12 May 2014 - Holaaaaaaaaaa!

Well, it was great to be able to talk to you all! I wish I could've heard a little better, but beggars can't be choosers! It was awesome. Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I hope it ended well!

So this week wasn't too crazy. Nothing really happened. We're working hard with G to help him kick his addiction. But he's doing great! He loves church and is excited to be baptized! He is so excited to be completely clean...that's what he keeps telling us. I'm SO excited for him as well. Just gotta keep his spirit up!

This week, one of our investigators, J, FINALLY went to church. AND she loved it. She saw the pila outside and said that she would be baptized one day. She's awesome. Last week I was pretty hard on her (but the Spirit was still there!)...she didn't go to church last week after commiting to go..and she was sad because she hadn't sold a single thing in her store that day...and I told her it was because she hadn't gone to church. And it helped her realize what was most important! haha.

It has been so hot lately! I try wearing my glasses, but the light just reflects into my eyes...the liiiiiiiiiiight! It burns! haha. It rained reaaaaally hard when we were at a cita with G last night. Between the rain pounding on the metal roof and the catholic party going on next door, I didn't hear much during that lesson. I just kept sharing scriptures with G and made him read them...haha.

So you asked about the food last night but i didn't really answer. Well, the food doesn't vary much here. Half of the plate is always covered with beans and rice...and then the other half is a ''salad'' of cucumbers or shredded lettuce with lemon juice...or avocados...and then there's usually some kind of meat...usually chicken. But we just eat meat because we pay someone to cook for us. Typical Nica meals don't require meat. I've learned to really appreciate freshpicked mangos. They're SO good! I love them. Also, I now am addicted to avocados with just a pinch of salt..or lemon juice. SO good! I love fresh food! So glad I grew out of my ''i hate vegetables streak''. 

Well, that's about it for now! I know that this church is true, which is why I'm in Nicaragua working my hardest to help everyone here understand the importance of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored hoy en dia. It's the best! I love this Gospel so much and am so grateful that Heavenly Father loves us enough to bless us with the truth. It's amazing!

Love you!

Hermana MacKay

5 May 2014 - The stork dropped by...

Hey!!! Happy 5 de mayo...oh wait...I'm not in Mexico. It doesn't count...haha. Anyway, this was a pretty cool week...definitely different!

Changes happened. And Hermana B is now in Rivas.

And the stork dropped by...my hija!!!! I'm training! At the changes meeting, I went up to meet all the new hermanas, who were sitting in the front row...and it turns out that one of them is from El Salvador...and knows Hermana R (my trainer!) And since I've had a bit of a streak with Salvadoreñas, I knew she would be my companion. And...when they called up the trainers to the front and announced who our hijos would be, surely enough, I received Hermana T from Sonsonate, El Salvador!!!

She is absolutely adorable. She is 19 yrs old and is a convert of 1.5 years. She is so excited to be here...and I'm so happy to have her! She is amazing...and fearless. On her first night, we were going to a cita with a new investigator and I asked her if she had learned how to invite people to be baptized and she said yes.And I asked her if should would invite the investigator to be baptized...and she looked at me kind of worried and was like...ok...haha. But she did and did a GREAT job! I was so proud! It's really cool because since she is a convert,she has extra insight that helps alot in the mission work. She will do AMAZING things in her mission. And I'm excited to help her progress! It's pretty funny because she expects me to tell her everything she needs to do...and I forget that, since I'm not a huge demanding person...but we'll figure it out! Haha.

Today, we went to a laguna...and it turned into a crazy hike! It was gorgeous...and I finally saw monkeys in Nicaragua in the wild! Yay! It was fun to get to know the zone better. And it was quite the workout! Nicaragua really is a beautiful country! Land of water and volcanoes!

In other news...G wasn't baptized this weekend because of some slight issues with a certain commandment, but he announced in the Gospel Principles class that he is going to be baptized this Saturday! Awesome! So hopefully everything works out! All in the Lord's timing. But we are visiting him constantly to make sure he feels supported.

We have been visiting a LOT of people with financial problems...it makes me really sad. They have little houses made of something they call ''sink'', which is like scrap metal...and what the sink doesnt cover, they wrap it with black plasticbag material. These people are SO humble. But it seems as though this time of the year hasn't been to kind on them. We have a few investigators who can't even buy their rice and beans...which cost about 20 cordobas a week. That's less than a dollar! While we can't help them financially,we are doing our best to help them spiritually. And it has been making a huge difference. Really, it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor...the gospel can give you the happiness and hope that you need. And these people need it DESPERATELY! So here we are, doing our best to help everyone understand that when you put God first, miracles happen. And I don't have a single doubt about that. I can't wait for these people to be able to see the miracles that come from their sacrifices to acercarse a Dios.(I honestly can't think of the phrase in English...you'll have to google translate it.)

