Special People!!

After eight weeks of being with the sister missionaries and being a companion to one of them, my 2 month missionary experience came to an end.  My companion went home along with another sister missionary and we welcomed a new “hermana” into the field.  Because we now have an even number of sister companionships, they no longer need me to fill that void!  I look forward to finding other ways to work with the sister missionaries in our mission, as I had such a wonderful experience visiting with many active ward members, many inactive families, and investigators.  I am learning to LOVE these people.  Our differences are few and the things we have in common are many!  

One of the things I have been able to do even though I don't communicate very well is to teach some of these sweet people how to bake.  This particular investigator wanted me to teach her how to make small loaves of banana bread that she and her children could take into school every morning and sell.  She makes jello and a rice drink right now that they sell, but when I took some banana bread to them, she wondered if that would be something she could learn how to make.  So, it was fun to go to her home and teach her.  This lady has cancer that she is fighting and so she has lost all of her hair due to treatments.  She also has to be very careful about not picking up germs...the reason for the mask.

These are her two children that sell food every morning with their mom at the school.  Her husband and older son were not at home when I was there teaching her how to make banana bread.  These two children walked in from school just as I was getting ready to leave.  They were in their school uniforms which EVERYONE has to wear in Mexico when they go to school, whether private or public schools.  This is a very sweet family that I have fallen in love with!

This is my sweet companion washing up some family dishes and cleaning up after me as I taught the family how to make banana bread.

During this past transfer, we also had a mission tour.  That is when one of our area and general authorities in the church, assigned to Mexico, comes for three days and tours the mission.  His wife joins him and together, Ralph and I, along with them tour the mission.  It is a great experience for the missionaries to get to meet with these leaders.  They are inspiring and motivating.  I have loved the two times we have had mission tours since being here.  The wives have been so helpful to me as they share with me some of the ways of the Mexican culture and help me learn how to make things and find things in the stores that might be a substitute for that which I am not finding here in Mexico.

Hermana DeHoyos was the wife of our first visiting authority.  She taught me how to make homemade tortillas and then we were doing some refried beans.  What a great friend I found in her as she took me to the stores to introduce products that would be very similar to those things I was used to having in the states.

Elder and Sister Valenzuela were here on a mission tour in March, 2013.  I truly found a new friend!  While our husbands were at Priesthood sessions in the evenings, we went to see some of the beautiful Catholic churches around here and she shared with me the history of Mexico.  We had such fun as we tried to communicate with each other.  She spoke just enough English and I understood just enough Spanish that we had a great time together!  We had lots of great laughs as we got lost in one of the towns while we were waiting for our husbands!

As soon as our misson tour was over we had another transfer and welcomed 14 new missionaries to our mission.  Nine of them were Latin American missionaries arriving by bus from Mexico City and 5 of them flew in from the states.  Although Cambios is a very BUSY time to prepare for, once the preparation is done, we LOVE that time with these new missionaries!  These missionaries were no exception!!  With each new group, we wonder how they can come any better and any more prepared!  The youth of today are truly unique and valiant!  

Our nuevos!

I love the little boy in these great missionaries.  On the morning after our missionaries had arrived from the states, they were outside prancing around in our backyard, amazed by how the grass felt and how well manicured our yard was.  They had also just come from climbing a ladder to get on top of our roof so they could look out all over the town of Puebla!  They came down from the roof, so excited, saying now they KNEW they were in Mexico!!  (I was shocked!  I had no idea I had a ladder that would lead to our roof!) I love their energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity!  They are going to serve the people well here in Mexico!!

After all of the new missionaries met at a meeting where they met their new companions, and after all the “goodbyes” were said, we piled all 9 of the salientes into our two cars and headed to the mission home for interviews, relaxing, a nice dinner and evening, before saying our goodbyes to our 9 missionaries who were going home after their service in the mission field!  We will miss them!  When we were at the meeting to welcome the new and say goodbye to the "old", at the end of the meeting, ALL of the missionaries in the congregation, row by row, stood up while we were singing "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again" and they turned to face where all of these missionaries were seated.  It was very touching to see the love and respect that all of our missionaries have for each other and it was the way of saying thank you to these missionaries for a job well done!!  Having completed 18 months for the sisters and 2 years for the elders is very impressive!  We are so proud of these missionaries!

