Week #27 -- ""Podemos mejorar!" (We can improve!), puertas abiertas!!!(temple open house), painted nails for referencias (teaching referrals)

April 13, 2015:

Hello my lovely friends and family!!!!!!

I sure appreciate and love you all so very much...enserio! :) (seriously)

This week Hna Sarat and I have decided that this cambio (six month transfer period) is a cambio where we are basically starting from the bottom and trying to do better in every aspect of our lives...our health, our prayers, our teaching, our punctuality, our studies, our habits of cleanliness...seriously everything...but the wonderful thing is is that we both want to be better and have the desires to change...what a blessing because we can help each other along the way! :) We always say..."Oh yeah...podemos mejorar!" :) ( . . . we can improve/get better)

Guess who we ran into at Chan Chan?! Yes...my old zone! So fun to see Hna. Guevara, Hna. Huayton, and Hna. Ascencio! Yeah...I screamed! :D jaja!  (Chan Chan is the largest Pre-Columbian city in South America, Chan Chan is an archaeological site in the Peruvian region of La Libertad, 5 km west of Trujillo.) 

Left to Right Sister Ascencio (Sister Guevara's current companion-both Sister Trainer Leaders), Sister Sarat (Jennesa's current companion from Guatemala--where Spencer is going in July!), Sister Coleman (Jennesa), Sister Guevara (Jennesa's Trainer/first companion in Trujillo), Sister Huayton (Jennesa's second companion in Trujillo)

Oh my heavens! This week in our zone conference we found out that all of the hermanas (Sister missionaries) in our mission get the wonderful and fabulous opportunity to be in the temple for puertas abiertas! (temple open house) We get to help people start their tours with a short video and then be in the reception area ready to answer questions, get references (referrals), and talk to people about their experiences! How amazingly awesome, right?! I am so excited but also a leetle nervous because I need to be ready with lots of information...in Espanol! (in Spanish) But with the Lord...all things are possible! :) We were given lots of info to use in our studies to prep for 8 Mayo-30 Mayo...puertas abiertas! :) (The open house of the temple!) What a fun and spiritual time in the training for lots of the hermanas in our mission! We talked a ton about modesty and how we need to prep for this time...Hna. Marler even modeled a few examples of what not to wear! jaja! She is the best! :) Today we are having a p-day (preparation day) as hermanas and going shopping for blouses and skirts! :) Should be an adventure! :) 

Yesterday we were able to be with our ward, Centenario, for the first time. It was interesting...because everyone was getting used to the change still with new people, new leaders, new classrooms, etc. (two wards were combined into one ward) But it was great to see who was in attendance...great miracles with our menos activos (less active members). Also to see who wasn´t in attendance so we can help them be there next week. Hna. Sarat and I were able to talk to the young women and share our testimony about Joseph Smith and our experience with our testimonies and prepping for our missions! It was a little nerve racking...but sure neat to try and help these great girls! :)

We are continually trying to be more direct and in charge of our lessons...with timing especially. We are definitely still learning but it is getting better! We need to do better with references (referrals). We always forget to ask our menos activos (less active members) for references (referrals) so our lessons haven´t been counting for indicadores (indicators--things they report to their mission president) (...so we both painted a slight R on one of our thumb fingernails...so we could remember better! ;) jaja! Hopefully we can improve! :) 

Wow! Happy 6 month mark!!!!!! :D Holy Cow...can´t believe 6 months have already passed! Sweet Hna. Santos our pensionista (cook) bought jello cake for us! So yummy! :D

RANDOM:

-Oh my...so there is a circus here and it is very close to our apartment...every night the same music plays...some in English...Celine Dion-Titanic...plays so loud after our planning...jaja...oh buddy!

-WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! A package! So fun and full of tons of treats...we are trying to be more healthy...but we had to make some exceptions especially with the Samoan cookies! Oh buddy! So scrumptious! :) And I loved all your letters and pictures! So fun to get! Hna. Sarat was sooooo excited with all the treats...and dad...the study gum is the best! :)

INSPIRATIONALS Y FUNNIES:

-Wow! I was able to have an interview with Presidente this week! What a marvelous experience! He is such an incredible man and leader! I was able to receive a blessing from him and wow...the exact words that I had been needing to hear! What a neat blessing to help me be more direct but with love as well! 

-We sure laugh a lot! What a blessing! Sometimes we get talking before we pray at night...and we are on our knees for a long while...so when we try to get up we both groan and struggle...grandmas! :) jaja!

jaja! (ha ha!) Last week we were able to visit Chan Chan...there were tons of these fish signs...so we had to take a pic with one right?! :D WE look similar right?! ;D

I sure love you all and so appreciate your prayers for me and for the people here!

Love,

Hermana Coleman :D