Eyes are Opening, Hearts are Listening, Souls are Remembering! January 28th, 2014

AY! La semana pasada fue muy muy bueno! (: I am in love. That is all there is to it.  Basically, I just know my purpose here and we are thriving!  We have been seeing so much progress that I would be lying if I didn't tell you that miracles happen! I think I say that a lot, but let me tell you how true it is: THEY HAPPEN EVERY DAY!  And they always will if you are living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (: Incredible. 

This is my home. I belong here. I can't believe how much I love these people more and more and more every day, every week! We have become so very close to a lot of families en la rama and it is so exciting and very rewarding.  Some of them I just love so much that I wish they would just come home with me whenever this life ends. (: (Not that I am thinking of that alrready haha). Hey, you know what is so cool!? I am teaching the Lamanites! I read in Mormon last week and it was soooo cool! It talks about how the Lamanites will accept the gospel in the Latter Days.  Hello, Lamanites, I am here to fulfil this prophecy! Uhm, okay, how cool does that sound!? (:

We had to take our little car into the shop! (Turns out there was leaves in the blower motor making the sound! haha how pathetic).  But anyways, that meant we were without a car for a day and a half.  We talked to sooo many people and walked around town and back once or twice haha but we just had a blast and it was one of the best days yet!  We met this sweet lady who is 82!  She was pulling a shopping cart, barely limping along with her son on a motorized wheelchair in front of us.  SO mi companera y yo walked her all the way to her house which was over a mile away. I don't know how she would have done it without us!  We talked the whole time and she was telling me how she has been in AZ her whole life.  She was talking about all the bad things that go on here (especially around our parts of town) and I thought, hmm...how ironic that in this sunny town of summer, eyes are so dark and souls are so deprived of light. Wow, I talk about light a lot, but the irony, right?!  The light of Christ is so necessary where ever you go! Don't be afraid to shine it. 

I just want you all to know that the Spirit of God is alive! It is real and it is tangible.  I dare you to feel it! And if you don't, you're not trying hard enough. This is simple, people.  And it is so necessary! We truly are not asked that much of us, so why not just do it? Don't you remember how the scriptures constantly say if ye are righteous, ye shall prosper in the land? It is only when we let this vicious cycle of pride that we see in the Book of Mormon become a reality in our lives that wickedness prevails...but it will never win! I love that I know that.  I can say that with confidence.  Sure, I have lots to work on, but we can make it! We can do hard things.  And ya know what, we're expected to! Because this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.  (: I love this life! I love it here sooo much.  Wahooo! (: AND I love you all! Tenga un buen Semana! (: Paz!

Just a Good Week- January 21, 2014

Here's a fun fact.  Our neighbor's car was stolen!  We are on alert jaja.  I was talking to President Killpack about how the creepiest guys always approach us and he said to just follow the spirit and that we will be safe. Right. And then he said this haha "to be honest, South Tucson is probably the sketchiest part of this whole mission.  Even more so than Nogales or Sonora." Fabulous. Jaja

This week was a little different for us because since we got to go up to Tempe last week, we had to sacrifice a little on our end.  We got 150 miles less to drive this month.  Our dinner appointments seemed to be the furthest places they've been thus far (20-25 minutes away) and we had 3 or 4 occasions where we had to go into town or the mission home.  This meant we ran down our miles way faster than usual.  We decided to walk whenever we could and, of course, we ended up meeting a lot of people.  It was pretty fun (: (And wow, it is sure warming up here.  I keep telling myself this is only January! pah...). But anyways, I really enjoyed getting to talk to more people.  We ran into some fun stories.  We talked to this young man who is Catholic.  He asked us if we are married.  We of course told him no and he said something to the affect of this: You guys should really be Catholic so that you can get married! You're both very pretty so you should be Catholic. haha thank you, Sir. And also yesterday, I said to my companion "I wish it was your birthday so that I could tell you happy birthday!" and she said well maybe we will meet someone today whose birthday is today.  And I said "Yeah! Because I really just want to tell someone happy birthday!" it was a random thought, yes. So literally like 5 minutes after that we met this guy named Will.  We asked how old he is and he said that he was turning 23 today! Bah! Happy Birthday! I was thrilled!  While we were talking to him I would just randomly say, "hey, Happy Birthday!"  I think I told him 5 or 6 times haha it was sooo wonderful! (:

