Not much of an update...

Familia!

A busy week.

Went to the temple tuesday as a zone. The best. Always. Mom, you´re so legit.

 Last monday we put up a christmas tree and christmas decorations and started listening to christmas music. Yep, that´s right. They don´t celebrate halloween or Thanksgiving here, so the next one on the list is good old Navidad. I´m loving it!

Funny story for the week. We were walking in the street the other day and an old lady sitting outside called to us and said, "Excuse me, excuse me please...can you tell me what month it is?" We responded, "Um...it´s october." And she said, "Oh okay, great, thanks, I just sometimes don´t remember, but I appreciate it." I hope I never reach that stage in life. 

We broke up with the Familia Rodriguez. So that was awkward. Break ups are the worst. In all forms.

So Saturday night I got bit by something on my elbow. Yep, so it started to get a little swollen at night so I took an allergy pill. Well, yesterday morning the bug bite was so much bigger. Like HUGE. And it was all swollen and hot and red and it was hard inside. Well as the day went on it got bigger and tonight it´s about mid forearm to about mid bicep in redness and swollenness. I called Hermana Amone, she told me I might have to get an injection in my bum tomorrow. That made me panic a little. We laughed pretty hard. Update to come next week.

I also got my coin purse stollen this week, it only had 9 dollars in it so not a big deal at all...but that may or may not have been all the money I had left for this month though. Bummer. We contacted a bus, and by the time we got off, it wasn´t in the outside pocket of my backpack like it usually is. Fail blog.

So...aside from that, we saw some good miracles this week, but don´t have time to write them. Sorry friends. I´ll write more next week. 

But I just want you all to know that I know that God is real. I know that this life is full of hardships and obstacles and difficulties. That is true. And it´s not easy sometimes. Or oftentimes. And while sometimes it might seem like God isn´t there or isn´t helping us...He actually is there. We just don´t always understand it unfortunately. Turn to Him. Trust in Him, even when it seems impossible. 

Love you all!

Love,

Hermana Wright

Changes...

Querido Familia,

This week has been full of changes. And has felt pretty long as a result. But it´s going well.

 I ended up staying in my area. A big shocker for me since I have almost 5 months here, but I´m happy. Presidente called me before changes and told me I was going to get a new leader as a companion so to help her and he said that this will probs be my last change as a sister training leader since I´ve been in the role for almost 9 months now and other sisters need the chance. He told me there´s a good chance that I will get to train starting next change. Know what that means? I have a good chance to train Valerie Evans since she comes next change. That would be legit. We´ll see what God wants. 

My new companion is gringa...Hermana Cutler. We actually came on the mission in the same group, and we sat next to each other in the bus from the airport to the house. We bonded and talked about how it would be cool if we were companions one day. Well, here we are. Crazy. But having a gringa companion is so different. First, because we can´t speak english or spanish...so we often speak in spanglish. It´s pretty awesome, but my vocab is going to be so messed up when i come home haha. And we get a whole lot more cat calls and creepy men with 2 gringas. But always an adventure.

Hermana Cutler

Changes are always hard after a really good companion. Hermana Cutler is really great and I´ve learned so much already from her. But since I´ve been here so much longer, I´ve had so many experiences and seen growth and change in so many people, and my love for each of them is so strong. So it´s hard when someone else comes and doesn´t share that same connection or love or hasn´t seen all the change and growth to understand. But that´s normal in every change and I know it´s for the best. I have a great companion. We´re struggling a little with finding those that are prepared and ready and I had some moments of frustration this week for various reasons. But I´ve had some good conversations with God and learning more and more. Praying for more faith and energy to do the work I need to do. Feeling your prayers always. So thank you.

The other day two members stopped by in the evening to bring us cake. Well they opened the door and I started talking to them. We were having a conversation, some what, in the fact that Paty was responding with "uh huh, yep, etc." Well then my companion asked them, "Do you guys speak ingles?" And they responded no. To which I then asked, "Wait, was I speaking Ingles?" Yep. I was just speaking english to them but didn´t even notice because my companion understands when I speak english, spanish, or spanglish...so yeah...that was awkward. 

This week there was an earthquake in El Salvador. It wasn´t near our area, but we sure felt it monday night when we were planning there was a pretty strong temblor. It was pretty nuts. Lasted for about 25 seconds or so, which was pretty long, and everything was shaking. It´s surreal when the ground and everything literally starts shaking. When something that is usually so solid and firm and steady starts shaking and rocking...it´s quite the feeling. Makes one grateful to Dios for all that we have and our blessings. 