When the Salientes returned to their homes, I traveled with two of them to Salt Lake City, Utah.  I was in Utah for one day, long enough to obtain another visa in order to remain in Mexico for the rest of our mission.  

While in flight, I found myself thinking about these two elders that I was traveling with.  Up to this point in their lives, they had a very clear plan laid before them.  For years they had planned that they would go on a mission when they turned 19 years old.  Year after year, their lives had been fairly routine as they went to school and church and participated in extracurricular activities, preparing to serve as missionaries someday.  They have now served, and they were on their way home to begin a new chapter in their lives.  What will they do now that they are home to make their lives meaningful and purposeful?  No longer is the path obvious and clear.  It will be important for them to be very thoughtful in the decisions they make as they move forward.  

I, then, imagined myself in 2 1/2 years when I would be the one returning back home. It suddenly occurred to me that I was glad to be able to return back to Mexico in just a few days.  I was not ready to return home.    I realized how much I loved my mission and all of the experiences that I was having.  Many of these experiences, so far, have been very challenging, yet, very rewarding and fulfilling.  I realized how important it is to enjoy this period of time rather than to wish it away.  I felt as though I had been given a gift.  I had been given the opportunity to re-evaluate what I am doing and to MAKE each day exciting and meaningful.  

It is such a short window of time that I have been asked to serve as a missionary and to dedicate 100% of my effort and time to the Lord.  I want to find joy in the things I am doing each day in the mission.  I need and want to MAKE each day a good day.  I don’t want to let each day just happen.  I don’t want to wait until I am on my way home to appreciate and realize this incredible experience that I was privileged to have.  I want to enjoy it and love it NOW.

I was given a gift to have that brief glimpse into the future.  I am back “home” to serve and to MAKE each day a great day!  I want to go home at the end of my three years with NO REGRETS. 

MAKING MEMORIES

While I was in Utah, my husband had a meeting for all of the Zone Leaders at our home.  He was in charge of feeding them breakfast.  Since I was not there to make a "cooked" breakfast, Ralph bought LOTS of cold cereal for them to choose from!  They looked like they didn't miss me at all!  Hmm...I may have to leave more often!

Buying LOTS of groceries is a regular task that I have for LOTS of hungry missionaries.  While shopping for our last transfers, for some reason my church credit card would not be accepted!!  After a few days the problem was resolved, but in the meantime, I had to call our "office missionaries" to come to my rescue!  I waited for them to arrive to pay for the groceries.  They were then kind enough to help me out to the car with them.  Thanks Elders!!!

While one elder climbed into the car to load "deep", the other elder "boxed" him in.  He looks longingly as he questions,  "how do I get out?"  These elders have a lot of fun together!

During a break that we had while on the mission tour, Elder Valenzuela asked each companionship to go off together on their own and study a particular set of scriptures.  After the break they were to come back and share the principles that they learned as they studied together.  It was an amazing sight to walk through the church and out in the parking lot and see all these different companionships studying the scriptures!  What a sight to behold!  Where else do you find 19 year old young men and women doing such a thing?  They are truly focused and are learning things on their mission that will serve them well the rest of their lives!!

The Missionary Work is Alive and Well!!

 If I don't hurry it will be time for another transfer!  I don't know how it is that the days can sometimes feel so long, yet all of a sudden another week has come and gone, and another month, and it has now been six months since we arrived here in the mission!!  It is amazing how quickly time seems to be passing by!

We always love greeting our new missionaries and this time was no exception.  We are amazed and impressed with the caliber of missionaries that are coming to us!  It certainly keeps us on our toes in order to feel like we have something of value to offer them!!

Two of our American missionaries who had been serving in the states after leaving the MTC while waiting for their visas FINALLY got to come to Puebla!  They came in on Friday night and the rest of our visa waiters came in the following Monday.  They enjoyed getting back together at our home for a training once everyone arrived on Monday.

Our new missionaries coming from the states.  They were all at the MTC then had to scatter throughout the states and wait for their visas!  They are all excited to finally be here!

Our one and only missionary coming from the MTC in Mexico City this time stands between Ralph and I.  Our two assistants are at both ends, one from Peru and the other from Ecuador.

