Week 8: The Dreaded Weekly Email

My comp and I have been teaching a family with 10 children. I thought my family had a lot of people but this family… They´re on a whole new level. I have yet to meet the parents. Everytime we´ve gone to there house it´s only been kids ages about 1.5, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13, and 14. Most the time the younger kids are missing atleast half of their clothing. To describe their house I w ould say it´s a brick room with two parts, one part for kitchen stuff, tools and things and the second part that they some how squeezed 4 beds into, a dresser that holds ALL of their clothes and of course, a t.v. We struggle to teach them lessons, cause lets be honest what kids want to listen to two missionaries talk for FOREVER. I wouldn´t. Soo I was reading the picture book , “El Libro de Mormon” with them (one of the best purchases I have made) on one of the four beds ( because it was pouring outside) when all of a sudden it started to smell so strongly of poop. Like nasty, strong. I looked over and the cute little, half naked 1.5 year old had left a nice liquidy suprise right next to me. I quickly stood up and started to try to tell them what had happened… but everyone looked at me like it was the most normal thing. UHHHH, WHAT?!?! So. I sat back down (further away from the present) and finished reading as the flies invaded our space. I only read for about 2 more min before I couldn´t take it anymore.

Spiritual Story:

Alright. First of all, I had a rough couple days. I kept thinking about my best friend Rachel who passed away a couple years ago. One of my biggest fears is that I´ll forget her in some way.. but I came to realize I owe a big part of my decision to serve a mission to her and everyday I´m here I´m remember her.

Anyways. This week I was teaching with another american for a day. We taught a family that was very skeptical about the church. The mom kept looking at me and laughing because she didn´t think I understood anything… Which lets be honest, was pretty much true. She was telling us about her faith and talking about prayers… Her husband came in and we (well really my companion started teaching) about Jesus Christ. When it came time for the story of Joseph Smith my comp looked at me and asked me to teach.

The mom we were teaching started laughing, I probably looked panicked, and she told me I could speak in english because her husband understood english. I was so flustered. I didn´t know what to say in english so I found myself teaching in spanish. I recited Joseph Smith´s first vision (the one I had spent so long memorizing) and then told them about why I knew that crazy story about a 14 yearold boy was true. I told them that I knew God knew each of us, that I knew Jesus Christ had felt the pains and joys any of us will ever feel, that we are never alone and that God really does anwer prayers.

It was crazy how silent it got when I started teaching in spanish and how intently they each began to listen - it made me a l ittle intimidated. She asked me how I knew God answered prayers and I told her through feelings, through miracles in my life and through studying the scriptures…. The tone of the night truly changed. She was then shocked and couldn´t stop mentioning how much spanish I knew.

After the lesson their dog, a King Charles Spaniel, jumped up on me. I asked what its name was and they said, ¨Jesse¨. My best friend Rachel had a King Charles Spaniel and it´s name was Jesse. Never have I seen a King Charles Spaniel here in Bolivia and never have I heard of anyone named Jesse.

I could just brush alllll these things off as coincidence or luck but I know thats not what it was. I know that God knows me. I know that He was aware that I had been thinking alot about Rachel. I know that prayers are answered specifically and personally. I know I´ll see Rachel again. This Gospel teaches about hope and thats why I´m here, to share that message.

Things I love:

There´s a parrot that screams at us every morning. It´s so loud and so funny. At first I didn´t know what it was and I wanted to punch a wall. But once I found out we have a Parrot in our yard I was so happy.
The Stars here. Oh my gosh. I love stars. My comp probably thinks I´m crazy because every night I mention how beautiful they are.
I GOT A HOT SHOWER. So ummm up until two days ago I didn´t know we had hot water. My comp would always come out of the bathroom and it would be steamy and then I´d go to take a shower and it´d be too cold for me to even put my whole body in (yeah, yeah, yeah I´m a wimp). But I thought that maybe it just got steamy because the water was a little warmer than the air temperature… Ok I´m sounding stupider the more I write. The point is, I was turning the shower wrong (still not helping my case) and WE HAVE HOT WATER.

Thing´s I´m learning to Love:

When it rains here it smells like wet dog. Everywhere. Why? Oh because theres 700 dogs near me at all times of the day. You think thats a joke… I counted one night and there were 13 surrounding me while we were knocking on someones door.
Ummm. I asked my comp what she wanted to do for p-day today. She said she wanted to get food and take a nap (atleast that´s what I understood). I wanted to cry. MY BIGGEST FEAR CAME TRUE. I JUST WANT TO EXPLORE. And merrrrrrrrrr.
COMPANIONSHIP PRAYERS made it on the list again. My comp tried to start doing hugs after comp prayers and I had to end it right then and there. I just can´t. I told her comp prayers are strange. Hugging is strange. I probably sound so mean… but I don´t know how to sugar coat things in spanish. She tried to tell me it was like family prayers… hahaha I laughed. She is so nice. She said something about me being independent. Oh man, I could just hear my padre saying, “and this is why you´re still not married…”
I feel stupid 100% of the time. But I´m learning to embrace it.