Week 28: 5 months in San Marcos!

Hola familia y amigos!! Espero que todo esta bien alli en los estados!! Cosas en guatemala estan bien!!

Ok enough Spanish hahaha 

So for pday this past week the hermanas wanted to go hike caxaque!! And I was the only hermana in the zone that had been on the hike before so I got picked to lead the hike hahaha So we showed up and I couldn't remember where the heck it started so I just guessed and we started up the trail and then I realized it was the wrong trail!!! So I didn't say anything cause I didn't want to freak them out (even though they were already freaked out cause a gringa was leading them up a mountain in Guatemala hahaha) Long story short I found the right trail!! YAY! 

Then we had intercambios!!!! It was SO nice to get out of my area for a day!! I have been in my first area for 5 MONTHS!!! And my comp for a day was hermana Levitt from Texas!! So I got a one day break to speak English!! but it was honestly sooo weird having the option to speak English with my comp! I never thought I would say it but I like speaking Spanish more than English!! 

This week me and hermana Morales got mangos like usual, but while we were in line we noticed some guy was on drugs and was behind us, but we thought no big deal cause its normal. But once we started walking to our next appointment he started following us and we were like ohhh freak. So we crossed the street and he followed and he got closer and closer and then we saw a taxi and jumped in as fast as we could!! It was like a movie ahaha

I learned a lot this week. First thing I learned is we need to lose before we can win. We have to hit rock bottom before we can reach our highest potential. Second, I learned that the mission is not only about baptizing the convert. Its about bringing the soul unto Christ. And even if I bring one soul unto Christ I will be so happy. The most important soul I will bring unto Christ is my own. The most important convert in my mission is myself. I know without a doubt that the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints is the church Jesus Christ established during his life on earth. I know that Jesus Christ restored his church through a living prophet. I am so grateful for this knowledge I have gained and I will continue to share this knowledge with all the children of god here in Guatemala! 

Con amor y gozo,

Hermana Salisbury

Week 27: 6 MONTHS AND HOLES IN MY BOOTS

WOW HAPPY PDAY TO TODOS!!

This week I hit 6 months in the mission! Exactly one year till I get home! Time goes by sooo fast! I was dying laughing because the day I hit 6 months I found HOLES IN MY BOOTS!!! I am honestly so wrecked hahaha I get home after a full day of HIKING and I am exhausted!! EVERYTHING HURTS hahaha I think 6 months of walking everyday is just hitting me all at once hahaha!

But it is SOOO cold here! I am seriously dying! I think the problem is they dont have heaters here so you are just cold 24-7 no matter if your inside or outside! 

I have good news... I DONT HAVE LICE ANYMORE!!! WOOO but i still have fleas ugh! Third world country problems. 

So I have this lady who sells fresh goat cheese on the street every week and she loves talking to me and hugging me, probably cause she wants me to buy her cheese every week, but ANYWAYS she literally WALKS THE STREETS until she finds me to buy her cheese!! But this week I was on a bus and I saw her so I waved out the window and she started chasing the bus and was yelling at the bus driver to stop so she could give me my cheese hahaha I LOVE HER!!! 

But anyways this week kind of hit me hard because I realized I am leaving my first area soon! And I was thinking about all the hardwork I put into these 6 months here, but I also thought about how I didnt see as much success as I wanted. Then I realized that even though I didn't see ALL my investigators get baptized, I still saw success because of the way I changed as a missionary here. I have become so much more patient and humble and I have learned to love everyone! No matter what. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to share the truth with my brothers and sisters here in Guatemala!! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Salisbury 

Week 26: Cow feet, Pig skin, DOG BITES

HEYYYY QUE PASA!!!

This week went by wayyy fast! Estamos trabajando SUPER duro aqui en GUATEMALA RETALHULEU! 

