HOLA from SAN JUAN!!!

HOLA from SAN JUAN!!! 

I´m still in the campo which is such a blessing!   but first things first....

monday hna. rush and I finished and laminated our new fancy shmancy book for president.  It´s like our baby... it´s gorgeous. 

I said goodbye to the flia Feliz and Evani and Greydi and Oly.  It was sad.  Then we finished packing and whatnot and tuesday morning we showered and hurried and said bye to Gabriel.  We made him cookies (which he ALWAYS asks us for) and gave him a tie and I said goodbye.  I obviously cired so hard because I love him like my little brother.  And we was tearing up so he waved us off so we wouldn´t see him cry.. haha he likes to think he´s tough.

Anyways.... got on a gua gua and waited with all the missionaries... said bye to hna. rush and cried again.

then got on a giant airplane bus with my new comp hna. Caguimbal from the Phillipines!  

She´s the cutest little thing and she speaks english almost perfectly, so she´s pretty much a North American.  And she was in the CCM with me so we are both BABIES!!  crazy!  So we´re having to learn spanish together.  The other hermana´s in the house are hna. Ortiz from Mexico and Hna. Santana from Spain!  So we always speak spanish in the house with them which is helping a lot too. 

I have felt my spanish grow like crazy in just the past week though. Since Hna. Caguimbal is fairly new she doesn´t know the area too well and we only have 5 investogators who aren´t super solid so I kinda feel like i´m white washing again.  Asking for referencias like crazy, really trying to work with the rama and presidente.  It´s been a hard but great week! 

I realize more and more each day how incredible of a trainer hna. Rush was.  Like really, I feel like I know so much more and understand so much more and really can comunicate decently and I get how the mission life goes and all that and it´s just a huge blessing.  I miss her a lot but I love my new companion too!

BIG NEWS....  San Juan has Luz and water ALL THE TIME.  yes, i now don´t take a shower using outside bucket water and a blender.... I take a legit shower and can turn on my fan at my pleasure.  I´m living like a queen.  for reals.  The shower water is ice cold but i don´t even care because water is coming out of the wall and not a bucket! 

Also, San Juan is like a smaller city.  We actually have a mini super market and a clinic and a few restaurants!!  Also, the people here have a little more money for the most part.  San Juan doesn´t have gua gua´s really because most people have motors and a few have actual cars.  so fancy. 

We are also closer to other missionaries.  There are only us four hermana´s in the entire zone because they don´t really like hna´s far out near the border.  So this morning we walked to a playa and played soccer with the eldersw who only like like 20 minutes walk away.  It was super fun! 

Anyways, there is a recent convert in our area and the night we got there his mom died.  So we rushed over there and tried our best to comfort him but.  It was so sad.  He´s about 50 years old and lived with his mom so now he´s alone.  But he´s a real solid convert and he´s going to be ok... he´s just super shocked because she was getting better.  His name in Hermano Marco.. so maybe pray for him.

We also have a menos activo family here whose dad is in the hospital basically on his death bed.  He can´t move or talk or eat and we have visited a couple times and sang and rubbed his hands and feet. 

alos... on thursday we were walking through this small streem of houses trying to contact and this guy came out of his house and called after us.  He asked us for a book so we handed him a folleto and he seemed really interested and asked when we could come back so we were trying to set up a return appointment and he leaned in and tried to kiss me!  Thankfully I quickly held my hand over my mouth, so he kissed my hand!  BUT GEEZ! haha apparently he wasn´t really interested in the folleto so we ran outta there!

Also, we had a lesson with this lady we contacted and in the middle of our lesson she started shaking and mumbling all these words in creole and was going crazy and hna. Caguimbal and I just looked at eachother wide eyed like WHAT IN THE WORLD.  she did that 5 times during our 15 minute cita... and at the end she told us that she had put our spirits inside of her and felt our message... errrrr.  so needless to say we aren´t going back.  Í´m seriously praying for good references from the rama because contacts are sometimes super iffy....

Yesterday was hna. Caguibal´s birthday!  So we all pretended like we forgot and didn´t do anything and when hna. Caguimbal got home at 8 we walked into the house and the other hna´s made a cake and got balloons and put the little gifts we got her (colmado snacks..) on her bed.  She was so happy it was the cutest thing.  We also smashed her face in the cake because it´s dominican tradition to ¨bake a cake on your head¨ if its your birthday (meaning throw eggs and flour on your head) but we were a bit nicer. 

 

Well.... that´s about it!  Thanks for the thanksgiving poster and love!  Love and miss you guys! 

hermana huish (wis)

Me Voy!!

Hola hola!

