EMAIL CHAT 9/28/11…………

Nope meetings, meetings, and more meetings.... we had transfers today and I changed comps as well.... and did you know that Kyle wrote me a wonderful letter, he made me cry, look now I sound like you.  LOL. (Jessie will be out one year on October 6^th, this is the first letter her one and only sibling has written to her.   It made her VERY happy.)

yeah I'm reading your letter, let me read it one minute and then I can share what happened.... also the letter from him just made my day!!!

hey.... so today I can't really talk much because we are at the library that is in San Juan because we had transfers today....

Crazy stuff....

1. CTR Ring broke, it doesn't even function for me anymore.   (Jessie wears rings all the time and the CTR ring was a nicer quality one, which she wears daily.   She’s hard on rings, so it was only a matter of time. J)

2. I had to talk to President about something and so he had me and Hermana Angel travel yesterday morning because Hermana Angel is now a trainer and then President could talk to me too.... well I spent the entire day in the office and didn't get to talk to President until super late. During the day he was indicating that I wouldn't have Hermana Jimenez which I was so devastated... and that was hard on me cuz I was like am I a bad trainer? Well I met with him and we talked and then he explained that I would still have Hermana Jimenez, but he also had a project for me if I wanted to accept. This is confidential what I am about to write..... (I edited out the confidential part……….)  President gave me an option because he said it will be very difficult, and I chose to take the responsibility.... I haven't had success in the mission so I figured I can try.

3. Hermana Curl and Moltavo have been called to Santa Cruz and St Thomas... lucky ducks, but they can only bring one bag, that's hard for both.   (The outlying islands of the mission have been closed off to young missionaries for most of Jessie’s mission.   Recently they started letting elders go back to them.  I think these two are the first sisters to return.)

4. I finally had the chance to see Myrna our rescued menos activo that seemed hard to get in contact with.... we thought she had cancer again, then the doctors said no, and now we found out that she will be receiving open heart surgery soon.

5. I didn't go to the doctor’s because we tried and when we went they said that it was too late and my blood wasn't right anymore... fasting for too long.... so tomorrow morning we are going.

6. I'm guessing you haven't heard from the cover guy?   (Jessie needs a new scripture case for her Spanish scriptures.   There’s a man in the Dominican Republic who makes them by hand and they’re beautiful.   She’s trying to arrange for him to make her one with a zipper.)

7. My one year mark is the same day as Hermana Lopez's birthday (new comp).   (October 6^th)

8. Nothing really new, not sure if we'll have the chance to see conference.

9. Grandma wrote me and Mare... Tayse Ashby is engaged

10. I'm so ready for success here on the mission, BAPTISMS!!!!!

I had some follow-up questions…….

-The fasting will only be for breakfast only for the tests... (she’s done a lot of not eating for the tests, so I told her she should make the most of it and fast….even it was just a mini-fast.)

- (Hermana Lopez).... she likes criminal stuff she wants to be FBI... she has her masters in criminal justice (and she’s from the Bronx)

- It's not that they don't have it, it’s the fact that if we don't have our foundation before (General)  conference (we) can't go and this week has been super hard... it was the same last time, but I don't know if it’s the same rule

- I don't feel like I've done anything here in my mission.... even when I've had these assignments doesn't seem like I've done anything.... also I'm here to baptize too... I want to help some Puerto Ricans, not just have them reject me. LOL.  

(I reminded her that she’s been bringing inactive members back to church.)

 no I'm not a very good, successful missionary  (Don’t all missionaries say this at some point on their mission?)

yeah LOL..... I hope I'm helping ..... I do know that president has a lot of respect for me, trust and love he always tells me that... he's always like you know we love you right.  LOL.

LOVE YOU TONS GOTTA DRIVE IN PRICAN TRAFFIC LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND KYLE!!!!!!!!!

Email chat 9/21/11..........

hey hey I'm glad you’re on..... I'm doing pretty good... exhausted as usual. I went to the doctor did I tell you that and I tried going again because I need lab tests done... but the traffic was awful and no place to park, so after email we are going to try again.... question can I use our health card cuz the mission still is waiting for the church to put money in my card to pay the expense....

