Katie's Mission Blog: February 29, 2024-March 4, 2024-Week 43-David

I made it all the way out to David on Thursday! We woke up and went to the city, practically to the "grand central" station of Panama in the mall, called Albrook. I said goodbye to Hermana Jackson, and got all the people who were going to make the trip out really far to the other side of the country, and left for my new adventure with Hermana Rhodes. There was about 10 of us going out there, and we rode out on a big bus. I had heard that they were super cold, so I brought my blanket, sweater, socks, all of the above...but the air conditioning was broken haha. But we got to our house at about 7pm that night and started figuring out the area, calling some people, and looking for groceries, because we had none. A cool miracle happened here though because we were kind of disoriented and then a member came out of the chino, and was like "hey sisters!" and he offered to take us in his taxi and show us the houses of the members in the area. God watches out for His people!

Overall, I love it out here! People always joke how Chirqui (the province I am in), is like another country, and it is. There are no hills, the sun is out even more if that's possible, there is hardly any garbage here on the streets or stray dogs (which is wild coming from San Miguelito), and it smells way better. The ward I am in, Lassonde, they are so nice and supportive. I think I have one of the best ward mission leaders in the world. We literally had a 15 minute correlation with him AND he just organized for someone to come out and visit with us. Unheard of. Of course, I continued to play the piano, but they only have a keyboard. I think the best part might be that I live two minutes walking away from my chapel, which has never happened before in my mission. It helps get your friends to church SO much easier. On our first morning, we contacted someone and invited them to church, and they came! There is so many miracles here in Lassonde.

We are going to have two baptisms the hermanas left for us, and we found two more people who should be baptized on the 15th! I am so excited for this chapter of my mission. I just feel a lot more excitement once again for the work because everything is so NEW! Obviously we are so lost sometimes, and there are lots of pieces of the puzzle that we don't quite understand. It has been really fun, and I get along with my new comp.

Tomorrow, well tonight, I travel back to the city for leadership conference. Then will come back immediately after. Maybe there will be AC this time!!

Something I have thought a lot about recently is JOY! Joy really is determined by OUR choice, like President Nelson said. I have been learning to just choose joy. I love in the scriptures, it says "gozo completo" or, full joy, many many times, especially in the famous missionary chapter of Alma 26. Even though Ammon was going through it and facing all kinds of trials, he found "gozo completo" in our Savior, and I know we can too!

(Sister Brook Rhodes-from St George, only child, been on the mission one transfer less than Katie. They are white washing their area in David.)

Shoutout to Grammy for the cadbury eggs. The addiction lives on