A great week....

monday night we went to a referencia.  We walked up to her house, she kindly let us in, and just as we were sitting down on her fancy couch she went OFF.  She rambled and rambled faster than some of these gua gua´s and just preached about Dios and church and whatnot.   For 20 minutes hna. rush and I just sat there and when we would try to butt in and get in a word she wouldn´t even budge.  So the best part though, is that we had like the EXACT same experience with this other lady about a month ago and she was a little crazy and while this sister was on her rant the other lady walks in and they´re sisters!  And both VERY evangelica.  So we somehow caught her at a long breath and got out of there!

On tuesday Almondo was sick when we had gotten all the way out there but we kinda forced him to come have a mini lesson with us.  His baptism is still on for the 14 of diciembre so yay!

marian remembered EVERYTHING we had taught her the past week and she´s definitely been waiting to get baptized for a while now so we called Quiroga and her baptism was scheduled for Saturday!

Gabriel has a whole slew of friends who come to church with him.  They are all so adorable and one o them is a kid who is in his class in school... and he wants to learn the lessons too!  So... deaf kid take two!  He is so sweet and his name is Yefri and we are SO lucky that we had already made that book for Gabriel and are working on the new nice one for President!

Then we had to go back to Mariana to finish the last couple mandamientos (commandments)  before her intro vista (interview).  Castidad (chastity) being one of them... So side note, her member mom and non member dad are actually not married.... so we didn´´t want to be awkwardly talking about chastity infront of her mom (who is a little crazy) so hna rush just asked her mom to explain chastity herself!  haha good idea except for Lydia´s explanation of chastiy was ¨to not wear mini shorts or low shorts and wear shirts that will cover those things your aunt Marcela wears under her clothes¨  haaha yeah we had to teach that one over once Lydia left to use the bathroom...

Wednesday we had our last district meeting of the trnsfer!  Holy cow has time flown by!! After 

during lunch time we made our pumpkin pie for thanksgiving beause the luz left and the crust was melting.  But it turned out so beautiful (and I did not drop it) and we had to try real hard to not eat it or pull a Dana and scoop some out from underneath.

We taught Evani, who is still plowing through her Libro De Mormon!  We had not talked about baptsim with her a lot yet because she is so young and needs apollo from the ward major, but during the lesson she stopped us and said ¨ok, so not this thursday, but the next I would like to get baptized¨  oh my gosh, she´s adorable.  We had to explain to her that she needs a couple more times at church and also baptisms are usually on Saturdays.  Then when we tried to set up our next cita we asked if we could come friday after school and she said ¨No because at 5 on friday I will be at the Library¨.  Yeah, this girl is for reals the cutest and also most ontop of things than all of our other investigators combined because most people forget that the have compromisos in 30 minutes,but she knows  rememberes all her plans for the next 2 weeks!

Thursday.  THANKSGIVING!!  We got our pie and pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting (we had to get up at 5 am when we had luz to BLEND brown sugar to make¨powdered sugar¨ to make frosting... haha) and took a gua gua to Azua with the other missionaries and had feast! Chicken, mashed potatoe, orange rolls, tarts, our pumpkin stuff (which everyone freaked out about because noone knew we had somehow gotten ahold of PUMPKIN!) and carrot cake.  It was really great and a little last of America all the way in Azua!

Thursday night we sat down with Isamar, a menos activa we´ve been working with, and whenwe asked her why she didn´t show up to church and she said she has work now hna rush told me to find a bold scripture about baptsim (2N 31 14 yo creo) and we were gearing up to give a fat boche.  Then up walks Isamar, who besos our cheeks and sits down.... We had been talking to her sister who is not even a member!!!  hahahaha woops! 

Friday morning I basially worked on the book for president ALL DAY!  seriosuly forever.  (ok, not all day we obviousy went out and worked)

Saturday... Mariana´s baptism!  She really has a cruch on Quiroga and wanted him to baptize her but Padre Las Casas is too far away so Presedente baptised her!  It was really great and she was so happy!

Saturday night hna rush hna hernandez and I stayed uplate digging into the scriptures about the after life and intelligences and spirits and it was so fun and I LOVE doing that kind of stuff.  I just want time to read all the crazy awesome books the church has.... but that´ll definitely have to be after the mission... no spare time here!

Ay mi Madre! on sunday we FINALLY GOT WATER for the first time in a week!  what a giant relief.  (we really hadn´t been able to shower in 4 days... YIKES)

Greydi came t church!!!!! ya ya ya!  he´s the best and is also LOVING the book of mormon.

We talked to Black and Esnider who are going to put in their mission papers soon!  they´re super amazing membrs from haiti.

Then at 8 or so we made a bonfire on our roof and sat on the roof and roasted hot dogs and drank malta moreno (yuck) and talked and waited for transfer calls!

.......................................... me voy..................................

I´m leaving SABANA YEGUA!! NOO!!!!!

yeah.  heart ripped in two.  Totally not what I was expecting at all but I guess it´s my time to go!  But we won´t know till tonight where I´m going and who our companion wil be.  crazy anticipation! 

