Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dearest Familia!

I talked to you on Christmas so I don´t think I need to write yáll today. Have a great week!

Just kidding...I know mom would kill me. So here´s a little letter. 

So this week we went to visit some people with a member, Hermana Adela. Well they have just installed the door to their house and they are rebuilding their house. We came back and she unlocked the bottom part but her daughter had locked the top part, so she didn´t have the key and couldn´t get inside.

Mission Christmas Party

Well...after analyzing and observing the situation I noticed a little opening above her door frame that I felt like would be easy to crawl into and over and unlock her door. I was in a skirt, but at least a long and stretchy one, and that didn´t seem to be a limiting factor. So sure enough I told her to just hold on a second, I grabbed a little stepping ladder nearby, climbed up and then pulled myself up and through and dropped myself over to the other side to unlock the door. She laughed and just said, "Oh Hermana Wright, usted no tiene limites, verdad?" (you have no limits, really or basically...is there anything you can't do?)

I was happy to at least be able to help her in that situation so she wasn´t stuck outside her house for hours.

 This week we had our mission Christmas party. It was actually really fun! We had a talent show, we watched some youtube christmas videos that have been famous in this time, and then played a couple christmas games with little packages. Hermana Spjut is so great!

On Christmas morning Hermana Evans and I got up and opened presents. Yep, you heard me right, we opened presents.

Hermana Evans brought about 5 packages in her suitcases from her mom for Christmas. So she gave me like 3 big packages. I was like, "wait what?". All I gave her was a little baby package (my resources were limited ha). But seriously we opened gifts and I got about 5 new outfits, and a million necklaces and earrings. I felt so spoiled. I felt so weird. It was so strange and foreign. I was seriously in awe.

It didn´t feel like I should be opening presents.
I didn´t feel like a missionary for a little bit. It was just strange. I mean don´t get me wrong, it was great! But just strange ha. I wasn´t quite sure how to handle it.

Matching stockings and PJ's

Aside from that, this week has been good, but I will be grateful when the holidays are over and we can be back to a "normal" schedule so members can help us visit and we can go with people more. 

This week in my personal study I read some good conference talks, but one that I really liked is the one from Elder Lynn G. Robbins called "Which Way Do You Face?" 

I absolutely love this because it helps us put into perspective our behavior and why we are doing something we are doing...to please God or to please man. That is why our society is so crazy these days, because we are all trying to please each other and forgetting about the most important. But two of my favorite parts are when he says, "Decisions of character are made by remembering the right order of the first and second great commandments" and when he also says, "The true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men...courage is the form of every virtue at the testing point." I love these parts because depending on whether we choose to follow God or men will define our character and who we are. And I most definitely want to have a character that understands divinity and the importance of serving God before all others. I don´t know, maybe read it again and enjoy.

Love you lots. Thanks for your love and support and all that you do for me. 

Love,

Hermana Wright

Feliz Navidad!!

Querido Familia,

Feliz Navidad!! (casi) (almost)

I hope the jingle bells and Christmas caroling are treating yáll well. I´m a missionary (in case you didn´t know that), and I honestly love Christmas on the mission, even though it´s very different than at home. But to be a little honest knowing that Christmas is this week just stresses me out a little bit because it means we have less time to visit and get all the things done that we need to as a result of Christmas activities, people rejecting us for the holidays, and time to talk to our families :) ...but I guess that´s just part of the mission ha. 

Picture compliments of Sister Evans.

 The other day we had two dogs attack us. I took off my backpack to defend myself and one of them bit and attacked my backpack. I left my backpack and backed up a little bit to let them know we were leaving. They finally backed off and went back inside. Saved by the back pack once again on the mission. Bummer that I learned the back pack trick after I got bit the first time in Juayua ha. But it´s definitely come in handy. My poor companion was terrified...frozen...her first dog experience. My fiftieth. Chuchos (mongrel or mutt) are the worst.

