August 10, 2010

hey
What happened yesterday.... what an adventure. it was our p day and we headed to pan de azucar around 1 to do a hike to this awsome landmark thing here called the cruz. it is a huge cross on the top of a mountain that you can actually climb into. so we hiked up... our whole zone which is 22 people... and had a great time. ah i miss a good hike like that!! it was so fun to get to know some of the other missionaries in the zone too. anyway so after we headed down and ended up waiting for the bus for about two hours to take us to the neareset city then when we got to the next city, waited for another hour or so for the next bus and when it came.... we all stuck out our hands for it to stop and.... you guessed it.... it drove straight past us. last bus of the night. stuck and hour away from our apartments with only about 1.5 hours till we had to be in our houses. so after a frenzy of discussing what to do we had to call 4 cabs and spent a ton of money to get home but luckily made it right at 9:30. ahhhhh... it was crazy. but really fun.

another great event of the week i was able to do an intercambio or like switch companions with a companionship in Minas this week... which is about two hours north. So i was in Minas for two days with Hermana Kleinman. Ah she is a blast. We get along super well and were able to work hard all at the same time. This gives me hope for companions. She is from Orem and has been here for about 7 months. I was able to learn a different approach to teaching and another area and ah it really was so so great, i was actually really sad to leave her haha. i am with her right now because her and her comp spent the night at our house last night because we have interviews with the president today. I am a bit nervous because i need to talk to him about some honesty and work issues with my companion. things have been rough and i really think that she needs someone to motivate her because it is sad to see time wasted and i really cant do anything because there is still a language barrier and when i do mention something she snaps at me. so i dont know....

Anyway last week i was telling you about Richard and Paula and there three kids. They are amazing!!! They are making so much progress and the light that they have in their faces is stronger and stronger every time we are with them. their oldest son dameon has been going to the semenary classes at the church during the week and their daughter jacqueline, who has a mental disability, is holding on to what we teach her so so well. She many times will answer before her brother or parents and just blows us away. She has such an amazingly special spirit and her and I have bonded so much. That seems to happen with the children here since I can just play with them and dont have to talk much and they wont judge my spanish haha. What a sweet family, ill let you know more as time progresses. Richard and Paula are hopefully going to get married soon as well which is really exciting!

Anyway well i have a great scripture i wanna share with you! "And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions, that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like them. But that ye have patienc, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions." Alma 34:40-41

I love this scripture and it has really taken on a new meaning to me with all the things there are to be patient with. I know that I need so much more patience but that if we trust in the Lord, all things will come according to his time. I love you fam!!! Thank you so much for your support and love always. i miss you like crazy but i know this will all be worth it. Love you Love you LOVE YOU!!! -Jess