But.... today we are going to go around to all my favorite people so I can say my goodbyes!  tear.

I´m really gonna miss this place. ´

 

love you all!

hermana huish

brujas and not beans

hey hey hey!  

So I don´t have a ton of time to email this week but it was a great one!  yeah, the amoeba (did I get it right this time??) is gone!  I actually never met with dr. walker and never got my medicine because the time for things to reach the campo is like a zillion years... BUT i am all better thanks to lots of prayers!  

On tuesday we went to a referencia (investigator, the one whose husband just died and 

she's pregnant) we had a great lesson, or so we thought, with her last week and when we went back she was hiding in her house and her sister told us she wasn´t home even though we could actually see her...  then a member told us she has verguenza (shyness) , because her dad (who we have definitely talked to at least three times at his house) is the top bruja of all the brujas in Azua.  He´s like a black magic master and his main craft is stealing little kids from hospitals and selling them to haiti to canibals.....  errrrr yeah.  He also sells peoples souls.  And black magic is like actually a real thing. LIke actually working for the devil.  It´s creepy and crazy!  So, we might not go over there anymore! 

Hermana Rush washing her hair. We have our own salon!!

We have this AWESOME new investigator who we actually contacted.  His name is Cardenio and he is a school teacher and has a wife (a real actual wife!) and two kids.  He has so much energy and is the absolute funniest guy ever.  When we were singing ¨eternas pueden ser las familias...¨ he was all ¨exacto!¨  and kept singing.  SO great! he also gave us a GINORMOUS pile of bananos and watching him try to shove them all into this tiny black colmado bag was one of the funniest things i´d ever seen.  hna. rush and i could not stop laughing.

Wednesday we finally found Evani (the 10 yr old genius) on the side of the street and had a mini lesson all sitting on the dirt.  She asked us exactly ¨how¨ christ was resurrected and we were like... uh.... some things we just don´t know?  then in her prayer she asked that her grandma who just passed away could go to the celestial kingdom and we hadn´t even taught her about the kingdoms of glory or anything about that yet!!!?!  so... she´s obviously reading all the folletos we have given her which noone does and if they do they don´t remember details like that!!  We gave her a book of mormon on friday and she FREAKED OUT.  she was so incredibly happy and we just know she´s gonna read the whole thing in like 17 days or something crazy.  (she reads the bible every day) we are so impressed. 

Riding in the back of a gua gua, recovering from the amoeba! 

That night we taught a menos activa (less active) and then she told us we couldn´t leave and she fed us dominican espaguettis (which is the bomb) and so we ended up being late to our lesson with Greydi and we read the book of mormon with him and answered questions and then we realized it was 8:50!!!!  and in our mission hna´s have to be home at 8:00!  WOW.  so we sprinted home and called quiroga who was thankfully not too mad.  (but we think it´s really funny how SO many mormon 19-20 yr olds are married and maybe even have a baby and are wives but we are 19-20 yr olds who have to call in at night to tell an 18 or 19 yr old elder we are home and report to him our numbers and everything we do... haha) 

On thursday we taught one of our investigators about Castidad (chastity) and she didn´t like it very much because she doesn´t want to marry her ¨esposo¨ (husband) which is such a hard problem here!  so pray that she wants to get married guys!

On friday I realized that I won´t have thanksgiving for three years in a row since last year I stayed in California! and I pretty much cried for 5 seconds.  

But no worries because we are gonna try and make thanksgiving with other Americans in Azua!

Then we taught this menas activa who´s 4 yr old niece was absolutely hilarious.  she cried when she couldn´t read the hymn and then she started sliding off her chair and rolling around the floor.  (hermana rush laughed and said she reminded her of me.... haha which mom and dad will like because I definitely used to always slide off the couch or my chairs and onto the floor...) 

We taught Marian, a little girl who is the daughter of a menos activo family and wants to get baptized soon... and they had adorable puppies that we couldn´t pass up!  

Then we taught a lesson to this sweet lady named Judy who put her fussy baby in the little washing machine. Don't worry, it's not quite how it sounds. 

On saturday we made red beans but when we tried to see if they were soft yet they were actually peanuts!!!  hahaha but to our defense the peanuts look a TON like red beans when they have those thin red shells and are in plastic bags next to all the other beans... 

On Sunday we taught Gabriel and Greydi.  Greydi is a really good baseball player and he is going to play for the GIANTS one day, we just know it.  (and by then I´ll be living in San Fran and I´ll just be able to hang out with him all the time! that´s the plan) 

Then we had a meeting at the church... but first I had to use the restroom.  So, I was sitting in the stall minding my own business when this little girl crawls under the stall door and just starts talking to me, yep, right there, and asking me all these questions... haha it was soooooo great.  hermana rush was dying. 

