Week 72: OPENING A NEW AREA with HERMANA CALVO (trainee from april 2019)

Ok I say this every week but this was the craziest week of the mission. hahaha

So President called me to tell me that I won't be a sister training leader for my last three weeks and that he wanted me to open up a BRAND NEW AREA close to the mission office called San Felipe Brillantes! I was SO surprised because I thought I was going to finish my mission in Coatepeque! 

So because I was traveling with president to my new area I got to go to 2 Zone conferences. I got to see all of my old companions and basically say bye to everyone because I'm going home!

 There are 9 missionaries that go home in my group so president had us all go up and give our final testimonies in the zone conferences. It was surreal because I have seen so many other missionaries give their farewell testimony but now it was my turn!!! All the elders that were in the mtc with me said it was INSANE seeing me upthere cause the time just FLEW by!! We had the zone conference on thanksgiving and president fed us a thanksgiving dinner!! It was PERF!! hahaha THanksgiving guat style. 

After the zone conferences we got out super late and all the office elders and us had to get to retalhuleu the next day! (in total we were 7 people) SO president just got us 1 taxi and we had to fit 7 people with ALL of our luggage ahhahaha with the guat power we somehow ALL fit hahaha It was the funniest car ride ever haha we ended up getting pulled over haaahaha Imagine 1 taxi guy driving with 2 people in the front seat and 5 in the back without seatbelts and suitcases FLYING everywhere hahaha The police just looked at us saw we were missionaries and LET US GO hahah that would have been a $1000 ticket hahaha #guatpolice

So I got to my new area and a really nice member gave us stuffed jalapenos for breakfast! We all had to eat with our hands and touch the chile. During the meal I need to itch my eyes so bad so I did and OH MY GOSH biggest mistake because my eye felt like it was on fire. It stung SO bad I just got up mid conversation at the dinner table to pour water in my eyes hahhahahah The host was so confused so she asked me what happened and I told her. She was like HEY JUST PUT A LEMON IN YOUR EYE AND the PAIN will ¨go away¨ hahahahha Im so dumb cause I actually did it!!! I'm surprised I didn't go blind. I was so mad at the lady but I couldn't say anything because she didn't know any better hahaha After about 10 minutes the pain went away haha #guatCHEF

My new area brillantes is SOOOO small town. Not even a town it's like a little neighborhood hahaha Its guatemalan farm with a baby neighborhood. It is so fun cause everyone knows everyone and they having missionaries here!!! 

This week we had the dinner for those that are going home in my group. We all meet up for dinner with president in Quetzaltenago and then we go to the temple!! It was so fun cause we got to stay in the temple housing which is basically a really nice hotel. When I walked in I just stood in shock cause I haven't seen anything like it in a year and a half. Then we found senior missionaries that invited us into their apartment cause they were doing a thanksgiving dinner. When I walked into this home with the smell of a home cooked thanksgiving dinner i CRIED AAHAAH the couple was like ¨you guys dont have this in your mission??¨ hahahhaa i was like uhhh NOT AT ALL!!! Retalhuleu is the most ghetto mission in guat so they probably think we are SO 3rd world hahaha

So yesterday I found out who I was going to open this area with. I got put WITH HERMANA CALVO FROM EL SALVADOR!!! I trained her april 2019 and now she will be with me until I go home!!!!!!! SO CRAZY!!!! ahahahah 

I am so grateful for this work. This is my second to last email and it makes me SO sad knowing that my full time mission is coming to a close. But I know that the mission of our heavenly father NEVER ENDS. I will always share this gospel (just without a name tag) I love sharing the gospel with the guatemalans. I love that I truly converted. I am so joyful and  I feel so satisfied everyday I share this gospel. In 15 days ill be on my way home. I am going to take advantage of every LAST SECOND. 

Con Amor, 

hermana Salisbury