We actually had an activity the other day and watched The Other Side of Heaven with a ton of investigadors from our district. We watched it outside, using the branch's projector and we shined it onto a plastic background in an investigator's backyard. It was pretty funny comparing my mission to that of Elder Groberg. They are definitely different,but at the same time, they're surprisingly similar. Just I haven't had any crazy storms...and the people are a little more receptive. I really do love Nicaragua. I know that I've been called to serve in this area of the world because there are people that need me here. And I need them! I love what I'm doing here!

Well, I'm excited to talk to you on Sunday! It'll be great! I love you all! Have an awesome week and I'll talk to you soon!!

Love, 

Hermana MacKay

28 April 2014 - Tut tut, looks like rain...

Hi!! I hope everything is going great! I'm doing well...exhausted, but happy. I wouldn't want it any other way. There's a quote in preach my gospel that i've been living by recently...and my mission pres. actually quoted it in his weekly email, so I'm gonna copy paste it...you'll just have to translate it into english...it says Quiere ser feliz? Olvídese de si mismo y piérdase en esta gran causa. Dedique sus esfuerzos a ayudar a la gente…Viva en un plano más alto, fortalezca a los de rodillas debilitadas y levante a los de brazos caídos. Viva el evangelio de Jesucristo”. PME Pag. 182´

It's the truth. I've felt the most joy in the mission when I've worked the hardest, because the Lord always sees our efforts and sends miracles, no matter how small they may be. It's a good life...haha. 

This week has been pretty lowkey compared to the past few weeks. We have been looking hard for positive investigators...but at least the ones who have gone to church (3 of them) are excited to progress! G could potentially be baptized this week...he's pretty excited! He has changed so much! We had to beg him and practically push him (with the elders' help) into the classes after sacrament meeting, but in the end, he loved it! Sometimes, you have to show people what they want, because otherwise, they'll never take risks and experience the thousands of blessings available for them.

We ate dinner at the home of members last Tuesday...they are from Utah, but are Nicaraguense. Their house made me so trunky! And the weird thing is that it's just a standard house in the US, but it seemed huge to me! And there's a girl from Kaysville visiting her abuelita there...she told me they have heated showers. Oh man. Haven't heard of one of those in 11 months...haha. But even though we were in American culture, I still ate like a Nicaraguan...and everyone made fun of me. So we may have some problems there when I get home...prepare yourselves. Who needs forks and knives anyway? Spoons and hands are more than enough! 

Last Monday, we had a FHE with a part member family...and for the activity, we dyed easter eggs with a kit that Hna B had brought. The family was so confused as to what we were trying to get them to do,but the hard-boiled eggs are still on their table as a centerpiece. I tried to explain that they would rot, but they didn't want to listen to me...haha. 

It rained for the first time in at least 5 months yesterday...the rainy season starts in May, so here it comes! Apparently the streets here get pretty bad. Great. Oh well! The people have been scurrying around to fix up their houses before the rain comes...it's kind of like squirrels collecting nuts for the winter! But in this case,they're making sure the plastic walls don't have holes and that the scrap metal roofs won't cave in. So sad.

So cambios are this week...this transfer passed by so quickly! We'll get the call tomorrow to find out if we have changes. We probably will, since Pres. told me we wouldn't be together for very long, but who knows? If we stay together, there is more I need to learn from Hna B, and if not...bring on companion number 7 and possibly area number 4! We shall see! But I'm not too worried about it.

It sounds like you've had a fun week with family! Tell everyone hi for me! Se que este evangelio es verdadero, y aunque la mision es la cosa mas dificil que he hecho en mi vida, me ENCANTA estar aqui! 

Les quiero mucho!

Hermana MacKay

21 April 2014 - Popular.. we're gonna be popular...

Heyyyyyyyy! So im writing later because we had a district activity that went a little late. But here I am! and once again, it was a crazy week. Happy Semana Santa! I'm honestly glad it's over, because there were soooo many borrachos out and about. And lots of Catholic processions. Let's just say that there were a lot of extremes. Haha. We had to fight to get into the church building...well, the house where we have meetings...because a catholic procession had stopped RIGHT in front of it and they were all silently praying...I just wanted to get to district meeting on time! haha. This week, I realized that pretty much everyone recognizes us...and I felt pretty popular. Then I realized...we're not popular...just notorious. Haha.