So this week has had some ups and downs. Maritza had her interview on Tuesday for her baptism. We weren´t sure if she was going to go through with it because of her mom and everything. Downside. But after the interview she was animated and excited and said she was going to do it. Upside. Then she starting cutting cafe (coffee) and we couldn´t meet with her all week. (The area they live in is full of coffee plantations and that's what everyone does for work.) Downside. Then we were able to meet with her finally Saturday night. She told us that she didn´t think she was going to go through with it until her mom gave her permission. Downside. Then we read some scriptures about faith and the trial of her faith, taught her about the temple, and she asked us if she could get baptized Sunday morning early so that she could go without her mom knowing. Upside. We planned the whole thing last minute Saturday night to let the members know and make sure it was all good for Sunday morning. Upside. We got the pila (baptismal font) filled up and everything ready Sunday morning. Upside. Maritza didn´t show up. Downside. We went to look for her, only her mom answered and said that she was sick. Downer. Then we didn´t have any investigators in church. Nor did we have any last week. Ugh. 

My first baptism where my investigator didn´t come. I was hoping to never have one of those runaway baptisms. Super chafa. 

But we´re working with her this week to be able to be baptized as she really does just have this huge, burning desire inside.

Looking for ways to improve and be better this week. We clearly need to improve algo porque lo que hicimos esta semana no sirvio, pero esta bien. Alli estamos, mejorando y emocionadas por una nueva semana. (something because what we did this week didn't serve us well. But we are improving and so excited for a new week.) The longer she is there the more spanglish we get in the letters.  :)

This week I read some of the general conference talks from the recent general conference as we just got our magazines last week (finally!). I haven´t read all of them, only a few this week, but one that I really liked this week was the one that´s called "A Testimony of Truth and Light" )or something like that ha). It´s from Presidente Uchtdorf. I love it because it talks about how there´s so much confusion and ideas, but we forget sometimes about God and His opinion. I think in today´s world the word "truth" has been skewed and people have forgotten what "truth" actually means. Something that is true, is constant, and unchanging, and it doesn´t matter what everyone else thinks or what the trends are, it doesn´t change. Here in El Salvador there are a million churches and everyone says, "Jesucristo es la verdad, El es la verdad, tengo la verdad porque creo en El." (Jesus Christ is the truth, He is the truth, so I have the truth because I believe in Him.) But then we look around and we see a million different ideas and churches and doctrines and if we think about who God is, that He is unchanging, that He is most powerful and will guide us. If we understand that, we understand that it is impossible for every single church to be true, as everyone teaches something a little different, and God would not guide each different church in a different way. If He did that, He would cease to be God. But He doesn´t do that. Instead He guides His church, not the church of a man, but His church, and He guides it through a living prophet that He has called and through revelation. Presidente Uchtdorf then explains that if we really have a desire to know the truth, the truth that is everlasting and never changing, the truth that comes only from God, then we can know it. We just have to do our part, pray, read, and have a real desire and real intent. If we do that we will know the truth of all things. And that promise is huge from God. It´s huge. He is willing to communicate with each one of us very personally, and to help each one of us find the truth,t he truth that He wants us to know. We just have to do our part. 

So there´s my thoughts and why I love that talk. And I invite yáll to read it again or those of you to read it who haven´t read it, and then pray and ask God, and if you do it, with a sincere heart and real intent, He will answer. And that I know because I have witnessed it myself, experienced it myself, and seen it time and time again. God is real. He does answer prayers, and He will guide us, but we just have to be willing to let Him. 

Fire roasting Christmas
activity

 Aside from that we should have hot water installed today. We shall see. But this week luckily it wasn´t as frigid cold as the weeks before. So we were grateful for that. 

I will talk to you all this week on Christmas...so I guess we can talk more than. 

Love you lots and lots. 

Love,

Hermana Wright

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/receiving-a-testimony-of-light-and-truth?lang=eng 

consecration brings power...

Familia!

Well...still no hot water to shower. But...we did start heating water up on the stove and mixing it in a big bucket to shower out of the bucket. A million times better. Now I don´t want to cry every time I have to shower ha.