So early this week I got bit by a dog! hahaha I got bit in the middle of teaching a lesson and I had to pretend like I was ok so I didn't offend the investigator hahaha even though I had a little stream of blood coming out of my leg hahaha It was really little and apparently the dog doesn't have rabies. I don't trust it but we will see how these next months roll out hahaha

Sunday was awesome!!! We had 6 people at church!!!! MIRACLES! 

On the 14th we celebrated Hermana Morales{s Birthday!!! She turned 21!! We had a lot of fun with the members and surprise party!! Also on the 14th was exactly one year before I go home!!! January 14, 2020!!!! YA CASI! 

Then I got fed cow feet and then pig skin. OK the pig skin was super good but the cow feet YIKES. It was in a soup so it wasn't cooked SUPER good, honestly the cow feet wasn't bad. BUt of course I had no choice, I just put it all in my mouth and smiled! 

Something really important is being genuine. This week I learned a lot about being more genuine with my teachings. If we have love for people, we will be more genuine with people. One of the most important things to accomplish in this life is finding love for others, but it is one of the hardest things to do. I have learned by starting out with patience for others, and then faith in others, and then hope for others, it is a lot easier to have love for others. As we come to know our savior, and come to understand his life, and his personality we have the true desire to have love for others. 

Con amor, 

Hermana Salisbury  

Week 25: Beat Mode in GUATEMALA

HEYYYY!!!! Como estan???

Ok we are KILLING IT out here in Alameda right now. I'm just pumped because we have 4 FAMILIAS of investigators progressing!!!! YAYYY!! 

So these 4 familias in total would be 11 people! LIT 

But this year I am doing another year without sugar!! And all the members want to know why I cant eat all the sweets they try to feed me, so i explain how I was ALMOST pre diabetic like 3 years ago and how I am just taking care of my body. But this week when I explained this to a member but she thought I was saying that I am FULL DIABETIC so she went to her back room to get her neddles TO TEST MY BLOOD SUGAR TO MAKE SURE MY LEVELS WERE OK hahahaha and I just let her do it hahaha the sacrifices I make to keep my sugar goals lolol

This week was random like usual, I got to hold a dead chicken and I saw someone selling cocaine on the street. Just normal Guatemala things hahaha!

This week I realized I have A LONGGG way to go to reach my goals. Sometimes I get discouraged thinking about how much I lack as a missionary! But the truth is we can always be progressing in this life if we are pin pointing our weaknesses. The faster we find our weaknesses the faster they can turn into strengths. 

Love yall! Se cuidan! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Salisbury 

Week 24: FLEAS, LICE, AND GETTING ROBBED

HEYYY!!! HAPPY 2019!!! 

I'm emailing on Thursday because we had transfers and you guessed it IM STILL IN MY FIRST AREA hahaha im for sure getting transferred in February! 

I got so humbled this week. Every day i have been on my mission i have been humbled but this week hit real hard hahaha 

So our house got robbed by the owners AGAIN I never wrote about it the first time, but the same thing happened in September. The first time we got robbed I got like 6 things stolen and never got them back, but this time i got my Christmas present from my family stolen hahaha and long story short we got them to give it back. 

then some how i got a phone call from the Provo MTC on my little flip phone hahaha it was the weirdest thing ever. they were just looking for the number of our mission office hahaha

Everyone on the street was so DRUNK we almost got hugged by a lot of them haha so president told us to go inside the house early.

 

So the whole zone San Marcos has fleas right now hahaha it is so bad. We all have flea bites every where!! hahah And I found out I have LICE UGHGHGH its pretty normal for the sister missionary's )in Guatemala= to get lice because we are always hugging people who have very dirty hair, that doesn't get washed very much. So I am in the process of getting rid of fleas and lice. I FEEL LIKE A DOG hahaha 

But like I said I have been so humbled this week. The mission is amazing because every week a weakness is made so obvious to myself. I am so thankful for the weaknesses we have, but I am even more thankful for the opportunity we have to overcome our weaknesses through the atonement of Jesus Christ. If we only trust in Him, He will carry us through this mortal journey. 

 Con Todo Amor, 

Hermana Salisbury