We got to go to the Gila Valley temple this week! It was sooo wonderful (: And a miracle became of it.  I knew God would help us in our righteous efforts and so I asked Him if He'd provide a miracle that we wouldn't run out of miles before our time was up.  We had to drive to the temple which was 4 hours round trip.  Because of this, we were told to add 270 miles onto our odometer.  This was more than enough and I witnessed an answer: a true miracle.

This week we got in touch with a former.  She just all of the sudden opened her heart to us and we weren't even trying to find her.  She was telling us about all of the hard times she has been having (it seems that everyone has the hardest lives here!).  She told me later that she liked my shoes and I just wanted to take them off right then and there and give them to her.  We rounded up some extra supplies that we have around our apartment and gave them to her the next day!  And the day after that, we spent about 2 hours cleaning her kitchen.  You would be proud, Ma.  It was craaaazy.  But it was amazing to feel the change of spirit as the Spirit could now more fully abide in this clean environment.  They also have the cutest little pups that we get to hold every time we go there (: yay! haha and We also got to meet this solid, solid 17 year old! He is wonderful.  SO great.  He accepted a baptismal date and is just thriving in a matter of 3 days! He went and bought a shirt and tie for church this last Sunday.  It was so cute haha we had someone in the ward help him to tie it. 

I just want you all to know that since I've been out here, I have become a magician.  All the little kids know that I do magic tricks (; I pull glow in the dark stars out of their ears or from under their shoes. Bet you didn't know I could do that before,eh? Me either (; but it is so fun because they sit there and patiently wait because it takes about 10 minutes for another star to come out (;

Ohhh my goodness.  Let me just tell you another funny story.  These little kids I was doing the star trick with said "hey how old are you?" and I told them to guess and they said 20.  I told them they were close and that I am 19 and they said' " really? Because you look like you're 30" psh...30? jajajaja good one, children.

Last night we got to have some great FHE lessons with 3 families.  One fam we simply just went around the room and told each other their strengths.  What really stood out to me was how prevalent the Spirit was just by simply bringing out the best in each other.  God loves us and He loves our families. Of course the spirit would be so strong when we have so much love surrounding us.  So be kind, families (: Love one another.

I just want to leave by saying this world is crazy! It is sooo full of just darkness.  I have never met so many 14 year olds that smoke pot! Every other one, I swear.  It is so clear that the task of living righteously is being more and more neglected.  But you need to know, we all need to know, that we have a purpose! That we are loved! Don't you quit.  I want to illustrate how ridiculous it is when we follow a crowd with, of course, a poem I wrote for ya...be excited (:

 

There are no ups from here on out.

It all goes down and around and about.

Because going down hill needs no worry

You can roll right down in quite a hurry.

But going upward takes too long;

And some get ideas of finishing strong.

They say a man once gave it a try.

He climbed and climbed and got very high.

He decided to continue and pick up his slack--

So he kept looking up and he never came back.

So no one should ever climb those hills.

At least that's just how everyone feels.

Going down will always be best.

It's easier and faster and needs no rest.

So you can go up, but I'm going down--

Because everyone feels it's best in this town.

 

I want to encourage you all to find those lonely people, and sit with them! (Especially at church). Maybe even put a picture of the temple on your credit card so people will ask you about it.  Look for simple, easy ways to share your happiness of this Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because it truly is all about Him.  Love you!

Road Trip! January 13, 2014

This week started out just perfectly.  We were at FHE con la familia Betancourt and haha we were praying and I just so happened to peek my eye open for some reason.  And I looked and I beheld that there wast a fire log that had fallen out of the fire place! And it was still ablaze and behold, it was now...on the floor. haha What a lovely surprise! It turned out quite alright, but it sure was an unexpected surprise. 

