Mail, the #3 and living in a cloud

Hola. I love you guys so much. Thank you for all the love and support and prayers and excitement. 

Life:

This week was so good. But also so humbling- which is good. But with the word humbling also come hard and frustrating and raw but also lots of love and prayers and a true internal happiness. You know?

One of my favorite experiences of the week was with one of our part member families. The dad is a member- but has been inactive for real long times then the rest of his family are investigators. I love them so much- they are Bolivian and Peruvian and gold. 

COOL:
We had just finished having our lesson with them and were just chatting about good life stuff and I had this thought "I wonder if they’d like to the Book of Mormon on tape"- because they’ve been having problems with reading. Then I was like "where am I going to get it on tape?" So I pushed the thought aside and kept trying to listen (while really only getting a small amount of the conversation.) when I thought it again- like "I bet they could really use the Book of Mormon on tape." But then again I was like "this is ridiculous. And what ever." Then the third time I got the thought real strong- and I’ve learned once you hit three times of a crazy thought you just go with it. 

So I just asked them- quite randomly- if they would be interested in the B.O.M on tape. And Hna J gives me that "what the heck are you doing" look.  The one I get kind of a lot. Ha-ha. And I felt a little bit like "what the heck am I doing?" But just went with it- and they got really really excited and really want the B.O.M. They work in their home sewing jackets all day and they want it to listen to while they work. So we made plans and we got our pal Carolina to help us order it online and they should get it soon. I am so excited because of how excited they were- they just kept bringing it up and cant wait to listen to it and learn the stories. 

It was soooo good. I love learning these little things- hopefully next time I'll just bring it up the first time the Spirit tells me, not the third! This is the new goal- so there will probably be stories to come of the Hna J's loving "what the heck face." 

Man, I am so lucky to be serving here and to be serving with Hna J. I love her so much. We’ve really learned how to not only work well together- but also how to really, deeply, trust each other. Man- I love- I am not getting excited for transfers coming up. 

BEST:
Then this week we had interviews with the mission president! Oh, how I love that dear sweet man. While Hna J was in her interview, I was able to sit and talk to Hna Rappleye- our mission mom, president's wife- who is really down to earth. And we got to talk in English! Ahha! So it was one of the first real conversations I have had with someone other than Hna J in weeks! Oh it was the best. I love just the inspiration and insights and love she has.

Then I had the actual interview with president and oh man- even though he doesn’t personally know me the very best or I don’t talk with him a lot he is the priesthood authority over me, and had that special power to know and love me. He just knew exactly what to say and we had a very sweet and real and emotional and spiritual interview. It was powerful and I am pumped to get back to work. 

One thing that’s a bummer is they finish their mission in just a couple months so this was our last interview together- at the end he explained how he wishes I had come earlier, how he wishes we could have worked together and how I am a great missionary- and how he explained what I have been doing and everything was very real. It was exactly what I needed because its really hard here- and the language is hard. I love it and I know I’m doing my best and that’s all heavenly father wants me to do- but it was just nice to hear- you know? 

Man its hard going through days just hardly knowing what’s going on- but its getting better every day and I am understanding a little bit more. Today I read a whole chapter in the book of Mormon in Spanish and I didn’t have to use my English scriptures as a help at all- this was huuuuuge. I am so happy- I am only in 1 Nephi and its been a couple weeks- usually I just get a couple verses in and get the meaning! Hurray!

Oh, and speaking of mad sick Spanish skills, I was chatting with our zone leader on the phone- which is so hard to do in Spanish because you cant see their faces or mouths and its all the worst- but then that night we had a meeting and he explained he totally thought I was Hermana J because my Spanish was so good. Man I love the gift of tongues. It is the best seriously. 

The weather here has been a little wacky. It’s starting to get cold and rainy- but lately we have been having this little cloud thing. No- not fog- full on clouds- it is sweet. Like right now we are literally inside a cloud-. And they just move through the city and you can see the little whispy puff things. Its wack. 

NOT THE BEST:
Ok the not good part of the week. Hate this. So I got this little mouth thing that’s not to fun. The mission nurse is in a different sector so we just called her and explained it- and we just had me gargle salt water- now I am on a z pack, which is good. But it’s weird. Like this open sore on the back of my mouth. Probably from something wack I ate. Then like this stuff on the roof of my mouth and tongue. Hah siiick. So that’s been a little gross. But when we were at interviews Hna R looked at it and took pictures and we are sending it to a doctor. Its nothing bad- don’t flip. More just pray for me. ahhaha. siiiick. 

What else is a happening here? We are working a lot with the members- trying to get them in the ward and excited. I love it. This ward is solid and they people are gold- we just need to focus a little bit. You know?

Oh, we are still doing English classes and they are soooo good. This week we had more nonmembers than members-, which is sweet. There is especially one girl- shes 24 and I think a gem. Stories hopefully to come- this week were going to try to contact her for the lessons. beeest- I’m excited. 

RANDOM:
Oh, it's sheep killing season here. So that’s strait up sick. Hahah. Just walking and seeing it hung up-. So sad. 

Oh, my love this week. I got three letters from grandma ball. She is so good at writing ever week and I loooove it. Then i got a letter from the Strait family- beeeeest! Just a bunch of drawings that made me cry a little tear because they were the cutest. Got a massive package from grandma Simpkins. Seriously- I had to carry it from the church and all over and by time we found a little collectivo my arms were about to fall off- I couldn’t even carry it, it was so full of love! All the missionaries here are jealous of my grandmas. Because I seriously have the best grandmas ever. 

And I got the best note and hat from cinda and henry. I love them so much. So much love to be had and felt on this end. This week I just felt a lot of love. In the letters and such but also just in my heart, you know? I always heard missionaries who said they could feel prayers and I never got it. But this week I really got it. 

Then mom- I got your letter. You are killer. The one about the dream. I just sat and cried and Hna J walks up and just gives me that cute little "whhhaaaat?" face- so I just hand it over to her and she read it. Then we were both crying. I love you so much. I miss you like crazy. And I think about you and dad all the days. I just know how much you love me and how truly proud you are and how you support me in everything and I cant explain enough how much I miss you and how much I love you. Thank you for being my truest best friends. 

Well I better sign off. I want to go print of a couple talks from conference!

I love you! Keep reading and praying and smiling and being little member missionaries and I will get the blessings. 

The church is true! I love my mission, I love the people, I love it, I love it, I love it. 

Xoxo

Hermana ball