But yeah! Good week! We got fried by the sun. Like an egg on the sidewalk. I thought my neck was as brown as it could possibly get...but I was WRONG. Because it got burnt again. Yet my face is still pretty white. I'm gonna have the most awkward tan when I get home...haha.

But while Diriomo burned us, we BURNED UP Diriomo. Seriously. We are working so hard. It's awesome. Socio told us that he had randomly talked to a friend who isn't a member of the church that lives in my area...and his friend told socio that ''those gringuitas are all over the place. They seem to have more energy than the latinas who had been here before.'' haha. Pretty cool. There's just so much to be done! It's true that everyone notices us, even if they have never talked to us before. That's why we have to act like representatives of Christ ALWAYS. But we are definitely seeing the fruits of our work. Socio has connections with the entire mission...and his sources tell him that our district is the best district in the mission...no bias there. Apparently all the leaders have their eyes on Diriomo to see how it does. But we really are having so much success. Although it's not us...it's just that the Lord has prepared a ton of people to accept the Gospel in this time period. It's amazing to see how the lord is putting people in our path. We always have those investigators that decide to dump us, which is always heartbreaking, but then we find people who are 100x more positive.

So one of the fruits of our labor this week is that...R and his daughter J were baptized on Saturday! Yet another surprise baptism! I feel like we've been playing phone tag with them for the past 2 weeks...but without phones. R has been ready to be baptized for a long time, but he kept disappearing the day before his supposed baptism. Apparently my ZL had contacted him 2 yrs ago. Crazy. And with Socio's help, R and his 13 yr old daughter were able to enter the waters of baptism this week. They were confirmed the next day. So awesome. R has come a long way. So happy for him! I loveeeeeeeeeeeee seeing the changes that people make to be able to follow the Savior's example. Conversion is something that comes with time...and it's hard to see it happen to yourself, but when you're watching it in someone else, it truly is an AMAZING transformation.

More good news is that G, who I think I mentioned last week, is progressing sooo well! He hasn't touched marijuana since we taught him about the word of wisdom. At first he was worried about it and had to lock himself in his house to avoid the temptations, but the other day when we taught him, he was absolutely giddy because he had passed all his friends and they offered him alcohol...among other things...and he said no and walked away...and his friends respected him. He is so great. He went to church this week again, so he is definitely doing great!

I really love how working hard makes time disappear. I remember in the beginning of my mission, time just dragged. Days never seemed to end. But with a smile and a song, everything gets better. Life is so good. I can't believe that 11 months is coming up. How is that possible? I can't decide if that's exciting or sad. Somewhere in between. I definitely am not wishing my mission away. I'm happy here. I'm more than happy here, actually.

Well, I'm glad that everything went well this week, with the talks and everything! And Karen's Prom..and everything else! Here's to another great week! Love you all!

Love,

Hna MacKay

(Posted and edited by her Mom)

14 April 2014 - Shaking things up.. literally...

Hey! So this was a preeeeeeeetty crazy week. But it was good! Lots of surprises.

So Hermana B and I are working hard! And we're definitely seeing the results! Hna B is from Parker, Colorado...which she said is part of Mark's mission! She's still working on getting back into the swing of things, but she's starting to get used to Nicaraguan life again. I kind of forgot I live in a third-world country until she pointed it out...haha. Everything seems so normal! But we don't get lost as much. The hardest part is finding where the members live so we can get to know them...but little by little.

I don't have too many new insights on Diriomo...it's a pretty small area, but the houses are all reaallly stuck together. Front yards...and backyards...don't exist here. But it's nice because it means that there are a lot of people here. We didn't work with socio too much this week, but it's pretty funny because EVERYBODY knows him. He's practically a full time missionary.

So I've learned how to be way more bold when I teach. I think I've mentioned the word machetear before...which literally means cut with a machete...but in missionary terms it means we machete them with words. It's been hard to learn how to do it...but when you are direct with people, but show them that you love them and want to help them, it really helps. I guess it's kind of like parenting...though I wouldn't really know...haha. One day, we were teaching C and A...A is a less active and C is his...girlfriend...and they live together. C has wanted to be baptized for a while, but doesn't want to get married...so on Wednesday, I was REALLY clear about the law of chastity...it was super cool because the Spirit was really helping me out. I was whipping out scriptures left and right...and it finally helped C understand. Anddddddd she said she wanted to be baptized and that she would move out and go with her mom. I kind of feel like a homewrecker...but it's better!

