Hills, Meetings, & Little Things (Letter from last week...)

This was a week of a lot of meetings, and not a lot of sleep.  :)

But that´s the best way to do things right?? 

After writing you all last Monday we went on another adventure with Hna Fatima in Centro. I learned several things: 

-there is incredible carrot cake here

-most of the catholic churches are around 500 years old

-Baby shark is pretty tasty

Then we went to Mérida, where I realized exactly how much Campeche how stolen my heart because Mérida doesn´t feel like MY city like Campeche does. But we did stay in Hna Mejía´s old area and I got to catch up with Hna Torres. :) Love her. We spent almost all day Tuesday in a meeting with Presidente in which I totes cried because that´s what I do when the Spirit is strong. 

#Iblamemymother

I love them!

In between the other two meeting we had this week and exchanges (more on that later) I didn´t get a whole lot of time in my area, but what I realized is that it´s the little things that count. Like going to visit investigators who send you home with oreos because ALL the gringos love oreos. #racistbuttrue Or like running out of back-up plans and going to visit a member and having the best lesson of the day. Or having your investigator tell you they finally got their answer.

Those are the best things. :) 

And about those exchanges, I went to Alameda to work with Hna Velasquez and let me tell you, there are a LOT of hills in her area. We went running in the morning and by the middle of the day my legs were legit shaking from the hills and stairs and the running. haha I´m so out of shape......but let me tell you, it is so worth it to see Campeche from the top of the hills. And to work with Hna Velasquez. She´s from Pocatello. And I love her.

And it is so so so worth it to be a missionary. I love my job. And I love you all. 

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Flood, Death, & Ridiculousness

Hola!!! 

So I didn´t die last week...I just forgot to hit send..Woops. 

My area legit flooded three times this week. THREE TIMES. And that meant that the power went out in most of area almost every night this week...and all our investigators went to stay in other areas...  -_-

Flood

At one point it started to rain, and we ducked under cover just to realize it was a liquor store...

We found other cover. haha. 

Sisters in Campeche!

Sometimes I just have to tell you that the most ridiculous things happen in the mission. For example:

-I got a mosquito bite on the bottom of my foot

-An investigator told us he couldn´t have his lesson because his dog has a cough

-A drunk in the street asked me if I speak maya...nope.

-A lady in a store asked a member if I was her daughter...and said we look alike #nowedonot #salespersonlie

We can´t take normal pictures...

Eating

My companion died (mission death - no one freak out) this week. It was weird to hear her talk about going home and all that jazz (and to know Allie and Spencer got home this week) but as for me, I am completely content to keep my tag on. :) 

Noche de Hogar de los muertos

There is so much work to do, and so little time. And I am here to work.

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

PS: Changes were today. I am staying in Santa Lucia (surprise!) with Hna Allen!! She is from Redmond, Oregon. Woo for Oregonions in Campeche!! 

Stake Missionary Activity

Transfer 8: Santa Lucia 4

Best Things...

-Root beer....and a ward that loves us! 

Worst Things...

-Killing a companion #TRUNKY

Things that are working for me...

I wish I would have known...

-Mascara is crazy expensive. Bring a lot. 

Food...

-The tradicional thing here is Pan de Cazón...which is baby shark. Woo 

Fun Facts about Mexico/This Mission...

-No EFY music

Weather...

-It might be hotter....I thought April was hot..haha

Mayan...

-tux cabin: adonde vas

-wi hen: tengo hambre

-co´ox hana: vamos a comer

-co´ox wenée: vamos a dormir

-chilén: acuestete a dormir

I learned...

-How to "kill" a missionary

Photos

Frozen hot chocolate

Campeche

Pdte y Hna Garcia

Selfie...

Bus rides to Campeche

Oreos!

Incepcion, Divisions, & Degrees

Hola!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all I need to announce something: last week I wrote in my letter that I was 19. As my mother so kindly reminded me, I am in fact 20 (almost 21). #that´sembarrassing 

Just so everyone´s aware. 

Anyway... It´s officially the rainy season here in Campeche, and after a really hot week of my comp praying for it to rain on us...it rained.

A LOT. 

More rain... with Hna Sarai

And I´ve become one of those missionaries who walks around proselyting in the rain. Not going to lie, I love to see people´s faces as we walk past in the pouring rain. They legit think we´re crazy (because when it rains here it RAINS), but it´s all good until someone actually lets us in their house and we drip on their floors. 