HEY! This is my favorite part of this week! Wahoo! Listen. So we have these vecinos (neighbors) that just scream at each other. I mean SCREAM. Like you would think a rap battle between Eminem and Rihanna was going on. (pardon my worldly terminology) but this like shakes the roof and my companera y I just sit there and cringe.  Sometimes we sing. Sometimes we simply pray for them.  AND we just kept thinking that we needed to pay them a good visit.  They really are super cool people when you catch them in the right moment.  We run into them often.  So we did it.  We made it a priority and we went and sat down with them in their house.  And this is what I love, absolutely love, about the gospel: that it is the only thing that can make a grown man cry.  This man is rough. He is huge! He has tats and piercings and he just looks so rough. But he has the softest heart and the most broken spirit.  He kept saying that we were an answer and this was a sign because just this year he decided his goal was to become closer to Jesus Christ.  Happy New Year, neighba! Your wish just came true (; but really, they are so awesome! And he is just so chipper now! Literally, with one visit, we have move a mountain.  I believe in miracles. And I see them every day.  In fact, just the other, he ran out so fast to us, "girls, girls! I have been waiting to talk to you! I have been so excited to tell you that I just got a job!" haha it was so wonderful (: He really thinks of us as friends (because we sure are!) and he feels that because we shared that simple, one message with him, his life is already turning around.  We're definitely going back again, but we haven't got a chance to yet!

Aww and listen to this! I got some glow in the dark stars for Christmas from Sierra ma fren, and I gave some of them to the cutest kids!  They live in very very humble circumstances and they were sooo excited! They kept turning off the lights and dancing around with them.  The joys of children's laughter (: wow. My heart is so full here. I love this world.  I love these people! I was reflecting on my first day in la rama.  That Sunday lasted 34.997 hours and I just felt so out of place. Yesterday I realized how I know Everyone!!! And I love them so so much! (:

With those same little kids that I gave the stars to, we are learning the Articles of Fe with! So I have been learning them in Spanish and we made a deal with them to memorize the first 7 and get a partyyyy whooo! We are the coolest (; Those little monkeys are a little difficult to get through to sometimes because they literally are climbing all over me the whole time but we sure love 'em! (:

Here's my little food insert of the week: PTs...Real PTs.  We're talkin Potatoe Tacos, Y'all.  The real deal. Mexican food will never be the same for me. I have been spoiled thus far. 

Ah! I just love it here sooo much! These are my people! (: The Sardina's are a family that I just completely love.  They are like having a little family here in Tucson. They're like Grandma and Grandpa and just family love.  The spirit is always so strong when we are with them, they make THE best food, and they are fabulous ward missionaries.  Pardon, Branch missionaries.  And quite literally, we do a lottt in this branch.  It is not doing so well at all.  But we have really made it a priority and I think we are starting to see the fruits of our labors.

This week we got to be bused up to Tempe to see Elder Holland!  The only thing is that Elder Holland's schedule was suddenly changed and so we saw Elder Wright of the 70, which was awesome!! (: It was so fun aaaand guess what! I saw 2 friends! Sister Katie Foree and Elder Bradon Hyer.  SO neat.  It's been a year! I jumped for joy! Literally. (: We were filled that day with a wonderful spirit and sooo much happiness. (: It was pretty hilarious, though, because I sat by an elder from the Tempe mission.  When we were singing the closing hymn, I noticed that he was sitting very close to me...uhhh haha and so I would move, and he would too.  When it was over, he said this, "I noticed you sound very good when you sing" jajaja mission life. But hey, that's been something that I have loved too! My companion and I have been able to sing for some lessons and it has really brought the spirit in.  I am so passionate about the way music speaks to the soul.  What are you feeding into your soul? Worldly lyrics and spirit-offending rhythms?  Or music that really uplifts and fills your soul? (:

Going back on my 'light' theme of last week, I just found one great scripture that I wanted to share: 1Thesselonians 5:5

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Children of light, stand up! And stand out.  Because in this darkening world with deceptive, synthetic light, the natural light of Christ can really brighten and guide.  It is a light of hope and happiness...so again, and again, I say...Shine on! (:

Little thought for the week: There is no comfort in the growth zone, but there is NO growth in the comfort zone! 

