11.4.13

My beloved familia! How are you?

First I am going to answer all your questions Mom. This week was good.
We had some good days and some other days that were not too great. So
we weren't  able to teach as much as we wanted to but we are going to
work extra hard this week! Yeah tomorrow is my 5 months! How crazy. It
feels like eternity but at the same time it has gone by so fast. Every
week goes by faster and faster. I seriously can´t believe it is
already Monday. Yeah, some days we don´t that many appointments, it´s
hard but it´s a good time to find other people to teach. We knock
doors a lot here. Before I was nervous to do that but now I don´t even
care. I actually kinda like it. I don´t have fear to talk to people
which is pretty cool. We had 4 people at church yesterday! Noemi, Rudy
(a reference from a member) and Demetria and her sister Aleida (but
they only came the last hour). My companion is good. I really thinnk
that we work pretty good together. She is more timid so a lot of times
I am the one initiating but I guess that´s ok cause I am her mother and
the senior companion. How weird is it that I am the senior companion
of a Latino who speaks better Spanish than me? ha ha Truly God calls
the unqualified. But I love this work so much and am constantly
learning how I can improve as a missionary.

We are trying really hard to work more with members and so far it is
going good. Truly the members have such a great influence. I hate
myself for not helping out the missionaries before my mission. We can
teach these people and what not but really it is the members that make
the difference. Because it is THEIR WARD, not ours. We´re only here
for what? 3 months? Not very much time.

We moved houses! Thank the heavens. We live with a member and her
house is so much nicer. Especially the bathroom. Goodbye pure pink
bathroom! ha ha BUT yesterday there were 3 spiders in the bathroom and
one was pretty big. I almost died.  ha ha but I was the one who ended up
killing it. Now I have fear to go to the bathroom.

We weren't able to teach a ton this week but I really think that we
found people that have potential to progress. So I am excited for
that. I really really really don´t want to leave Tarija ever. I don´t
want to go to Santa Cruz and I have fear that I am going to be
transferred this transfer.

We taught Demetria again this week and it was good. Whenever we visit
our investigators we verify if they are doing their commitments (such
as read the scriptures, and praying) and Demetria never does her
commitments except for go to church. It is frustrating cause those are
the things that are going to help them gain a testimony. But yeah
anyways we asked her if she had prayed and she said yes! She told us
that we went to a church and prayed before her night classes and
prayed sincerely to God about all the things that are going on in her
life right now (Her sister is going through a lot of stuff right now
that Demetria has to deal with) and she said that after she just felt
so happy. the happiest she has felt in a long time. I was so happy to
hear that! Cause even though she isn't reading the Book of Mormon she
now has a testimony of Pray. So step by step (poco a poco) she is
progressing.

I love the Book of Mormon! I think that everyone should read it. It´s
da bomb. Seriously sometimes I wish I could justt study all day. haha
only Gospel stuff, not college stuff (school sucks). Noemi still has
her baptism date for November 16th. She lives with the member that we
live with so we are going to work with her a lot now! Like rad the
scriptures and stuff together. I am really excited for her.

Yesterday a family in our ward, their son died (3 years old). It is
really sad. We went to the showing at the capilla. We sang hymns and
what not. I cried. I can´t even imagine what it would be like to lose
a child. And the mom is pregnant. How sad. So yesterday we were a
little busy with helping out with that and what not. We are also
trying to work more with inactive members. We seriously always end up
finding inactivos in the streets when we contact people. And we have
had 2 inactivos tell us that they are going to go to church this
Sunday. So I really hope they come! We always teach lesson 3 (Gospel
of Jesus Christ) at first and I always ask them about their baptism
and conversion so they can remember and have a desire to feel the same
way again. All these people KNOW that the church is true but it is so
hard for them to return. It´s sad.

Anyways that is our week in a nutshell. I am excited for this week!
This work is the best and everyone, EVERYONE should be involved in
this work. Especially members cause they have more power than us
misioneras. There is my short preaching for you guys.

