Crazy to think that this week I hit a whole entire YEAR of living in Panama. On the 22nd of June is when I hit a year mark if living in this beautiful, hot, odd, amazing, home away from home country!! I am officially very old in the mission. When this transfer ends, there are only two hermana missionaries who will have more time than me....no wayyyy!!!! But overall, life here is going well. I like to joke (with myself lol because scripture jokes are only funny to me) that this is the desert of my afflictions like Lehi says in 2 Nephi 2. There are many highs -- helping this area progress, training and reminiscing on how good the mission is, speaking all Spanish, new adventures, good friends in my district, not being fed dinner (a win in my book because less rice). But with that comes a lot of lows -- hard times and loneliness of training, a lot of rejection, little member support. Yet that's what makes the good so darn GOOD! How could we know the wonders and love and charity of God if His Son never suffered in agony for the sins and sadnesses and deaths and all of the above of the world? So it is necessary for me to pass through moments of hardship, just to be able to know my Savior better. I loved this talk my dad sent me this week, and I invite you all to read it!
We did have zone conference this week in the city. So the overnight travels once again resumed. We left at 12am Wednesday and got back 12am Thursday. Las Tablas officially has the worst forms of transport...haha! I did watch some of the church movies and listen to more Christmas music (I have an obsession) and read the scriptures, yet did not sleep. But zone conference inspired me to just keep going, strive for excellence, and keep expecting miracles!! I also got to see lots of good friends and have an interview with President, so it was all worth it!!
The work is progressing a little slower than I would like, but overall, the area has changed and we have some good friends who are truly taking the time to be converted. Our friend Euclides is reading so much in the Book of Mormon! And our sweet friend Yanelis told us "siento muy bien cuando venga (I feel very good when he comes)", so it is the start of her recognizing the spirit. Our friends, Milagros and Jose, are truly searching for the truth, and I feel blessed to be Christ's representative. It is all in the Lord's timing.
Some other things are I had an exchange with Hermana Smith, we currently have NO WATER in the whole province of Los Santos, and we do have bats in the ceiling. The Lord has slowly prepared me for this and there's nothing we can't handle with a smile, a laugh, and the Lord on our side. We joke that if this had been an hermanas house before, it would have never fallen in such disarray. So here we are fixing it up. It needs a lot of TLC here.
Something I am learning in this transfer is just how ready the Lord is to answer us. I want to share just two experiences --
1) some very nice, yet unqualified man came to get the bats out of the ceiling, not bringing a ladder. We decided to go look for one, but we prayed first. Seems a little silly? Nothing is silly for the Lord; nothing is too hard for Him! Immediately we were guided to a neighbor who didn't have one, but knew someone who would. God wants to answer His children and He understands all of our smile plights.
2) we were teaching our friend Euclides about the sacrament, and he was confused why we don't just take it once a year. I was getting a little frustrated, not really understanding what kind of answer he wanted. We just do because we do. But, the Spirit whispered in my head to ask Him this question: "do you have a loved one who has died? How often do you remember them?". Of course he responded that he remembered them often. Thus is how it should be with Christ. The most important person in the world suffered and died and rose again for us, to not only change from bad to good, but from good to perfect, exalted, and saintly. We must remember Him! This seemed to help our friend a lot.
I know the Spirit speaks to us individually and perfectly, and as we create the space for him in our lives to guide us, He is going to help us along.
Saying bye to Hermana Linares because she is going to her original mission
Saying bye to Hermana Jackson
ZONE CONFERENCE with hermana Véliz
Elder Gongora, Hermana Jackson, me, and Elder Carling in zone conference
Bus rides back home from zone conference in the city
patacon burger
Zone pday and playing games
Elder monterroso drinking coca cola
Zone pday and eating pizza for the 5,0695,838 time. (We eat pizza a lot.)
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