Love you all (:

I Love My Little Mexico January 6th, 2014

I would just like to emphasize that I am literally an hour, maybe 2 or so, from the Mexican boarder.  I may have told some of you this story, but about 5 minutes after we went caroling at a branch member's house, they were deported!  And our Sunday school president just got out of jail a couple weeks ago for the same reason.  Mission life (;  Also, tamales here are fabulous, you should know this, and you should be jealous...But hey.  Last night, I spent the whole night being very sick and so you win some, you lose some, right?  Not to mention...on the way to this lovely place to correspond with you all, I ran right into the closing door...with my face. And I am just so glad that I amused every single person in this building.  I hope it brightened their day as much as it did mine. Oh hey! But fiestas here, yeah, they're great.  And this is the life (: here in my little Mexico. 

When we moved from our North Ogden home to Pleasant View, I had a hard time! And that really took me by surprise because it was still so close to North Ogden.  And one day, I sat outside the house on the sidewalk.  It was an incredible sky that was setting and the world was perfect.  I closed my eyes.  I could hear mom playing the piano and I could feel the same sun that always set, on my face.  And I realized, I was home.  Home was having the people I love and the things I love in the same place!  I didn't feel this in AZ at first...But I did just that the other day.  I closed my eyes.  The sounds were different, yes.  The warm winter was different, too.  But the same sun was smiling on my face, and I am around many people that I have grown to love here too, and so I am home. 

 

Speaking of home: real quick shout out to the fabulous fam who sent me such fun things and cards for Christmas!  Thanks to the Rupp fam for their cute card (: I love my cute fam!!! (:

AND shout out to the Hayward and Shirley Wride family.  I don't know you.  But it sure means a lot that you took the time to think of me this Christmas!

 

Back to the books.....

We get along very well in our district!  It is probably too much fun! (: We all did yoga for our morning exercise on Thursday and hahahha. That's all. I just know we're all here in the same place at the exact same time for a reason! 

 

I Had a little insight this week that I was stoked about!  Philippians 2:15"that ye may stand blameless and harmless, the sons (and daughters) of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whome YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD." Ah! I love that!  We shine as lights in this ever-darkening world.  ANd if darkness is the absence of light, then what this dark world is missing is the Light of Christ!  A literal, physical, tangible light: that brightens, and warms, and loves.  YE are the light of the world.  Let YOUR light so shine! (Matthew5:14-16). And, hey, it's okay to shine!  IT's okay to sparkle and gleam, because all of those things reflect light and that light offers warmth and love that this darkening world is in such great need of.  SO SHINE ON!   Just something to think about.

 

Yeah...life is good here (: The language gets really frustrating sometimes, though.  BUt that's how I'm being humbled.  And, hey, I can say the word toothless: desdentado...so you could easily say I'm progressing.  I played the piano in primary yesterday! I loved it! I love being with these shining kids (: so fun!

 

I just have one last thought to leave you with.  Of course, a poem.  I wrote this while I was studying yesterday.

 

Jesus in the tempest calmed the raging sea;

Oh now, my Jesus, calm the sea in me.

My ship now is sinking and the waters overflow--

and the fear I have inside me is continuing to grow.

"Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

I'm the lighthouse and the beacon, the life and the way.

And even from my slumber, I'll arise and calm your sea;

And then, my wayward sheep, fear not, and follow me."

 

Matthew 8:24-26

"And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but He was asleep.

And His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

And He saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."

 

Love you!!!! (:

"Especially YOU, Barbie" December 30, 2013

Pues, pues, pues...la ultima semana fue muy muy bueno!!! (: Ohh dearly. Christmas was wonderful!  Let me tell you.  Mexicans know how to party! And they party. Every. Single. Day.  It was quite possibly the best Christmas of my life! (No offense to the Fam!) I love you all!

