Buenas Tardes!
Well, this week was AWESOME! As always, but this week was
especially great.
I love working in a trio. Hermanas V., R., and I
make a great companionship. Hermana V has only been with us for a week,
but I feel like we're best friends already. All three of us are always joking
around. But we make a pretty good teaching team as well. Although it's
true...it's way harder to squeeze into the little rooms that our investigators
live in. It makes it more entertaining that way...haha. We decided that we're
like Charlie's Angels.
But Hermana V is awesome! She only has a month in
the mission, but is doing really well! There is definitely a huge difference
between the progression of a Norte who has to learn the language and a latina.
Our training schedules are pretty funny. I'm on my last week now, so there
won't be many issues, but every week of training, there are specific goals we
have to complete...and this past week, I had to direct all the lessons and
planning sessions that we had...but Hna V's goal was to begin taking turns
in daily planning and also to initiate teaching the Plan of Salvation. But it all
worked out! Haha Hermana V said she was scared to return to Miraflores
after her first day with us...mostly because we seriously flew from apt to apt
because we were running really late. And she said Hna R scared her...which
is understandable. She can be pretty intense when she's stressed out. At least
Hna V wasn't scared of me...I smile too much for people to be scared of
me...haha.
Well, as a ''Welcome to Miraflores'' gift for Hna V on
Tuesday...we woke up to...no running water!! Oh man, it was rough. We decided
to study first and see if the water would come back later on in the
morning...but it didn't. We had a little bit of water in the pila where we wash
our clothes...so each person had to shower with only a gallon of water. Not even
exaggerating...it was quite the experience. Then the water came back on once we
were all dressed...of course. Haha but it was pretty funny.
Then, later that
day, Hna V received another encouraging gift when we visited a less active
hermana. She always gives us a fresco and picos (bread) after our lessons...so
when she offered a drink, we accepted. But this drink was a little different.
Here, they love to drink chicha, which I have no idea to describe. Usually,
it's chicha de maiz, which is pink. But this time, it was brown and looked more
like tamarindo...which I just realized that you've probably never heard of that
either. Anyway, when I drank it, I really had to try hard not to spit it all
out. It was horrible. It was like drinking vinegar. I tried to drink it super
fast so that I wouldn't have to suffer more, and when the Hna noticed, she said
''Oh! Hna MacKay really likes it because she's drinking it faster than the
rest!'' Luckily she didn't offer me more. She told us that it was Chicha de pelo
de maiz y cana agria...corn hair and bitter sugar cane. It was terrible. But I
struggled not to laugh because Hna V seriously looked like she was about
to throw up. Apparently that type of chicha is really good for the kidneys. So
at least I have healthy kidneys now...that's a relief.
It rained a ton this week. I think it's finally winter here
in Managua. Before I left home, someone told me I'd be eternally wet here in
Nica, and now I understand. I'm either wet from the rain, or I'm drenched in
sweat. There isn't an in-between. It's a good thing I love it here. In our zone
pday last week, we had a ''most likely to...'' activity. Guess who won ''Most
likely to be the mother of 15 kids'' without contest? Yup. You should be very
proud of me...haha. Cambios are next week and I'm getting a little anxious,
since it's really likely that it'll affect my area. Who knows what'll happen. I
thought I wanted to leave MF after I finished being trained, but when Hna
V came and we realized we're probably only a temporary companionship, I
thought about the possibility of leaving my area and the people here and it
made me sad. It'll be interesting to see what happens next week, that's for
sure!
We had divisions with Zona Universitaria otra vez this week.
And once again, the Lord entrusted Miraflores in my hands. Hermana R and
V went to the other zone to work with those hermanas. And I worked with
Hna S. (the mission nurse) and Hna Va. (from the CCM). It was
an...interesting day...full of tracting, conflicting ideas, and aggressive
teaching (not on my part). Since Hna Va. is from Managua, Nica, but the
Northern part, she had the idea that I had no idea where I was going and tried
to lead us everywhere we went...She didn't trust my ability to dirigir our
area. But one thing I learned is that I need the balance between being
aggressive and passive when I'm teaching. Because one of my comps almost
prompted a few arguments during lessons, and the other just sat there and
didn't talk. There was some bible bashing involved. It was bad. When my normal
trio was reunited the next day, we were very happy to be with eachothers otra
vez. I realized how blessed I am to have Hna R and V. They're
great.
Well, Miraflores is beginning to improve. The area was
pretty much dead when I arrived in July because Hna Rivera's comp was sick and
they couldn't leave very much. But our agendas were seriously packed this week.
If we met someone on Wed, we couldn't set an apt until Thurs of the next week.
It's pretty crazy! Our family stalking is beginning to pay off. We had a
powerful lesson last night with a new family that we're teaching. They're
friends with a menos activo who joined the church last december. They weren't
interested in the church at that point and avoided the hnas when they came to
teach Danilo. But not, they're super positive. It's true, the Lord prepares
people in his own time. They keep calling us angels. They're so awesome! I've
definitely learned the importance of smiling and always being happy in lessons.
Smiling is natural for me, so when I'm not smiling, people notice. We're in the
process of teaching Hermana V how to smile constantly. Haha. But really,
we have so many reasons to be smiling every day. I feel so blessed to be here
serving the people of Managua. I feel the Spirit daily and meet so many great
people every day. Every person is a child of God. I love having a chance to
meet as many as possible and introduce the Gospel to them. It's so awesome!
Well, I hope you all have a great week! I'm sure Karen will
have a great time at homecoming! and Good luck to Rachel working in the
Primary. Mom- Congrats on the family history success! So awesome! I showed Hna
R my pedigree chart that I brought with me...she was really impressed. So
fun to hear about the wedding plans for December! It's coming up fast...ish! If
I'm still here in Managua, Hna R told me that I'll skype from the family
history center. Pretty crazy that by then, I'll have been in the mission for 7
months! It seriously goes so quickly. I turn 4 on Sunday! And I turn 20 in real
life so soon! Weird that I'll say goodbye to my teenage years once and for all.
Love you all!
Love,
Hna MacKay
(Posted by her Mom)
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