EMAIL CHAT 1/25/12……….

1. Our bodies are starting to hurt now, our hips and feet, I think we might get arthritis when we are older.  LOL...

2. I now know how to make scripture covers with a plastic craft square material and yarn. They’re cute and super easy... I think I now have somewhat a skill to share with people. LOL... we want to make them for the sisters and those that help us.

3. We had our dancing class and it went really well.... the sisters are picking it up super fast and we are doing the Lilo and Stitch song. The sisters are loving it and feeling the burn. LOL.... cool thing yesterday someone brought a non-member (point of the class) and she wants to return next week because she enjoyed it. Cool eh.... please pray that this transfer next Wednesday we don't change. Also crazy to think after this transfer I have two more.  (transfers … and then she comes home)

4. Someone who is an investigator, Arlene, whose daughter and granddaughter are baptized made us skirts. This family has taken such tremendous care of us and I truly love them. We have seen so many acts of kindness from ward members with all sorts of different things. I told her I would wear the skirt for when I return home.  It’s a rosy skirt. Also we are going bowling with Beatriz and her husband. Yah something fun!!!!

5. Yesterday we had a cool lesson with a member and her non-member family.... we had walked miles to go visit her and she hadn't been answering her phone....so we arrived at her house and she was sitting on the steps of her sister's house on the side of the street with her niece... we talked to her and the niece didn't seem too interested, then we asked if we could share and we put some seats down. We asked if we could sing and the niece didn't seem like she was going to, but while singing we could see she was singing too. Her name is Joseline and the member, Bettania, is from the DR. Then we prayed and some other family members came from somewhere. They started listening and we decided to share about the BOM (Book of Mormon) it was cool because all participated and the Spirit was there. Then before we had met with Bettania, next to her house was a family brother’s with small kids. We contacted them and then went to Bettania's. Her sister's house sold limbers which are a PRican frozen treat. One of the brothers of the contacted family came to buy a limber and then stayed and listened to us. We felt like street preachers on the sidewalk.  It was super cool feeling that those walking by were kind of listening to us..... so we will be coming back and sharing some more with them hopefully. Unfortunately they'll probably be the Elders investigators. But it was still good.

6. We found out some things that triggered Lilian, who is an Elder's mom who is our investigator, that hopefully would help her gain a testimony. Out of the two years of being an investigator she hasn't been taught the commandments... so we taught her the law of chastity and we're going to do the rest. 

7. I'm finally giving a talk on Sunday, this Sunday, about the doctrines of Christ. I'm going to apply it with the Atonement, a personal study that I did in Ponce. 

8. We got rained on and people wouldn't let us in.

9. Sisters are out of the islands now.  (There are Caribbean islands included in the Puerto Rican Mission and the sister missionaries were recently allowed back in.   Apparently it’s quite dangerous for them.)

10. I don't know what more... Hermana Eteaki looks like a testigo de jehova "Jehovah's Witness" with her umbrella cuz it's hot. LOL.  They use umbrellas in the sun, trademark thing.   (I told Jessie I thought that was funny because Hermana Eteaki is Tongan.)  She's more Mexican than Tongan, LOL, and she's a Californian, one truly converted to California....  (To me this is triple funny because all her ‘heritage places’ are sunny and warm.)

Oh forgot to tell you I have Elder Hargadon and Elder Campbell from my groups again in my district... this is Elder Hargadon's third time with me, crazy eh... and Elder Campbell’s 2nd time as zone leader.

They are two elders that I have a lot of respect for and I get along super well with.... Elder Campbell was my plane buddy every time we flew. They were in the same district as the sisters we were rooming with in the Provo MTC who were going to Argentina. So I met them before we left for the DR. Elder Hargadon wants to go to BYU Hawaii... surfer Californian dude and travels a ton.... super cool.... and Elder Campbell is super sarcastic. Elder Hargadon and I left our first transfer to the Ponce zone and he was the Elder who got smacked in the face by the druggy, remember.... and then transferred here to the Caguas zone while I was serving in Ponce. He was in my ward and district. Then Elder Campbell came and became my zone leader in Ponce. Then I came here and Elder Hargadon was in a different district than I, but just recently the Elders had changes and now they are both in my district and Elder Campbell changed as our zone leader here, I have seen them a ton on my mission. I'm glad we all get along well.... and Elder Hargadon is rooting for Hawaii. LOL.  (Jessie’s re-applied for entrance to BYU-Hawaii.  Please say a prayer she gets back in!)