Okay, I always just ramble on so much, so I will try to be just a little bit more organzied today, perhaps?  (:

Let me just tell you about Frank's melt down.  We went over to see him and he was just a wreck.  He told us how he just felt like there is no way that God could be there for him because he felt so low and he just was so depressed.  He promised us that that day would be the day he stopped drinking and he was like "yeah I am prolly going to get a few more beers tonight, I already had like 3" Mmkay. Let down!  We were crushed.  We threw the whole lesson out the window and talked about faith through trials.  I felt like it was a good lesson!  We were all 3 just bawling.  It was a very humbling, but saddening night.  I think...I think I learned the love of a parent.  Now before you go about saying that I've never been a parent before, well, I know!  But I just felt that urgency for him to know and believe what we were saying and let it help him! Bah! It was so frustrating at the same time because he just didn't get it and he couldn't because he has a wall up between him and the spirit every. single. day.  That's why we have the word of wisdom! So that we are not just so numb that we can't even feel the spirit; let alone anything at all.  Alcohol mocks the very purpose of our life by taking away the very thing we came here to receive: agency.  People. I have a testimony of the word of wisdom! Live it. Love it.  The spirit can work through us when we are clean because it only dwells in holy temples, which temple ye are.  (: In fact! I wrote a poem. (surprised?)

 

Where are you standing?

In holy places?

Or in forlorn streets

In run-down spaces?

This is a test!

Will you join the races?

With a smile on your heart

And a smile on your faces.

The evil will rise 

And start up their chases.

But just stand tall

In holy places.

 

And we can always know that we never stand alone when we stand with God!

I just know this. And let me tell you.  Being out here has taught me how to love.  How to just purely love with everything in me.  And I can love because He loved me first. (1John 4:19) and He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1John 4:8) And this is the truth.  It's truly incredible how I can just instantly love these people.  It just works.  I just love them so much and I just want the best for them!  Especially these cute youth!  These beautiful young girls that need to know that they are beautiful in every way! And that they have so much good in them because they have a loving Father in Heaven who made them that way! And if anyone tells them other wise...so help me...haha but in all seriousness.  I have felt  so much love and so much frustration at the same time because of people that try to tell them otherwise.  PEOPLE. We all have so much to give! We all have SO much, immaculate amounts of potential!  Don't let satan get in yo way! I am so serious. Pa-lease! Because I just love you all so much (: And you need to love yourself, too!....Sorry...tangents.

 

Hey. Food here. Sometimes...it's aight.

Manudo (muh-noo-dough): Or as I believe it should be called< manuDON'T.  Cow stomache. Yes, it even looks like it.  But even better because it is in a soup that tastes like sweat. Wow. sorry, that was graphic. Pardon my French.

Hey but cow head tacos! Those are actually decent if you can get past the fact that it is, indeed, a cow head.

Sonora hot dogs: if I were a fan of hot dogs, these would be marvelous.  But I'm not, and so they're simply bearable.  It's the biggest thing you've ever seen with beans and guacamole and mustard and mayo and cheese and it's basically a taco with a hot dog in it!

 

Christmas was a blast! After talking to the fam (which was probably the greatest thing in the entire world!) we got to party!  We went to the Urias's house and everyone was outside.  Personally, I was a little bummed because it was cold.  But then! We had so much fun! They had music going (Mexican of some sorts, and probably not in the white hand book) and they were just dancing like crazy! They had a huge bonfire going and we were all eating these cow head tacos. Lovely.  We even got to LIMBO!  hahahah and then we grabbed some guitars and sang some Christmas hymns (In Spanish, of course!...soy Mexicana) and the spirit was so strong! Just all around good vibes. Lovin' it.

We also got soooo much candy because the elders...they just kill us.  We open our car and find all this food on our floor! They are trying to make us fat.

 

HEY. also, if you get the chance, read 'Hastening the Lord's Game Plan' by Elder S. Gifford Nielsen. Fabulous.

 

I got to go on an exchange this week! That was neat (: I was in the slum dog ghetto!!! I already live in the ghetto, but this surpassed all.  I was in Rio Rico and Nogales.  It was fun though! Like a little sleep over (: And we were pretty much with their elders the entire day so that was fun.  But I made a fool of myself, of course.  People and their blonde jokes...that's all I have to say.