This week we had a special experience with la familia Anaya. I love this family so much. We went and visited them on Thursday and we were talking about baptism and that´s when the phone rang and Salvador (papa) answered in the lesson. Well as he was talking I heard something about how someone disappeared. I asked Jonathon (the son) what happened, as he was sitting next to me and he told me that his brother disappeared last night. What? I was in shock. Salvador got off the phone and told us that he didn´t want to tell us the news. He said he was going to tell us the news at the end of the lesson. Then he just started crying, and Carolina started crying as well. I got tears in my eyes and it broke my heart to hear that news. Apparently him and his girlfriend got in a fight the night before and he decided to walk home from Santa Ana Norte to here, to Nazareno, which is super far. Well he never showed up and they aren´t sure where he is or what happened. 

We immediately changed the topic to the atonement and my companion got the impression to talk about fasting. We brought up the fast topic and decided to start fasting together that evening at 6pm. So we started the fast. We called them at night, around 9pm and still didn´t know anything. 

The next morning we called around 745am His voice was happier and we asked him how he was doing. He replied, "I´m feeling really blessed." He then told us that they found his son and he was alright. He told us to pass by in the tarde to see them. He confirmed that we were still fasting and we said yes. 

We finished the fast extremely grateful for the miracles. We passed by for la familia Anaya around 6pm when it was time to finish the fast. We went in their kitchen and all kneeled down and said a prayer together to finish our fast. Salvador went and bought some pan and jugo to eat together. Then his son Luis Mario came in and we were talking with him for a little bit. He´s going through a tough time with all of this, so he was sitting there crying throughout our little conversation. We talked about prayer and relying on God and invited him to church. Salvador shared his testimony again (man this guy is just more and more converted each day) and he invited his son to go to church with Jonathon. It was really special to be able to finish the fast together and sit and talk for a few minutes. It was amazing to see us all come together in fasting together and see God work miracles as they found their son the next morning. But then how we all finished the fast in gratitude and praise for God. It was a pretty neat experience to be a part of and I am grateful for that. 

God is so good. It´s amazing. If only everyone could just realize that and see that...this world would be so much better.

I love you all so much. Praying always for you.

Love,

Hermana Wright

Earthquake

5:47 PM

Dear families of missionaries in the El Salvador Santa Ana Mission,

You may be aware of the earthquake that occurred off the coast of El Salvador last night. While we felt it in Santa Ana, we have seen no damage. All the missionaries are safe and have been working as usual today.

Thank you for your prayers. We are pleased to work with your missionaries as they invite the wonderful people of El Salvador to come unto Christ.

Sincerely,

President Spjut

MSN NEWS SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - 

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck late on Monday off the coast of El Salvador and Nicaragua and was felt across Central America, killing at least one person, but there were no immediate reports of major damage.

El Salvador's emergency services said a dozen homes in the department of Usulutan had been slightly damaged but that coastal areas appeared calm and the country's international airport was unaffected.
Wilfredo Salgado, mayor of the city of San Miguel in El Salvador, said on his Twitter account that a man was killed when an electricity post fell on him.

"It felt really powerful, suddenly the whole house started to move," said Xiomara Amaya, 30, who lives in Usulutan.

The quake struck 42 miles (67 km) west-southwest of Jiquilillo in Nicaragua and 174 km southeast of San Salvador, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It said the quake hit at a depth of about 25 miles (40 km).

Emergency services in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala as well as in Panama said they had no early reports of damage or injuries. Nicaraguan presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo urged coastal residents to seek out higher land in case of a tsunami.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center at one point warned of possible tsunami waves in the region but then said there was no threat.

Flowers from a drunk...

Familia!

How´s it going? I hope yáll are doing well in the great US of A. Do you have your halloween costumes picked out yet? I better get some pics in a few weeks with those sweet costumes. 

Update, changes are wednesday. And I am pretty sure I will have changes. A missionary never can be sure...the only sure thing about changes is that you can never be sure. But I feel like I´m leaving, and my companion feels the same way. So I think that is what will happen. Hermana Paredes and I are sad to be separating. But we´ll be friends after the mission, so I´m not worried about not seeing her. We´ve worked like crazy these last two changes and have had some really great times together. We´ll see where I end up. There are two places I might go...Tazumal or Molino. So we´ll see where I end up. 

Man, but saying good bye and farewell to the people is the hardest. You come to love and care so much about them. You learn their secrets, their life stories, and share special times together as we work to be instruments in God´s hands, helping them learn about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it´s incredible. Then to say adios pues all of a sudden...it´s hard. Man, it´s times like this when I don´t want the mission to end...because I think that farewell at the end of the mission will be the hardest. But enough thinking about that, I still have 7 more months.