Hargadon is going to UVU first and then going to apply for Hawaii. His sister is applying for Hawaii so I told him if we both get there his sister and I can meet up.... and Campbell originally from Cali but moved to Utah.... and they're not comps.

(In the picture) ….it’s a lizard he caught, biting his ear.   (I asked how it got there and Jessie said he put it there “on purpose.   LOL.”)

Elder Hargadon  

Oh yeah true story.... the Elder that almost died here in our mission, literally a miracle who should have died falling off of a cliff, is now in our district... he returned.

Also forgot to tell you we went to another funeral this week... the funeral was packed 460+ people and we got contacts that day.... but no addresses it was sad……it was an interesting setting and way of contacting, if we knew we could have planned better.... she was a loved person apparently and a school teacher.... we didn't know her.

The coqui frog of Puerto Rico.

 

the dog is the funniest sweetest dog on our walking path.... she says hi every time.

rain in Caguas

preparing to celebrate the New Year

having fun with the mini missionaries

Hermana Eteaki

Hermanas Medina and Eteaki

EMAIL CHAT 1/18/12……..

... let me explain to you why it took us a long time to get on..... we don't have a car anymore

Sister Missionaries preached as they walked and walked and walked and walked......

This is a small gist of our week...

1. Our gas went out for cooking and we went and bought one (mini mart) and then tried installing it at night, but for some reason couldn't because there was a leak. So we decided to turn it off and try again.

The next day Hma. Eteaki found that it was broken, so we walked back to the mini mart switched it and now we have been cooking.

2. We had to go to a training meeting for Hma. Eteaki and it was in Guaynabo. We left at 7:45 to head over there. We were on the left side of the right lane driving and Hma. Eteaki was drinking some juice. Yum, Yum and singing to a church cd.... a little ahead of us was traffic.... one note: in PR no one knows the laws, your own ideas are the laws. They don't follow them. Well someone in front of us from the right side of the right lane tried cutting a U-turn on a double yellow line. So lucky us we couldn't brake hard enough to stop and in any direction we went we would have hit someone. There was his car and another on our right side. We hit his side and the juice went flying everywhere. Everyone is okay, we did get whip lash, but from what I know all is okay. It was his first car wreck too (Jessie’s first too) and he was driving to a job interview.  His name is Joshua Vasquez and he had beautiful eyes and very attractive. LOL.... actually everyone was calm and the situation was better than it could have been. Heavenly Father was watching out for all of us. His cousins came over to see him and the police came. We will not be having a car for a month, not because we just crashed, but there aren't any extra cars in the mission to give to us. We have been walking and it's been intense.  The mission that one week had 3 car wrecks and other situations nutz eh..... We ended up getting picked up and went to the meeting.

3. I found rootbeer, which is great because PR it's not common.

4. It's been impossible to find anyone to teach.  I swear I have a missionary curse, even Hma Eteaki is starting to believe it. I come to an area it starts off great, than bam I'm here and all disappear and no success... so not cool

5. We had our first hula class... it went well only 5 came, but hey little by little and the five did great and learned fast. We hope it will become a success....

6. We had another bad, embarrassing moment, but a dear member must have been inspired, but when something happened with our cita, she took us to Baskin Robbins.

(About the accident…..) it was completely his fault. I couldn't have done anything else....  (Jessie didn’t get a ticket or anything.   All is well for her driving record.  J)

I have just 10 minutes left then gotta go.... sorry I couldn't explain more with you. Next week I hope is better and I can talk more with you..... have better positive things... I've wanted to mention about the hula class, visiting teaching and sharing the message of the rest....

EMAIL CHAT 1/11/12………

Oh the same as always.... I always start off in a run with the people that have worked in the area before me, but then when it's just me and my comps for a little more time all dies.... no citas, no progressing investigators, and nothing..... it's just hard……..

Hermana Eteaki was like “Wow I've never had this before”, and this is all I know.....