This past transfer brought an interesting opportunity for me.   I have felt very restless recently, feeling anxious about not being able to learn the language and not having a real missionary experience.  I have found that I am really not as immersed in the language as I thought I would be because much of my time is spent alone making grocery lists, shopping for groceries, and preparing meals for large crowds.  Although I don't mind doing that for our missionaries,  it was becoming clear to me that I needed more of a missionary experience than that before I leave in three years!!  I wanted to be able to report on more than the fact that I am grateful to have Costco in Puebla!!  As I started having these restless nudgings of the spirit, I finally got bold enough to approach Ralph.  I knew I better be sure about what I wanted to propose because I KNEW Ralph would jump on my proposal in a second!!  As it happens,  three of our sister missionaries ended up being put together in a companionship because three of our NEW sister missionaries were unable to come at transfer time due to visa problems.  So, I decided if it were possible, I would LOVE to be a "real" missionary during the next six weeks.  I was a little reluctant to suggest such an opportunity because these three sisters are all Latin Americans, speaking very little, if any, English.  I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone, and I wasn't sure if I had the faith and courage to do such a thing.  But, I could not deny the impressions I was having to take advantage of this unique opportunity, so I approached Ralph with a suggestion.  He was eager to make this work and between the two of us, we put together a proposal to bring before the Hermanas!  They were such good sports to act happy to do this with me.  This is what we came up with.   Since the sisters live close enough for me to drive to their house each day, I meet up with these three every morning.   I have been assigned to one of these sisters as my MY COMPANION!!  Upon arrival, we begin with a hymn, prayer, and recite Doctrine and Covenants 4 by memory (in Spanish), then we divide into twos.  My companion and I have companionship study and language study together, then we are off for the day to share the gospel.  I am gone from 9:30 AM- 9:30 PM five days a week.  Each Sunday I go to the ward where these Hermanas live and serve and then I take the rest of the day off so Ralph and I can be in touch with our children and do other family and missionary business.  Then I take P-day with Ralph, and at 5:00 PM on Friday night, I am done for the day so Ralph and I can have our date night that is highly encouraged from the missionary department!  It has worked so well!  My Spanish is still coming along VERY SLOWLY, but somehow I contribute in each lesson that we teach and everyone seems to be very patient and helpful!  I notice the "gift of tongues" is prevalent whenever I need to contribute in a lesson, but my conversational Spanish is very bad!!  It has been an amazing experience.  I don't think I have ever done anything so hard in my life, and yet so rewarding!  I have a clearer understanding and appreciation of what my children did for two years while serving missions and what our missionaries are expected to do here in Puebla on their missions.  With no complaints, but MANY inconveniences and hardships, they serve the Lord happily!   To have the opportunity to continue to try to learn the langauge and to share the gospel, along side my other responsibilities as a mission president's wife has, indeed, been an answer to prayer and fasting.

My new companion!

The three sweet hermanas that I meet up with every day!

One of the "sweet" experiences that I have had is to teach a few people how to make chocolate chip cookies!  Apparently home made cookies are not very familiar to the people here in Puebla.  (I can't speak for all of Mexico.)  When I served my companion some chocolate chip cookies for lunch one day she asked what they were called and was very fascinated by the fact that I MADE them!!  She said she would like to learn how to make them sometime.  So, I decided to teach her how to make cookies so that we could then deliver them to a family we have been teaching.  The cookies were such a hit with this family that they asked if they could also learn how to make them.  Fortunately, they have an oven which is fairly unique as well!

This family makes fresh tamales every night and sells them every morning in the streets of Puebla in order to put food on their table.  They thought the chocolate chip cookies might be something else they could sell on the streets.  So, I purchased measuring cups, measuring spoons, etc. so they would have  all the things they would need to make cookies if they decided that's what they wanted to do.  We had a great experience and since then they have been baking up a storm!!  What they are doing with them, I'm not sure, but they are LOVING making cookies!

My companion learning how to make chocolate chip cookies!

Knocking at the door to teach a family how to make cookies.  Note in front of me are the vending bikes that their family of 7 uses to sell the tamales each morning in the streets of Puebla that they make every night.

Preparing the cookie dough for chocolate chip cookies!!