I´m sad I missed the blessing of Hadley but that is exciting. Give her
tons a kisses from her aunt Letty please. I missed home on Halloween.
They don´t celebrate Halloween here much but we saw some kids dressed
up. I want pictures of all the nieces and nephews in their Halloween
costumes!

Les quiero mucho!!!! Mi familia es la mejor! Realmente les extraño
mucho pero estoy muy feliz en esta obra y sé que esta es la obra del
Señor. Siempre sigue adelante.

Until next week!

Hermana Wursten

All of my Zone at our activity last monday.

My horrid sunburn. Everyone we talked to said something to me about
how red I was. How embarrassing? The life of a gringa in South
america.

Me with a kitten of a member

They don´t have halloween here but dia de los muertos. They give
bread insted of candy. You can google it.

10.28.13

Hola Familia!

We had our activity with our zone this morning so that is why I am writing a little later. We went to a lake but couldn´t swim. haha so that was a little tempting but it was fun cause we played futbal norteamericano. I am super sunburnt. I never know what the weather is going to be like here cause one day it will be hot and the other day it is raining and cold. And we can´t just check the weather on the internet. The things we take for granted. But this week was good! I feel like we are improving more and more as missionaries and I have gained a love for teaching.. but only teaching the Gospel. Because it is true. I love the misson cause I am always learning more. Seriously everyday  learn something new or my testimony grows in a priciple in the Gospel. It´s so awesome. Like this week my testimony and understanding of Faith has grown SO much. Because we always talk about faith in our lessons and the people here (almost everyone is catholic) always say how they have so much faith. I want to punch everyone who says they have strong faith in the face. Serisouly. Because they don´t don´t know what Faith is exactly. And I´m perfect and I know the definition of faith. yeah, thats a joke. I just now realized here in the mission the importance and true meaning of faith. In the scriptures it says that when we have faith, we will be saved. Yeah, that seems pretty easy. But no, It´s so much more to jsut say you have faith and believe in something. When we believe, we act. the 5 principles in this Gospel are 1. Faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement 2. Repentance 3. Baptism (with the correct authority and through immersion) 4. The gift of the Holy Ghost and 5. Endure to the end. We have to have the faith to do all those things. If we don´t have faith we don´t have anything. So that was something that just hit me this week.

 

We also taught Demetria about Faith this week. I think it was one of my favorite lessons in the missiion. I just felt so close with her and I truly felt the gift of tongues. I was starting to believe that the gift of tongues isn´t real because I had never had a crazy experience with the words just coming out of my mouth. But I realize that I have been blessed with the gift of tongues a lot here. My spanish is 10 times more better when I am teaching. Always. and I guess I just took for granted the words flowing out of my mouth. But this lesson with Demetria I just felt like I wasn´t even thinking what I was saying, the words were just coming. It was cool too cause we went into the lesson planning on teaching the Word of wisdom but somehow I just started with Faith and went with it and I truly think that was the guidance of the spirit cause after the lesson she told us she wants to do what is right and work on her faith. I was able to share my experience where I knew what I should do but didn´t have the faith to do it. Then eventually I just relied on the LITTLE faith that I had and just did it. And for that my faith grew more and I didn´t see the blessings right away but now I understand why I was supposed to do that. It was really special and She shared some stories with us too. We talked about a lot of things. Overall it was just a really good lesson.

 

Training is going good. I actually am really grateful for this time to train, it is definitely a lot more stress but I am learning how much stronger I am than I think. The Lord truly is carrying me through. Noemi has a baptism date for November 16! She is so great and I am really excited for her. So we are going to do all we can to prepare her for her baptism. Yesterday was stake conference and Elder Calderon of the Seventy was there along with the President of the Cochabamba Temple and Presidente Willard. It was really great! And... we had 4 investigators there! Noemi, Demetria and her 2 sisters (Adela and Aleida). It was really great and I was so happy! Demetria and her sisters were an hour late and we were waiting in the hall for them the whole first hour. I was stressing hardcore that they weren´t going to come and sad that they were missing the talks of Presidente Willard and Temple President. And once again, like always, I cried (the whole time I was just thinking please don´t cry please don´t cry). I truly stress for these people. But they came and I am happy.

