp got to hang out with the Spears again.  They went to downtown Panama and rode a big bike on the causeway and went to lunch.  Then they took Katie and her comp grocery shopping.  Katie loved seeing them and not having to ride the bus for a day.  Thanks so much Jon, Michelle, Nixon and Scarlett for visiting and for filling Katie's cup so she can survive another 9 months.  

Katie's 1st companion Joanne Anderson got engaged this week.  Her fiance is Tyler Whitney.