"Our tree...it's so cute!"

 This week we ran into some desafios (challenges) with Maritza as she´s supposed to be baptized this coming weekend. Her mom is against her being baptized. Her mom said that she can go to church and the activities and everything but that she can´t be baptized in the church. Maritza wants it with all of her heart. She said, "I can go to church, but if I don´t get baptized 

I´m not doing anything." She knows that it´s what God wants and that it´s true. Her mom wants her to be baptized in her evangelica church instead of the "mormon" church. She´s 21 years old and has a kid, so she doesn´t need permission from her mom necessarily, but they all live together and so she´s worried about what will happen if she goes through with it. We´re trying to help her increase her faith and trust in God, knowing that this is the best thing for her. To be continued next week...

Sister Evans paragraph on Maritza:  "Also, in my area here in Los Naranjos one of our investigators, Maritza is preparing to be baptized this weekend!! We are so excited for her!! It is amazing to see how this gospel can bring so much happiness and hope into people's lives. Whenever we read the Book of Mormon with her she is so happy because she always finds answers to her questions and finds peace when days are hard. She is the only one in her family that will accept this gospel right now. Her mom does not want her to get baptized and this has been really hard for her. However, we experienced a little miracle while teaching her. One night before we taught her, she had a really hard day with her mom and her mom was pretty upset.  She said that before we came she prayed that we would not talk specifically about her baptism, because her mom  would be even more angry. That night during the lesson, her mom was standing next to us and listening intently to the lesson. We had plans to ask her specific questions about her baptism but we felt prompted to just talk about the Book of Mormon, so we read a chapter with her in Mormon 9 about miracles and faith. Mormon 9:21: Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him, and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth. After the lesson she was so grateful and her faith was strengthened. We are going to continue to pray for her and help her. SHe has a strong desire to be baptized, and we have hope that we will still have a baptism this weekend!" 

 This week I was able to do interchanges with Hermana Najera (as she´s our leader in this area) so that was really fun to be with my trainer again for one day. 

"Armadillo anyone...delicious!?"

And she told me a story that was great to hear...

She went on interchanges to Orquideas one day and was able to see our fruits. Here´s the background story...one day about a year ago we saw a man who was throwing water out of a hole on the street to clean up so we offered to help him. We stopped and just helped him by serving him and chatted with him a little bit as we helped throw out all the dirty water onto the street. He told us we could return and teach him. We tried going back about 5 times and never found him again. I even tried going back after Hermana Najera left and never found him.

Well fast forward to an interchange Hermana Najera had in our area a couple months ago and they passed by this man´s house. He was outside and he yelled at her and said, "Hey Hermana Najera..." and so she went to say hi. Long story short, he told her that he remembered her and her companion, Hermana Wright, and that he will never forget that day when we helped him. He was sad that we never returned and she explained how we returned varias veces (several times) but never found him. He said that he was so touched by that day when we helped him and that it left an impression on him and he will forever remember our names. The hermanas are now teaching him. 

I feel bad that I don´t even remember his name. But it made me really happy to hear that and realize that ningun esfuerzo (no effort) is in vain and that we are making a difference, even though we often don´t see all the fruits. 

Little things like that really give us mas animo como misioneras para seguir adelante (more encouragement as missionaries to go ahead) and keep working. It was really great to hear that.

Aside from that, this week I studied a little more about consecration and what the means and how to be more consecrated. I remembered the quote that Melinda always has in all of her emails, that says something like, "the day obedience becomes a desire and not a burden is the day you gain power." And it´s so true. I learned more about how when we consecrate our time and ourselves to the Lord, we receive power. And that is my goal.

Hope you have a glorious week getting your last minute Christmas gifts! 

Love,

Hermana Wright

-fire night lesson

another week...and it´s still cold

Familia!

Hello again. Hope all is going well for yáll back home. That you´re finding your gifts for loved ones, enjoying the craziness and business of the holiday seasons, and hopefully some nice fresh powder to ski on while you´re at it. 

