Monday, May 18, 2015

Two Months Down!!

So yes... today hits my two months mark and I am really excited about that. So go hermana fuller. So my week from my journal... 
monday-Today could have been the best day ever. we woke up and deep cleaned our house and now it smells really good. We played a ton of volleyball and that was great. As a district we went to get ice cream and it was a cookie ice cream sandwich dipped in chocolate... yes I am being serious. Also the elders in my district are really nice to me and they really help me everyday. Its great. After getting stuff for the week we went to teach a lesson to a new family that we contacted and they are so ready for baptism and that made the day great. It helps a lot to understand what is being said so that was really great. Also the lights went out so like I am writing this with my flashlight light so welcome to Coban! 
Tuesday- Today was another good day. I moved my photos from above my studding desk to above my bed and that really helps me with not being so homesick. My companion and I were pretty sick today and that wasnt great. We also ate some really chocolate covered bananas and like food is best friend here. Tomorrow I am not going to have any milk becuase too much in one day is not good. I read something in preach my gosple and it says, ¨We must walk by faith rather then by sight.
Wednesday- today was a good day. I had my very first zone conference and I understood all of it so that was really nice. We taught lessons and made the day fun by sharing jokes, which the jokes here are so different and not funny at all, but I pretend to laugh at them. 
Thursday- was my first exchange and it was really good. The hermana leaders area is so flat and i love that. It is nice to have a flat area butI really miss my investigators and the stair way to death.
Friday-Today i lost my patience with my companion. I dont want to talk about it but you know, hopefully that things will be better tomorrow. the church is true.
Saturday-We contacted a lot today... that is not my favorite thing to do here but it is needed. We taught lessons and had a ward talent show and it was great to have our investigators participate.
Sunday- Adan, one of the brothers in the ward here who comes teaching with us, got his mission call and he is going to Boliva so that is way excited. Also I just heard that i have two packages in the office for me tomorrow so I am way excited for that. 
I got the packages and I love it, thank you. i love you all and here are a ton of pictures. Also read the scriptures everyday. I love my mission and I miss you all tons but I feel your prayers always! 
hermana Fuller













Sunday, May 17, 2015

Week 7: Mother's Day Phone Call



Hola!
I hope that everyone is having a good week becuase my week was pretty great! I will just continue to write what I write in my journal becuase I phrase it better there.
Well Monday was my first pday in the field and it was pretty great. The whole district played volleyball and it was a lot of fun. I love playing volleyball becuase I can get all of my stress out that I build up in the whole week. When I wrote my family... I didnt even cry and my companion kept looking at me to make sure that I am doing fine which I totally was so like I got this whole mission thing under control. I bought a back pack today becuase I can not climb up freaking mountains with a shoulder bag. Like that isnt something that I can do.My companion is sick and she got a preisthood blessing from the zone leaders and it was pretty great. I took priesthood power for granted when I was home. Men, always stay worthy of your priesthood. You never know when you will need it. 
Tuesday. It was an okay day. It was super hot and I am trying to stay out of the sun because I get super sunburned here and that is not good. We hiked a mountain just to walk down it becuase our investigator was not home. It made me miss my car. I took the coldest shower today.... like it had ice chuncks coming out of it...why is one of the hottest places have THE COLDEST SHOWERS? That is a good question. Today I had to keep reminding myself that I have a plan and that I need to keep moving forward in my plan. 
Wednesday. I didnt write this day becuase I fell asleep while I was changing so that wasnt good. 
Thursday. I met my best friend in the whole wide world. His name is Johnathan and he was in a really bad car accident 4 months ago and cant move and cant really talk as well. He speaks english and he likes it when I teach him in English. Its nice. Also I really am a fan of the food down here. I can get use to that every day! 
Friday. In the morning we had a devotional with some one in the 70s. I dont know his name becuase guess what, I dont speak spanish so go team Hermana Fuller. I understood a lot of what he had to say but I was too busy translating the things in my head that I forgot to take good notes so another point for me.We taught a couple of good lessons and that was amazing. 
Saturday.Today was a lazy day. We made tortillas and they were amazing so maybe I should be a cook when I get back. No idea. After that we went to a baptism for one of the Elders in my ward and we sang a song. It was pretty great and then after we had district meeting and I had to tell everyone how our investigators are doing and yes... all in spanish again. It went pretty well but I have room to improve. I felt pretty homesick all day but I know that is becuase TOMORROW I GET TO TALK TO MY FAMILY!!! 
Sunday. Today was the day. I talked to my family and it was amazing. During church none of our investigators came and it was pretty sad but we are going to work super hard this week to make sure that all 20 come next week. We got this. After church I waited by the phone for 1 hour. My family didn't call (INSERT FROM GRACE: We tried calling a hundred times... but none of our calls were going through. We emailed and called and even tried calling the mission home but we couldn't figure it out. Luckily Emma tried calling us later in the evening and it came through!). My companions family called and I read the scriptures. Thats how I calm myself down out here. We left to teach some lessons and at 8 I got to call my family. It was amazing. It was really sad at first but after I felt a desire to keep moving on. Ill tell you if that changes. 
That is my week. Also its really dusty here and I dont like it very much. 
I love this gospel and I am so happy to be here. I wish you all the best this week and read your favoirite conference talk. That helps me in times of need. I love you all and I pray for you guys always! Les Amo!!!! 
Hermana Fuller

