9.30.13

Hola!

Bummer that Gin didn't have her baby but I´m sure she will come this week! And that means she will be just a little bit younger when I get back.. even if it is only a week. This week was a TON better!!!! Seriously I am so grateful.

So in our zone meeting we found out that this next transfer ALL the Hermanas are training. Yeah, seriously it´s crazy. There are 30 hermanas coming and only 7 Elders in this next transfer. I´m going to be a Mom!! It´s slang here in the mission, when you train they are your daughter and you are the Mom. Hna Quispe is going to be a grandma. haha but it isn´t her first, she has trained 2 hermanas before me. So I am a bit nervous but actually not too bad. I will most likely stay here in Tarija. I have faith that God is going to help me a ton and it´s good cause I will get even better with my Spanish and teaching because I won´t have my Latina with me. I will miss HQ though, sometimes she really bugs me but for the most part I really do love her and we have fun together. The other day I was writing in my journal how having a companion is like having a boyfriend, some moments you totally love them and other moments you are just really bugged with them. haha But in the end you love them.

We had intercambios again this week. I stayed in our area with Hna Eden. She is new and doesn't know much Spanish. But it was good. We were able to teach a good amount of lessons and every time we have intercambios I gain more confidence in myself cause I realize that I can actually do this all on my own without HQ.

Clases de Ingles are good. About 12 people came, we are hoping for more in the future though. We taught them how to pray in English. It was hard cause the students didn't talk very much so me and Elder Avila were doing most of the talking. In the end I said I love you, to end the prayer but everyone thought I was saying it to Elder Avila, so that was pretty awkward and I felt really bad after. They were laughing but still. But I assume that they know I am still learning Spanish. haha I am just here in Bolivia making a fool out of myself. I won´t be in the class tomorrow cause we are going to Santa Cruz for a training, all the trainers for the next transfer. HQ leaves today and I leave tomorrow so I think I am going to be in my area again with Hna Blanco like the last time HQ left.

Can you send me the recipe for oatmeal cookies please? We are going to make them with an investigator.

So we had 3 investigators come to church yesterday!!!! Seriously I was so happy. And I´m pretty sure they all liked it. Goldy and her Son, and Demetria. They are great. So I really hope that they can progress and gain the desire to be baptized. It was cool cause in the 3rd hour it was combined with everyone and the Bishop talked about the For Strength of Youth (and dating when you are 16. that seems like forever ago. haha) and after they both asked for a copy of the For Strength of Youth. Yeah!

We were able to have a lot more lessons this week and actually find people that might actually progress. The past weeks have been frustrating because we have been teaching people that will listen but don´t really have a desire to change or progress. We have been praying to find people that are prepared and ready to receive this Gospel. We taught a family this week who are adventistas del septimo dia (sorry I can´t think of the words in English). They believe that the Sabbath day is on Saturdays. Anyways we taught them a TON about the Sabbath day and how it is Sunday , but they didn't change their mind, and I don´t think that they want to change their mind. But it was actually a cool experience cause they were super respectful and we just talked about our beliefs and what not. We testified a TON, because with some people no matter what scriptures you show them they aren't going to change their minds, but testimonies are really powerful. In the end I testified strongly of the Book of Mormon and how it is evidence of all the things that we teach. Cause seriously it is. Because if the Book of Mormon is true, Jose Smith was a true profeta and restored this Gospel and everything else that goes along with it is true too. So, I really hope they read it but who knows.

We were able to watch the Relief Society Broadcast. I wasn't able to totally understand EVERYTHING that was said but I really  learn a lot. I liked, also, how Sister Reeves or Pres. Monson said that when we feel bad about ourselves it is Satan, cause God would never want us to feel like we can´t do anything, that we can´t repent or overcome our trials and weaknesses. I loved how Pres. Monson talked so much about prayer. Prayer is probably the thing that we teach the most in the mission because it is SO IMPORTANT!!! and it´s so easy to do! I don´t understand how people say they don´t have time to pray. It´s seriously the best. I can honestly say that prayer has helped me a TON in the mission. We are literally talking with our Heavenly Father, who cares about everything going on in our lives and is always listening.