1. Things are getting better with us. We are finally getting the time to get to know one another because before we had the mini's with Hermana Medina, mini's, and now just us. We have a cool idea that President loves. We just need to talk to the ward about it. We are going to have a Polynesian dance workshop to involve members, investigators, and menos activos of all ages. Then in the end we will have a concert of the dances we've learned. …………

2. Unfortunately I had to attend my second funeral. One of the recent converts named Aida died. I got to know her sweet husband, but not her because she was sick. A member told me she is going to do the genealogy for her, so her work can be finished in the temple. Then she told me I can probably do her work in the temple when I return back.

3. Funny Chinese experience.... we decided to order Chinese food (which by the way, we ate Chinese on New Year’s (family tradition), and made hats for the minis (mini missionaries)) and so this was yesterday. I decided I could call and order doing it in Spanish. I didn't have the menu on me only the number.... so I called and it was like impossible, because she just wasn't understanding what I was saying.... so I told her we would go there to order. So we went there to order, we did it and waited. Then she comes up to me and shows the menu trying to explain what it’s called and then showing how I could order on the phone... she recognized it was me.  How embarrassing.   LOL…

4. Did you know that Fast Five was filmed in PR?

5. Sisters can leave at 20 now (it’s been 21 years old)

6. We have people that have potential, but many times they like to back out or cancel. We have one investigator named Irelssie who has a ton of problems and is 23 with 3 kids oldest is 8. She is great....but a challenge. We met her and the first thing she told us was "who sent you" as she smoked a cigarette.... she was a past contact of the elders and they had worked a little with her. She was living with her violent boyfriend that didn't want her to get involved with the church. Anyways long story short she let us in... asked a billion amazing questions and we started visiting her. She has been reading and remembers and understands everything. She prays and everything.

She was going to go to church, but Satan got in the way with the influence of others. She really has a ton of potential, but the acts of herself and others are preventing her progress to her fullest potential. She hasn't been there for our last two citas.

7. Alvero our 18-30 year investigator is doing well. We had an amazing lesson with him where we found out his true problem. He wants a full repentance process before he will be baptized. The lesson we had was great about repentance and basically he taught us. We are hoping to meet with him tomorrow.

8. When there is a holiday in PR all is dead..... closed and locked inside the house with no outside interferences... including us. It was tough because everyone was gone and all was empty.

9. I'm going to type my essay. It's awful, but you can look at it (school app)

10. We have a member in the ward who is absolutely amazing. We are going to teach her how to teach and contact her friends.... she's great her name is Beatriz

Also forgot to tell you I got to go to the opening of our mini's mission call... we even spoke at it... she's going to the New York City South mission Spanish speaking and they have someone from that ward serving there too.

Yeah it was from the kit (I sent Jessie a ‘make your own snow’ kit in her stocking.   She made the snowman from it.) 

... and yeah it was great to see her open it... we got special permission. She was excited and not at the same time. LOL (the mini missionary’s mission call)

I forgot to tell you that we had our conference for the holidays and it was like a normal mission conference, no fun unfortunately....

LOVE YOU TONS!!!!!

EMAIL CHAT 1/4/12…………….

HAPPY NEW YEARS WAHOOOOOOOOO

Seriously…….that’s all the news I got.   On December 28^th and January 4^th  all we did was work on getting her applications set for school.   Sorry folks!

We did get pictures, though!

Jessie with Hermana Eteaki

Jessie with Hermana Medina

with the mini missionaries

EMAIL CHAT on 12/21/11…………

….Here are some things that have happened this crazy week.....

1. First off I was transferred this Sunday to an area called Caguas.  Wasn't expecting that because President didn't imply anything about our changes during our interviews. So now I am in a threesome with Hermana Eteaki and Hermana Medina. But there also came a surprise to the threesome, President sent three more with us. We are a companionship of 6.  LOL.  3 are mini missionaries for the next 1.5 weeks. They are great and from PR. One of them is from Trujillo Alto and is great. Their names are Hermana Alverio, Hma. Mercado, and Hma. Pagan. We have had some great lessons too which has been fun. Things have been going well, but not gonna lie it's sad I can't spend it with the Trujillo Alto sisters.

2. Right now I'm waiting to find out from President to call to ask about my college application so I can check out the website. I think I need to find my school transcripts from Idaho too.... also can you check if there is a school in New Zealand that is a Church school.... I was thinking I need other options if I don't get in Hawaii.   (I checked for her and the LDS Church college in New Zealand was closed down a couple of years ago.)