(Cody, our dog, has diabetes) hehehe oh I am so glad he's okay... I was so worried.... I don't want him to leave before I come....

Did you by chance write in my blog and Facebook my email, no one writes, I don't ever know what is happening. LOL. (I think that last comment was intended for her friends) ………………….

1. There is a sister who used to sing in the MOTAB and her and her husband are over public relations. They are organizing a Christmas concert to travel to each side of PR and 5 concerts. It will be shown to members and big wigs of PR. We had auditions the other day... and they will have 2 quartets and a group. She be sweet.... wish me luck!

2. Sounds like they are opening up the islands for Hermana's to enter, I won't be transferred (this time around), but maybe in the next...

3. Here in PR they have meat on a sick with BBQ sauce called Pinchos and I think JDawg's should do it with their sauce... it would be a hit. Also I officially finished my JDawg's sauce, sad story.... (you might remember me mentioning that the owners of JDawgs are in our ward and good friends.   I’ve sent more than one bottle of the JDawgs special/secret sauce to PR and there’s another on its way.   J)

No JDawgs sauce.........waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh

4. An elder in our mission is getting sent home because he fell off a cliff and is literally a miracle. He is still alive, but had a serious surgery and I believe they are sending him home.... he fell off the cliff chasing and trying to catch iguanas... the other missionaries who were with him are fine.

5. Through this experience President held a conference about obedience and if we haven't resolved something to fix it now. It was intense and talk about feeling bad....

6. I got to see miss Hermana Jimenez, Encarnation, Beltran, and Moltavo it was great to see them.

7. I made the group to sing, so I'll be singing for the Christmas concert.  (Yahoo!!!   Jessie is not a singer, so this is a huge opportunity for her!)

8. Please put my address on Facebook.  (I told her I wasn’t comfortable doing that.   Her address is here on the blog if you need it.)

9. We did a clean-up service at the beach that was cool.

with Hermana Jimenez 

 

the woman is Maricarmen and she is the Branch President's wife in Adjuntas

a couple of girls from the Adjuntas Branch

10. I love Mexican food ;P

so nothing really for our week in the mission work... we have been riding bikes, and have been meeting new people, but nothing really new. Still working.....

LOL.  all my roommates have liked it (the JDawgs sauce – she keeps using it up)

I mean comps.  LOL.

hehehe yeah it's all pork and chicken that she cooks (the Mexican food) and the girls are doing great (her former companions that she got to see)

(I asked if she liked the food her companion cooks……) yes its delicious......

We had a little time to chat, not ton.... (with her former companions)

and we are getting along well... definitely a few times we use patience, but she is great. We are seriously two peas in a pod.... so much alike (about Hma. Jimenez)

(I asked her if she was learning dances from Hma. Jimenez and was she teaching her dances too.) well that’s our goals but sometimes we are not in the moods to dance. LOL.... apparently she was the principle dancer of a professional group in her pueblo (city) she apparently is super good, it sounds like and she has traditional dresses and she wants to give me one... cool eh

(I asked if Hma. Jimenez did all styles of dance, like Jessie.)   just Mexican folklore and I think he knew (I asked if Pres. Alvarado knew Hma. Jimenez was a dancer when he made Jessie her trainer.)

We have done a little Polynesian she wants to do the exercise video too. LOL.

We're almost done we need to head over there (to the doctor for lab tests) and yes I'm still fasting. LOL. I've done a ton this last 2.5 months.

well I'm heading out I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND TELL KYLE AND CODY A GOOD LOVEY HI FROM ME!!!!!!! just think almost 7 months finally heheheheh

EMAIL CHAT 9/14/11……….

Thanks a bunch for the letter, definitely cracking up and love hearing about you guys... you know how much those mean to me and how much I miss you guys!!!!

Nope (LOL) Mom, come on. I don't know what that is here in Puerto Rico. LOL. jk (I had asked her if they had plans to do anything fun this PDay) .... it's raining... funny because people said that Ponce never rains, but the moment I came it rains like every other day.... more than in the past for Ponce. LOL.  I've got a curse......