Anyways yeah, that is my week! I am excited for this week with Conference and the training we have tomorrow. I always love hearing from Pres. and Hna Willard. Please pray for me and all the people that we teach that they can feel the truthfulness of the things that we teach and obtain a desire to live this Gospel and feel the Happiness of it. Thanks for everything! I love you so so so much! Hasta Lunes!

Hermana Wursten

We ate burritos one week... they were pretty weak in compared to the burritos in the US. I miss burritos.  

In front of a pretty building. My pockets were full in my jacket, that is why it´s all puffed up. 

Un perro with a Lion King shirt. HQ and I thought it was pretty funny. 

9.23.13

Hola!

hahah I had to keep myself from laughing really hard at the pictures you sent of me wayyy back. haha and the elder I am sitting next to wanted to see it, but I didn't let him. I already  feel ugly here on the mission and I can´t let people see more ugliness, even though just the other day I took about 5 ugly photos of me on Elder Vega´s camera.

This week once again wasn't super successful which is frustrating but I learned a lot. We had interviews with Pres. Willard this past week and it was really great. I am so grateful to have him as my mission President and for the spirit that he always has with him. I was talking to him about how I had never planned on going on a mission and how I thought I had a great testimony and knew a lot before the mission. But how I have realized I still have so much to learn and our testimonies are constantly growing. I was then talking about (I seem to talk a lot when I am with Pres and Hna Willard.. I´m so self absorbed) the importance of the love of Christ for these people that we are teaching because when we have that we have the true desire and intent to share this message with them cause we know their worth and we know how much this Gospel will help them (the frustrating thing is the people don´t accept it or do what they need to do to receive these blessings... gahhh por que?!). After talking Presidente told me how he felt the spirit really strongly and how he saw me as a mother and how much I am going to bless my kids. He said it was testified to him really strongly. So that was really cool (I got a tad emotional). It´s cool cause since the mission my desire to have children and raise them in this Gospel has grown MUCHO. So that was a cool experience. I love that in the mission I have experiences with the spirit so much. But I have realized the importance of the spirit. When I first arrived here I relied on the spirit SO MUCH. But now that I am a little more comfortable with my Spanish and teaching I feel like I am not relying on the spirit as much as I should be. That is something I am now praying for constantly cause the spirit is essential in this work.

I am now studying only in Spanish. except for the new testament because I can´t even understand everything in the new testament in English. Starting tomorrow me and another Elder from the US are going to teach classes de inglés. So that will be cool and I really think it will help us get more investigadores because so many people here want to learn English. Also tomorrow we have service and we are going to make Navajo tacos, can you please send me the recipe ASAP while I am still on the internet??

This week I ate cow liver... It tasted like the livestock at the state fair. So I´m sure you can imagine how it was. First Hna Q told me that it was cow brain. haha but no, it was just liver. I´m going to have eaten every part of a cow by the time I finish my mission.

So nothing to crazy lessons wise to share this week. But we did have a lesson with Indira, her mom and Aunt the other day (with a member..a miracle). It went really well. We were all able to testify and talk about how we can actually change, but we have to have the desire to do it and the faith that with God and Jesus we can do it! Because she has fear to change. I love testifying of the love of God for these people and how with God we can do anything. It´s cool too cause when I say it, I have no doubt that what I am saying is true. I really think that they all felt the spirit and made them think a little. It´s moments like that when the mission is totally worth it. Even when the weeks suck and no one wants to hear us, or all our citas fall through. None of that stuff matters when we little moments like that that just make it all better and so worth it.

The mission is hard sometimes, but so incredibly great and every week when I write my emails and sum up everything that happened, I feel so grateful and happy.

I love you! I am seriously so grateful for your support and love. It is great to know that I have such a loving family at home. Keep doing what is right and remember that God loves you and this Gospel is so incredibly true. Pray ALWAYS (even in your hearts) and read the scriptures SIEMPRE! It is the word of God and we can feel so much peace. Have a great week!

