8.12.13

My weekly email to my Mission President

"This week was a lot better. I will admit being a missionary is

sometimes an emotional roller coaster. At some times I will feel

really great about my spanish and just feel really happy and then the

next moment I feel dumb with my spanish and really down. But it´s

amazing how whenever I am down Heavenly Father blesses me with

something that helps me feel better. I really am learning a ton

everyday. I thought before I came on a mission that I knew a lot but I

have realized that there is something to learn everyday, especially in

the Gospel. I am so incredibly grateful. Our zone meeting this past

week was so great. I felt the spirit strongly and I love the motto of

our mission "De los milagros." I have been trying to find milagros in

my life everyday and especially in this work. I have realized that me

being here on a mission is a milagro. The fact that I am in a whole

different country and culture, not knowing anyone beforehand, not

knowing the language, and somehow being able to teach these people the

Gospel in their language. And I am surviving. What a miracle!

I am trying to be more bold and open my mouth and just talk, even if I

don´t know how to say what i want to say. I realize that Heavenly

Father isn´t going to help me until I do my part and actually make an

effort.

La familia Idalgo came to church again and they have a baptism date at

the end of the month! I am so happy and excited. It´s cool too because

they are excited and have the desire to learn more. It´s awesome

helping people learn the Gospel and to know that it is going to bless

them so much.

It is hard not to get discouraged at times because a lot of times the

people don´t have time to talk or are not interested and then we can´t

teach much. And it´s hard when people don´t follow through with

commitments. I am going to start praying to know how I can help

investigators follow through with commitments."

Like I said to my mission president. There are definitely tons of ups

and downs of emotions in the mission. I had another breakdown this

week (It seems to be a weekly thing, but its not going to happen

anymore!). Not totally because of the language, but because I felt

alone. It´s hard sometimes cause I miss being able to actually have a

real conversation with someone and things like that. Everytime I get

down I pray because that is really one of the only things that helps

in those moments. Because I know Heavenly Father is listening. and

then he always blesses me.

On Tuesday was a festival for Dia de Bolivia at the Stake Center! It

was so fun and there were a ton of fun traditional Bolivian dances

that every ward did. It was really cool and I actually got emotional

at one point (I am turning into a woman, always crying) because It was

just so cool to me how there are so many different cultures and

traditions and even people of different cultures are a part of the

Gospel. Isn´t that cool? The Gospel is true. El Evangelio es

verdadero. The only thing that I didn´t like about the festival was

that I couldn´t dance. Seriously though, that is the only hard part

about being a missionary. Oh, and learning a new language.

Like I said to my Mission President I have been trying to find

milagros (miracles) in my life everyday because we can always find

miracles in our lives. It´s pretty cool cause it helps you see the

Lord´s hand in your life everyday.

So it is true, the people are always late here. Mom, you would die.

Time is just not really an issue to people. And I will admit, it is

pretty frustrating to me sometimes. I am learning patience.

So during one of our lessons with familia Idalgo this week we talked a

lot about El Sacerdocio (the priesthood) and I felt the spirit so

strongly. I realize I have taken the priesthood for granted. But the

priesthood is seriously amazing. It´s the POWER OF GOD on the earth

TODAY! The same power that Christ had during his time on earth. How

cool is that? I am so grateful that my Dad holds the priesthood and I

was blessed with that my whole life. I bore testimony of that in our

lesson.

I am gaining weight. Seriously the people feed us so much and

sometimes I feel like I am going to die. Because we can´t deny the

food or that would be rude. We have a half hour to exercise in the

morning but I am using that to study the language. So I have the

choice to either be fat or not know the language. I am choosing to be

fat. Hna Quispe is impressed with me cause I eat everything and I

haven´t gotten sick yet. I just have a really strong stomach. Another

miracle and blessing. haha

Mom, I thought you would like to know that at one point in our

bathroom we even had pink toilet paper. haha and the other day during

one of our lessons I thought of the Richard G Squat thing and I had to

try really hard not to laugh.

Ayer con la familia Idalgo (yesterday with the Family Idalgo) we

watched the Jose Smith movie. Seriously it is so powerful! I suggest

everyone to watch it.

Anyways I am going to try and send some pictures. I love you!!! Thanks

for always thinking of me and for your support. I love my family and I

am so grateful. I love you!

Hermana Wursten

Me and Hna Quispe when I first got to Tarija. I am taller than her. I am taller than a lot of people here. I am actually normal height. it is weird. I miss being short. No my companion doesn´t speak english. haha But she knows a lot of random words from me and other norte americano companions she has had.