September 10, 2012

YEAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!! I was wondering if you were hearing all of that stuff going on with the earthquakes and the volcanos. Honestly, I dont really know what is going on with the volcanos... i just heard that there are two that are very active and that things are going crazy but my president said we dont have to worry as of this moment. We are very blessed but please pray for the people that are in that area. The earthquake was insane!!!!! Ok, so the first one that I felt was just like for a few seconds right. Well this one... I was in the middle of personal study and then all of a sudden we were shaking... it was like we were on a little boat in a stormy sea... thats what it felt like. It lasted forever, I thought, but I guess it was 40 seconds. It was like a 5. something here in Nicaragua but in Costa Rica they got it like a 7.9 everyone was saying. So that was weird. The water in our house was moving around and our bathroom door was shaking and we were just getting a little dizzy. So funny. But it was all good and we are safe. I know that the Lord will protect me and that the missionaries will be fine. I am not scared one bit.

I am so glad the memory card got there and that you liked the pictures and the videos worked for you!!!! I will be sending my other one soon. I just sent another letter for you all. Yes, I was able to get one of the packages with all the handwritten letters but I haven't gotten a lot of letters lately. So yeah, this week Socio told everyone that I was miss Utah in a big activity here and they were all like in shock asking why I kept that secret... when I told them it wasn't true they wouldn't believe me... so then we went back to that house where I almost passed out and he told them that I was the first runner up for miss USA. Wow, so yeah, by the time I leave I shall be super famous. My companion just sits there and laughs her head off. We have so much fun together! I love it. I love that you got to look up her blog. She is so much fun and yes... we do not speak a ton of spanish together but when we are in lessons we have to teach in spanish so don't worry. And yes, she goes home in 3 weeks.

Ok... so the greatest thing ever... Jose, our investigator came this sunday and we had a thing at 4 yesterday with the recent converts and the investigators and they called Jose up to give his testimony and I know that it was scary for him but he got up there and he spoke like he was LDS. I was in tears. He has grown so much and I couldn't believe his testimony... it blew me away I couldn't believe it. So, yeah he is getting baptized the 22 but he has gone 3 days without smoking so that is huge for him. In his testimony he mentioned my name and how he met me and I was just sooo happy for him and that I was lead to find him that day. Sooo happy. So, yeah I explained his story in my letter so let me know when you get it. He has come a long way. So the family Gonzalez is still pugging along. They are working for this month sometime but I never know... I have been teaching them forever it feels like.

We had a zone activity today and we had to make a skit for our multi- zone that we are having tomorrow and we learned and performed in a video the hauka!!! Don't know how to spell that but you know what I mean... we just changed all of the words to spanish missionary words. Its super funny but the girls felt a little out of place in their skirts. I think Tay knows the hauka doesnt he! I have been waiting all week long to hear from him and I am sad that I will have to wait another week! (He wrote his email later than her).

Yeah, my comp is going to Disneyland in November so I am making her take tons of pictures for me while she is there because we both love Disneyland so much. My old comp is still in my zone so I get to see her a lot too. She had to open up an area here. I don't know what I will do when I have to leave my area. I am so attached to the people and I will just be so hurt. The sisters usually only have 3 or 4 areas on the mission so I will be missing a lot of people.

So yesterday we showed up to pick up Josue for church but his mom wasn't ready so we had to break the news that we couldn't take him and his sister alone. He just broke down into tears... especially because we promised him a tie in the church. I was so hurt for him. She promised all week she would go and I just couldn't believe she wouldn't go for her kids. We will work on her. I was thinking about it and when I think about dads mission I know that he didn't convert a lot of people but he sure brought himself closer to the Lord. and that is such a blessing for our family and I am so thankful for him. I could not have done a mission in Switzerland and I know that he is a strong man! I love it. Something I heard too is that when we listen to the Lords chosen Prophet and Apostles we need to take their invitations as commandments and we will be happier. I know this is true.

Yes mom, if you could send like some stickers and I always always LOVE pictures. Maybe if you could send some plain colored t shirts. I dont have a ton and we only do laundry every week. But just squish them in a tiny package because I don't want you to have to send a ton. Thanks for EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!! Glad to hear that everyone is doing well and having a good time!!!!!! Don't worry about me. I am safe and happy. And don't worry about sending me all that stuff. Just send some cute stickers or something. But honestly don't worry about it right now. Let me know how much money I can take out and I will go buy some cheaper t shirts here. Clothes are way cheap here! Well I better go but I will talk to you next week!!!!!! Thanks for everything! Love you all. hermana parker