Well....today for Pday we are gonna go to the Juan Feliz´s and she´s going to teach us how to make all sorts of dominican classics!  so we´re pretty pumped!  

Love you all!!

hermana huish 

Amiba and Pumpkin

Pero..... sorta a weird week. Weird as in not so great.  But, I´ll get
to that in a little.

On Tuesday it was raining all day which is really difficult when half
of your investigators have tin roofs.  But we are experts at using our
loud voices now because every colmado blasts crazy loud music and we
have to scream when we teach.  We also sat on Yomaida´s floor while
she did her laundry on tuesday.  But doing laundry in the DR isn´t
like ¨oh just toss all your dirty stuff in the machine and it´ll do
everything for you.¨ you have like three buckets of water and scrub
the soap in one rinse with the other and ultra rinse with the other.
Water gets ALL OVER the floor and clothes get thrown everywhere and
it´s just a big ordeal. Also these people are really good at wringing
out their clothes and making them dry.  it´s crazy they´ll just twist
their clothes around and squeeze and WALLA! dry as ever.

Then we were late to our clase de musica so we ran to the church in
the pouring rain and taught Pollo and Snider beats and notes.  We
found out that spanish notes aren´t called ¨C-D-E-F-G-....¨ but
¨DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-SI-DO¨ !!  We totally didn´t believe them at first
because we thought that was just a sound of music thing but it´s for
reals!  cool huh??

Also, Hector left for Punticana this week and it´s kinda super sad!
Gabriel has to live with his aunt now but it´s actually good because
she lives closer to us.

Wednesday we got dressedf in like 5 seconds because we forgot the time
and we had to catch the 845 - 915 o´clock gua gua to Padre Las Casas
(dominican time is so difficult) and we sped walked to the bomba like
no other and literally caught the gua gua pulling out so we yelled for
someone to run adn stop the gua gua for us and we ran on and called
the other hermanas to hurry their fannies over to the bomba to catch
the bus!!  We really got lucky on that one.  On the way home from PLC
we took the gua gua straight to teach Almando and when we told Almando
and Juan Feliz that we live in a desert in Arizona they were worried
and Juan Feliz told us we had to find a dominican boy with a finca
(farm) and live here.  (finca = $$$$$$$)

We taught Maribele that night and we talked about eternal families
because her husband was killed three months ago and she has two kids
and is nine months pregnant.  it was SO sad and everyone was crying.

Thursday I woke up and we found worms in the water tank so we emptied
it and cleaned it and then with the little water we had I did all the
dishes because the kitchen was gross.  Then I ate breakfast and felt
SO DANG naucious (however you spell that?)  so we personal studied and
planned for the next week and then hermana rush made lunch but I had
no apetite so I just layed in my bed forever.  Then I tried eating
something but I felt super gross again so we called Quiroga and the
hermana leader to see what to do.  So then I spent all day napping,
reading the book of mormon, staring at the ceiling, and reading old
letters.... it was THE WORST.  so boring.

Friday morning we went to Azua for Zone meeting and then we went to
lunch after and I ate half of my sandwich and felt so sick again.
Because Sabana Yegua doesn´t have any farmacia we called the hermana
leader again to see what we should buy at the farmacia since we were
still in Azua.  Then Hermana Rodriguez called and said I needed a lab
test done to make sure I didn´t have an Amiba.

Saturday we went to Azua and got the test done and they said the
results wouldn´t come till 5 that night so we went back to Sabana
Yegua and read and layed around all day again.  It was seriously so
boring.  And not to mention i was STARVING because every time I ate my
stomach killed so I just basically ate nothing for three days.  Then
we went back to Azua and they handed us the result slip but it was in
written all scribbly (and in spanish-....) so we couldn´t really
understand and since no one really said anything when they handed us
the slip we figured it was nothing serious so we were gonna leave but
then we quickly had this lady read it over and she said I have an
Amiba.  GREAT.  So... we had to wait in this tiny hectic office for
the main doctor to talk to the office elders to figure out some stuff.
Side note- this office was the size of a colmado, had three beds
stuffed in it and each bed was occupied by someone graoning or
throwing up, there was a dripping sink with utensils in it, a cabinent
filled with drugs that was completely open with no one guarding it
(hermana rush and I thought that would be a great opportunity to make
some cash to fund our future trips to travel the world but then we
thought we´re missionaries... better not steal and then sell
drugs....) anyways, we finally got the doctor to talk on the phone
with the elders and we had to go home and send pictures to the doctor
in the capital to see what medicine I should get.

Anyways Sunday I didn´t really eat anything again so I wouldn´t feel
too sick so we could finally go out and teach.  We went to Greydi and
he started reading the Book of Mormon!!!!  and he seemed like he
really liked it a lot and even explained everything about their family
and leaving jersusalem and stuff. It was AWESOME.