Mom and daughter taking turns using an electric beater.  They had never used one before!  The mother and I are holding the bowl while the daughter mixes the cookies because there was no table by the ONLY outlet in the kitchen.  Eventually the Dad realized our inconvenience and graciously went and brought a little wooden table from somewhere for us to use.

After showing them how to make cookies and placing them on a cookie sheet, it was now their turn to do the next batch.  Note the little wooden table that was brought in for us to use.

Washing the dishes after making cookies, in their kitchen, which sits outside.  The wall you see is the outside kitchen wall. 

Making tamales!  This is a big table in their living room because their kitchen is very little.  Behind the dad is a queen sized bed that serves as a couch during the day and a bed at night.  There are two other rooms in the house with beds besides this room and the little kitchen.  As you walk out of this room, you go outside to the kitchen sink, then turn the corner from the sink  to enter the kitchen.  

Some of the family busy making tamales in the evening, preparing to sell them the next morning.

Speaking of living conditions...My eyes were wide open when I arrived one morning help my companions in the morning when one of them was very sick.  I was amazed when I witnessed the other two missionaries getting ready for the day.  They went outside to fill two buckets with water, then came in and plugged them in their living room by plug outlets.  They then dropped an iron coil into the water to heat the water for 40 minutes.  At that time, one at a time goes in with the two buckets and "showers"!!  That is their water!!  As soon as a bucket empties, they hand it out so the next bucket of water can start the heating process again for the next shower!!  When we first moved here I couldn't believe that our water heater was outside!!  That means whenever the wind blows hard (and it does often during the rainy season during the months of May-October), the pilot light blows out and Ralph and I wake up to cold water for a shower.  We then have to be "inconvenienced" by going downstairs and outside to light the flame and wait for 40 minutes for the water to heat up!  If we do not have 40 minutes to wait, then we get a cold shower!!  After seeing this, I shall NEVER complain again about MY INCONVENIENCE!!

I now know how the hermanas wash their clothes every P-day!  To think I was amazed that our laundry room was detached from the rest of the house.  I thought it rather funny and inconvenient to walk outside on a stormy, rainy day (which happens daily May-October) to get to my laundry room!  I will never complain again!  I feel grateful and a little selfish for the very nice conditions that I am living in! 

What do you do with your clean clothes after they are washed?  Why, of course, you hang them out to dry!!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

A blog entry is well past due!  Unfortunately, we had no new missionaries come to our mission this last transfer because none of the missionaries that were to come were able to get their visas.  So, I suppose I forgot that I could still do a blog entry!  My life seems to revolve around our transfers every 6 weeks, so if that doesn't happen, I completely get out of my routine!

These past 6 weeks have been busy, nonetheless, and we anxiously await the arrival of a FEW of those missionaries who were to come at the end of November.  We have learned that 4 of our visa waiters have now received their visas so on January 7, we will greet them with open arms!!


What a fun, busy, action-packed  past 2 weeks we have had!  Our next zone conferences were scheduled to be held in January, but we decided to move those conferences up into December so we could acknowledge and celebrate Christmas with our missionaries.  Our missionaries work so hard all year long, so we wanted to give them a nice break, plus find a way for them to feel the spirit of Christmas within the comforts of a HOME rather than some cultural hall!  The area authorities for Mexico gave us guidelines to follow.  They requested that we NOT gather the entire mission together for one big event.  We were told that we could join 2-3 zones together, if we choose, or one zone at a time, but never at any ONE time are we to ALL gather together!  So, this is what we decided to do!

We have six zones.  We decided to do each zone, one at a time, at our mission home.  Our home is not large enough to do more than one zone at a time.  So, we scheduled for December 11, 12, and 13 and December 18, 19, and 20th to have each of our six zones in, one at a time.  On each day we did the following:

10:00 AM-Arrival at mission home

Krispy Kreme Donuts, Fruit Cup, Juices, and Chocolate Milk served upon arrival







10:20 or so- Business portion of Zone Conference

• Zone Photos
• Birthday Recognition-basket with baked goodies to choose from (Large brownie, mini loaf of banana bread, or large M&M Cookie)
• Extraordinary Missionary follow up-award clementine to any missionary who has been exercising faithfully and eating nutritiously and economically!)

