Week #77 - Snowday

Wow! How crazy that my last p-day is actually a snowday! or should I say an iceday? It was really weird just staying in all day... so we watched the testaments and the legacy (church produced movies) played some bopit and card games and then I went to town in the kitchen! I made banana bread and monkey bread and meatloaf! All those fun things that are really simple but you just don't have time to actually make (so just a warning, mom, I might go a little crazy with some time and a wider variety of ingredients!) 

This past week has been crazy we have started doing some work up in North Little Rock so that has been fun just because it feels like it has been untouched by elders for awhile. We even met this cool Chilean guy that used to go to our church when he was younger (his brother even served a mission) So we are pretty excited to start teaching him some more. 

This week has been sooooo good! We were able to teach a lot of lessons and see quite a few miracles. One that was really special was that we were finally able to see Orlando! And he was totally still planning on being baptized on the 14th but he couldn't because he didn't come to church this past week, but we moved it to this coming Saturday and he is well on his way. He had us pretty nerveous at church though because he didn't come for the first two hours and then he walked into sacrament meeting 5 minutes late. But Hallelujah he was there! Boy oh boy I could have shouted and jumped and danced right there (but I held it in, relatively well. I was just grinning ear to ear)

So since we have a baptism this Saturday I won't be able to make it to Memphis (but I really wish I could have)  I hope the wedding and everything goes well! And give Jaccob a big hug for me ;) 

Valentines day as a missionary is always just so weird. No one was home, they were out celebrating, we met a couple of drunk people though... And Jerri Ibarra (the coolest missionary member) came out teaching with us! Sad day that no one was home but we went door to door and that was pretty fun. 

We gave up the car last Sunday so we are now on foot. It was actually so cold Sunday night we got dropped off at Orlando's house so we could teach him and then we made it to the closest store possible (Dollar General) and then asked for a ride home. It was SO cold, I couldn't believe it and we hadn't bundled up because we just got dropped off straight from the church building. Tender mercies of the Lord for answered prayers! 

People keep asking me how much longer I have and just seem shocked when I say a few weeks. I can't tell my Heavenly Father thank you enough for allowing my last Saturday to be a baptism. I am so excited for this week even though it'll be on foot it will be amazing! 

I love y'all and I'll be kickin' it up with y'all soon!

Love,

Hermana Ives

Week #76 - One more week gone away

Hola family,

People keep asking me when I'm coming back to visit since my previous 3 companions all came back within 3 weeks... lol, I don't think I am going to be able to break their record. 

Luckily this week I didn't break anything, me included. (We didn't end up going to the trampoline park... sooo...I'll prolly have to do that sometime after I get home...) We have been doing an insanity workout. It feels really good, but I have also been really sore. So I am excited to do a bunch of getting back in shape. 

I have no fear of telephones any more... I made a TON of phone calls. Mostly all in Spanish. Craziness.

Another week is gone. 

I mailed home some books today. I nearly fell over at the first price she offered a hundred and something bucks, but then I realized that she was talking about priority shipping with insurance and that it would get there in like two days... for just a bunch of books??? I think not. lol don't worry it was a lot cheaper than a hundred dollars.

We taught some people, we found some people, we testified to some people, we served some people, we learned a bit, we studied a lot...

yup,

Hermana Ives 

Week #75 - I Love February

Wow, another week has come and gone... 

 

I started getting what the mission has termed, "trunky mail." Those are the dreaded letters that tell you not to think about home but while not thinking about home there are some things that you have to get done so you can go home... yeah, it kind stinks. 

 

But for the most part all the assignments are done and sent back so I don't have to think about them until I am completely finished.

 

This past week I got the stomach flu... yeah, I ended up having to get some anti-nausea medicine (the side effect said drowsiness, not KNOCKOUT.  I guess my system just isn't used to meds. I was out an entire day. I felt completely better the next day and then my companion got it! Two days in a row without much of anything going on. 

 

But to make up for it, my companion was able to invite someone to baptism this week! Man, she really is killing it! And all that door to door selling that she did before her mission has really helped her have NO fear in talking with anyone - a little bit jealous about that one, lol just kidding, but it did take me a long time to get over the fear of knocking on random doors. 

 

I am so excited to Janice! Isn't that awesome news?!? Yeah, she sent me a personal e-mail! I can't wait for her! She is absolutely going to love it. 

My last week is a bike week... I'm thinking that I'll probably just ship my bike home this week and then borrow someone else's for that one week/ just walk (not Hermana Reed's favorite, but I personally prefer walking around here when there are so many hills.)

 

Have you started reading the advent calendar from Christmas? lol, I know you mentioned that you might do that as a count down to my coming home lol.