 

Speaking of Blonde's!  Yesterday, we walked out of the church building and there happened to be a lady pulling in.  She pulled over to talk to us and told us how she was in a Mission in Mexico but she was visiting someone right now.  So she was telling us about how the girls are having a hard time adjusting to their native companions and their companions don't think to much of them because of the way they were raised and their non-Mexicanness.  And then she says something along the lines of how we would have a hard time in Mexico too because we're from UT.  And then she says, "especially  you, Barbie!" Pah...that is the second 'Barbie' comment that I have gotten in the last week.  Are you serious? Barbie, people? Why not a mountain climber or sock monkey?  haha I guess if someone compared me to a sock monkey there would be some questions in my mind...but barbie. Psh. Mission life.  Livin' it. Lovin' it! I also gave my first talk this Sunday! That was interesting.  They all just looked at me like they were laughing inside.  And I guess that's better than crying sooo win win! haha

 

Last little note to leave ya with:

Mark 10:27

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Tamales. Miracles. Aaaand...creeps. December 23, 2013

I would just like to start out by saying this week is looking up! (: Fabulous things are taking place here in Midvale and also in the Sahaurita Branch! Listen.  This gospel is all of our obligations.  NOT just the missionaries.  If you think that the missionaries are in your area to bring some people to your ward, you are mistaken! We are called as missionaries to help the MEMBERS bring people unto Christ! It is a team effort and it is so important that we do this! I cannot wait to come home and talk to everyone! Neighbors, friends, people we pass.. Because this is Salvation.  And this is the mission of the Latter-Day Saints! Look in the footnotes in 1Nephi 22:8. 

Anyways...Life is great.  My companion and I are pretty much the same person in different bodies so that's neat.  AND also, I just want to testify that the Spirit is the teacher! (: Treasure up the words of Christ and then step aside! Get out of the Spirit's way, and let him teach!! So simple, right?  And a perfect time to talk about the spirit of Christ! Because the Spirit of Christmas is the Spirit of Christ...and ya know, the Spirit of Christ is love.  So focus on love! And truly keep that with you throughout your days and years and life! Because that's what it's all about.  That universal language of love.  Let me tell you: I have found my purpose here!

My purpose here is to get the youth excited about missionary work!  To get them excited about knowing who they are as Children of God.  And that gets ME so excited!! (: I am pumped!

Welll....let me tell you a little about my week, eh?

We had lunch with a family on Tuesday.  They live in the most humble circumstances I have ever seen, next to homeless.  We ate with our hands and only we ate...She ate a little.  But her children just ate oranges. It was some kind of meat (I didn't ask) and beans...We ate it with a tortilla with our hands.  I was so grateful for momma's cooking.  SO grateful for a warm house that is so clean with dishes that are clean.  Ah, blessings.  BE so aware that they are truly every where.  I mean really.  Think about how blessed we are! SO blessed.

OH! And we also made cookies with a cute girl names Hanniah.  She is 12.  I used to cookie dough mom gave me!  WHooo! SHout out to the Mother! (: I love her!

And that was great.  A lot of these families seem to be going through the hardest things that I could ever imagine.  This little family with like 3 or 4 children, there dad just left them for another women with 4 other kids...What. I don't know.  But wow.  It's okay, because Momma Hurst is gon take good care of these lil babies. There's another young man named Issac.  He's 14.  He is so awesome! He just desires to be so good! He wants it with everything in him! I love these youth! (Yes, I am one too...but still!)

The other day, it was lightly raining and we saw Isaac walking down the street.  SO we pulled over and ran as fast as we could to catch up! He's fast.  He was walking down a wash which is a deep ditch kind of thing that is there for catching the floods of monsoon season.  So we ran down this alley and sat in this wash and talked to him.  We talked about miracles.  About how truly, we should see miracles everyday!  Because miracles are: The natural result of the correct application of true eternal principles.  Hold up.  The NATURAL RESULT.  We are promised miracles everyday! You just have to notice them because they might not always be huge and in your face!  So we finished talking to him and walked back down this alley.  All the sudden...dun dun dunn/...A pair of huge eyes, one orange, one light blue, staring straight at us! We screamed...and so this giant wolf dog got all angry with us! Started barking and coming at us. Okay. Terrified. Yes. SO we looked at each other, my companion and I, and we said what in the world do we do!? My wise companion said, let's say a prayer.  She said something along the lines of this: Heavenly Father we don't know what to do.  We are scared.  Will you please just let the dog turn around and walk away or something so that we can get to our car safely?