(I told her both the car and the dog got sick at the same time.)   And I understand when one bad thing happens it seems that everything else falls in the same place... gotta love life.... but then miraculously things get right back up and all is good.

1. We had 3 menos activos show up.... ate delicious Mexican food from a menos activa who has problems with the ward, Lohary went to church, and Yaditza a young, single mother who is reactivating. Also had an investigator named Amber come to church and she is in Young Women’s. Also we have another 16 year old MA that is reactivating and she's kind of goth, but super sweet and she came with us to teach on Saturday.

2. We had a family home evening with Lohary. She never let people into her house only a certain comp of elders, and Hermana Garcia and I and Jimenez... but this last Sunday we had a family home evening with the new Bishop Rivera and his family (wife is RS Pres) and two other elders. So it was great that she accepted others into her house. She also received a blessing, her older son which both have problems, and her younger and only daughter. Also she received a blessing in the house. We are really hoping these things will help strengthen her family and help her get back on track to obedience, love, and happiness.

3. On Monday we had an interview with President.... it went a ton better than I thought it would be.... he definitely lifted my spirits and said things I definitely needed to hear. He always assigns a journal assignment for me and this time he wants me to really understand the Atonement,  because I understand it, but not completely, because in reality I definitely lack happiness. So he wants me to study vigorously in the Atonement and life of Jesus Christ... mark and read Jesus the Christ and focus in the scriptures. He said he wants me to write a talk that would be as if I were speaking in General Conference.... so we will see. LOL.... also you should read DC 64:33-34 I think.... this is what he read to me when I didn't know if I've been a productive missionary for myself and my comp.

4. Funny story... Yaditza our MA has a little girl who is 2 and seriously out of control.... well we basically keep her entertained all throughout church. So I was sitting and us missionaries always give her paper to draw.... so she asked me for paper.... so I was like paper paper.... okay found some and gave it to her.... funniest thing... I was holding the paper to give it to her and she puts her face on the paper and wipes her nose. I was like What is this heheheh.... then she took the paper from my hands and wiped her nose again. I was just cracking up cuz she wanted toilet paper. LOL.

5. We were contacting in Walmart there are tons of families there. As we were contacting one of the security guys came up. We always contact there and so do elders. Recently elders were kicked out, so we were like oh man this is our hot spot. And also our zone leaders were there too in the parking lot... so he comes up and is all like hey.... my name is Eddy and yours... in the end he just wanted to get to know us. He knew the other sisters and other elders and wanted to meet us. He even explained these vitamins that he takes that are great and healthy that are made in SLC. They are called 4life or Reezon. It was funny and he offered that if we come with our bikes he'll watch them for us. The zone leaders were worried and asked us and we were like Eddy just wanted to meet us!

6. Sad news after being in Ponce for about 20 weeks no one knows my name still... I get a lot of ugly looks and still feel like an outcast in PR.... I'm praying real hard for that unconditional love. Definitely a challenge from Heavenly Father because me and this people do not click.

7. Miracle on Tendel-  So president told us no more all of Ponce, focus in one area called Villa de Carmen. I was relieved with this because all of Ponce with everyone's references is a load. Well he told us to really only focus there. So we went toking (knocking) on the doors to contact families. We were having everyone tell us they were busy or from a different religion then all of a sudden, the biggest miracle I thought would never happen in my mission (something that Hermana Jimenez needed to see as well....) there was a woman outside and we asked if she needed help to clean she said no.... then we introduced ourselves.... she seemed kind of hesitant when we wanted to help clean but when we said the church and asked if she had heard of it she was like yes I've seen your commercials and they are incredible and fantastic I always feel so filled up in my heart. She loves them.... then we talked about how the gospel blesses families and when we asked if we could come and share she was like yes definitely... then she talked that there are so many churches, but Christ only has one faith, one church... and other things that we were like YES..... and she had tried different churches but she knew they weren't the true church that they lacked something..... so it was amazing for us to hear someone say this and then want us to teach so she could feel full. We have an appointment today cuts our PDay but it's for a good cause. LOL. And she has 8 kids, married 37 years and 9 grandkids..... and she said she thinks this is what her family needs. So please pray for Yorlanda she is prepared we feel. Then we went a little further down the road and contacted another family and they want to learn to and come to church this Sunday.... what I don’t think these are pure Puerto Ricans.

