Five Lost Missionaries for a day

Wed Jan 13, 2010

Hey fam. This week, as I would call it, HOly Adventure week. Super crazy. But really fun too. So on Wednesday we went to travel to our new place, and it took us all day. Through out the day I came to find that We weren´t going to whitewash an area but rather split an area with some elders already there. And we also found that we don’t have a place to live. SO, we travelled all day and finally got to La Paz. But the bus driver kicked us off at the arco, we were with five other elders. Because they are opening a new zone so the zone leaders whitewashed the area and we all had all our luggage. So basically we were out in the middle of nowhere. Cuz the bus driver kicked us off way too early. And then we asked this little hut where we could go to get to the terminal, because us sisters had to travel back to santa Elena one hour to be able to stay witht the sisters that live there. So we are hauling all of our luggage super far to be able to catch the bus to get to the terminal. So we have about 30 suitcases it seems like, when all of the sudden a truck pulls over with some kids sitting in the back and this super classy 60 year old woman asks us in perfect british English, where are you headed? Do you need help? And elder graham my zone leader asked wow how do you speak english so well and she answered, because we´re civilized. It was awesome. So they offered to throw our luggage in the back of the truck, and hermana bohning and I hopped in the back too. And we talked to their grandsons that also spoke perfect English. It was so fun. When we got there we tried to pay the man, but he said no please I just like to give service. And I tried to get his address so missionaries could go for him, but he was like I live too far im sorry. But he said we will see each other again. It was seriously a miracle, an answer to a prayer I didn’t even know I had. It was definitely an awesome experience. So finally we arrive to Santa Elena at like 9 pm. And the sisters are there waiting for us. (ps none of us of the missionaries had cellphones so we just were kinda hoping someone would come to be able to help us. We were the five lost missionaries all day. No one had any idea where we were. But we finally made it. We had no idea what we were supposed to do though. I finally called the elders and the assistant was like we are so sorry, yes please go help your district leader and his comp find you a place tomorrow it would be so great, whatever you find that is nice and that is good just take it you deserve it. Haha. Anyway so we weren’t able to find place so the next two days we just stayed in santa Elena with the other two sisters and did divisions. It was so awesome! I really loved being able to get back to work again and not have to think about all the dumb living things. Hermana Peterson made me think of me my first transfer she did a lot of the same things I did when I felt like I couldn’t speak Spanish. But we taught together and it was awesome! We had like 7 lessons with a member, 3 other lessons, 14 new investigators and 3 programados. We also were able to help some struggling invetgiators come to some decisions about where they are headed. The spirit was super strong all day, and it was a great blessing for me to be able to work with this sister- she is a sweetheart and is always working really hard. It was definitely a change too to be here rather than in santa fe capital where it would be more rare to even get let into a house. Hna Peterson and I found a family of 13, 11 kids, all super nice and well behaved. We said a prayer with them and they were all like shh, we need to listen. It was awesome! They are all 18 and younger and the sweetest ever. It was a really cool experience. Saturday the elders found a apt for us! We went and looked at it. Super tiny but really great price and good enough. We have nothing though… Then Sunday we went back to la paz and went to church were able to meet the members (the branch pte´s wife totally threw a curveball and we suddenly had the assignment to teach principles of evangelio, but it went really well) and then we were able to eat with their family too. It was really weird though to have four missionaries in the same branch! The members are super excited though I think because there have not been sisters in la paz for like 15 years or something like that. Anyway. Then Monday we went back to work again finding good deals on beds and fridges and stuff and today we have been able to figure some things out. But through all this we are spending more than 50 pesos a day to travel back and forth. We have no book of mormons to give out, we have no folletos. We have no phone and neither do our elders. We have NOTHING. Sorry it really got to me today. Not only that my comp is super depressed and is convinced she is going home. I feel a great burden right now to keep working and do all I can to keep her excited and share my testimony with her, but its really hard. Yesterday we were able to find a lot of people to teach in La Paz but, I was having to be the strength for both of us so that she would continue working, because she says she hates being a missionary. I know she has a testimony but she says it has gone away now. So then whenever we teach I feel like she just might be lying then. This is definitely a transfer of surprises thus far. Also we got money to buy things, but it is not sufficient. Ay yayay. Also there are about a million creepers in this town. Haha, a member from the other ward asked the elders when the ¨two blonde norteamericanos¨ were coming because he had a lot of refernces for us and wanted to go contact them with us. The elders were like alright lets go we can go with you , and then he said no no im too busy, and plus I have an appointment with the sisters. I have never talked to him…but there are a lot of cool places here. Our apt is right next to the port so we have this beautiful view of the river. We went tracting like halfway in the jungle yesterday, we saw a deer (the person had one for a pet) and a carpincho like a giant rat otter thing, it was actually really cute, and then also a lamb just like eating, tied up to a post.
Everyone here is from the campo and so their directions are terrible. Like the yellow house for este lado, with the fence. Its about three blocks from the big tree. AGH!! I hope we can find these people. There are also a bunch of legit gauchos walking around, with the hats pants and boots. Its rad. This place is so different than the City Santa fe, I love it so much. Im just sad we have a lot of distractions right now that are keeping us from the work. But, I do know this is the true church on the earth today. I know that jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that the power of God is in the earth and that it was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know obedience is absolutely important for everything we do. When we can show God we are humble enough to follow the example of His perfect son and the commandments he has mad to protect us, He will just bless us all themore. I have a very strong testimony of the principle of obedience. It is absolutely necessary for our growth and our salvation.
I love you all so much. Curtis you make me really proud, I am so stoked that you are such a rockin wrestler!! Nelson thats really cool you got to speak polish again, I am so excited that I can speak anoter language what a great blessing! I love you all so much. And sorry I seriously have NOT HAD TIME TO WRITE A REAL Letter. I m clearly a little frustrated by this. But I will do all I can to send some out soon. I love you guys!