3. This last Sunday I had the chance to translate for a family who was going to enter their Christmas cruise that night. It's hard translating because you speak and hear at the same time... but they were cool.

4. Elia finally got MARRIED!!!!! We waited for 1.5 hours for her to arrive (she was that late) and then we were super late to our concert. We saw her for a few minutes then left to Mayaguaz.... that was an interesting experience, by one light late we missed our first song. They weren't happy about that because there were five of us out of 10... we tried and felt awful.

5. We had another concert this Sunday in a huge concert hall and it was beautiful and successful. Hermana Moltavo also came back from the islands and Hermana Lopez is with Hma. Curl.  The concert was fun and all went well... that is where I heard about moving and then president showed me to the leaders.... apparently he told them that Saturday that I was coming over. …

6. Hermana Peterson left that's super sad, I love that girl and it will be sad not to see her around. I'm excited though cuz she'll do great things and did great things here.

7. Also we get to talk on Sunday YAH!!!!!!! Call me on Saturday so we can plan for Sunday!

8. We have good investigators here it seems.... President told me it's one of the most growing areas here in PR. They tend to have many baptisms and actually I've received permission to go to Elia's baptism on Friday and we have one here tomorrow with a mom and her two sons. Elia would be considered mine, but not anymore. LOL..... we are working with two tough cases, yet we had some great lessons with them and the mini missionaries. The combination with everyone actually works super well and the Spirit is there. One has been an investigator for 18 years and the wife is a member and the other is a mom of one of the missionaries, my last zone leader.... so please pray for Alvero and Lilian that finally they will receive that answer they are looking for and take action for a real faith.

9. One of the new elders who is in our area, saw me one time in Idaho and recognized me. LOL, isn't that funny big surprise eh?  jk (just kidding)

10. Can't wait to talk to you guys!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to try to practice my Tongan dancing with Hermana Eteaki yah

oh yeah also this last week we cooked with Janet and Maria and oh the food was incredible.... it was chicken wrapped in bacon with cream cheese inside, fried and then PRican amazing rice... we were in heaven... also hot chocolate with ginger so good... going to make those things when I go home ;)

We work full on... on our holidays.... from 6:30-9pm... I think we have some citas which will be good.... I sure hope Hermana Rodriguez has some because when I left we didn't have anything.

I love you and call me soon!!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!

EMAIL CHAT on 12/14/11………….

SO this week has been interesting and long.....

1. We had our concerts in San Juan, Toa Baja, and PONCE!!!!! They all went super well and were fun. It was nice to get out and do something that I love. We got to sing, meet people, and chill with one another between acts. I think I needed something like that. I also got to see some people from Ponce and Adjuntas... that was a treat. I will definitely have to come back here and visit those places and people.

2. We have our next performances this Saturday and Sunday in Mayaguez and Caugas. I'm excited....

3. We had white glove checkups and our date changed 3 times for them to pass by, so we cleaned a tons... then finally they decided to pass by yesterday and thankfully we passed. They like our place... and it was crazy because the place (floor, walls, everything) gets super dirty fast.

4. Had my interview with President. It was interesting....

5. We are supposed to have baptism on the 23 with Elia and we want to try to help her daughter and fiance get baptized the same day.

6. Janet is progressing. She has stopped drinking coffee and she seems so much happier now. She is staying with the member and Jose is staying in another house, so maybe they’re better with the law of chastity. We taught about the word of wisdom and he was surprised, but he agreed. He smokes and drinks coffee. He ripped his half pack of cigarettes in front of us.  IT WAS GREAT... then he said he will change for halls cough drops. Here they eat it like candy... cigarettes for medicine, little by little right ;p But then I heard he had another pack in the house and is still smoking.....

7. Michelle is progressing, but still hasn't attended church yet and so we have to keep moving back her baptismal date because she needs to attend 3 times. She reads, prays, and keeps the commandments, she really is good.

8. I heard that I need to apply for school by FEB... can you check that for me?  If so I need to apply soon!

9. We don't have any Christmas appointments yet, I hope we have Christmas.

Love you gotta goo....... I LOVE YOU SO SO SO MUCH AND MISS YOU TONS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Have a good week and stay healthy!!!!!