Hermana Wursten

p.s. Only once we have to do the immigration stuff (its for my visa). 

p.s.s. If you are going to send me a package soon can you please send me mascara, floss, and salicyc (sp?) acid???

One sunday was Dia de Peatón. meaning no cars or bus. So everyone had bikes and walked.

Hna Q made Lomo saltado for our district.

 My CCM district in Santa Cruz!

The plane ride from Santa Cruz. I am fat.

9.16.13

Hola familia!

So once again this week wasn´t too great success wise. It is actually
really frustrating but me and Hna Q are learning faith and hope and
patience. We studied this morning those qualities in PMG. As long as
we are doing what is right the Lord is going to bless us and we need
to remember that God has a plan and everything is in his own time and
we don´t always understand everything.

Tuesday of this week in the morning the zone leaders called us and
told me that I was going to Santa Cruz that afternoon until Wednesday
afternoon for my visa and immigration. So I left that afternoon with 2
other elders from Columbia (we joked that we were in a trio). The
plane flight is only 45 minutes and once we arrived we hung out at the
mission office for a while and then I got dropped off with Hna FAulk
and Hna Maldonaldo (comp of Hna Wolf in Tarija, now is the comp of Hna
Faulk)!!! It was really fun and great to see them. I stayed the night
at their place and then the next day we went to immigration. We were
there all morning, it would have been boring but all of my district
from the MTC was there so it was super great to see them! Its like
seeing long lost family. After immigration me and the other 2 elders
we waited in the mission office before our flight back to Tarija and
while we were there I was able to talk to Hna Willard for about a half
hour. It was really great. I felt like I was talking with a good
friend. It was a great experience and the spirit was really strong. I
really love Hna and Presidente Willard so much. They are spiritual
Giants.
Anyways I arrived back in Tarija that afternoon. Seriously we knocked
and visited so many people this week but nothing. And Saturday and
Sunday we had miembros with us for part of the time and NOTHING. It´s
like God doesn´t want us to have lessons with members cause all our
citas fall through. But it´s fine, we are doing our best and things
are going to get better. I gave a talk in church yesterday! I was
nervous at first but it actually went pretty well and I felt really
good after like I had overcome some big obstacle. haha I can´t really
explain it but I felt good that I was able to give a talk in Spanish
and I wasn´t even that nervous when I was up there. I talked about the
love of our Heavenly Father and how he is always waiting for us to let
him in in our lives and that we have to do our part. There is a
scripture that I really like and have been sharing a lot with the
people we teach.. I can´t remember the scripture and I don´t have my
scriptures with me but next week I will tell you. It talks about how
God is always extending his hand to us and we always deny him but
still his hand is extended. It´s a really special scripture.

So in Church yesterday during sunday School a little niño comes up to
me and is trying to sit on my lap and sit next to me, turns out he
thought I was his mom (his mom has almost the same color as me). It
was really funny and a lot of the members were laughing. And his Dad
was the one teaching the class so that was funny too.

I am really jealous that you get to go to the Temple. I really miss
the Temple and I won´t be able to go for another year and a half. Ugh, that stinks.

I don´t know if I will get facebook or not. I don´t really want it to
be honest and here we are super technolgical. It´s different here. A
lot of people have cars but most people here take the bus. Its like 15
cents to take the bus somewhere. But mostly we just walk everywhere.
Sometimes we take a taxi, taxis are a lot more cheap here than in the
US. But we only take a taxi if its later in the night and we have to
hurry home or if we are going somewhere more farther.

I am still eating a ton. haha but I am cutting down a little. Hna Q
has the smallest stomach ever so I end up eating a lot of her food.
haha When we eat at members houses we will hurry and she will put some
of her food on my plate when the member isn´t looking. I don´t know
why but I really like tomatoes here. Normally I don´t like them that
much.

Can you please get me pills for acne? I don´t want benzoyl peroxide
cause I feel like it doesn´t work. por favor!!!

