Week 36: TRAINING AGAIN AND CALLED AS HERMANA LEADER

Craziest week of my mission by far.

So I basically fell ill this week hahaha I started throwing up everyday. I knew something was wrong so I got a parasite test done. anddddd..... I HAVE TRICHOMONAS HOMINIS hahaha I guess its a type of amoeba. I have been so sick but I haven't stopped working here in San Pancho!! SO now I have to start taking pills 3 times a day for 10 days to kill the amoebas!

 

We went to visit this family the other day and they had been cooking something on an open fire inside the house, so as a result the house was just a mini hot box just FULL of smoke. But we got there and everyone acted like it was just ok to be breathing in so much smoke. My eyes were BURNING SO BAD. We got into the lesson and my eyes couldn't handle it anymore so they started to water during the lesson. The family thought I was getting really emotional and feeling the spirit hahaha but really I was just DYING from inhaling straight smoke for 40 minutes hahaha 

Then I got the phone call from the assistants to president that I was being called to be a sister training leader!!! WOOOO that means I am called to train, counsel, guide, support the other sister missionarys in the mission. Then they told me they had other news and I just thought it would be something little but she told me I WAS GOING TO TRAIN AGAIN. I was seriously so surprised. So I am training a new missionary again. Her name is Hermana Calvo from EL SALVADOR!!!! She is so cute! Shes a convert of 2 years!! PILAS! I will put pics below!

Our mission presidents are leaving AGAIN. I said bye to the Arredondos and the wife of president told me to keep being a little ray of sunshine!! haha so cute. But we are going to have to Parkers on the 1st of April! I am going to have 3 MISSION PRESIDENTS!!!  

President and Sister Arredondos--Goodbye!

There are three types of motivations, three reasons we do the things we do. We do things either out of fear, duty, or love. When we serve by fear or duty, we dont get much benefit from what we do. But we when we serve by love, we will literally have a change of heart and better ourselves. We can develop attributes of Jesus Christ like faith, hope, charity, obedience, diligence, humility. Our mind set can change everything. 

LOVE YALL!!! pray for me to not be stressed!!! ahhaha

Con amor y GOZO, 

Hermana Salisbury 

Week 35: HAPPY 8 MONTHS!!!

Time goes by SOOO fast!!!

 

This past week was so cool because I found out my first convert, Flor de maria, went to the temple!!!! So special to know she is still progressing! 

This past pday we went to volunteer at an English institute. They asked us questions in English and then we had to answer. So one kid ended up asking me what my dream guy was, so i answered giving a description of what he would be like and it was SOOO awkward cause then the old teacher thought I was describing him hhahaha and he got pumped thinking I would take him home to the states hahaha!

 

Then we went to a members house to share a message but she happened to making cheese for a school project. And I told her I had made cheese before in college, so she had me help her. And of course everything was in Spanish and I didn't remember anything from the last time I made cheese but she trusted so much in my opinion hhaha she asked my opinion about everything and I just went with it not really knowing if it would turn out or not hahaha but long story short we ended up making  homemade buffalo cheese.

Then I got really sick on Saturday. I think the effects of the river water are starting to hit me hahaha cause I started throwing up all day Saturday. I THREW UP 10 TIMES hahaha all while visiting people!!!! We would be having a conversation with someone and I would pause to throwup and then keep going hahaha! IT WAS SO BAD. They were all so confused how I could be throwing up one second and the next second smiling/laughing/talking fluent Spanish hahahah I don't know how they didn't get so grossed out by me??? But I'm feeling better now!!! 

Then I got called to give a talk in sacrament meeting. It was my first time ever only using bullet points and just talking in Spanish!! It turned out pretty well! It was weird they asked me to speak cause there are older missionarys I share a ward with that could have spoken so I asked the bishopric why they didn't have them speak and they said, (because you have the spirit of speech)hahhaha! The ward thinks I am funny cause I am a white girl that cracks jokes in Spanish hahha! Transfers are next week. There are SOOO many rumors flying around the area and whats gonna change. So we will see what happens this next week!