 

A miracle of this week. Not my miracle but it was really special. There is a member in our ward that her husband isn´t a member and the missionaries have been teaching him for the past 8 years. Well yesterday at conference he said he wanted to get baptized and the Temple President baptized him and Pres. Calderon and Pres. Willard were all there for his baptism. The baptism of the century, yeah? The baptism was so incredibly special and spiritual. The wife bore her testimony and I was crying pretty hard, and everyone else tambien. I can´t even imagine how hard that would be for her for so long her husband not wanting to get baptized for so long. She is so incredibly strong. I get sad when the people don´t want to listen to us or they don´t go to church.. so I can´t even imagine how much more sad I would be if it were my husband. So that was an experience really special in the mission. Mom, I think that if you were on a mission you would cry a ton. haha Cause I never really thought I cried that much before but now I am always crying. I love that I can feel the spirit so much here! Best feeling in the world.

 

So I thought more of what I want for chirstmas. New clothes. I already hate all my clothes here and I still have a year left. haha You can just buy a skirt or so from DI I don´t even care, just something new. Also, a USB so I can get pictures from other missionaries.

 

The only thing I want when I finish the mission and go home is a pedicure (my feet are disgusting). and new clothes, and your car. That isn´t too much to ask, no?

 

The mission is great and I am so happy. I love the experiences I have and the things that I learn and the people that I meet. It is great too cause when I first got here I felt like I couldn´t show my personality much because I didn´t know how to talk very well. But now I feel like I can actually be myself and talk. God loves me!

 

Thanks for everything! I love you a ton! I am so grateful for my family. You guys are the best. I always miss you and I know you always miss me... because how could you not? Hasta luego!

 

Hermana Wursten

 

The Libro de Mormon that we gave Noemi with Chocolate for her birthday. 

 We had Zone Conference this week too and that was really great like always! I always learn so much. All the Hermanas.

 

I still got style.. at least I am trying to have style still. 

The fish that we ate today.  

10.21.13

Hola!

So this week was good. We worked really hard and were able to teach a lot of lessons. Hna Choque is really great. She is more on the timid side but is so sweet and has a great testimony. We are trying our best to talk with everyone that we see. It is actually pretty exhausting, but it´s good and we are meeting a bunch of new people. We are looking for a family that can receive the blessings of this Gospel. So please pray for us in that. Actually please pray for us in everything. haha Training is good. It´s weird cause I take control of everything which before Hna Q always did. I will admit it is pretty stressful at times. If we don´t do good it is all on me. Like I have to do everything. But it´s good cause I can see that I am progressing. We don´t learn unless we are challenged. No we don´t have a kitchen, just a little fridge and a little stove. I have pictures of the casa so maybe one day I will send them. The pictures of the kitchen that we were in was at the house of a member.

So this week my testimony in the scriptures grew even more. Every personal and companionship study I felt the spirit with the scriptures and learned something new. I love the scriptures! There were 2 times that I cried, hard, when reading something in the scriptures. For example in John 13:8-9. During our companionship study we read that and I could have sobbed but I was trying really hard to control myself cause Hna Choque was there and she probably felt awkward in the first place that I was crying. haha I don´t know why but it just touched me so much. We have to let Christ help/serve us always cause we can´t do anything without him.