Anyways I wish I had more to write but nothing too crazy happened this
week. But I am happy and enjoying the mission! And spanish is coming
more and more. It´s cool cause a lot of times when I am writing I have
to think about how I am going to say something in english cause in my
head it is in Spanish. Milagro!

I love you so so so much! I hope you have a great week and continue to
pray for me please! Hasta Lunes!

Hermana Wursten

9.9.13

Hola!

Ok this week, a lot of stuff happened. Don´t worry all good stuff. Ok so I was supposed to go with Hna Wolf and her hija (the Hna she is training) BUT as we were on our way to drop Hna Quispe off at the airport the Zone Leaders tell me that I am going to be with Hna Blanco in my area for the time that Hna Q is gone. Hna Blanco is from Washington DC and only had 5 days in the mission. So I was training for a day and a half! hahah seriously I was freaking out a little cause I was nervous to be with my latina companion. BUT it went really good! I survived! I realized that I actually know our area and can get by with my spanish. I lead all of the lessons which was really cool. I felt invigorated. haha We were able to teach a couple of lessons and talk to a lot of people. It was really cool. And then the next day was intercambios (I don´t know the word in english) so I was with Hna Wolf in her area and her hija was with Hna Q in our area. It was really fun! It was cool to switch things up and see how things are done in another area. And I felt like me and Hna Wolf worked really well together. Slowly but surely my Spanish is coming along. I can honestly feel the spirit working through me sometimes and it´s such a cool feeling.

What is Chrissy´s email? I am dying to know what experience she had. Tell her to email it to me cause I don´t have the patience to wait for a letter to hear it. I actually had a emotional (happy) breakdown on Thursday. A lot of the times I don´t really get tot think much about what you tell me in your emails until after because I am stressed about writing all that I want to write in the amount of time that I have. Anyways I just felt super blessed by the Lord. I felt so incredibly happy and emotional that Chirssy is going to meet with the sisters and go to church. but a little sad because I can´t talk to her personally. I can´t even express how much the Lord blesses us. I think I cried alomst everyday this week and each time was because I was happy or felt the spirit. I got a letter from Alicia and Sister Rice. It was great. Tell Alicia that I am going to write her and that I am really happy and proud of her for everything that she is doing and planning on doing in her life.

What else happened this week? Yesterday we split up with members to try and visit our investigators so we could have more lessons with miembros cause we are lacking a little. Anyways we were with a member for about 3 hours and NOTHING!!!! Seriously we walked ALL over Tarija. haha None of our investigators were home or had time. It was really frustrating but It´s fine cause I know that we did our best and that is all that matters. If we do our part God is going to help us. Anyways this week we are going to work really hard. I am excited. I have a feeling it is going to be successful, we are trying to look for milagros everyday.

One interesting thing happened the other day. We were teaching Veronica and this drunk man comes up who was her friend and she tells us that he wants to change. We talk to him a little bit and find out that he is a reference that a member gave us a couple weeks ago and we have been looking for his house the past 2 weeks and couldn´t find him. Anyways we scheduled an appointment to meet the next day but he didn´t show. I really feel that this Gospel could help him and that God placed him in our path to find him but now we are back to where we were cause we don´t know where he lives or how to find him again. Eventually.

Umm there are TONS of dogs here. They bark a lot. But for the most part they are nice.. except for the stupid dog that bit me.

I am glad things are going well at home. I am sad that I am missing out on all the fun family stuff but I am happy to be here. I am learning tons and my testimony grows every day. I love hna Quispe and we have fun together. I pray for my family everyday! Families are eternal and I am so grateful for that! I love you SO much! Have a great week!

Hermana Wursten

6 de agosto with the Bolivia flag. My arm looks really fat. 

Me and Hna Q

The matrimonio de Luis y Rosario

Hna Q and me with intestines.

my (old) district with piña. 

Baptism de Luis

Pretty church or building in Tarija

When I got my second rabies shot

 Hna Wolf, me, Hna Maldonaldo, Hna Quispe

trio! for one day. we celebrated with fantas. 