8. I finished my mint ice cream, but I found where it's located hehehe no more free ice cream from Lizette LOL.

9. I got a haircut during our interviews and it's shorter than I wanted good thing hair grows.

10. I'm going to try to go to the doctor today.

11. WOW almost 1 year.   (October 6^th!)

EMAIL CHAT 9/7/11………

Jessie and Hermana Jimenez biking at night

Hey, before I forget, you can send things to our house still, we're still there and also you can tell people they can email me if that is easier than writing a letter. I'm receiving nothing and it's kind of depressing. LOL.

(I sent her a photo of a hug and told her to get a hug from one of the women she knows who might be squishy like me…………..)  hehehe thanks for the hug.... unfortunately Puerto Ricans and I don't get along as well and none look like you even though they all look like from the U.S. LOL.

No doctor and no dentist, we were going to go to the doctor until I realized I wasn't fasting, so I might call in to see if the mission will let me go another day and get it done.

Yeah they said for the blood test I should fast for that type of test, but I forgot this morning...... so I need to check if they'll let me do it this week....

Yeah I don't know I heard that thyroid has to do with your hormones, so maybe it's worse when my hormones work more.....

Well this week as usual is a test of patience and a sign that I'm ready to finish and go home. LOL..... but.....

1.)   funny story.... someone thinks I'm bad at speaking English, go figure!!! I don't speak any language but SPANGLISH!!!! So we were contacting and we came up to a family who was walking. There was a grandma with a little boy and behind two adults (guessing mom and dad).... so I contacted the grandma and she was like no hablo espanol... and I was like that's great I speak English.... so she was like okay well we need to go because he is antzie. Then the parents behind came and we shared them a card. It was awful the contact, I had no idea how to contact in English. Then I was like sorry with my mixed up English and the man responded, "no actually your English is pretty good" OH MY GOSH... sorry thought that Spanish was my native tongue. LOL. Americans! I was in shock and then I asked where they were from and they were like Massachusetts and I was like me too (they probably didn't believe me) and then we talked a little bit more and they left. I was so ashamed of myself. LOL.

2. We contacted and came to a house that was having a bday party and long and behold (literally) a family of weenie dogs.... 2 parents and a ton of puppies... recently I've been seeing quite a few weenie dogs, which is funny for here because it's not common at all for that type. SO CUTE.  (Our dog is a weenie dog, that’s why they get her special attention. J)

3. Ismael got baptized, received the Holy Ghost and bore his testimony. It was great to see how much he has grown. Now we gotta help his wife do the same. The Sunday he received the HG and bore his testimony, he came up to me and thanked me for helping him a ton. And that he appreciated what we did.

4. I love the days when you don't know you are following the Spirit and then all of a sudden a miracle happens..... There is a family, Lizette and Sara (ice cream family), and she has a menos activo son who married a non-member. Well she has been wanting us to meet him.... well we were contacting and were planning to see them, but decided to head to their house later. We did contacts and the moment we arrived they had just arrived. It was a last minute thing for them and we decided to wait a little later in the day to visit and then bam we ended being there at the same time. IT WAS GREAT... so we shared with them and found out they liked it and felt good after. So we really hope that we can see them more and it was funny because Lizette had to clarify that she didn't plan it.

5. Poor Hermana Jimenez I don't think I'm a good trainer. .. there has been drama (unnecessary), no success, and blah things. I think she thinks we never have success and we don't do things well. I hate that...I feel so bad for her cuz I'm trying and it's not working for her. She has a fiery desire and I don’t. Please pray for her and me.... we get along great, but it's been rough with everything going on....

6. Got a nice new car

7. got a tan

8. Learned more about the resurrection

9. Have mint ice cream

10. need a new scripture case again I think... because my scriptures ripped and so my case doesn’t support it from falling the pages. I've tried super gluing a ton of times, I need to find one that has a zipper.... there is one that I found that is $40 leather and somewhat carved... I was a little afraid that would happen with my scriptures and the case.

(I asked what town the family from MA was from……….)  they told me where but bad memory can't remember and they knew Mansfield.