So now it´s monday... we made Gabriel cookies early this morning and
brought him them for his birthday!!!  he was SO HAPPY.  it was the
cutest thing.

We are still waiting for a call from the doctor to see what medicine I
should get.  So this morning I didn´t eat anything but I´m thinking
I´d rather not be starving, So it´s eaither hunger pains or food pains and the problem is
figuring out which pain is worse...

Also, hermana rush and I are trying really hard to find canned pumpkin
in Azua but we can´t find it anywhere!  but what will thanksgiving and
the holidays be without pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies and pumpkin
pie!?!?!  so pray for pumpkin everyone.

Well that´s about it for this week.  It´s been a slow one with the
amiba and all... but an amiba is not as bad as some other things out
there so that´s a blessing!


Oh my gosh also I received Kortni and Nico´s  wedding announcement in
the mail.  Cutest thing I have ever seen!!!!!  wow I stared at it for
like 5 hours on friday when I had nothing else to do!  I´m so excited
and a little sad that mom and izze are going without me but send lots
of pictures!!!!
love you
hermana huish

Halloween and Transportation

Guys.  Casi day 100 in the DR.  CRAZY, no!? 

Last monday at the internet center this guy sitting next to me handed me this scribbled note that I really couldn´t understand and so I had Hermana Hernandez translate it and it said I´m a white angel from heaven and every time he sees me at the internet center he is the happiest man in the world.  weird.  So just now when we walked into the internet center he was sitting in the computer next to the one I was supposed to sit at.. so I made Elder Quiroga switch me.  But now I have a computer with one of those annoying jammed space bars again so...

On tuesday we were walking to meet up with Marcela to go out and teach and I noticed a giant blue blotch under hermana Rush´s nose.  So I told her she should wipe off whatever was on her nose and when she wiped even more blue stuff was on her face.  then we realized hermana Rush´s pen had exploded all over her hand and now it was all over her face too.  So hermana rush screamed and this random guy heard and came runnng out of his house with a hose for her.  it was really funny actually.  And his timing was impeccable. 

Tuesday night we made brownies for our district meeting the next morning.  Then we got this great idea to celebrate halloween at our district meeting so we called all the elders to come in costume and we put candy corns on the brownies and planned our halloween outfits.  (also we had brownie mix and candy corns and other candy all thanks to Annika James Christensen, so a big thanks to her for making our halloween!) 

 

Wednesday morning we all showed up at the church.  Hna. Hernandez was a fairy. Hna. Moronta was a witch, Elder Quiroga and Elder De La Cruz were both hawaiin tourists, Hna. Rush was a unicorn, and I was an Indian.  It was super fun and all the latins thought our brownie with a jack-o-lantern out of candy corns was the greatest thing and they all wanted to take pictures with it and eat the candy corns because they never had before.  So thanks again to Annika for making the Latinos super stoked! 

After lunch we went to the Juan Feliz house to teach Almando and at the beginning we were just chatting and hermana rush and I mentioned that we love concon.  Well then hna. Feliz went into the house while we started to teach Almando and 20 minutes later she came out with a giant plate of concon for hermana rush and I!!  And it was the best concon EVER.  She´s the cutest. Hna.Feliz was also talking with her daughter about different places in the USA and they called New York the Gran Manzana and we thought that was quite hilarious.  

We hadn´t gotten any water all week and our blue tank was completely empty.  All of our buckets were completely empty too. No water.  ZERO.  and to make matters worse, Quiroga called and said the Clawsons were coming in a couple hours for house checks.  uhhhhh.  So we prayed for water big time and lo and behold we FINALLY got water.  (which was literally a miracle because we later found out that noone else got water and usually everyone in Saban Yegua gets water and luz at the same time as everyone else....)  So we spent two hours deep cleaning the whole house.  We don´t usually clean or wash our clothes on P-days here, we just do that stuff whenever we have water and luz which is random times throughout the week.  

The Clawsons came while we were teaching Gabriel but the other hermana´s told us they were proud of our clean house.  thanks you, thank you. 

We had tons of lessons with new investigators this week.  One of which is called Ma-Flow.  Super name!

We went by the church on our way home to see who was at institute and Oly was there!  We didn´t have to ask her to go or anything.  We talked to Pollo about it later and he said Oly LOVES institute and is the biggest jokester in the class and always tries to make class last longer than the 2 hours it´s supposed to.  HAHAHA our timid, super shy Oly is the most talkative one in class!  way to go OLY!

