8-18-14 3rd week in Corpus Christi

So I guess I left home 2 months ago... that's weird. 

Thanks for the package!! Fun fact for the future: Only send packages to the mission home. apparently it's a rule here. HA. my bad. no worries though cause I'm new. :)

Well, This week has been loco crazy. (Jenessa: yay! a goat!) 

So turns out I've been holding in lots of pride and junk without realizing it. Good thing I had a heart to heart with my dear Heavenly Father Monday night last week. Cause guess what. I saw instant blessings. Which normally doesn't happen, so I was pretty stoked. I like to call last Tuesday: El Dia de Milagros. Because we talked to about a million people and found 2 new investigators. One of those is "L". 

Let me tell you a little about L this week. She is 26 and a single mom. We didn't even find her. She called to have the missionaries come over because she was going through really hard times and trying to find the truth. (if this isn't the definition of golden I don't know what is)  We had a tear-filled, heartfelt lesson about the Plan of Salvation on Tuesday night and set a baptism date. Wednesday we had a lesson at a member's house about the Restoration. Friday was the Book Of Mormon. Saturday was a church tour. Sunday--SHE CAME TO CHURCH!! which was wild because her five-year old daughter had a fever. THEN! she and her daughter at dinner with us at the bishop's house. 

Here's what's amazing. She already is more happy. the first 2 lessons were like cry and testify sessions. And now she barely cries and is eager for more. She's one of those people whose life makes me REALLY grateful for my own. Really I haven't even hit a speed bump in my life compared to L.  **I LOVE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS SO MUCH YOU'RE THE BEST** But anyways. What's cool is how the gospel can help everyone, even L in her super rough life. They call the atonement infinite for a reason. Look up the definition of infinite. It's probably super inspirational. 

Anyway. L's a miracle. because really we needed her just as much as she needed us/the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is good!

Update on J: no clue how smoking is going cause he was super sick this past week and was in the hospital for like 3 days. Really I'm not sure he's got the drive to do it. We're gonna try to pump him up tomorrow. Cause seriously it's so important.
2 Nephi 31:21. All I gotta say.

Anywho, I have to go. The computers at this library are painfully slow so half my emailing time was spent waiting for my inbox to load.. so great. patience training. look at all the opportunities I have to learn! #blessed #sarcasmismybestfriend

I'll hopefully get to send some pictures next week. Thanks for the camera btw! it's just great! 

LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Lance

8-11-14 Second week in Corpus Christi

I've officially been in Texas 2 weeks! feels like I've been here my whole life. haha did I even have a past? I'm not too sure. 

So this week was relatively eventful. Last monday or Tuesday our AC went out. Newsflash. It's August and I'm in Texas. Let's just say that it was a character-building experience. haha. Monday night was miserable, Tuesday night we had exchanges so I wasn't there (I felt so bad for the sister who had to sleep in our apartment for a night), and then Wednesday and Thursday we got to sleep in a spare apartment in our complex until they finally fixed it Friday. Our apartment was probably like 90+ degrees and super humid. at night it was cooler outside. hahaha. oh man... good times... On the bright side, I now have a greater appreciation for functioning air conditioners! so that's good! 

So as I mentioned, we had exchanges this week. I went with a Sister who only has 3 weeks left in the mission field. She taught me a lot. It was awesome. She helped me a lot with things my companion can't explain to me because of our double-sided language barrier. Definitely a good thing. 

So right now we're teaching a man named Jeremiah. He's got a good heart, but I'm not sure he understands the importance of everything. We recently taught him about the word of wisdom (cause he smokes a lot) and he was all for it, and then every time we come back and visit he's smoking......... (awkward.) His memory is messed up from a past accident, so he tells us a different number of cigarettes he's smoked every time we ask.. so....... that's a tricky one. Hopefully we get through to him though cause he really is a good guy. 

We tried real hard to find new investigators this week. One day, we rode our bikes for probably six hours total. All I'm gonna say is that you know you've been working hard and it's hot outside when you have sweat marks on your skirt. hahaha. so gross. but it's worth it cause I'm trying to save souls over here. 

Yesterday I gave a 20-minute talk about the Sabbath Day. in the SPANISH BRANCH. that was wild. I felt bad for the members. hahahaa.

My companion and I are still trying to work out the whole communication thing. Patience is a virtue guys. haha. I love her, don't get me wrong. It's just a struggle to understand her most of the time. but it's cool cause we help each other with our second languages a lot. so that's handy. 

Anyway, I'll send some pictures next week once I have a camera. Love you all lots! 

Hermana Lance

Moses 6:34 <-- one of my new favorite scriptures.

                                  

                                               Our district at the CCM on the last day.

August 4, 2014 First Area!!

Hello all!

Roland Wood. Good guess. My first area is.....*drum roll*... CORPUS CHRISTI. #whoneedsspanishanyway 

My area is North Padre Island. So basically I live on a island filled with beach-houses and really tan, prideful people. haha. It's seriously so gorgeous here though. Our apartment is across the street from the beach. I'm not exaggerating at all. We aren't allowed to go to the beach in our mission, but that's cool cause ain't nobody got time fo dat.

My trainer's name is Sis. Sarmiento Wolff. It's a pretty common name, don't cha think? (haha. only joking. Just trying ease the tension. <-- there's no tension. that was a quote for you HP fans.) Anyway, she's from flipping CHILE. cool, right? It's funny cause she's learning English and I'm learning Spanish. It's a struggle at times, but we are trying to help each other a lot. She's great though! She's tiny and dark and I'm not tiny and not dark. (sidenote:I already have a foot tan and a watch tan. booya!) It's funny, man.

Last week feels like an eternity ago. Pres. and Sis. Maluenda are great. This mission is the greatest. (sorry everyone except Roland).

Anyway, before I forget, here is my address, just so you know:

14825 Windward Dr. Apt 211

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

This week has been pretty good. Hard, but good! As I mentioned before, the people here are bums. haha. Mainly all our time is spent trying to find people to teach. And we haven't been too successful. And this awesome family we had is being dumb and so it's been a bit frustrating. Literally since I got here on Tuesday, we have had TWO lessons with investigators. That's a lot of time spent riding my bike around the island and trying to talk to people. GOOD LESSONS GUYS. I'm learning a lot. It's definitely easy to get discouraged, especially when you're nasty with buckets of sweat and hungry and all that. But! I've actually been doing pretty good. I think it helps that this is my first area, so I'm not used to anything else. Hopefully it gets better though.

Anyway, I really don't have a lot of time so I'm gonna attach a few pictures. (update: my camera fell out of my bag on the airplane to Texas and has been lost forever along with all my MTC pics. so awesome, right? it's cool though. attitude is everything, guys. haha) ANYWAYS. my comp has let me borrow her camera so I can send a few pics. isn't she lovely?

*I got the packages and my bike and all! all is well. Someone thank Justin and Kelli for their letter for me, k? thanks!*

SO! I love you all!! God is good and will support us all in our trials! remember: D&C 6:36

Loves!

Hermana Lance

PS my hair has now reached volumes unknown to man. I basically literally have the hair of a horse. if only it was in a sweet, mustang-running-on-a-beach way. But it's all good. It's pretty funny, really. haha. my bike helmet helps a whole bunch. (hahahaaaa)

                                     We parked our bikes on a no-parking sign. we're real funny.

                 4-Generation picture. My mom, my grandma, and my great-grandma. what a great family line. I'm                                a baby, guys. literally a newborn. maybe premature. the tests weren't conclusive.

My comp and I