No letter this week, but we did record 5 1/2 minutes of Hermana Tolman's phone call, telling us the crazy story of finding Albaro, and explaining these pictures.
Enjoy!
The line separating Vista Allegre 2 and Cáceres
Hna Beckstrand and I take full advantage of the AC in the chapel on P days and bring the air mattresses (provided to STLs for sisters that may need to stay at our apartment sometimes) so we can use them to take naps. Perks of having the keys to the church.
Eating the American snacks that Hna Beckstrand's family sent her-- it's gonna be a good day
We treated ourselves to a rather fancy meal to celebrate Thanksigiving
Never expected to find a Rocky Mtn Chocolate Factory here!
Iglesia del Carmen
This week we took all the sisters to Panama City for Pday! We took the opportunity to take pictures with all the cool things we often see but are always in too much of a rush to stop and take pictures with.
Afterwards me and Hna Beckstrand had to run a special errand and (with permission from Hna Garrett..) go to a store that's only in this very posh mall in the center of the city where all the rich Americans are and while we were there we saw the rOcKy MoUnTaIn ChoCoLaTe FaCtoRy?? We said "We´re from Utah!!!" and they said "Umm we actually started in Colorado but WOAH NO WAYY" and I bought a very expensive brownie to go (because the chocolate in Panama is disgusting) but then they just decided that it was to stay so we stayed and it was very shocking and luxurious.
Also I was pondering why God always says "Repent or be destroyed" in the scriptures but then it clicked that God destroys the wicked so they´ll stop destroying themselves with their own sin. So. Yeah basically God is just a loving being, my friends.
I think I probably had lots of other fun news but it slips my mind.
This week I got to go on divisions in my very first area with my step daughter Hna Castro. It was very trippy but also the most delightful joyful day of my life. I took her around and introduced her to a bunch of people we'd taught when I was there (cause she's brand new to the area and they don't have anyone to teach yet), and they ALL remembered me and that I'd left to San Miguelito which was happy and surprising to me especially considering how bad my spanish was back then.
Revisiting Vista Alegre, my first area The mural has been redone since when I was there (see old letters for comparison)
Maricela
And we visited Wilberto and he tried to give me a huge hug which was sweet but also the most awkward because I resisted it cause we totally can't hug men but anyways.
Wilberto
The thing that really just TAKES THE CAKE is that the Hermanas found Tamerlan about a week ago (the very same Tamerlan who I met on my first night in Panama and when he decided not to get baptized I totally cried about it while I was videochatting my family that week) and we went to visit him. I yelled "buenas" and before he even opened his door he went "Tolman!" and then while we were sharing he told us super confidently that he knew for a fact that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God and that even though other churches are good and fine, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the earth and the Book of Mormon is the word of God and referenced all the commandments that we taught him and then if that's not just the best thing ever, then he said "And I'm getting baptized!" and invited me to come to it. Basically I just died. Also I told him how powerful it was to me how the spirit can work through two blind gringas who barely speak Spanish and that it's just another testament that the gospel is true because it can push through any barrier.
Tamerlan
ANYways. We also had back-to-back conferences with the Second Counselor in the Area Presidency, Brian Taylor. A few hot things I wanted to share:
1. You can never do more for God than he can do for you.
2. The most important commandment is the one you're having the hardest time keeping
3. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and if you keep it closed when you teach, you're closing the mouth of God.
4. His wife, Jill Taylor, described how if we see ourselves in a mirror from far away we look pretty nice but as we get closer we start to see our imperfections like the stain on our shirt or our messy hair or acne but when we get there we'll see that Jesus Christ is beside the mirror to receive us and that we shouldn't freak out if we feel like we're becoming more aware of our weaknesses cause it's a sign we're coming closer to Christ.
That's all my lovelylittlllllechildrenofGod
Have a great weekbyeeee
Cartoonish José
Blanca and Family
Always check the bus seat in front for gum before sitting down and resting your knees against it ;)
Family Picture with my mission daughter and newborn granddaughter
Hna Hopkin and I after back to back Zone Conferences in the city
Remaining members of our original MTC District after 9 months
Hermana Beckstrand
Normally we just trudge through the rainstorms (cause if we stopped working every time it rained, we'd never be working ;) but this one had us taking shelter in a chino.
The rumors about being an Hermana Leader are true, or in other words, it just means you sleep less and are never in your area. But at the same time I feel like my heart has already grown a few sizes bigger so it all pays off.
This week we went on divisions with Arraijan 2 (which is the very same area where my companion from the MTC was born) and then again but with Veracruz. While I was gone a lightning bolt literally struck a pole right in front of our house and Hna Beckstrand and her comp for the day got stuck in the house cause our locks with a magnet and they couldn't leave.
Also I was on divisions with Hermana Cornnelio from Peru and she wanted me to teach her a song in English so we were practicing all day and then towards the end of the night we were waiting for a bus in the middle of nowhere and she goes "but wait.. can you teach me how to sing?" and I go "well yeah" and then Hermana Tolman just went in full blown choir mode and we just had the best time.
Anyways that's all bye have a great week.
Hna Beckstrand baked a cookie on the stove cause we don't have an oven
Divisions with Hna Cornelio from Peru
The only candles they sell in Chinos are Virgin Mary candles 👀 (they're for when the power goes out)