Also in our meeting with Pollo we bought the other hermanas and Pollo these awesome colmado cookies we discovered but everyone just stared at us awkwardly and told us the name of these cookies is a bad word or something.  huh.. But we were just like well whatever we´re obviously still gonna eat these and still buy them because they rock.  (and we just point at things in colmados when we want stuff anyways) 

Saturday morning we took a gua gua into Azua for a servicio project.  We hiked to this mountain and looked over the edge and there was trash EVERYWHERE.  And I really mean everywhere.  It was crazy.  So we put on our gloves and started picking up everything.

There were giant cucurachas (cockroaches) everywhere and a million other bugs and broken beer bottles, old diapers, rotten fruit, bags, just about everything that would make one want to puke.  It was pretty disgusting.  After 3 ish hours we walked back to a church in Azua, put soap and clorox all over our hands, ate lunch and then then took a gua gua home.  It was about 4 when we got home so we just had to quickly change out of our gross clothes and into church clothes to go out for the day.  Which was unfortunate because we smelled like a mountain of trash....

We taught this referencia (referral) named Brian. He stared at us with his giant eyes and I don´t think he ever blinked.  

For our clase de ingles on Saturday night we taught how to have a phone conversation.  We taught them great lines like ¨what´s up¨ ¨hey you¨ ¨I´m stoked¨ and ¨see you later¨.  and we also taught them how to say ¨sorry I can´t go to class because I have to put my hair in rollers¨.  

On Sunday we had Conferencia de la Rama.  And guess who passed the sacrament?!?!?! .....GABRIEL!  he was so stoked and afterward he came up to us and signed passing the sacrament and we gave him thumbs up and he got the biggest smile.  

We had a great lesson with this girl named Comaillni and her parents after church who asked so many great questions and seemed really excited about having a prophet who leads and guides our church.  So... we´ll see how things go with them! 

Also a giant spider crawled down hna. Rush´s shirt last night... no thank you.  

I can´t believe it´s almost thanksgiving!  and then Christmas!  we´re trying to figure out what to make for thanksgiving since turkey isn´t really an option... we´ll probably eat I don't know, maybe rice and beans.  But we are actually gonna try to make a pie!  But I´m going to let hermana rush handle the pie once it´s made because my family knows what happened to the last pie I tried to carry down the stairs.... 

Anyways... that´s about it for this week!  thanks again for all of the support and prayers.  we can really feel them!

p.s. to clarify a couple of things..... a gua gua means two things.  One is a giant rickety bus with fancy curtains over the windows.  They´re actually super sketch and the drivers drive like it´s nobody´s business.  we usually only take those when it´s a long trip, like up to Padre Las Casas. The other gua gua that we ALWAYS take to Azua or the Juan Feliz house is just a truck.  But like 30 people pile into one truck which usually means 4 people in the front row, five in the second, and the rest on the back. So almost always hermana rush and I are sitting in the back of the truck.  And you don´t sit in the back of the truck, there´s obviously no room for that, you sit on the edge or sometimes stand and hold onto other people.  And then you fly down the rickety roads and hope you don´t fly off.  they´re really the best though because they get you places relatively fast without alot of money.  Also, gua guas are really the only cars.  Everyone else drives motors.  And like the gua guas, people pile on motors too.  Usually you see three people on the back of a motor, but we have seen seven people on a motor a coupld of times.  We also see a million people on motors holding their babies off the edge because there are also two other people behind them.  I´m guessing the reason we aren´t allowed on motors is a safety issue....

ok well anyways... love you all!

hermana huish 

ALL About Gabriel

Ok, seriously where to begin??
We taught Gabriel a TON this week.  Every time we go teach Gabriel we
have to draw out the lesson plans and bring the primary pictures to
help explain... (because we don't know sign language, he doesn't
exactly either, and he cant read)  so we easily spent over an hour a
day planning and drawing out the lessons just for Gabriel.  But the
work paid off because he was really getting it and understanding.
So we woke up and hurried on over to Gabriel's house (we have
to teach him in the mornings during our study time because he has
school at 12 in Azua).  We taught him the mandamientos and he was
pretty much understanding all of them.  But then we got to chastity...
How in the world do you draw out a picture of chastity???  So.. we
drew a pregnant lady and man in a house and crossed it out and then
drew the same picture with rings on their fingers and a picture of
them getting married first and circled that one.  ha.  But Hermana
Rush and I were still a little worried about how to explain the
picture so we looked over at Hector (Gabriel's brother who just got
back from his mission) and told him he could teach him chastity (we
told him he had to teach chastity mainly because he always makes fun
of our buns ontop of our heads and calls them UFO's)

we FINALLY saw the popsicle motor guy in our area when we
were walking to an appointment.  We never see him but the other
hermanas say they always do so we kinda freaked out and ran up to him
like 5 year olds.  And they were SO good too.  worth the 15 pesos.

Tonight we went to Gabriel's house to tell him we were coming
by the next morning again and he was super stoked to show us that
there were only three chains left on his baptism chain we had made for
him!   He's the cutest.