I'm trying to remember anything particular that happened this week... Oh! I remember! We had a FHE with President Wakolo's family, a less active family in our Spanish branch, and a deaf recent convert of the ASL sisters. 3 languages, 1 home, I somehow got put in charge of the lesson and my companion just translated the entire evening... It was super stressful but super awesome too! We had a great lesson about putting on the whole armor of God. I even made cardboard armor and everything. I think it was a hit. 

 

Something that I really noticed that evening was the feeling that the Wakolo's had in their home. And I realized just how important it is to make our homes Christ-centered. Because there really is a difference between their home and the feeling that is in the less-active's home and I know that that feeling is the Spirit. And as we do the little things of reading in the scriptures, praying and going to church we can make our homes Christ-centered and a place where the Spirit of God can dwell. 

 

I love my mission. I love Arkansas and all the amazing people here. I love all of the memories I've made and all the crazy adventures I've had. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

 

I know the gospel is true!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Ives

Week #74 - 2 flats and a cold

Hola familia!

 

This week has been one crazy emotional rollercoaster... It was bike week, (that's fine... but I was under the impression that our bike week was next week... so I had not planned for it at all...)

 

To top it off I got a flat tire. not once but twice this week... that's okay I've done more than my fair share of walk weeks and I am fine with it... but this is Little Rock and we are surrounded by hills in this area and none of our investigators live anywhere near us... and since it is the city and not a dry county there is broken glass EVERYWHERE...so it has been an interesting week (poor Hermana Reed it was her first bike week ever and it was super intense.) Only one more bike week to go... at this point I'm not even sure if I want to try and fix my bike or just opt for a walk week again... still contemplating that one. Any suggestions?

 

This week has been super cold and windy so Hermana Reed and I have gotten cute little runny noses, coughs but our helpful recent convert from Nicaragua gave us some sort of cough syrup from his pais... so, of course I have tried it. It really does remind me of some of the concoctions I tried in China, it is has to be good for me right?!? Actually it was pretty funny how he brought it up. I was coughing a little during his lesson about agency... I just finished reading 2 Nefi 2:27-28 and he says, "Espera me!" he comes back out with this mysterious brown bottle and a spoon. Then tells me I can have it. I resisted at first to which he replied. Well, just like we were talking about earlier, you have your agency to choose to take medicine and get better or to Not...

Now tell me how I could refuse that when he was totally applying the gospel principle that we had just taught? lol, I wonder if we guilt our investigators into living the gospel like Luis guilt-ed me into cough syrup?

 

We met this awesome security guard this week. He talked about police work and just how boring it is. He told us that a police officer in a 20 year career will pull out his firearm and average of 3 times, for his entire career. He then told us how if you pull out pepper spray it is a load of paper work, you pull out a firearm and it is a MOUNTAIN of paperwork. He really did go off on a rant about how all he did was paperwork... It was pretty comical, not gonna lie.

 

Our Spanish branch is doing something really awesome this year in Relief Society. Most of our members are converts to the church, and a lot of them have never read the Book of Mormon cover to cover before. So our Relief Society President has challenged each of the women to -read the entire book of Mormon this year - memorize the 12 articles of faith - and memorize the Relief Society declaration. Then at the end of the year they are going to be presented with a medallion (kind of like YWs). Next year the goal is to start the relief society working on the YWs program! I am so excited for the spiritual growth that is going to happen in this branch.

 

Yup, that was this week, a lot of walking and a little bit of talking ;)

 

I'm happy, I know the gospel is true and there is no where else I'd rather be right now.

Love,

Hermana Ives

 

Week #73 - Hey!!!!! The last melon... oops I mean the last transfer

Hey y'all!

This was a crazy week.

Hermana Warner went home this past Monday. So I got to hang out and work with Hermana Goudie for a little while until Wednesday transfers. Because Hermana Stevens went home too. 

We have a baptism date set for Orlando for the 14th of February. (so if you could pray for him that would be awesome)

Transfers on Wednesday were crazy. Hermana Reed is so awesome! She is from Montana, she is twenty two, she took 3 years of high school Spanish before she came out so her understanding of Spanish is SUPER good! She is so amazing just ready to work. 

Stake conference was this past Sunday. We got to sing in the stake conference. Calma mi alma, be still my soul. It was a really neat conference all focused on how ward councils can help in the hastening of the work of Salvation and coming to the rescue. Then on Sunday it was all focused on the different principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I'm so happy to hear that Janice's papers are finally in! She had told me that she was starting them, but I haven't heard the update past that. I am SOOOOO excited for her! There is nothing more rewarding than a mission.

This is Hermana Reed's first bike week.... so it is interesting....I am really excited for bike weeks to be over... 

As for Dr. Who, Matt Smith is the Doctor after David Tennet. But I thought it was pretty funny that you like them! Lol. you probably shouldn't have made so much fun of me for liking them. lol ;) just kidding. 

Yesterday I had deer roast for the first time in my entire life. It was pretty good. True Arkansas eatin', we even had cornbread. 