We taught Demetria 3 times this week and they were all really good lessons. I truly love her. We invited her to baptism and she accepted (along with her sister)! But she has to get married first so her fecha isn't until 30 de noviembre. We talked to her about marriage and how it is a commandment and what not and then the next day we taught the Law of Chastity. It is a little awkward having to teach that when the person has 2 kids, not married and lives with her boyfriend. But it was fine. We had a member with us and she helped a lot. It was sad cause she told us that she felt bad, we told her that we weren't here to make her feel bad to to help her and that we know these things will bring so much more happiness in her life. And also how God is so merciful and how we have repentance. She truly had the desire to do what is right and talked with her boyfriend about marriage but he doesn't want to. How stupid is he? Yeah, sorry that was a little harsh but yeah we are going to talk with him this Saturday. I have been thinking a lot in how we can help her and her husband get married and that he will want to go to church too.

She didn't come to church though yesterday so her fecha doesn't count. Before we had a member go to pick her up and take her to church but he told the member that she couldn't come. So then we called her and she said that she was having problems so she would be late. I was waiting anxiously all through sacrament meeting to see her but nothing. I cried. I just felt so sad and like a failure. It´s so frustrating because I want so badly that these people can receive these blessings but they all have their agency. But still I think, ¨what more could I have done?¨ I put the blame on me. The mission is stressful. But we visited her after and she said that she was having problems with her other sister so she couldn't come but she wanted to.

But we had 1 investigador at church so that was good! Noemi. She is 17 years old and lives with a member. She is great, we taught her this week and are going to teach her Saturday again. It was her Birthday Friday so we gave her a Book of Mormon and chocolate. The best gift anyone can receive, yeah? Eternal Salvation and chocolate!

 Something exciting... Alvaro, the Dad of the familia Hidalgo received the Aaronic Priesthood and blessed the sacrament yesterday. How awesome is that?! I was so happy for him. They have progressed so much and that brings me so much joy.

We had intercambios this week! I was with Hna Mita (from La Paz, Bolivia) in our area and Hna C was in her area with her companion. It was really good. I love intercambios because I always learn so much from the other hermanas and it´s fun to switch things up every once and a while and be with someone different for a day. 

So this morning Hna C told me that I was talking in my sleep... in Spanish and in English. hahah seriously that is my mind. I think in both Spanish and English. It´s a little confusing sometimes. and that I was laughing in my sleep. haha so I am happy in my dreams so that is good.
I don´t know how long it takes for a package to get to me but I am assuming about 3 or 4 weeks. I loves packages! *hint hint. Thanks so much for your love and support! I am truly so lucky and blessed. the mission is hard and exhausting but it is great and I am so grateful for the things that I have learned and experienced. I am glad that things are going great at home! But it seems like every time you email me someone new died. haha so that is a little depressing. Thanks heavens for the Plan of Salvation.  I love you!!!!

Hermana Wursten

10.14.13

Hola Familia!

So the big news.. are you ready for it?? I am training!! Yep, and guess who is my companion? Hermana Choque from La Paz, Bolivia! So I have a Latina which I am really happy about cause I know that is going to bless my Spanish more. I am really happy with all the changes. So we found out transfers Tuesday night and then I had to leave Wednesday morning for Santa Cruz to meet my hija.. I didn't know who I was training at this point. Us trainers from Tarija and Bermejo.. me and 3 others elders (once again I was the only hermana, its always really weird when there are no other hermanas with me). We arrived to Santa Cruz and Pres. Willard had a little meeting/training with us trainers. As he was talking I felt a lot of comfort. He was saying how he prayed a lot to know who should train this transfer and how he has a lot of faith in us. It made me feel good cause I felt way inadequate to train (still do). But it´s cool cause I know that he is an inspired man and he received his answer through the spirit which means that not only Pres. Willard knows I can do this but God knows too. So that really motivated me. I really really really want to make my Heavenly FAther proud with this transfer and also be a good trainer for Hna Choque. At the end of the meeting Pres. Willard asked that me and another Elder share our testimonies. I was actually really grateful for the opportunity to give my testimony. After the meeting we receieved our children! haha there were only 7 hermanas in this transfer. Hna Faulk is training tambien so it was cool to see her. Anyways we stayed the night in a hotel and then left the next morning for Tarija. We had another layover in Cochabamba and guess what happened.. yep, our plane was delayed for another day AGAIN! Cochabamba is cursed. But we weren't able to go to the temple this time so that was a bummer. But we walked around for a bit and then stayed at a hotel again. It was actually really fun. We were with 5 other elders. We also played what if in Spanish (que pasaría si...) hahaha so that was funny. Finally we made it to Tarija the next morning. Oh yeah and we ate llama meat for dinner at the hotel... it was chewy.