We went to teach Almando at the Juan Feliz's house after
lunch.  We caught a gua gua and took it out to their house ad once we
got there no one was home!  So we sat in Juan Feliz's car chair and
put our legs up on the table while we called Juan Feliz to see where
Almando was.  He said he was probably in Azua or something.. bummer.
We tried getting ahold of Almando and got nothing, so just as we were
about to have to walk 30 minutes home Juan Feliz pulls up in his truck
and tell sus to get in and drives us home!  He's the best.  Also, Juan
Feliz is super great because he doesn't text and drive.  He just stops
in the middle of the road when he needs to send a text and sits there
for as long as he needs.

We visited Oly and talked about scripture reading and the usual
preserverar hasta el fin spiel (persevere to the end). She's great.

Then we went to Pollo's house to talk about our Ward missionary
meeting and he told us Hector was planning on leaving for the temple
in Santo Domingo in the morning and he was going to leave for his
new job all the way in Santiago right after.... which means he'll miss
his own brtoher's baptism which he is supposed to be the baptizer at.
So we marched over to Hector's house (next door) and gave him a mini
boche and we were so ticked and Hector just said he needs this job so
he can move to California.  ugh
So... yeah Hermana Rush and I were seriously annoyed and just prayed
so hard that Gabriel's baptism won't fall through! because Gabriel has
been asking us for a month and a half when he'll get baptized and it
was finally happening!
(back story... Gabriel has been going to church for the past two years
and has wanted to become a member for forever but no one really did
anything about it because they were all waiting for Hector to get
home.  No missionaries every really tried to teach him either... we're
not sure why.  But because he can't hear no one really knew how.  So
when we started trying our best to teach him he asked EVERY time we
saw him when he can get baptized.  so sweet)

We went back to teach Almando, and there is nothing like
teaching an 80 year old the law of chastity!  But he's a classy old
man and really liked it all so it went pretty well!  But Juan Feliz
just laughed at us the whole time when we had to say awkward things!
But then Almando said he wants to get baptized.. like real soon!!  So
that's exciting!  he just wants to finish his divorce stuff which will
be over by the end of the week!

We taught Jonel who is super sweet and great.  And then his little 14
year old sister came out and we were talking to her and she was super
adorable and then we asked if she wanted to come to church on Sunday
and she said she couldn't because she would be in the capital and we
asked why and she said "oh because I live with my husband in the
capital"  WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!  yeah this stuff is actually semi normal
here.  but still.  We were shocked that this cute 14 year old that we
were thinking would be a great addition to our young womens was
actually married to a 27 year old and pregnant.  So crazy!  and
actually so sad.

ok now back to the good stuff......

BEST DAY OF MY DANG LIFE.
for reals.  So hermana rush and I woke up and quickly got ready to go
get Gabriel for his introvista.  We were praying that he wouldn't be
far from his house so we could find him quickly and when we turned the
corner he was already sitting waiting for us outside!  And then Hector
peered out the door!  Hector was here!!!  not in the capital or at his
job!  We thanked him for coming to his senses. Then the three of us
walked to the capilla and reviewd the book we put together of all the
drawings of the lessons.   Hermana Rush and called Quiroga to see
where he was and he said they actually couldnt make it!
WHAT!!  I literally screamed "what" and then in walks Quiroga laughin
his head off.  funy joke... not!

Then we all sat down and for Gabriel's introvista he taught us
EVERYTHING from the book.  And he did is perfectly.  It was
incredible.  Edler Quiroga kept saying how much Gabriel really knows
and we were like Yeah he's amazing!  It went really well and it was
great for Elder Quiroga and his companion to see how special Gabriel
is. Gabriel even made Quiroga's companion smile (and he's usually a
grump).
Anyways, Gabriel knew everything and all those frustrating days of
trying to teach him for hours and not getting anywhere totally paid
off!  After we finished and Gabriel prayed in his head to end Quiroga
said he had to call president.  We were super nervous because usually
when there's a special situation like Gabriel it's hard for everything
to be oked by president.  But then Quiroga came back in the room after
15 stressfull minutes for h. rush and I and was smiling super big!
He looked so proud of us and said that President wanted to thank us
for our hard work and that he could feel the spirit when Quiroga
talked to him about Gabriel.  Then he said President wants me to draw
out another book for him like the one we made Gabriel!  wow pressure!!
But anyways it was such a great feeling and the spirit was so strong
and cute Gabriel was super happy and we were super happy and it was
the best!
At  1:00 we cleaned the capilla and filled the pila with Hector, Pollo,
and Gabriel. At 3:00 we hurried and finally showered and ran to a
couple citas. Then we went to set up the church.  Gabriel and his
family showed up and then like the ENTIRE rama showed up.  It was
incredible to see everyone there!!  There were so many people we had
to move from the small room with the pila to the chapel for the
service!!
We watched two strenght for youth videos instead of talks so Gabriel
could watch them and he really seemed to love it!  Then hermana rush
shared a brief testimony and we all crowded into the other room for
the baptism!!  THEN GABRIEL FINALLY GOT BAPTIZED!!  it was so special
and my eyes were so watery and I tried so hard not to cry the whole
night.  Gabriel was beaming the rest of the night and it was so cute.
Then it was over and we handed out our famous cookies that have more
oil in them than should ever EVER be consumed, but whatever... (we make
these cookies for every district mtg and baptism and everyone dies
over them and it's great because people like me even if they can't
understand me that well..)