Fuertes Zone

Amalucan Zone

La Paz Zone

La Libertad

Tlaxcala Zone

Chiautempan Zone

10:30

Christmas Caroling with homemade chimes (Trudy's), piano, and sing-a-long.  Lots of fun and laughs as we have tried to sing 12 Days of Christmas in Spanish and divide into groups and each number stands and sings when their turn!

Ralph conducting the music as the missionaries play our homemade chimes!

Playing our homemade chimes!

11:00:
Discussion lead by Ralph on Christ-Who is He?  What is his role?  How do we "receive" Him?  How do we "accept"the atonement in our lives?

12:00:
Each district (3 in each zone) to perform for 15 minutes.  This can be anything from singing a Christmas carol to acting out a play, etc.  LOTS OF FUN and LAUGHS!!

One of our districts performing!

Very talented district doing the can-can in step!!

This is where some of the missionaries are standing behind the backdrop and putting their arms in the sleeves, and the faces of the missionaries that we see have their arms in the legs with shoes on their hands.  This was hilarious as they danced to a Christmas medley!

The entire district...those behind the scenes as well!! (A district from La Paz)



A skit from one of Amalucan's districts...A mix between Christmas and Lehi's family and missionary work!  Notice the sword of "Laban" looking like a missionary tie...Sword of Santa...with Nephi (an elf) trying to convince Santa that he needs to take the gifts with him!  "Not on your life, says Santa!  Very funny skit!

One of the many fun skits each district put on!

A skit the Hermanas were in!

Another district performing

Another district!

Yet, another district!

And...another district!

Feliz Navidad--These two elders are at the piano playing Feliz Navidad on the piano and the Melodica.  Unfortunately I did not capture a still shot picture with the melodica, but the elder in the background is playing that instrument and the elder in the front is at the piano.  They are looking over at their "band" as ALL of them are playing the song, "Feliz Navidad!  It was so cute!!

The rest of the band playing Feliz Navidad--guitar and drums, using a bucket and tin lid!!

1:00ish:

BUNKO with prizes, etc.  They LOVED it!!!

Head table starts and ends the game with the jingle bells!

Adding up their scores!

2:45:
Christmas dinner served-
Ham, Baked potato with sour cream and/or butter, Carrot/Pea mixture, Broken Glass Jello, homemade rolls, Costco pies and cheesecakes

A LOT of HUNGRY ELDERS!!!

Amalucan Zone

Tlaxcala Zone

Fuertes Zone

Feeling a nap coming on after eating a large dinner!

4:00:
Gather back in livingroom around Christmas tree to give out gifts that are under the tree

Gifts wrapped up and ready to open!!

Some of the Hermanas opening up their gifts...homemade scarves that I made for each of the missionaries to wear around their necks when it is cold outside!

Some of these elders trying to figure out how to wear their new scarves!

Posing in their new scarves!

4:30:
Everyone leaves

The HONOR of being awarded the "Sword of Santa!"  This is a sword the Elders made for a skit!  I think they think the president needs a sword as he has tried to change the culture somewhat from where it had been!  The missionaries are grateful for the changes, so I think it was a compliment for him to become the keeper of the sword!  

5:00:
Clean up begins, preparation for the next day starts over!! Gifts under tree, making broken glass jello salad, etc.

Well, that's how we've spent our last few weeks!  I've been busy preparing for this event.  All of the missionaries seemed to have a great time!  I love doing things for our missionaries.  They are very appreciative and helpful!  It was fun to get together with one zone at a time.  It is such a nice way to get to know each of the missionaries at a more personal level.

Feliz Navidad!  Feliz Navidad!  We want to wish you a very merry Christmas from the bottom of our hearts!  This IS our Christmas card this year!  None of you have been taken off of our list!  We have no list this year or for the next three years!!  We hope this finds all of you well and happy!  May we remember the "reason for the season."  So many do NOT!!  At this time of much turmoil and tragedy, it is evident that the world NEEDS the message that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ who was born to save us all!  He was born as a babe in humble circumstances, but NEVER would there be a birth more significant.  He came to earth so that we might have joy, both in this life and throughout eternity! May we find a way to share this message, as there are MANY seeking peace, joy, and purpose and meaning in their lives.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!