Soooooooo that meant that C was baptized this weekend! But oh man...it was the craziest baptism I've ever attended. When C was about to step into the font (it's outdoors), she froze and started convulsing....and then ran into the chapel. We chased after her and she was shaking and crying and saying that there was an evil spirit telling her not to do it...and A came and kept telling her to ´´ reprend the evil spirit!´´ and oh man..it was crazy. We were seriously staring at her thinking that she was possessed....So we said a prayer and a few minutes she calmed down enough to say that she still needed to be baptized before she changed her mind again, so she hurried to the font and the hermano that was going to baptize her looked SO confused, because she was still shaking and was begging him to baptize her fast, so he finally did...and when she came out of the water with a totally different countenance! It was amazing to see the difference. The first thing she said was ''i'm FREE!'' It was pretty cool after the shock of what had just happened wore off. Then when we brought her to church the next day, she was busy massaging someone (she's a massage therapist) and said she was almost done, so we waited...and waited...and waited. We arrived to church about 10 min before it ended...but oh my goodness. What a weekend.

So that was interesting. So the earthquakes were also pretty fun. No damage in my area. We were on a bus when the first one hit, so we didn't feel anything, but we felt the 6.6 one on Friday. We were outside someone's house contacting and all of a sudden, the ground started moving and I was like...´´hey, is the ground moving?´´  and indeed it was...haha. It lasted for a minute or two, but nothing too drastic. The guy we were contacting looked at us really weird...What can I say? The true gospel shakes the world! haha.

This week is called semana Santa...which is pretty much full of celebrations up until Easter Sunday. Lots of Catholic processions....lots of tourists...and lots of HEAT! My eyelids are even burnt. It's so hot! And we walk under the sun in the hottest parts of the day. I probably drink about 5 bottles of water a day and STILL feel thirsty. I actually never feel hungry. Just thirsty. It's times like these that I'd give anything to have a blender and be able to make milk shakes all day...haha.

Well, that's it for now! I know that this gospel is true and that it changes lives! I met another investigator who reminds me SO much of A from Managua. Addiction ruins lives, but through the Atonement, everyone can be healed. So let operation help heal G begin! haha. I am so grateful for the Atonement. I know that it heals and helps us have more hope for the future. We are never alone.

Have an awesome week! Happy Easter! Good luck with your easter talks!

Love,

Hermana MacKay

(Posted and edited by her Mom)

7 April 2014 - Losing myself in Diriomo... literally...

Well hellooooo there! Sounds like everything is going awesome at home! Lots of fun news! Speaking of news, we got some pretty interesting news on Tuesday afternoon...

The district leader came over (because we still didn't have a phone...but we have one now) to tell us that we have EMERGENCY CHANGES. In other words, Hna V was going home. So we spent the rest of the day packing...and she was super sad. She'll probably have to get knee surgery. But she says she plans to come back when she recovers. But when the APs came over that night to pick her up, they also dropped off my new comp...

So remember how I've mentioned that Hna B and I were in the same CCM district...but she went home because she broke her ankle? Well...she's back! Aaaaaand....she's my COMPANION! Gringa number 2! She just got back from the states this past week after being home for 4 months. So technically, she only has 6 months...and I have 10...that's weird. But it's been fun being together! It's funny because she keeps pointing out the culture differences...that I don't even notice anymore, but she notices since she is comparing everything back to her home.It's weird. I guess that means I'm Nicaraguan or something...haha.

Other than that, nothing too crazy has happened. We're working super hard and making the most of every minute, which is AWESOME. I've missed being able to work 100% every day. We do get lost rather often, since we're practically reopening this area..because I only have 2 weeks here...and still don't know many people. But that's ok! It's actually kind of nice, because we have a totally fresh start. Diriomo is great though! Every day, it feels like my area is getting smaller...I think it's just because I'm finally figuring my way around, but it's all good! As far as food goes, for dinner, we usually buy some picos at a little store or some crackers or something little like that. Life isn't too glamorous...but at least I might lose weight! haha.

We had interviews with President Russell on Friday. It was a pretty short interview. He basically said to work Hna B hard and to keep up the good work! So that was great! 

I loved General Conference! We had to go to the Masaya stake center to watch it...so I stayed there for a good 6 hrs on Sat and Sun...haha. This time, I got to watch all 4 sessions. I watched one in spanish with an investigator, but the other 3 in English. I understood the Spanish one perfectly, but if I watch it in English, I get to enjoy their real voices...and the interesting accents! haha. But I loved how they talked a lot about missionary work...and when they talked about family history, I thought ''I bet mom is loving this talk...'' haha. I loved how they talked a lot about the atonement. Our stake here has challenged all the members to study the atonement every day for the rest of the year. It's an awesome idea! I also really loved Elder Nelson's about how we should let our faith show! Because it's the truth! We have to be an example for everyone and act on our faith. It's so important! 