Also the picture uploader isnt working on this computer so I cant send any picutres this week but I will be sure to send tons next week. Also please send me letters. I would love that so much!!! 
Here is my address for my entire mission! 

Hermana Emma Fuller
Mision Guatemala Coban 
Apartado Postal #34
3ra Calle 2-20 Zona 3
Coban AV 16001
Guatemala C.A.
Things I would also like...
Conferenece Talks that I can ready during the night when I am waiting to fall alseep. But send those in envelopes because they get here faster
A small USA map so I can show people where I live
Also hugs and kisses would be amazing... no not the chocolate but the actual thing. 
I love you guys and go to the temple this week for me please!! 
Hermana Fuller

Friday, May 8, 2015

Week 5 & 6: Sickness and the Stairway to Death

It is true. I am already sick. But just with a cold so it makes everything work out. I am in the field here and I love it. Let me tell you about my last week in the MTC and then I will work my way into the whole first week into the field. 
Well On Wednesday I got to play mom. I was so happy becuase one of the Hermanas got her wisdom teeth out and lucky for me she is in my room so I got to take care of her. I loved it and it made me miss Mom so much.
On Thursday I taught my last lesson with my fake investigator and I cried. I cried becuase it is so amazing to see that I made a difference in a fake investigator that I can make miricles happen in the field. She also bore her testimony and I cried hard core then. 
On Friday I learned to love my district so much more. I am apparently Wendy and Kim Possible as a mix. It is great and I miss them tons. 
On Saturday nothing really happened. Just a normal mission day. 
Sunday was hard. I started thinking about saying goodbye to the people the CCM and it wasnt a good day. 
Monday was the worse. It was so sad to leave everyone. We all became family and it makes me sad to see my family leave. I cried so much that I dont even remember the whole day. I just remember thinking to myself that in 1 month I have learned to love these missionaries that what will I be like with my investigators. 
On Tuesday I left for Coban. It was so great to leave the CCM but it was sad. I got sick on the 5 hour bus ride but its okay becuase I wont have to do that for awhile. When I first got here the first person that I saw was Elder Griffiths. It was so weird to see him and to be the AP. But he is doing great and his spanish is amazing. My companaion name is Hermana Hernendez and she only speaks Spanish. Its been really hard but I have never learned so much in such a short time. Once we left the office we went to see 2 families. They are so great. I also took the coldest shower known to man. 
On Wednesday was the longest day ever. I will write exactly is in my journal. "1- I had to pee so bad but I didnt want to pee in a gross bathroom. 2-So much freaking walking. 3-All the walking was up hill... no not a hill a freaking mountain. 4-I taught 10 lessons today. 5-I miss English. I also miss paved roads, cars, american food, 2 ply toilet paper, working bathrooms, and somewhat clean houses. I have never had such culture shock in my life. People here have nothing. They survive off of rain water, bread, and raised chicken. It is so sad but I am glad that I have an amazing home back home. It is going to be amazing." I met an amazing family, Chap, and they make us lunch every day. Its nice because they speak slow spanish so I can understand them here. 
Thursday I missed cars, elevators, and my car radio. I also really missed all of my friends from the CCM. I also walked up what I like to call, the stairway to death and it is 130 steps after a complete incline of paved walk way. I hate it. I also have to do it every other day. 
On Friday I felt so sorry for the dogs here. The majority of them are homeless and they are so sad. It makes me very greatful for Suki and for dog food. It rained all day and I love the rain here. Two of the ward memebers came with us to teach lessons and They are great. They are so funny. 
Saturday was okay. I saw a 14 year old with 2 of her own babies living in a cave so go team. It was so sad and I wish that I can help but all I can do is share with them the gospel and hope that they accept it. I also got to speak English today becuase we had a ward reunion and half of the people in my Zone are American or speak English so that helps out a lot.
Sunday was the worst day for me. After climbing the stair way to death we went to church with 8 of our investigators. We had the most investigators and I love it becuase it made me happy. After church I had a little bit of a break down becuase I miss home a lot but my companion told me that it is normal and that after the first couple of weeks it gets better. My district makes up for it because they make me feel loved and like a family and I love that. I also invited a family to baptism and they threw The Book of Mormon in my face. That wasnt good but it was a learning experience. 
This week has been crazy but I have loved it so much. My companion has such patience with me that it is crazy. Its great to be here and to be so close with my savior. I have learned so much spanish this week that it is crazt and there is no way that anyone can deny that the church is true becuase there is no way that in 2 months someone with dyslexia can speak another language and feel comfortable with teaching a lesson and talking to people on the streets. 
I love the gospel so much and all that it gives me. I am going to try to send pictures but I dont know if it is going to work. I miss you all and you are in my prayers siempre. I hope you all had a great week and that you feel the Saviors love always. Be strong and I want all of you to read 3 Nephi 5:13. This scripture got me through the week and also bread and cheese. 
"Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid for The Lord Thy God is with Thee." 
Hermana Fuller