…………………………..

okay I will try that (praying and asking for the blessing of having unconditional love for the people) and keep trying just get ready for an hour hug when I return okay cuz I will be so ready. LOL.

We'll see. LOL.  (I told her to go play for a few minutes…..she REALLY needs to play!)   no I need to write to pres but where we are there isn't any place.... we have to always be careful about miles and we are far from the house to sleep. LOL. (another thing she could really use  J)   ... we want to look for pinchos somewhere it's meat on a stick.

(About Camaret………..her cousin’s cousin on the other side)  Oh my goodness she's married!  She looks beautiful. How crazy!

Oh man I'm sad that Trish and I are missin’ it.  (Tricia is one of the cousins Jessie and Camaret have in common.)

.... that’s so great.... I love the one with the frame, we might have to do that (about photos).

How fun to look at those (pictures)

Yeah I want to do that photo (the family used a picture frame inside the photo and made goofy faces).

Alright  LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU DON’T EVEN UNDERSTAND HEHEH JK I KNOW YOU DO!!!!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox



EMAIL CHAT 8/31/11

(I asked her how she was……) hey hey mom I'm exhausted. LOL... how are you?

(I commented on the fact that she has 8 months left on her mission……) I just read your part about eight months.  I almost have 7 months this 6th of Sept..... I'm almost done with the eighth. LOL.

I then commented on how,  as far as we know, her release date is the end of April, which if you count it out means she has 8 months to go ……even though she entered the MTC on October 6^th, she’ll be on her mission 3 weeks past her exact 18 months.

I thought my release date was the 24th.... oh my gosh didn't even think about that.

I asked if she was getting a chance to play on her PDays………

Heck no!  This mission does not believe in that. LOL.  jk (just kidding)... we have some fun in conferences and that's it. LOL.... no we are exhausted because we have not had a car this week..... because we have limited miles and 3 different conferences that took up 300 miles and counting.... I didn't know they counted because 300 miles is a ton of miles..... well they made up a new rule that if we hit our limit we park the car until the beginning of the new month.... so we parked and we walked and biked... poor Hermana Jimenez.  These last two weeks have been a disaster and miraculous at the same time.

I then asked if she told Hermana Jimenez………..”Welcome to the Puerto Rico Mission”.   J

Oh yes, I tell her that everyday... this has to be the craziest mission in the entire world.  LOL.....

Okay I will try to do the points and remember everything....

1. We ended up having our time inside the house for the hurricane warning and it didn't rain really when we were inside... but when we left to work it rained. The next day we drove in floods.

2. The office tells us we need to have our emergency bags ready... mine was almost, I went to look inside and I used to have 40 dollars inside and couldn't find it. I don't remember spending it all and I don't (know) if it were a possibility someone stole it... so we had to use the money we had in the bank. We took out what we had, leaving us with nothing. Then not just that but Hermana Jimenez can't change her Mexican peso for dollars... making it super hard.

3. Then we get a call that we need to go to San Juan for a meeting with the new missionaries. We were like okay, then the assistants asked us, how are you doing in your miles... and I was like we're over because of the conferences, but they don't count right. They were like oh they count, park your car and we will see what we can do. So they had Hermana Garcia and Hermana Christianson drive over her at 5 am for the 8 am meeting. I felt so bad, but it was great cuz I could be with Hermana Garcia one last time. After the meeting we rode a van with a senior couple and a bunch of elders for Ponce and Mayaguez.  But as we were returning I was terrified what Hermana Jimenez and I were going to do about getting to our area. We live in the opposite side of everything and to leave our area the only way out is the highway.

4. We finally had the guts to get going with our bikes on the highways the long distance.   (YIKES!!!!)   Then we realized that Hermana Jimenez didn't have lights for her bike and it was getting dark, and I hadn't put mine in. Then we had the problem of no money to buy the lights or batteries for mine. We also had a cita that was about 6 miles away. So we realized we had our emergency money and we took our bikes and rode on the freeways. Hermana Jimenez knew how to ride a bike, but not well but miracle she was riding really well, and it was so exhausting. So we got to Walmart used our cash and stood outside of Walmart for an hour trying to set up our lights. Finally we set up a few and started our journey again. I made us go one way that seemed safer and I thought quicker, but on bikes much longer. Basically we made a huge circle and the elders were calling us about the cita. We explained that we were still super far and we probably wouldn't be able to make it..... so we returned all away around and drove back in the dark on the highways.