"Home sweet home!"

Things here in Los Naranjos are actually...well quite cold...so we´re feeling like we´re getting in the holiday season by drinking hot chocolate each night. Go fight win. Still have a freezing ice cold shower...but we spent a little money and should have hot water by this week...so Merry Christmas to us! (hopefully) (Please pray that their branch president who is supposed to install what they bought will actually take time and do it. Thanks!  Unfortunately they don't have heat because their landlord says they can't use the fireplace...I guess it's in the contract.)

We put up some super cutesy decorations for Christmas and just made our apartment (I think she meant cabin) all homie (Thanks to Shelly Evans for the decorations) But I forgot to take pictures so you´ll have to wait until next week.

 

Thanks to Sister Evans

Also, before I forget, I sent you each your Christmas present via mail...aka the Christmas card I sent each of you...I figured I just better tell you now that that´s your Christmas present from me this year...just so there´s not any confusion later on when you don´t get an ipad from me :)

Coffee Fields all over our area.  

Huge miracle for the week:

Last Monday we put a fecha (baptismal date) with Maritza. I am shocked and amazed and stoked! God is so good. We haven´t even been in our area for a week and we already have a 

baptism date. That is nothing that we did. It is completely God and the spirit, but it was seriously a huge miracle. We had a really sweet lesson with her, as she has a strong desire to follow God and do His will. She was really hesitant at first, but then we used the calendar and I tried following the spirit and read Mosiah 18, where it talks about "What else impedes (what other obstacles might be in your way) you to get baptized?"...and it was perfect. My companion gave the greatest testimonio that just comes right from her heart and brings so much of the spirit. It was seriously so great. I just am so amazed and happy. And I am excited to be working and learning and growing. 

Beautiful Los Naranjos

"Here in El Salvador we are having an adventure, that is for sure! It is hard work but this work makes me so happy! I love having lessons with people when it is dark outside and we use our little flashlights to read the scriptures and sing a Christmas hymn. I look up at the stars and look at the surrounding mountains and I can feel the spirit so strong and I feel so much peace."  Sister Evans

God always does His part. Always! He never fails us. We just have to trust in Him more and have more faith. And He will come through.

The neighborhood

And Maritza is keeping our hope alive as we are working with her to be baptized in a couple weeks. She is so excited and loves every moment and is soaking it all up that is just gives us so much more hope and desire to keep working. 

Aside from that things are going well. Just keeping up in the work and doing our best. Hoping and watching for miracles. 

Love you all like crazy!

Love,

Hermana Wright

PS I feel like I write less and less in my journal as the time goes on because the mission life is more and more normal and I don´t know...less time. So sorry if my letters have gotten progressively more boring.

Danika's newbie trainee letter home...just because

First of all, I am so happy to announce that my trainer is the one and only... HERMANA WRIGHT!!! Wooo!!! I am so happy!! Seriously, Hermana Wright is an amazing trainer and I am learning so much from her!!! When we tell people that we are neighbors in Utah every one goes crazy and its so fun!!! We are having an adventure out here in El Salvador, that's for sure!! We are opening a new area called Las Naranjos! This area is way high up in the mountains, so at night it is so cold but it is so beautiful so it{s all good!!! It kind of reminds me of going camping back home in Utah! Hermana Wright and I live in this small little red cabin, up in the mountains, and are having an awesome adventure together! It is like nothing I ever expected! 