I am super excited just about everything. I am excited for these next 5 weeks. I am excited for after my mission. I am excited about life. I am excited to go teaching with the missionaries, a lot more fun just being the member (I feel like there is just a lot less stress)

I feel like I am running like a chicken with it's head cut off. I am finding it really hard to keep both Hermana Reed and I on the scheduled. I am like running around 20 minutes behind everything. So any suggestions would be helpful.

I love y'all,

Hermana Ives

Week #72 - HOLA!!!!

OH MY GOLLY GOODNESS!!!! I am SOOOOOOO excited! 

And here is why. I absolutely LOVE my mission. Hermana Warner was fabulous and I am so grateful to have served with her. Hermana Stevens is going home which means I might get a letter in the mail besides trunky mail (that is the so called dreaded mail that the mission office sends you when you only have two weeks left and they like to remind you not to be trunky while they have several things for you to straighten out for when you leave.) lol. Also I get to stay in Little Rock (stake conference is this Sunday and I'll be able to see people from WARREN!!! We had a family of 6 at church on Sunday! And they seemed to like it even though they were in a bit of a rush to get home. And we were able to set a miracle baptismal date with the nephew of a recent convert. His name is Orlando and he wants to straighten out his life and so he pretty much asked us if he could be baptized!!!  AHHHHH! 

Plus, after 15 months of waiting we are finally getting another Spanish speaking sister! And I get to train her!!!!!!!!! I am so excited! Hermana Reed is her name and she is brand spanking new from the MTC! 

Yup, this has been a pretty eventful week! I am so happy! 

As for Temple going I am so excited! I got permission from Pres Wakolo to go to the temple on Saturday before I come home. The only hitch is trying to find a ride. But I'm sure SOMEONE will want to go. (I still haven't checked the sealing time yet though)

This week we roasted marshmallows this past P-day with the Rivera family... in 28 degree weather... it was pretty cold. But it was yummy and fun! I also got to try ponche for the first time! It was delicious! It is the traditional drink that Hispanics make for Christmas and New Years! 

I love the tradition of 3 kings day. I think it is super awesome. We got to have rosca! It is this awesome Mexican sweet bread and there are little baby Jesus figurines in it and if you get a little baby Jesus, tradition holds that you have to make tamales on February 2nd for everyone! It was a blast! Also one of our recent-ish converts loves to dance so he decided to hold a little dance recital for us... it was... interesting to say the least! lol 

Yup, I am staying with Hermana Goudie (her companion was sister Stevens- who is going home as well) until transfers on Wednesday! It is pretty awesome! 

Lol, I am excited to do a lot of temple work with you mom! That sounds like a blast! 

Can you believe this is my last transfer??? Last Friday for weekly planning was so weird pulling out my last planner on my mission. I have some idea and yet none at all as to where all that time went!

Yup! I love you! I hope you all have a fabulous week!

 

Love, 

Hermana Ives

Week #71 - Happy New Year

Hola familia!

 

Guess what! It is actually 2015! Say WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

Man, oh man, those little 4 years sound like angels! (you are a greater person than I, mom) lol, funny thing I just finished reading your e-mail, when Hermana Warner came over and said guess what! I already have a calling! I am going to be teaching CTR 4. I ended up reading that little snippet to her, she laughed, I think she is excited for the calling though. She is really good with kids. But isn't that crazy? She is going to have her homecoming party that Saturday. Give her Homecoming talk that Sunday and then go right afterwards to teach her new CTR 4 class! lol, that sounds like a crazy busy weekend (But then I think about how you actually have time to prepare for things like that when you aren't a full time missionary...)

 

I welcomed in the new year with food poisoning... that was pretty fun. Both Hermana Warner and I felt terrible. And it lasted for a couple days. But we finally made our recovery.

 

We went to the branch soccer activity on Friday. I don't know how I manage it. I don't even play and I STILL get hit in the head by the ball. (Yeah, don't worry, I've iced a couple of times...)

 

Then that same evening Hermana Warner discovered she had bedbugs....So Saturday we went up to North Little Rock to get permetherin and I left my bag in the mission office. (with my wallet, planner and scriptures...so I won't be getting that back until Monday). Then that evening Hermana Warner had to spray permetherin in our room by herself because I wouldn't go near it.

 

Sunday was actually pretty sweet. Derek Barrientos (the branch president's son) is leaving for his mission in the Monterrey Mexico mission this Wednesday. So there was a big farewell party for him. And 5 of our investigators came to church! I am super happy about that. The only thing that stinks in that as the only missionary in the branch that has piano skills I am automatically called to be the branch pianist. So, all the prelude and music afterward means it is really hard to help investigators feel welcomed and meet everyone they need to and to follow up afterwards. But Hermana Warner does a fabulous job of it.

 

Yup, it is finally getting cold here... I'm ready for warmer weather.

 

Love,

Hermana Ives