Hamburguesas! only 8 bolivianos for a hamburger and fries. And it is seriously so good. 

One of the primary kids teaching at the ward activity.

Ward activity. Missionaries! :)

Ward activity and a baptism.

La Familia Hidalgo! still I can´t express how great they are. 

Pday... My district and Hna Blanco (my temp comp)

A sheep just hanging out in front of the tienda

9.2.13

Hola!

Ok I am glad it went well with Mr. Sprat, I hope that he will soften up a little bit. It seems like he is content with his life and doesn´t really see a necesity to change. It´s hard sometimes cause we know how great this Gospel is but other people don´t have the desire because they are content with life and see no need to change. But sometimes it just takes time for people.

What is the experience with Chrissy?! I am so excited to hear about it and I am so sos sososos happyyyy for her!!! Didd she get my letter? I´m not going to find out forever cause  mail takes FOREVER to get her. By the way I got your package! Thank you so much! Seriously continue to send Gardettos cause they are seriously the best. I have to force myself not to eat it all in one sitting. And i don´t want to share it.. but I force myself to cause I am trying to be Christlike.

La Familia Hidalgo are now officially miembros!!!! I am so happy for them. I cried at the baptism. haha I am such an old lady now crying all the time. It was just really special cause I looked at their kids and realized how blessed they are going to be with the Gospel in their lives. It was truly really special. Also because so much of the ward was there! So much support, it was awesome. It was because the ward had an activity before so they all stayed for the baptism. The activity was really cute, all the primary got little missionaary plaques and they taught the first discussion. SO cute! Then after each group/society had a little booth and they explained a little more. Us missionaries had one too. Not many ivestigators came, only la familia Hidalgo (yeah I have been spelling their name wrong this whole time) and Veronica (another one of our investigators). But it was great and I felt like it was a good thing to help our ward grow even closer.

Speaking of Veronica. I love her. She is so sweet and nice. We visited with her earlier this week and it was really special. I cried (again). She has problems with money and debt and what not and we were talking about tithing and how we are blessed with all commandments when we follow them and that God wants to help us but we need to do our part. And then we talked about how much God loves us. She told us that she always feels peace when we visit her and that the things we teach are true and that she can confide in us more than anyone else. It was so cool to hear that to know that we are actually making a difference in the lives of others and that we are able to help people feel the love the Savior has for them. And in return I am able to feel that love too. She told us she doesn´t feel worthy to go to church because she lies a lot when it comes to money. That was really sad to hear. It´s times like that when I don´t ever want to leave the mission cause the feelings that I feel are so special.

SAturday morning me and Hna Quispe were listening to the primary songs (in spanish of course) because we were going to sing the baptism song about rainbows at the ward activity (we ddin´t end up doing it) and as we were listening I got super emotional and touched by the spirit. I cried (once again). I just felt overwhelmed of the innocence of children and how great my childhood was with this Gospel and Church and all those songs. And then I thought of my niece and nephews and how special they are. It was a really touching moment and me an Hna Q were able to ttalk a little about how great of an impact kids can have. 

Oh yeah, there was transfers this week... Me and Hna Q are here together another transfer! As you probably already figured. I am happy about it. But transfers were pretty sad. I ALMOST cried. It was just sad saying bye to the missionaries in my Zone and what not. Hna Wolf (misionera de Pennsylvania, she doesn´t have any family in Ohio, I already asked) just finished training and is now training a new gringa missionary. I REALLY hope that doesn´t happen to me this next transfer. Hna Q is going to Santa Cruz today until tomorrow for some training so I am going to be with the 2 gringas for the time being. I am actually a little scared. haha but I felt comfort about it this morning when praying because it will be a chance to truly practice my spanish without a latina by my side. Can you imagine how funny we are going to look? 3 gringas wandering around Bolivia having no idea what they are doing.

Yesterday there was a stake training thing and it was really funny cause there was a random dog wandering around throughout the whole thing and no one did anything. Only in Bolivia. haha

I love you all! I am sososososososos grateful for all my family and friends! The church is true! Que tenga una buena semana!