When we arrived to Tarija I just remember feeling so overwhelmed and wanting to cry. I just felt so much pressure. But it got better throughout the day and I can´t even express the power of God that is working through me. I have 10 times more confidence in myself and the spirit is definitely in our lessons more than before. It´s because I really really want to be a good missionary and I have relying more in the spirit. It definitely works.

But I will admit this week was rough. We were able to teach lessons Friday but Saturday and Sunday.. NOTHING. I felt so frustrated cause we are being obedient and trying really hard. Just everyone was busy and couldn'tt listen. We even had a member with us on Saturday for about 3 hours. It really sucked and I felt like a failure and I felt bad for Hna Choque because it´s her first couple of days in the mission. We were able to talk with a lot of people and have a lot of citas for this week. But I told Hna Choque that this week is going to be really great because before something great happens things are always hard at first. I have faith that we are going to have a lot of success. We studied in PMG how to be a missionary with success and we are going to really put in a lot of effort to do all the things it says.

Hna Choque is great. Seriously though. I don´t even feel like I am training her. haha I told her that I am learning from her and she told me that she is learning a lot from me... so we are learning from each other! Isn't that how a companionship be? We work really well together so I am really happy about that.

This Sunday Demetria came to church again and she brought her little sister (17 years old)! We went to pick her up before but she wasn´t ready so she told us she would meet us there. So the Sacrament had already passed and she wasn't there, and neither was the Familia Hidalgo. I seriously was holding back tears I was so bummed and sad. And then they both walked in and I can´t even express the happiness that I felt. It was fast Sunday and I was so grateful for all the testimonios of the members. Seriously now that I am in a mission I realize the importance of testimonies. they are so powerful! so church was great. We invited Demetria to baptism this week but she wants more time so we are going to work with her.

It´s cool cause as a missionary my desires to share this Gospel with people has grown so much. Before I was a little shy or embarrassed or uncomfortable to talk about jose smith, profetas, the word of wisdom etc. But now I don´t even care, I want to talk about it cause I KNOW it is true and it is what brings us happiness and more important SALVACION. why can´t everyone just accept the Gospel?

I got a bunch of letters and the package from Gin this week! I was so happy and loved every letter. THANK YOU SO Much! Thanks to Gin, Chrissy, Catherine and Vladi (shout outs!). I am so grateful for the love and support that I have.

Oh yeah I dyed my hair darker. I had horrible roots so something had to be done. After I dyed my hair I realized I wouldn´t get as many whistles or cat calls and I was actually really bummed. But I still get whistles and what not so I am happy. I think this is the only time I will ever be thankful for pale skin. 

Anyways I can´t think of much more to write. Next week is going to be better. Please pray for us that we can have success and find a family to teach that is prepared to receive this Gospel! We really want to teach families cause we know how much the Gospel blesses families. I love you!!!

Hermana Wursten

p..s we played volleyball Monday and I ran into a bench and now have a bruise on my knee. haha 

p.s.s The sisters have it easy there... going to the temple and thrift shopping and after Leatherbys.. are you sure they are working??? jk

 

Moroni in Tarija! 

Going to Conference in the back of a truck.. only in South America.

This is at conference with her Bishop and family.

If you look the symbol thing, it is the lions club. Thinking of my lion´s club padres!

Hna and Pres Willard and me and Hna Choque in SantaCruz.

in Cochabamaba!

10.7.13

HOLA!!!!

