So the Nica words are finally starting to stick. At least
the expressions that I usually didn't use because Hna R didn't use them. I
now say the word tuanis all the time. It's pronounced too--ah---knee--s. It's a
fun little word that looks funny spelled out. But it means cool or awesome.
Anyway...
This week was a whirlwind. I feel like I say time flies
every week, but wow. There are cambios this week! So hard to believe. I am 99%
sure I will stay here. Hermana G is going to train, so most likely Hna
E will go to a new area. So sad...maybe she'll go to Miraflores with Hna
V, since Hna R goes home this week! I don't like cambios week...it
stresses me out because even though I'm used to constant changes now, it's
still sad. But I know that it's all in the Lord's hands.
So I don't have too much to report from this week...partly
because I didn't do much. Hermana R is still sick, though she's starting
to get better. On Tuesday, she was so sick that she couldn't work. Each
morning, we tried to go to our citas because she's stubborn and hates staying in
bed...but by midday every day, we had to go back to the house because she was
about to faint. The policy on sick companions is that the healthy companion can
go on splits if there are willing members to stay with Hna R and someone
to work with me. But the majority of women in our ward are nurses that work, or
go to school in the day. So I spent a lot of time reading scriptures and
watching Doctrine and Covenants videos. At least I learned a lot! But in the
hours that we were able to work, we were able to help a good amount of
people!
This week, I realized how important it is to trust the
Spirit and not the doubts of other people. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but
we've been trying really hard to find new investigators, but every time we
asked members for references, they say that there isn't anyone in their
neighborhood who would receive the Gospel. We could've trusted their doubts,
but we aren't here to prejudge people. I'm here to share the Gospel with
EVERYONE! We've been working hard in a neighborhood called LV, where
everyone says that we won't have success and that it's full of ruffians. Yet
almost all of our investigators that are progressing live there. Lots of times
I have doubts about my area and think that there aren't more people to find,
but that's never true. As the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants goes...doubt
not, fear not. And I have no fears that the Lord is on my side.
We are still teaching T, who is doing AMAZING! She is
super pilas. After we teach a lesson with her, she always summarizes what she
learned and asks us to leave a reading assignment with her. And when we come
back, her scriptures are marked up and she has questions ready for us. She has
a baptismal date for December 7, so hopefully all goes well with her!
This Sunday was pretty crazy. We had to have divisions with
members so that we could bring our investigators to church. I went with a
future missionary named K (yep, I like her name...haha) to meet up with an
investigator in an area really far away. Guisquiliapa is about 30 min from
church and F lives 30 min away from Guisquiliapa...so we decided to meet
her halfway in the park. But she arrived really late...which meant we arrived
30 min late. But hey, she came to church! And so did T and her sister!
It's the best feeling to help people come to church, especially when they have
good experiences and finally understand why we'd been nagging them to come
before. T left church with a Gospel Principles book, For the Strength of
Youth, and a printout of the YW theme. She was pretty happy. It was awesome!
Later that day, a member took us to his cousin's home.
They're Catholics...that aren't a huge fan of Mormons. The only reason the let
us in was because 1. C L didn't give them a choice and 2. out of
respect for C L. But it was pretty sad. They flat out denied
everything we shared, which made me feel sick...not because they hurt my
feelings, but because I felt bad for them. They don't understand what they're
missing! But I sneakily slid a folleto that talked about the Gospel of Jesus
Christ under where I was sitting. Who knows...maybe someone will find it one
day...haha.
So I'm convinced that animals here hate us. Seriously
though. I've been chased by horses...cows...dogs...mosquitos...and most
recently...a turkey! It was a huge turkey like the ones in Thanksgiving images.
It was super creepy...and pretty funny, not gonna lie. I don't understand why
animals here have the desire to chase us constantly. Maybe they just want to
learn more about the Restored Gospel...who knows? haha.
The weather here has been cooling off a little...at least in
the nights. I may have to actually buy a blanket. So far I've just been using
my sheets. It's still hot during the day, but nothing like Managua, or even how
it was when I first got here. It's awesome. Y'all had daylight savings already,
right? Here, it doesn't exist! Which means we're in different time zones now!
That's crazy about the Phillipines! I have a ton of friends serving over there.
I'm sure they're all safe, but so sad about the typhoon! Has is snowed anymore
in Utah? People here get a kick out of hearing about snow. It sounds like the
house is progressing! And yall got to have a nice little sleepover! haha. What
are your plans for Thanksgiving? and Christmas, for that matter! I'm planning
on sending a little package today for Christmas, although who knows when it'll
get there. I'll send letters separately! Have you started the Christmas letter
yet?
Well, I hope you have a wonderful week! The Church is true!
Never doubt it! I know it, I live it, and I LOVE it!
Love,
Hermana MacKay
(Posted by her Mom)
