November 7-November 13, 2023-Week 27-San Miguelito

 I hit a mission milestone this last Wednesday --- SIX MONTHS! That's right, I have done a third part of my mission and have one more year left in Panama. Hermana Christensen asked me what are six lessons I have learned...here's a brief summary:

1. What true lasting charity is! It is loving despite disappointment, failure, frustration, annoyance, let down, etc. And despite that you choose to have an undying, ever kindling, constant love! 

2. Choosing positivity in every moment, as the prophet put it, thinking celestial. It's raining? People call you the devil (like today)? Everything falls through? You are struggling with the language? You miss your mom so much and your family and friends? Think of what God is making you!

3. The church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints is true, living, and COMPLETE! We have the fulness of the gospel: life changing covenants, prophets, the priesthood, and more scriptures. I have had an opportunity to internalize the truths that I have known. 

4. My awe for Jesus Christ has grown so much! I don't know how someone could have ever been so perfect, so loving, constant, and always giving. But His grace and love lifts me from my faults and short comings to be more.

5. We are capable of so much more than we think we are. We can endure and change and become, all thanks to Jesus Christ walking with us in every step. He is a loving Savior of small, daily miracles that testify he is forever in the details. 

6. That the gospel is one of commitment. Nothing in life comes easy. All good things require work! I had my first leadership conference this week, sadly all online with all the protests, but a questioned was posed: what are you going to give Jesus christ this Christmas? I immediately thought I was going to give him my heart, might, mind, and strength. I am going to give him my all! I am forever changed because of my mission. Yes, it is so hard and tiring and I miss everyone of you a lot, but I wouldn't change a thing! 

Pretty sunsets

Hermana Cristel Navarro, who I did my first exchange as hermana líder with.

My skin is allergic to Panama. Anyone have remedies to help my acne? It is terrible.

A member gave us ice cream after lunch! It was funny, she said "we don't have vegetables today (becayse of the protests, nothing can get past the puente of the americas so we don't have produce), but we have ice cream!!"

A "how do you feel?" picture. CHOOSE JOY

House shopping because our house has...no water...only cucharacas...mice...bats

Another pretty sunset

SIX MONTHS

Six months!! With a brownie in a mug to celebrate

Trying to get in contact with our friend who lives on the top of mountain and we have not been able to get in contact with him sadly. But, if all goes as planned he should be baptized Saturday.

Our friend Daniela Arrocha who has already had missionary lessons and remembers everything, but told us from the first lesson she is ready to be baptized. All her family are members. She is 19 years old and has a 1 year old daughter, Valentina. She has such a strong testimony and I love her!

Drinking chicheme from the chicheme truck

Hermana Euceda, my Hermana líder companion! She is from San Pedro, Honduras! She has a year in the mission and she is serving in ciudad Bolívar, so we are separated. We do TONS of zoom calls together

Seeking some peace before climbing the hill to the house

Practicing our division with little kids

Somewhat creepy contact while stopping for a coke...just zoom in on the photo

Our food storage in case we get locked in the house

Free ice cream sandwiches from a señor that sent them our way ;)

The view from presidents house

They are already starting to celebrate Christmas here in panama! Left to right: Hermana Keeler (Mesa), Hermana Christensen (Mesa), Hermana Bonnett (las Mendoza, Panama), Hermana Euceda (san Pedro, Honduras)

P-day at the President's house

Las hermanas de San Miguelito y Panama!!! Left to right: Euceda, Bonnett, Keeler, me, Christensen, Hatch, Wallace, Ransom, Evans, Lopez, Navarro (everyone is standing next to their comps)

The elders from zona panama came too and played volleyball and cross net with president

Hermanas pday in the house of president and hermana Forsberg! Left to right, starting with Hermana Christensen, Hermana Navarro, Hermana Lopez, Hermana Bonnett, Hermana Evans, Hermana Hatch, Hermana Ransom, Hermana Wallace, Hermana Christensen, Hermana Keeler, Hermana Forsberg. It is a lot of hermanas because as Hermana líder we are over two zones

Leadership conference online!

October 31-November 6, 2023-Week 26-San Miguelito

 Hi all!! I hope all you guys are doing good!

This week was good and I am coming up on six months this Wednesday! The time has actually gone by really fast and I am grateful to be a missionary. It is a blessing to say everyday that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and that He has a message for every child of God! 

We have continued to serve and work hard in our area. The protests are still continuing, but we have been safe. We are usually in the house by the evening and we do video calls to avoid any danger. But God has been rewarding us for our efforts. 

I love this scripture that is found in the Book of Mormon telling about the armies of Helaman in Alma 57:

21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.

26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.

And then here in Mosiah 2 in the sermon of King Benjamin:

24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

We are having so many friends and I know it is because we have been devoted to be obedient with exactitude! There was a few times when it was hard to be obedient with exactness, but I know because we sacrificed and chose to do exactly as Christ did, we have been so blessed. We receive one reference every day, our members are referencing people to us, and our friends are progressing. And God continues to be in the details -- a bus passing at the right time, meeting people in the streets who happen to be members that have been inactive for so long, getting to the house right when a downpour starts, the baptism of our friend Magela, and so much more. 

Hermana Christensen has a parasite and is getting better. We got her some medication and she has been improving slowly but surely. 

Random elevator mirror selfies on our way to get hermana christensen tested for parasites

Our friend, Andres Rosas, who is going to be baptized soon!

A little horse friend!

District council!!! Left to right: Hermana Euceda (my Hermana líder companion who is from San Pedro Honduras), Hermana Keeler (Mesa, Arizona) , Me, Hermana Christensen

Wendy's lunch!! This area has a lot more American stuff, so that has been really odd. There isn't stuff near my house, but an hour away where we do district council en Los Andes.

So sweaty and gross and breaking out

A recent convert, Anabel Moran, and her family

A fun walk up to the house of a friend

The view from our hike up to the house of Clemente

Best friend!! I love Hermana Christensen!

When we call a new contact just to present ourselves and she talks for 30 minutes

Views from outside our window

Lunch of champions

The actual funniest taxi ride ever. We needed to get out of the boonies and this was the only taxi passing so hermana christensen had to ride on my lap

The bus our ward rents to get everyone to church, the Diablo Blanco! All of our lovely members

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO3YGrw5yM2JbVYhMTBN0UdvbI4zmlEi5drioHM3n-7Cev7c4-evsaGLTWGPTYwYg/photo/AF1QipOtMrJ2-2Y7hJvmivTUO7b0N3_GLdlvLe0jsqbT?key=Ml9TSGpoSmxyYV9ySkxVWHJ1RWdVeGxEQmlLWjB3

Taxi ride for pday in the city

Contact on the metro!! I love just being able to teach people and touch lives

Next victim?

I got the package my mom sent. Thanks Michelle and mom for the cookies!!

Thanks Shane for the gushers

Thanks Shannan!!

Elder Fredrickson, Mary Gublers cousin

Getting to see hermana Hatch in the city for pday

Some Jamaicans we met on the metro subway who literally just rode it to the end of the line and back

Look at my comp making the CCM Facebook page

Neck game

We were trying to find these members in our ward but turns out they died...

The things people send us...he has a wife too