 My first day in the CCM. I took this picture before they look my camera away. My companion is the one in the back with the red hair.
 My companion on Wednesday. That behind me is what they call flat land here...
The stairway to death. 130 stairs.

Week 4: 87 Sit-Ups

Well hello there! So my enter key isn't working so I am really sorry
about that right now. This week was crazy! It flew by like there was
no tomorrow and that just means that I leave in 2 short weeks. I don't
feel ready. On Tuesday, I played lots of volleyball. Also the Elders
in my district had to do a swap and it was bad becuase there was a lot
of tention but we all prayed together and it felt nice to bring the
spirit back into the room. On Wednesday I got a new name.... Jane.
Long story short I was talking to the Elders and they were talking
like children so I was acting kinda childish as well and I got the
name Jane. I also taught a great lesson. One of my investigators
drinks Alcohol and he was drinking it during out lesson so I very
strongly and nicely asked him to stop drinking it and at first he said
no becuase it took his family problems away, but with the Holy Ghost
guiding me I very confidintly told him that he needs to stop drinking
it becuase it doesn't help his family at all. I have no idea that I
had it in me but he has not been drinking alcohol for a whole week and
I am so proud of him. On Thursday was another great lesson. It was on
the Atonement and my companion and I had the idea to give our
investigator candy with out telling her why we gave it to her. Half
way through the lesson we told her that each M&M is a sin(which one is
that she drinks coffee) and that I will have to pay for her sin(me
being Christ) I then did 87 sit ups in the middle of the lesson and
she was in tears at the end. I have never felt the spirit so strong in
a lesson and she hasn't been drinking coffee either. After the lesson
they give us feedback and she said that it was the best lesson she has
ever had with missionaries. She also wants to show it to the whole CCM
because of how simple it was. I was pretty shocked and spanish was
good in the lesson as well. On Friday I taught 4 lessons in 3 hours.
All not planned. I was stressing out becuase I had to teach about
things that I haven't learned the vocabulary yet and I didn't have
enough time to memorize them so I went into the lessons blind. But how
I acted on my faith. I sat in my lessons and I opened my mouth and how
the words just flowed out of me. It is crazy at how the gift of
tonuges is real. On Saturday I got in trouble hard core. I was talking
to one of the Elders in English and a supervior walked past and he
yelled at me for talking in English. Obviously I apologized and I
wasn't able to eat my ice cream for the day but I am glad that I
learned my lesson the hard way but I am glad that I did because it
makes me appreciate P-day so much more becuase we can speak in
English. Its nice. Sunday was the best. I took the sacrament and how
much I felt the spirit in the whole meeting. I didn't take it last
week because of general conference but I did this week and I am so
happy that I did. The blessings that you get from being worthy to
partake of the sacrament. On Monday it was pretty hard becuase I had
super bad cabin fever. Its weird not being able to leave the gates and
to only speak to the same 10 people but you know. It gets better but
it is still really hard. Today was GREAT!!!! We got to leave the CCM
and go to a market down town. And we got to go shopping but I am not a
fan of shopping down here because I just feel so bad for some of the
people. I also went to the plaza and passed out 2 El Libro de Mormon
and it was sooooo great. The people that my companion and I talked to
really felt the spirit and it was so great. I cried after I gave a
hermana my copy because it was an answer to my prayer. This morning in
the temple my question was if I am doing the right thing and I got it
today. The feeling that I got during that meeting is something that I
never want to have leave me. It was great. This week was really hard
but also very good. The people in my district has become super close
and I love my mission. This week we get 5 new North Elders and 2 new
North Sisters. I am super pumped. I love my mission and I am so
excited to leave in 2 weeks. I love the gospel so much! I love you all
and miss you so much! Hermana Fuller