Well, I hope everything is going great at home! Good luck with prom dress shopping for Karen! Enjoy spring break...although I guess that just applies to Karen, huh...weird. Well, love you all! have a great week!

Love, 

Hna MacKay

31 March 2014 - Operation Bomba

Holaaaaaaaaaa! So this week flew right on by. And was rather eventful...definitely wasn't expecting what happened! But it's all good!

So I think that last week I mentioned that we didn't have very many investigators. Well, that definitely changed, thanks to the help of...el socio! El socio is a member of our branch who is from Chile...basically, he's a miracle worker and loves helping the missionaries in the entire mission. He's good friends with President Russell. But anyway...he decided that our district needed some help...and he made a goal to have 15 baptisms on Saturday...even though we only had 3 possibilities. But that changed! That's where operation bomba came in! We all worked together as a district and went around looking for old investigators...and surprisingly enough, a lot of them were excited and wanted to be baptized! So basically, half the week we were running around all of Diriomo...but it was fun! And in total, there were 10 baptisms. It was a MIRACLE! Only 2 were from our area, but there are others that want to be baptized a little later. But K and D, who are siblings, were baptized this saturday! They were so excited! On the way to the baptism, D asked me what it felt like being baptized...and I couldn't think of the way to explain it, so I just said that it was tuanis....and he laughed at me...but then after he was baptized, he said that i was right. You can't even describe it. I love this gospel so much!!

Andddddddddd...other GREAT news...Hna N told me that A was baptized this Saturday too!!! She said he is sooo happy. The Lord definitely put him in our path. We actually had found him one day when we got somewhat lost looking for a short cut through the woods. He saw us pass by and wondered where we were going, because the trail we were following led to nowhere. But then we turned around and asked directions. And then we invited him to church...then 2 weeks later, he showed up! Then we started teaching him. He is so awesome! Apparently in his baptismal interview, he told the DL that he had been a bartender making good money (something he NEVER told us), but as soon as we taught the Word of Wisdom, he quit his job and never mentioned it. And on Saturday, he was baptized! I am SOOOO happy for him! We really did become good friends. I'm so proud of him, though!

Soooo yeah! That was pretty exciting! I've gotten to know Diriomo a little better, but not much, since Hna V's knee is just getting worse. But I'm learning to love Diriomo. I still miss El Rosario sooo much, but I'm ok. Because I know I'm supposed to be here. So a little more info on Diriomo...It kind of reminds me of a beach town, although there isn't a beach super close...but there are all these little mototaxis that zoom around everywhere...they're really cute. I remember seeing them in Guatemala, but they were called tuktuks. My area is smaller, but it is almost all residential..,all the streets are lined with houses and in the middle, there's a park. Shopping options are pretty limited. There's a tiny grocery store and some little pulperias that sell the basics, but that's about it. We have to go to Masaya if we need things like shoes...which i plan on doing someday. A member of the branch cooks us lunch...lots of beans and rice, the least diversity that I've had in my 3 areas, but that's ok. No one feeds us dinner, so we just buy something quick at night. We pay the lady that we live with to wash our clothes...I'm so glad, because the whole hand washing clothes thing is not too fun.

We had zone conference this friday...the zone seems pretty cool...although we're back to only having 2 companionships of sister missionaries...I was spoiled in Jinotepe! But Elder P, who was my DL in Jinotepe is now my zone leader, so that's fun! I also got my package! Thanks so much! It was awesome! The not so awesome part of that day is that my comp got pickpocketted and they stole our cell phone...AGAIN! That is phone number 3 that has been stolen,..but for the record, they always steal from my comp, not from me! haha.

Well, overall, it was a great week! I learned a lot...Hna V and I are having fun together...I constantly remind her that she shouldn't die. No se muera!!! Haha. But I really am grateful for the opportunity to be here and to help people make covenants with our Heavenly Father. I know that John 3 5 is the truth...baptism is an essential part of God's plan...and it is such a blessing to have all your sins washed away...and always be able to repent and partake of the sacrament afterwards! I love this gospel so much! 

Also...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM...tomorrow!!!! I hope you have an awesome day! I love you so much and am so grateful for your constant example. 

Have a great week!

Love, 

Hna MacKay