   This past week we have been working really hard to get to know the members and the area since we are opening the area. Here, they just have a really small branch so we are working hard to transform this into a ward. There is a lot of work to do, that is for sure but we are up for the challenge!! We just talk to everyone and ask for references from everyone!! We have to be brave, because this gospel is so important, people need to hear it! Hermana Wright is a great example to me! When we were on this crazy  bus she just got up and introduced us as the missionaries and we walked through this crowded bus and talked to everyone! I just love being able to talk to people and say that I am a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!! There is definitely a special spirit here in the mission field!! I know that Jesus Christ, my Savior is with Hermana Wright and I every step of the way! I know that there are people here that need this gospel, we just have to work hard to find them!!! However, all of the people we have met here are so loving and nice!!! We have one investigator right now that we are trying to commit to baptism and she is just so sweet !! I am excited to see her growth in these next few weeks!! The people have so much gratitude even though they have so little, its amazing to see!! I can see the light of the Savior in their eyes and I just want to help them come to understand the truthfulness of this gospel! I can see that there is a lot of potential for this area!! 

   I am so excited to continue my work here in this area!! Its so different here in El salvador, but I haven't had to eat any crazy food yet, haha!! I will prob have to do that soon though, but I am up for it! Also, The language is coming along, I just need to keep working at it! I am enjoying learning spanish and I cant wait to be able to speak the language so I can help more people! I know that with my Savior I can do all things that are necessary for me to help the people. 

   I am so grateful for this gospel!! I know that the Savior of this World lives and that he will help us everyday if we will just turn to Him and always think of him. We are sons and daughters of  a Heavenly Father who has so much love for us all! I know that He wants the best for us and will help us to achieve all things that we need to achieve if we just believe! One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Nephi 1 verse 7 and it talks about how Christ can do all things according to his will for us if we just have faith! 

  Todo Esta bien!! I am happy!! 

Sister Evans

Just two alpine girls living in a cabin in the mountains of El Salvador...

Dearest Family!

This week has been full of so many changes. 

Well I`m not a sister training leader anymore and I am now training a newbie...fresh out of the MTC...and yes, that newbie is my neighbor from good old Alpine, Utah, Hermana Evans. Good times. So that is really great! She reminds me so much of her mom, Shelly...so cute.

After we took a picture with Presidente Spjut, he turned to me and said, "Hey, Hermana Wright, I don`t usually do something like this, so you two better go to work." Yes Presidente, we will. (Danika told us she asked the president if she could train Valerie a couple of weeks ago and all the President said to her was, "Sister Wright, be careful what you ask for.")

Aside from that we are opening a new area, so we are trying to get to know the members and the area and the old investigators from the hermanas in the past. So it`s going great. 

We are in a little tiny pueblo called los naranjos, that is in the mountains in El Salvador and part of Juayua. Which means...I am BACK in Juayua...after a year ago when I started my mission here. Seriously SO weird, but really SO great! (Aside from the cold). I bought a parka this last week and we are going to start using our fireplace at night. We live in a cute cabin that has a fireplace and a sweet rocking chair. It`s adorable. We`re going to decorate for la Navidad today. Oh...and the shower is literally ice water. Literally. 

Picture compliments of Sister Evans since
her computer let her send one picture.

Danika also said while emailing today, "it`s a little pueblo...GORGEOUS...but SO cold. I already bought a parka, so I`m good with that..yeah, it`s the coldest area in the mission and it`s in the mountains."

We are also part of a branch, not a ward, so there were about 30 people at church yesterday. So we are working to baptize and find those that are ready and waiting, but also to work to strengthen the branch and the members that are here so that they can strengthen this branch. Our branch president doesn`t even live in the area because there isn`t a priesthood here in the area who is able to be branch president, so that`s a little bit about the area. There area a LOT of evangelica churches, and the majority of the pastors preach against the mormons, and it`s also the season where everyone leaves to go cut coffee for work. So our new area comes with some challenges and some adventures, but we are working hard and know that we are going to have some success here. 

Aside from that, we are seeing miracles and praying hard. I am really excited to be here and to be working and to be a missionary. I love it. I am going to learn and grow a lot. It`s a little overwhelming to see the work and everythign and to be starting from nothing, but I know God will do His part and we will see miracles. 

I didn`t write my letter before hand, so sorry it`s kind of scrambled.

I tried sending pics but the computer didn`t work. Maybe next week :)

Love you lots!

Love,

Hermana Wright