Maria del Socorro, Highs, & Lows

Hola!

So we had some long days and some miracle days this week:

It was the Día de los Reyes Magos (the wise men have their own holiday here), and we ate rosca at least 4 or 5 times. I love how everyone is so willing to share everything with us; from less actives to investigators, or even just random people we just met. There are still a lot of good people in this world. 

 We got eaten alive by mosquitos out in San Camilo with Hermana Rebeca, but on the plus side she sat down and listened even with the giant bloodsuckers attacking us. #itwasashortlesson

It went from really hot...to REALLY cold....to really hot again. And by that I mean it went from 95 to 70. My life is hard. 

I cut my hair. It was necessary...but slightly traumatic.

We´re teaching this family (it´s like three extended families or something confusing like that), and they are hilarious. There´s Kevin and Axel who are cousins (11 & 15 respectively) that start dancing every time they hear music. Then there´s Hermana Maria del Socorro. She´s ancient. She gives us spaghetti.  She may have loved the old elders, and threatened not to listen to another missionary after we leave. She´s hilarious. I don´t even know how to explain her. 

We walked a lot this week. We literally felt like we taught no one. And then every day at the end of the day we realized that we actually had good days. We´re not sure exactly how it happens but we´re okay with it. We found some really amazing investigators, and two people came to church this week!

PS I finished the Book of Mormon this week too!

I know I´ve said this a million and five times, but I´m really learning that the good times come right after the bad ones. Every. Single. Time. We just have to keep pushing, and it all works out. When we put forth our best effort Heavenly Father steps in and makes it enough. 

And that is why I love being a missionary. And I love you all.

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Manos, Mosquitos, & Minions

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

This week I got to leave the house!

And that automatically makes it better than last week. 

This was also a big dinner eating week.

-Hna Allen and I bought pizza Tuesday night. #prosofhavinganamericancomp

-Wednesday night a Hna Tere bought us tamales

-Hna Fatima bought us hamburgers Thursday

-Friday Hna Marina brought us arroz con leche

-And Saturday was leftover night. hahaha

(Just so you all know I´m being taken care of.)

So not to alarm anyone (mother....) but the mosquitos here are a plague...and they are literally spreading like three plagues: 

1. Dengue

2. Chikanguya (I have no idea how you actually spell that)

3. Sica (this one is new) 

BONUS You can have them all at the same time. Aren´t mosquitos fun?? 

Needless to say Hermana Allen and I now carry bug spray at all times and swat like mad every time we think a mosquito might be near us. 

Also it´s a great excuse to hit your companion. (As I found out when Hna Allen wacked me in the face the other day.) 

We went did visits with the young women this week to find some less actives and it was quite aweseome. We split up and I took 5 yound women from 13 to 17 with me. We were quite a sight; especially when we got on a bus and I started contacting and they were staring like I was ET. haha #teenagers 

The YW & I out working!! 

This week I felt like I saw the Hand of the Lord everywhere; from a less active letting us in when we had heard that she doesn´t accept visits from anyone, to showing up just after a recent convert had prayed and told Heavenly Father she just couldn´t do it anymore, to having your part member family show up to church for the first time... I know that this is His work and that He is very, very present. I have seen miracles.

And I am hoping for more. 

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

Araceli, Nine, & Glory

Hola!! 

So I have been in Campeche for four weeks now and...I still love it. This week:

My view of Campeche from the Ciber

We had the most successful P-day of my mission last Monday. We cleaned, washed clothes, studies, wrote, bought food, went shopping, FOUND ATTRACTIVE MODEST CLOTHING, ate Chinese food with the Bishop and the Elders (#firstchinesefoodin9months), and had time for a 15 minute nap. Woo. #winning

Chopsticks! 

Chinese food with the Bishop & the Elders #selfie

La Iglesia de San Roman

I went to work with Hna Schmit in Siglo XXI this week. I kind of just loved listening her talk in perfect Spanish and then perfect English and back again. (Her mom is from Argentina) I just love this beautiful language. And Hna Schmit. 

We had a Noche de Hogar with the Marquez familia and it was a cultural night. My comp taught us how to make pupusas...it´s like a ball of masa filled with stuff (beans, cheese, jam, groud beef...whatever) and then fried. (Good news for my family: I learned how to make them!) and I drank root beer. haha #Ihavenoculture

We made pupusas...it´s a Guatamalan thing 

La Familia Marquez

I also hit 9 months this week....which is half of my mission! I literally cannot believe it. I still feel like I´m just starting out this Mexican Adventure thing, and it´s literally flying by. Sometimes I feel like I´m just starting out, and then there are times when I can´t really remember how normal life was...hah. But I am literally loving every single minute of it. 

9 Months! 

And.....Hna Araceli got baptized! She was an investigator that we inherited from the elders but we taught her all of the lessons, and I just love her. It was kind of a scramble to finish all her lessons but we did it! haha We had her interview Friday night (and I got EATEN ALIVE by mosquitos), her baptism Saturday, and her confirmation Sunday. She´s one of the those rough around the edges with a huge heart type. And her baptism was the just the best. She shared her testimony after the ordinance and just cried because she knows that this church is true and it really has changed her life. #itdoesn´tgetanybetterthanthat 

Araceli´s Baptism! 

Elder Martinez, Elder Parrott, Araceli, Hna Torres, Hna Wilson, Hna Ligia, & her kids

Araceli´s Confirmation! 

#selfie

Me, Araceli, Hna Torres

I thought a lot this week about what it is that is so special about the mission and here is what I realized:The greatest glory I could ever find is to be a tool in the Hands of the Lord for the Salvation of other people.
My greatest glory is to be so used up that I am nothing more than what He wants me to be. 

We get asked a lot why we don´t use our names...And I know there are several reasons, but really for me, it´s because what I, McKenna, want to do really doesn´t matter. I am here to serve others and to serve my Savior.

And that is my greatest glory. 

I love you all!! More than you know!! 

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

Hna Hoggan, Hna Torres, ME, Hna Velasquez

La familia Perez....with a LOT of fish.

Skeeters, Blisters, & Laundry

Hola!

Wow what a week! Sorry don´t have a lot of pictures, I will try to be better about taking pictures this next week. I´ll send pictures of my hammock and the casa and stuff. :)

First week was interesting, the elders who were in the area before us didn't leave us the best area book so we've spent a lot of time contacting references, cleaning up the area book, trying to find investigators...hah. At the moment we have a little family and a lady who we are teaching. We've spent a lot of time meeting members, less actives, and figuring the area out...And being lost. haha Our map is subpar to put it nicely, and the streets don´t exactly follow any sort of reason. And thus, every day is an adventure!!

So it´s beautiful here, but I´m definitely not in tourist town, the houses are small and very humble, and everything is vaguely dirty. But I love it!!

55 Mosquito bites...yes, I counted them.  I now use mosquito repellent like perfume!

The most unexpected thing was when we ate at a member´s house, asked if she needed anything and we ended up doing her laundry outside in a bucket! Haha I love it, but when I decided to serve a mission doing things like that never crossed my mind.

I am loving the weather! It´s cold for here, so I´m having a nice period of time to acclimate myself. I love being warm! Also it´s a good thing it´s warm here since my showers are very cold...not as fun.

Spanish is coming. I understand almost everything gospel related and the majority of everything else. I´m working and hopefully the talking part will come soon.

I love my compañera. Hna. Ludlam is a great missionary and a great example for me. I´m learning a lot from her!!

Me and Hermana Ludlam

So Monday is officially my P-day now. I love you all so very much! And I love getting to bear my testimony every single day. I love this gospel!!!

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson

We are on our way!