And we opened our eyes, the dog looked at us, turned around, and walked away. MIRACLES. It was exactly, verbatim what we had asked for. MIRACLES. They happen every day, you just have to look for them. (:

On that note, things are swell (:

I love the Mexican culture and people.  Whenever they greet you, they hug you and kiss you on your cheek! Every. Single. Time. Whether you know them or not...uhhh ahhaha but just the women obviously. No worries.  I even tried probably the second hottest pepper in the world.  The lady whose house we were at told me that I was more Mexican than she was hahaha YES! Accomplished.  Porque soy Mexicana. (;

It is just lovely here, especially the sunsets and night skies and I am feel very very grateful and humble.

Let me finish off with a lovely story......

Basically, we met a man in Panda Express last week.  He was creepy. Seriously. Like 40 and hitting on us.  THe other day, we had our Branch Christmas party and someone said hey hermanas there is someone here for you.  So we went outside to see who it was. Our hearts stopped as recognition sunk in...It was that same man from Panda Express.  How did he find us? Why was he here? Because he lives clear on the other side of town. And WHY was he still thinking about us enough to drive all the way down.  He said he came the night before too...Oh my heavens. Heart-stopping.  The word that kept coming into my mind was 'Predator'

He is a creep. A real live creep.  And he said he wanted to buy us something small for Christmas. WOw. Okay, man, if you ever find us again...SO we have to tell someone about this stalker. Sheesh.  OTher than that. Doing quite well! And I love you all!!! (:

Here's one last thing to ponder over this Christmas Season.

This thought hit me last week.  We all have heard the story of Mary and Joseph looking for somewhere to go and no one would let them in.  We always think that they are all so rude for not letting them in and wonder if they would if they only knew they were carrying the Son of God.  Well here's something to think about...if we know the Son of God is here, why don't we always let Him in? or do we get carried away in the world? Do we not even have time to let Him in and think about Him for 10 minutes of reading the scriptures? Praying night and day?  Or are we the inn keepers that have no room?...because if we are, He surely can make no room for us with Him in the Celestial Kingdom. 

 

I love you all.  Merry Christmas. (:

Arrival Letter from Mission President

 

 

Scott A and Jana L Hurst
538 W 3850 N
Pleasant View, Utah  84414

           

Dear Brother and Sister Hurst,

 

It was a very special experience to personally greet your daughter, Sister Karlee McKaye Hurst, at the airport upon her arrival in Tucson.  We were impressed by her great spirit and desire to serve.  We are grateful to have her serving here with us.

 

From the airport we took her and the other missionaries to the Mormon Battalion Monument in downtown Tucson, where we talked about commitment, and leaving behind all the cares of the world to focus on the work of the Lord.  After a brief stop at the mission office to have lunch and meet the office staff, the Elders and Sisters received instruction and training from the Assistants to the President, Sister Killpack and myself.  I had the pleasure of interviewing your daughter and getting to know her personally and to feel her wonderful missionary spirit.  Later that evening we dined together, took photographs and took the opportunity to discuss our purpose as missionaries.

 

Sister Hurst has been assigned to the Tucson Zone, located in Tucson, Arizona with Sister Smyth as her companion.  If, in case of emergency, you need to contact your daughter, please call the mission office at 520-577-7076.

 

As you write to your daughter, please encourage her to continue to serve faithfully, being completely obedient throughout her mission.  We know that she, and the Tucson Mission, will be in your prayers.  We also know that the coming months will bring many blessings into your lives by your daughter’s faithful service and the sacrifice you are making for her to serve the Lord and her fellow men.  Thank you very much for having prepared your daughter to withstand the rigors of missionary life and now to be serving with us here.

 

May the Lord bless you.  We send our love and appreciation.

 

 

 

President Roger E. Killpack                                                        Sister Bobbie P. Killpack

Arizona Tucson Mission