"I love this family so much!"
(this is not Blanca's family)

 This week we taught Blanca Vasquez. The last time we taught her she told us that her son is a total drunk, and has been that way for the last 9 months...literally always drunk, he never stops. Well, today we got the opportunity to meet the famous William. It was quite memorable as we were trying to teach her, but he was constantly talking and mumbling and interupting. At one point he left the room and returned with roses for us. Yep, a drunken man gave us roses. I saved mine for memories sake. While there were some amusing moments with him, I really just felt bad for hermana Blanca. It made me really grateful for the commandments and that I don´t ever have to worry about that. 

So about 2 months ago I decided to make a box for my camera, so that I could hide my camera (camouflauge) and take pictures in the super sketchy parts of my area. (oops, I mean, Dad don´t worry, everywhere we go is completely safe and free from harm). Well this week was the first time I used it. The best. We got some good fotos. But we´re going to try using it more today. 

Whenever changes come around, I see a little bit more of the impact I have had on the area. Really it´s not me, because I don´t do much. But the impact God is able to have, by using me as an instrument. 

We visited with a parcial family (part members part non-members) yesterday and they knew that we were going to have changes this week (and we can´t visit with them again until friday), so they were really sincere and thanked us for coming into their home and for our love and everything that we do. The wife said the closing prayer and struggled to finish and get through the prayer as she started crying. The husband, who has been a little tough to help change and repent, thanked God in his prayer for us and our visits, something that we never expected. And while we are going to continue visiting them, this visit with them touched my heart and made me realize that we really don´t know the impact that we have on people. And while I have had various experiences in my life, and I like to think that I´ve made an impact on the lives of various others before the mission, nothing compares to the mission. Because as a missionary, complete strangers let us in their homes. They share their secrets and true feelings with us from the first visit. They confide and trust in us. And we feel the spirit and grow closer to God through various experiences together. And it all happens in just a couple short visits each week. Very little time to be honest. But yet somehow, God uses us to show His grand love and touch the lives of His children in such a short amount of time. And you can feel it´s power. And it is such a privilege to be a part of it.  

"Long story. Outlets fail and I live in El Salvador haha, 

but basically the power is the problem."

This church is true. I love this work. I am grateful for the chance to serve. And I am working to do my best and be the best missionary I can while I am here. 

Love yáll a whole lot!

Love,

Hermana Wright

PS  We just got news about cambios...

I don´t have changes. Hermana Paredes is leaving though. Ahh...I´m excited to keep working here, but sad to be separated from her.

Love you! Have a great week! I´m out

Share the truth!

YOLO comes to the mission

Familia!

Que tal? I hope everyone had an enjoyable conference weekend, filled with delicious home made breakfast, sitting on the couch in sweats, and maybe a nice nap in between sessions. 

I loved conference! Obviously. I have so many talks that I loved. But it was really interesting how almost every speaker talked about or mentioned the importance of following the prophet. This world is crazy, there´s so much sadness and wickedness, and we need to always be sure we are on the right path. Well the best way to do that is to follow the living prophet of the Lord. His name is Thomas S. Monson. He´s a prophet like Moses or Abraham. He receives revelation directly from JesusChrist himself, to help guide us and lead us back to Him. So follow the prophet. Don´t let pride or other things let you stray from the Lord. If you follow the prophet, it´s sure that you will be on the right path. 

These were some of my favorite talks: Lynn G. Robbins, Elder Jorg Klebingnat, Presidente Uchtdorf, Elder Bednar, Presidente Monson....ahh, so many. 

Here´s a link for those who don´t know what conference is, or might want to watch (the talks will be written and posted within a week or so):

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2014/10?cid=HPSU100514465&lang=eng

Quote of the day. Jonathon came to general conference this morning. We gave him a piece of paper to take notes. He just doodled instead. He´s 15. At the end of conference we asked him what he thought, and his response was, "algo aburrido.”(a little boring) Ha. Well at least he´s honest. I felt the same way when I was a teenager. So it´s normal.

This last week we had our meeting as leaders with Presidente Spjut. I learned a whole lot. But I think what really impacted me was when we talked about YOLO. Yep, that´s right, YOLO has now come to the mission. You Only Live Once. 

Well If you read in D&C 58:16, the assistents decided to change it to YOMO, "You Only Mission Once". And while it´s silly, and amusing in so many ways, it´s so true. This is the only time in my life I will get to be a fulltime missionary for Jesus Christ. I won´t get up and preach the gospel in front of a bus full of people when I go home. I won´t be able to just talk to a million random people in the street and ask for their direction (address) to go visit. I only have one mission, and it´s here and it´s now. And I want and am going to give my all the best that I can for these last short 7 months. 

Love you all to death. This church is true. Live it. Follow the Prophet. Don´t forget to pray. 

Love,

Hermana Wright