5. Next day we had our ward activity (it was okay, not many investigators and different than we thought, but worked) and we were like how are we going to make it. So we decided to call a hermana and she agreed to pick us up. We walked about 1.5 miles to meet up with her at a gas station, walking on the freeways.... and she drove us to the activity. Then we were able to find another ride to go visit the cita we had to cancel the day before. She is a menos activa named Yaditza and she has two kids and she's young. She has such a desire to return back to church and change her life. She's great!!! So she lives in a place called a casarillo which is like projects.... the elders were scared to enter but all of us hermanas (members and us) were confident. LOL.   (That’s my girl!) It was interesting cuz after someone on a bike in the dark asked us if we were with the elders and why they were skittish because he wanted them to feel welcomed and not scared. Anyways we taught Yaditza and then Evitte and Sara (love them) brought us home. The next day we received a ride to church and the whole time during the activity on Saturday we were fasting until Sunday at lunch. We were so parched. Then we received a ride to church and it was a loco Sunday and we were basically running around with kids because our ward doesn't have a nursery.

6. On Sunday we had a baptism of Ismael... I don't know if you remember me talking about him? He lived in coto laurel and was an investigator of ours that we gave to the elders. Well he finally got baptized and his wife who once told us that we need to convince him first before we can convince her came to the baptism and liked church. It was great to see them there and to finally see him baptized. This coming Sunday he'll receive the Holy Ghost.

7. We then worked her a little and took an elders contact on the street (that was funny we were just contacting and we found a family and contacted them).  Later in our district meeting the elders explained they saw a family walked up to them and showed the elders the cards we handed them and said we already passed by. LOL... I was cracking up. Then we had the bishop of Ponce 4 and his wife give us a ride to villa de carmen and we did contacts, found a menos activo who shared something extremely sad to us... then we walked a mile to another urbanization, where one of the members who we just wanted water from, ended up giving us dinner, juice, and a ride back home.

8. Then we asked the elders if we could drive the car only to the church to pass the highways then ride our bikes, we received permission from our zone leader thinking he received permission from president... well we learned there was miscommunication and ended not supposed to use the car still.... and the miles were higher. Horrible.... but we rode our bikes all over the place.... my legs got beaten up with a few falls and our buns kill. We had a ton of thunder but received the blessings of not having rain.

9. Today the bishop’s wife has been giving us rides to our PDay things and really we have seriously seen and understood the importance of justice and mercy from our Heavenly Father,.... truly miracles and angels watching over us in every side...... it's been a trial of faith and diligence and our Heavenly Father is helping us in every step of the way.

(Response to my comments……….)

Well, I didn't plant any seeds for Ismael, LOL, but it was definitely a team effort, I think he received every set of missionaries. LOL..... and right now I'm okay with the things for the bike... and thank you so much for the make-up it was perfect timing and it’s perfect..... I kind of have a tan now cuz of all the sun. LOL.

I said, “Jessie”, when I responded to her about something……..

Wow, how weird it is to read my name. LOL..... yeah little by little I have found many weaknesses and I'm trying to make them strengths.... I think little by little I'm doing it..... it's funny cuz attributes I didn't think I had my comp(anion)s have told me I have them... like patience, humility and love.

With Hermana Jimenez being so new as a missionary, I asked Jessie if she’d been giving her hugs.   You may remember how desperately Jessie was missing hugs when she first started.

every morning after prayers

I told Jes that if Hermana Jimenez ever needed an extra hug, then she should give her one from me.

LOL.  Okay I can do that for her......LOL

and thanks you always know how to help me. Oh how I can't wait to see you guys...... and give you all a huge hug....

Thank you so much and LOVE YOU BEYOND MEASURE AND KYLE XOXOXOXoXoXoXoXoXOXOXoXXO Have fun and be careful!!!!!

JESSIE AND HERMANA JIMENEZ