Rain. This is called being a legit missionary. (If you can´t tell, we´re soaking wet.)

This week we also had the Incepcion version of divisions. I was on divisions with Hna Ellgen when they called us up and said the hermanas in Sascalum had no food because Hna Silva had Chikangua (I have nooooo idea how you spell that) and couldn´t leave the house and so we went there and got them food. And then went on divisions during the divisions (ooo..Incepcion...) because Hna Vega had an interview in the chapel with President and Hna Silva couldn´t leave her hammock. So I went with her to do that then finally were on our way to back to my area just in time for the Zone leaders to call and tell us we needed to go to the church for a meeting. -_-

Then Hna Ellgen asked if my days were always like this.... #no

But after all that craziness, we actually had a really good week. We found people to teach, we have an investigator progressing, I only caught one lizard in the bathroom...

It was a good week. :) 

And this is what I am learning: that life is a game of degrees. Satan doesn´t tempt up us with big leaps into sin, he tries to talk us into lowering our standards just a little bit at a time...until eventually we´re in a lot of trouble. (Go read Alma 47) On the other hand, the best people I know, the really truely good people are that way because the do the little things without fail even when no one is watching. I´ve come to understand that it is the little things we do, not necesarily the big things, that determine who we really are and who we will become. 

Studying like a champ.... #don´tjudgemyartskills and #don´tgodown!

And I just want to be good. 

I love you all! And I Love, Love, Love being a missionary.

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

My ward loves me. #rootbeerinMexico

GIANT Tamales with a the Gamboa Family

Angels, Fuertes, & Work

It´s a canon...

Querida familia, 

This was a good week. :) 

Last Monday we went on a tour of Campeche with a couple members, they took us to the forts (legit forts that were built to keep out pirates #howcoolisthat), we ate pizza, stopped at a mall (and I had US flashbacks haha)....and it was just a great day. I´m quite convinced that Campeche is the second most beautiful place on the planet. 

It was closed...

#selfie

Pirate ship! I´m not even kidding...

And then the reality of missionary life started again. #butI´mokaywiththat

This week I thought a lot about Angels. 

But not the kind with wings and halos. #that´ssilly

-Like the kind who are people: like the members who bring chocolate cereal to the missionaries... or make us birthday dinners when we´re far from home (it was my comp´s birthday this week)...or the missionary who took time out of proselyting to go help a family smash bottles to recycle to be able to eat this week...like the EFY counselor who isn´t going to graduate on time because she missed her final exam to be with the youth. 

-Like the kind who are us: I really love being able to be an "angel" for someone. Like for the less active member who we found this week who hadn´t been to church in more the 5 years because he has arthritis and can´t get around...or for the young couple who want their brand-new baby to grow up in a church...or for the non-member parents who want to know why their daughter left them to go serve a mission.

-Like the kind who are really angels. I´ve realized in the mission that there are seen and unseen forces working for both good and evil in this world. This really is the Lord´s work, and He sends angels to hold us up and push us forward when we just can´t Go anymore. I know they´re working here because I have felt them. I have said and done things that I never could have done without some serious heavenly help. I have seen miracles. 

Proof that I played sports

I have sat on the floor and held people as they´ve cried and tried to find the words that would help them put their life back together. And that is when I realize that what will help them will never come from me; it has to come from a lot higher up. Because really, what can I do? I am 19 with little real-life experience, I can never go where they are. 

But Christ went there. And He knows how to bring them out.

I love this gospel. It is the work of angels, and I love being able to be part of it. Love you all more than you know.

Giant moth...my hand...not so giant

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Benito Juarez

It´s basically a castle....

cave...It´s a big hole in the ground really...

Sunshine, Shadows, & Rain

Querida familia, 

This was a week full of sunshine and shadows and full out rain storms; and I mean that both literally and symbolically. 

First the sunshine:

-It was incredibly hot this week. I thought we were just about wrapping up the hot season, but it hit us with a bang this week. I got burnt..again. And have discovered that my thumbs have sun damage...how that happens I´m not quite sure.