Hna Wursten

p.s. Mom, can you possibly try to get me some acne meds from Dr. Petty? The humidity and food here I am scared is going to make me break out like crazy. Gracias! 

 

Random cow walking down the road. 

Me and HnaQ and Elder Cruz (zone leader) snuck in the back.

8.26.13

Hola!

this week was SO much better! I can´t express how much Heavenly Father is constantly blessing me. Seriously though. I feel like my spanish is getting better, I am loving the people and Tarija my zone and district more. and I am loving my companion more too. I really do love her. She isn´t that disobedient but little things are difficult for her, and we are just different when it comes to some things. But that is part of having a companion. I love the mission! I am more happy everyday.

Mom, that's fun that you are trying to learn some Spanish. Maybe we can speak in Spanish together when I get back. P.s. Car is carro (but in some countries it is different). The other day we were at an investigators house and they had me pray in English to bless the food and what not. I seriously struggled! I can´t pray in English anymore. What a blessing though, right? means I am learning Spanish.

We had Zone Conference this week. Seriously it was AWESOME!   Presidente Willard y Hermana Willard are so great! I love them and it is so obvious they have so much love for all the missionaries. They talked a lot on sacrifice and our purpose as missionaries. I felt re-energized as a missionary and my excitement to be a missionary. I realized that the previous week I was being selfish and only worrying about my problems. How stupid am I? I am trying now to only focus on the people that we teach. That is my purpose here. I realize everyday how imperfect I am and I am forever grateful for the mercy of my Heavenly Father. I feel so unworthy of all the blessings that he gives me. Heavenly Father truly loves all his children.

La Familia Idalgo va a ser bautizado este Sabado! The familia Idalgo are going to be baptized this Saturday!   I am so happy for them and they are seriously amazing. They have so much faith and the desire to continue to learn. Me and Hna Quispe call them ¨"la familia de oro." The family of Gold. I can seriously see Hermano Alvaro being a bishop one daY! We taught them last night with some members and it was very powerful. We talked about families and how they can be for eternity. WE all testified and I was able to bear testimony of the blessings of the Gospel in families. I am SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL that I was raised in the Gospel and for the family that I have. I KNOW that our family has been blessed so much because of the Gospel. I seriously can´t wait for my future family to raise them along with my Husband, in the Gospel. something cool, in my pat. blessing it says that my home will be a place of refuge and safety for my children and their friends. In preach my Gospel there is a section that says, "when our home is established in the Gospel our homes will be a place of safety and refuge." Pretty cool, huh?

Yesterday in church an investigator asked me for money. I guess because I am norteamericano people just assume I am rich and what not. I couldn´t understand him very well and didn´t know what to say so one of the Elders said something to him, I´m not sure what he said though. Here my hair is blonde, to all the Bolivianos. I get whistled at a lot, only because I am a gringa. I won´t lie, it boosts my confidence a little.. but I have to ignore it and act like it doesn´t affect me because I am a misionera. haha I love words of affirmation.

We sang a musical number with our Zone at zone conference. It´s funny cause here I am a good singer and actually know a lot about music because, no offense to the latinos, but they can´t sing. at all. But I admire them mucho. Your package is here, but I haven't received it yet. The AP forgot it! But its fine, I should get it soon. thanks mom, I am excited!

Yeah Elder Spjute emailed me but I haven´t read it yet, cause I am writing this first. My camera is still getting fixed. I am trying to be patient with that. I really hope it gets fixed cause I don´t want to buy a new one. No one takes cards here, only cash. It´s actually really frustrating.  Can I withdrawal money with a credit card? I hope things go well with Sprat tonight! I am super excited! Tell him I testify with all my heart that all the things you teach him are true. haha Time is seriously flying by! This week is transfers. I can´t believe I have already been here a whole transfer.

I love you! Please send all the family my love and testimony! :)

Hermana Wursten

p.s. I have an hour and a half for emailing.