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 

Week 32: 7 Months of camping

I seriously have been camping for 7 months in Guatemala! hahaha

This week was so crazy. So many crazy service opportunities hhaah Carrying fire wood on our heads, bamboo sticks, washing random peoples clothes by hand, and playing soccer with the kids!! 

Everyone is always so shocked to talk with me hahaha The other day we walked up to a lady washing her clothes on rocks and I started speaking Spanish saying we could help her finish up and she couldnt stop smiling and laughing when I would use chapin slang hahaha just imagine a white girl washing clothes on rocks speaking fluent Spanish hahaha I would laugh too. 

Then we saw a group of kids and they wanted to play soccer with us, so we told them if we win we get to teach them the gospel....WE LOST hahaha maybe next time hahaha now everytime we see the kids they ask when we are gonna come play with them hhaha so funny. 

The leaders had a reference for us and came to our area to help us find it, all was calm but then we ended up CROSSING A RIVER AND HIKING UP TO A FARM and long story short we didnt find the person we were looking for hahaha. 

So I got the BEST compliment I have ever received on the mission. I was told from an investigator that I EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL BETTER THAN A PASTOR!!!!! hahaha YAY goals have been met. 

I also have gotten really good at washing my clothes by hand and doing my makeup on a little shard of glass )we dont have a mirror.

This week was rough. Honestly the mission is so joyful, but there are hard days. Sometimes I will feel really down and then I will go to a lesson or talk with the people and my out look totally changes. I forget about my own worries, my own problems. The people here are amazing. I am learning so much from their examples. Something I learned a lot about this week was patience. I feel like I have mastered patience except for one part. Patience with the will of the lord. Sometimes we REALLY want something to happen, or to not happen, and we put all of our time and energy trying to fix it but in the end it doesnt turn out how we want it. Thats when we have to find the patience with the lord, and his timing. I have learned the importance of this during this week. I know if we find patience for the lord, we will find peace in this life. 

Con amor, gozo, y ANIMO,

Hermana salisbury 

Week 31: I MET ELDER CHRISTOFFERSON

What another crazy week!! Corriendo por todos lados!

SO we traveled to Xela on Thursday to listen to Elder Chirstofferson (one of the 12 living apostles of Christ) He is really funny! He talked a lot about the importance of our personal conversion to the book of Mormon. This book is so powerful because we are promised if we pray and ask if it is true, we will be answered.

 

Our new president is Presidente Arrendondo. He is awesome!! He is an area 70 and will be here till April! One of the best things I have heard him say so far is, "I want you guys to work so hard that you come home from the day and DIE and then I want you guys to be resurrected the next morning to baptize converts" hahahah so intense. 

Then we found out WE GET TO FACETIME OUR FAMILY EVERY WEEK!!!! WOOOO It's honestly so weird cause I am already used to not talking with my family face to face every week, but I am excited!

This area is INSANE. We literally have to hike to little pueblos to go contacting or visit with the members. It is SOOO pretty here!! I seriously feel like I am in the movies hahaha but anyways we went to visit one family that literally doesn't have anything, and we went and shared a scripture. But while we were leaving I offered the 4 kids a sticker and their faces just LIT UP! They seriously said thank you SO many times. And I think that experience really made me realize that we don't need big things to be happy. 

Update: People still cant say my name. I went to my new ward this Sunday and they had me and another sister bear our testimonies and the consejero del obispo said "OK first we will hear from hermana Larsen and the other sister that I cant pronounce" hahaha 

This week was so fun hiking into the other parts of my area! We went to one pueblo that is called la perla and we were teaching a kid on the trail and we were there for about 5 minutes teaching him and then I felt someone watching me so I turned around and THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD was there standing and listening hahaha like at least 15 people so then we taught them too. 

Then I hit 7 months on the mission!! WOOO Also people think I am from Costa Rica??? hhahaha 

The lord is so loving. He wants to bless us, but he cant do it until we follow his commandments. The lord is willing to give us as much as we are PREPARED to receive. Prepare to receive blessings by following the commandments. 

Con amor, 

Hermana Salisbury  

Week 30: HOLA MAZATE ESTE!!!

This week has been such an emotional roller coaster. 

SO on Wednesday the mission found out that president and hermana goodman were going home early for medical reasons. So we had a final multi zona together to say bye. It was seriously so sad. BUT we got permission to HUG president goodman!! GOZO! I already miss them sooo much!! 

Then I got TRANSFERED!!! I am in MAZATE ESTE!! In San Pancho! I am senor comp with hermana Hull who just got out of training! She is also from California!! When I got here I found out they haven't been working in the area for this translado cause they had emergency cambios SO I AM BASICALLY OPENING THIS AREA we are starting from the ground up and Im honestly super over whelmed. But all is well! Estoy GOZOSA siempre. Also this area was supposed to go to the elders this transfer cause its so dangerous but HERE I AM hahaha We cant go into like 90% of our area past 6pm RIP

The coast IS SOO DIFFERENT!! My life just got a whole lot more ghetto. Cold showers, no sinks, no agua, washing clothes by hand, etc hahaha I am ALWAYS sweating. I took a cold shower which was soo brutal but I stopped sweating for a second, but right when I got out i starteed to sweat AGAIN hahaha

 

As for my hija hermana morales SHE GOT CALLED TO TRAIN!! I raised a trainer!! YAY! I already have a nieta!!

But Leaving my first area was really hard. I felt like I was leaving my home again. But I learned SO much in San Marcos. I have been changed forever by the experiences I had there. I learned humility above all. I learned to work hard with a humble heart. I will always take these experiences with me through out my life during the good times, and the hard times. 

Con Amor,

Hermana Salisbury

Week 29: EARTHQUAKE IN SAN MARCOS

HEYYY!! I am alive!! hahaha

So like the title says we had a pretty big earthquake the other day!! We were sitting together studying and then all of a sudden the house starts shaking but there are always baby earthquakes here so we thought it was normal, but then it got really violent and we were like ohhhh freak so we got under the table and waited it out! 

When we got up all our books and papers had fallen off the table, and out side there was SOOO much dust because houses fell down!!!! So we went outside to start helping people with the damage and THERE WAS COMPLETE CHAOS!! All the kids were running all over and all the parents were looking for there kids like crazies. The traffic was crazy. And the rest of the day EVERYONE used the earthquake as an excuse to not listen to our message, so we used it as an excuse to invite them to REPENT hahaha turns out it was on the scale at 6.6!! Not too big but enough to take down some houses. 

Update on my first convert hermana flor de maria. She is SOOO cute!! She has her temple recommend and she is doing family history!! She broke her arm a couple weeks ago and she couldnt go to church for the pain, but she called us saying she felt like she needed to go! SOO PILAS! 

TRANSFERS ARE NEXT WEEK!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!! I cannot wait to experience other parts of the mission!!! I will let you guys know next week where I get sent!! WOOO GOZO

This week was another week of learning, the truth is my calling as a missionary is one of the most important callings in the world. I have authority and power to teach the children of the father here in the Guatemala Retalhuleu mission. I have learned to tap into this power through the spirit and I have learned to let the spirit lead me. When we let the spirit lead us we will see miracles and we will see the reality of the will of the father.  

Con Amor, animo y GOZO, 

Hermana Salisbury