-Hna Monse, a YSA in our ward who accompanies us a lot, got her mission call this week! She is going to serve in Chile with a special assignment to work as the mission nurse while she´s there too. She is going to be amazing, and watching her open her call reminded me of how I felt when I opened mine almost a year and a half ago; how incredibly honored and excited I was to serve the Lord in Mexico. #stillfeelthatway

-We watched Meet the Mormons for a ward mission activity. It was glorious. We had investigators and recent converts show up, we ate hot dogs, and I just love that movie. And I didn´t cry this time...even though they made me speak after about my experience as a missionary. #that´scalledcheating And again I was reminded of how incredibly blessed I am to be here and be a missionary. 

-Hno Angel got baptized! He has been listening to the missionaries off and on for a year and went from being a full-out alcoholic to a respectable single-dad just trying to do his best. The baptism was great and we even had sister missionaries from Temple Square present...through SKYPE. (hah They´ve been helping to teach Angel through mormon.org and wanted to see the baptism) 

Elder Cadena, Hno Angel, Hna Mejía, Me

And now for the shadows:

-We had to quit teaching two of our investigators this week because they can´t progress. Jesus is 11 and needs his grandma´s permission to go to church and she won´t give it. His great-grandmother, Trinidad, was also listening to us, but she´s 97 and can´t go to church either by herself...It about broke my heart because Trinidad told us that she just feels so good when we visit, satisfied, and she likes how we explain the scriptures...And now we´re not going to be able to keep teaching her. 

-We had an intense talk with an investigator named Elias this week. He is not a member, but his wife and kids are (less-active) recent converts. They have sooo many problems, and Elias has a lot of anger towards God. He told us he´s never really been happy, and the only good things he´s had in his life God has taken away. I couldn´t do anything, but look him in the eye and testify of the Atonement, and in that moment it was completely real for me. I could understand some small part of what Christ did, and how he felt, because I could feel Elias´s sorrow and I just wanted to take it from him. I couldn´t take it, but I was able to tell him who can. 

I know my Savior lives. I know He suffered for every single one of us in that Garden, and that He did it for each one of us as individuals. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ everything that is unfair in this life will be made right, and that in the meantime we can receive strength and comfort through Him.  And even when the trials come pouring down like rain, He is there to pick us up and lift us higher. 

Wishing you a week of sunshine with just enough shadows to appreciate it...

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Shhhhh no one tell my parents.

I tried to break my head....

No worries, I just walked into the corner of a roof... It just bled a little but no stiches. I think I have a mild concussion but you know how Mexican doctors are.

Shhhhh no one tell my parents. 

Pirates, Campeche, & True Love

Querida familia,

I wish I could write you a long lovely letter but... my companion wanted to write in the afternoon and then we ran out of time soo.... I have no time.

Again...haha

This week was actually really good. I kind of feel like I´m back in my training because Hna Mejía is just about done and likes to coach me. I´m learning a lot and we actually work really similar so I´m feeling good. 

I love these guys a lot... Bishop´s family! 

We went to Centro with the Bishop and his family today. (That´s why we´re late) And as a walked around I realized something: 

I love this city.

I really do. The colors, the stories of pirates, the ocean, the people who just love with all of their heart. It´s all just slowly taking it´s place here in my heart and I´m just trying to guard it all away so I can keep it forever. 

I´ve realized that time passes entirely too fast here in the mission; I´m not going to be able to do this forever.

But I entirely intend to take advantange of every second I have.

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

I finished my wall...

We had a RAT in our house...don't worry, I got it. 

Meetings, Changes, & Santa Lucia

Zona Campeche With Elder Valenzuela

Okay sorry family but there were changes this week so this is going to be suuuppper short.

But I love ya!

This week we went to Mérida for a leadership conference. We left Monday night, and because Hna Torres had to go to immigration, we didn´t get back home until Wednesday afternoon.

Presidente & Hermana Garcia

BTWs...it KILLLSS me to not be able to work in my area..

Also this was the week of meetings...a lot of them. But I learned a lot, and I really loved my Zone here.

Changes were today....and I´m staying in Santa Lucia! I´m actually really excited because I love the ward here. Hna Torres is no longer my companion though. I am with Hna Mejía, she is also from Guatemala and she finishes up her mission this transfer.

Santa Lucia

And.....that´s about all I have time for. Just know that I love you all and I KNOW I am where I´m supposed to be. 

There is no greater work than this. :) 

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Hna Lupita