 

Anyways this week was SO rough. We had a baptism lined up for this weekend but last minute canceled because her husband didnt give her permission. When she told us that it was like i didnt even have the strength to move on and find other people to teach. And in that moment when I just wanted to sit down, give up and cry, I knew I could not have strength to move on unless it was given from heaven. And I testify brothers and sisters, that the lord give us the strength to move forward always. He will take us the rest of the way. He will walk gethsemane so we dont have to. I love this work. 

Con mucho GOZO, 

Hermana Salisbury

Week 34: Drinking river water!!! YAY

HOLAAA!! 

SO this past week I used pants to proselitismo and I didn't like it AT ALL. I felt sooo weird!! RIGHT when we walked outside we received AT LEAST 10 cat calls walking 3 blocks hahhaha NEVER AGAIN. 

This week we went out with the members to basically search for the menos activos in the rain forest. And on the way we found a pack of dogs and they came at us barking like CRAZY!! So the super old guy that was with us took off his back pack and started SLINKING IT AROUND AND IT ONLY MADE THE DOGS MORE MAD hahahaah Our only defence in that moment was the two old guys slinging their bags hahaha they were PUMPED. BUT somehow we got around the pack of dogs hahaha

This week we went contacting, and its fun cause the people almost always let us in their house! So this time we visited a girl named Brisma. When we got in she offered us some water, and we said yes. When she asked this she had just finished explaining where they put the clean water and where they put the dirty river water. So as we watched her fill up our cups with water SHE POURED IN THE WATER FROM THE RIVERRRR!!! I didnt know what to do so I just smiled and drank it allll!!! Then to repay her we swept her dirt floor. 

Then we were in a lesson with a family and all of a sudden a neighbor ran in to tell us that a teenager had just gotten jumped down the road!!! and we were like UHHH what do we do???

So we tried to calm the family down but the little girl just broke DOWN crying while hugging me. And I asked her why she was crying so hard and she said its cause the same thing happened to her aunt on that street but they ended up murdering her aunt in front of her. I just cried so hard hugging her. After she calmed down a bit I explained to her how families can be together forever and how she will see her aunt again. Such a sweet moment.

 I testify that as we treasure our families and set it as a goal to have an eternal family we will have more love and unity as families. We will strive to be our best selves. We will treat one another with more love. This is my goal, to have an eternal family, but I know I have to prepare my life now so I can be worthy and ready to do so. 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Salisbury   

Week 33: FELIZ CARNAVAL!!

Hola Familia!! Que GOZO es carnaval!!

This past week we celebrated carnaval. I honestly couldnt tell you what it is but basically everyone walks around throwing water and eggs at everyone hahaha!

 

So this past pday I was trying to call my family on a pay phone, and I forget the number of my sister kennedy but I just guessed and I expected to hear kennedy but someone named silvia answered hahaha! I introduced myself and told her I was in guatemala then hung up hahaha! SORRY SILVIA!!

Then I got sent to REUUUU for 2 days cause my comp went on a trip to GUATE.

So when we got back to San Francisco we went to go visit one of our really positive people we are teaching. We walk up to her house to find her SINGING /CRYING to a DIFFERENT PREACHER and I was just speechless hahahah! It was the worst moment hahah! I felt like I had just found out I got cheated on or something!! Needless to say we stopped visiting her. 

Then we did intercambios with the hermana assistants to president!! I got to be in my area with hermana Miles!! She is going home in 3 weeks! I had my first intercambio with her when I only had 2 weeks on the mission, and it was so cool for her to see how much progress I have made! 

There are a bunch of distractions during lessons. We were teaching a lesson and this rooster kept trying to JUMP ON MY LAP and I was so grossed out and I couldnt just kick it away cause I was teaching the owner!!! So i had to keep a straight face while teaching with the rooster jumping on my lap! SO HORRRIBLE ahhaha I make SO many sacrifices for the people I teach hahaha!

 But this week was an eye opener. The seed of Abraham (all of us) has been promised that each one of them will have the opportunity to hear the restored gospel. Each one of us has had or will have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. But no one will force us. The invitation is there for every child of god, "come, follow me." Its the most humble invitation. But he cant make the decision for us. Choose Christ. 

Con amor, gozo, y ANIMO

Hermana Salisbury