Ahh HAdley is so adorable! I got a little teary eyed looking at the photos partly because she is so cute and special and partly because I am sad that I can´t see her in real life or hold her. But I am content with where I am and now that it´s ok that I have to wait a year or so. She will always have her missionary aunt to look up to for her sacrifices. haha

Ok so this week was crazy and great! So many things happened! I will start off with Monday. I ended being with Hna Wolf and Hna Eden for the the day and we left together for Santa Cruz the next day. I slept on the floor that night. haha the life of a misionera in South America, and to make it better I have yet to see carpet here. Anyways we arrived to Santa Cruz around 3 or 4 in the afternoon Tuesday and it was so fun to be able to see all the Hermanas! It was like one big party, we were all hugging and taking pictures and eating cookies. But then we had the meeting/training. It was so great! Pres. and Hna Willard are so powerful and spiritual and loving. I love it! We did some practices with the APs on different situations and I learned a ton on how I am improve my lessons as a missionary. And as I have applied those things I have been able to see the difference in the spirit during the lessons. After the meeting we all ate out at this restaraunt which was super fun! Then the Hermanas that had to travel stayed in a hotel and left the next morning (I am included with them). Wednesday morning we left at like 5 in the morning and had a layover in Cochabamba. While we were in Cochabamba (our lideres de zona were with us too cause they were in Santa Cruz for a leader training thing) we ended have having a layover for 5 hours!!! So guess what we did... yeah we went to the TEMPLE!!!!!! Seriously we were all like freaking out like little kids to be able to go to the Temple. The Cochabamaba temple is seriously BEAUTIFUL! I think it is now one of my favorites. So yeah we were able to do a session! It was so great! I seriously love love love the temple. The new video isn´t here in Sud America yet though so that was a bummer. But I don´t even care, I was just happy to enter the house of the Lord. My camera died so I don´t have any pictures with me but I took some pictures on Hna Wolfs camera. I will send them to you eventually. Anyways after rushing back to the airport we then find out our plane won´t leave until the next morning. So then we end up staying in a hotel (provided by the airplane people) and left the next morning (it was pretty gross having to wear the same clothes and garments from the day before). Thrusday morning we finally arived to Tarija and went straight to the Zone meeting. After we were able to change and what not. So even thought it was reaqlly unfortunate that we were stuck in Cochabamba for a day it was also really great and fun! I love all the missionaries in my zone. They are super fun.

Conference was seriously SO GREAT!!!!!!!!!! Saturday I watched it all in Spanish and was able to understand the majority. Sunday we watched the sessions in english with all the other norteamericano misioneros. I have to admit, hearing conference in your own native language is much better. Sunday morning session was my favorite. I  think I cried in almost every talk and I was almost sobbing in President Monson´s talk. I just felt really sad for him and his wife but also felt the spirit really strongly. I am so grateful for a living profeta today and for the guidance, spirit and help I receive through the profeta. I truly can feel the love the savior has for me through him. I KNOW Pres. Monson is a profeta of God! Oh and Demetria was able to come to the Sunday Morning Session, but she didn´t get to hear it all cause she had her kids with her so they were a bit of a distracttion. Kids are great and totally innocent and of God but sometimes they are a barrier in lessons cause they distract so much. Love them, but wish they weren´t in the lessons. haha ¿Is that bad I said that?

Ok yeah, so the Zone Leaders lied to us. There are only 7 hermanas coming in this transfer, so it is not for sure that I am training this transfer, but Hna Quispe and the Zone Leaders keep telling me that I am going to train. I want to, but then at the same time I don´t want to. But I know I will learn a TON ton ton more and that my Spanish will get even better. But I think in the next transfer all the hermanas will be training. 

Anyways because of our little adventure and conference we weren´t able to teach a ton of lessons but I feel like I definitely was spiritually fed and I am so grateful. I love the spirit and I love this Gospel! I love you! Thanks always for your support. Hasta luego!

Hermana Wursten