the most amazing young man I know!!!!

Sunday was super wonderful as well when Gabriel was confirmed.  He's
the cutest and I really care about him like he's my little brother.
Anyways... I know like all I talked about was Gabriel because i LOVE
HIM SO MUCH but we actually did have lessons with other people this
week.... We have a great investigator named Mira who let hermana rush
do her dishes while I taught her about the book of mormon and prayer.
haha it was actually super awesome though because she was so stoked
about her dishes being clean that she paid attention better than
usual.
Also about an hour ago hna rush and I were at the print shop to print
baptism pictures and an army guy came in for a picture and he didn't
know how to tie a tie and no one else in the room knew how to so I
stood up and tied his tie for him.  (not gonna lie I felt pretty
awesome that I knew how to tie a tie.) and that's definitely a GREAT
journal entry-  I tied an army man's tie today.
Anyways... Love you all and thanks for all the letters and packages!!!!
love
hermana huish

Gabriel disguised as a "rubio"

Gabriel getting baptized by his big brother, Hector

STRESS and More Stress

So.... last monday night at the Juan Feliz cabana we were teaching Almando about the difference between an ordenancia and a convenio.  Almando seemed a little confused and finally Juan Feliz told everyone to stop talking so he could "simply explain this".  I was super relieved until he started with "So let's say you were going to buy a solar panel..." oh no...:)   They are so great and are so earnest in their teaching!! And even though they can stress us out a little we love them for it. 

Monday night we tried to make homemade pizza!  It was a successfull first attempt.... 

Tuesday we taught this kid named Jonel but his real name is Grady.  His best friend showed up who is named Greibi (yeah, graby and greidi...) who turned out to be a menos activo!  We had a great lesson and both were super into it.  At the end of the lesson we noticed a guy sitting there and we went up to talk to him.  He said he listened to the whole lesson and loved it.  He said he'd seen us around before and everytime we're there he just feels good inside.  awwww!!!

We taught Eveni and Laudri, but they were a little unfocused and running around so we watched the joseph smith first vision on the computer (they have a computer!!!!) and they liked that a lot.  

Thursday we had intercambios with the Hermana Leader and her companion.  But there are so many hermanas that we didn't split up companionships one of them just went with us and the other with the latinas.  It was fun!  But that night hermna rush and I gave up our beds so they could sleep in them and slept on the floor.... oh my heck worst decision of my life!  for some reason it didn't cross my mind that sleeping on a cold tile floor with nothing underneath you and no pillow to cushen your head would actually be super uncomfortable.  We didn't sleep a wink:( 

What makes that even better is the next morning we had introvistas with Presidente Rodriguez!  We all bucket showered and took a gua gua to Azua.  There we received packages (THANKS MOM FOR THE CLIFF BARS AND CRYSTAL LIGHT!! ) and talked with our zone.  Then President arrived and gave a mini devotional and then we started with the interviews while Hermana Rodriguez talked to us.  Hermana Rush and I told her that we went to the same high school before and have known each other since we were three and now we're companions and she FREAKED out.  She was stoked.  Then I told her that my mom served in Santiago and knew who she was, the 14 yr old daughter of the super star family in Santiago, and she LOVED that!!  It seriously made her day, she was jumping up and down and kept saying it's a small world!!  Finally, at 4-ish we each had a 5 minute interview and then got ourselves some lunch at an actual kind of restaurant in Azua and we brought President a frozen chinola because it was his birthday! 

Saturday..... the most stressfull day of my dang life.

Hermana Rush and I helped Presidente Feliz deap clean the whole capilla which took a million years and then we started filling the pila.  

We had district meeting and after Oly had her introvista with Elder Quiroga.

Then we went home and made cookies for the baptism and it was so hot in the kitchen and we actually hadn´t had time or water to shower in a couple of days so we looked pretty gross...

Then we went to visit Maria and she wasn´t there so we talked to Hector for a bit and he was blasting his missionary EFY music and singing his heart out and it was awesome.

Then we ran home and grabbed the last minute stuff for the baptism and went to the church at 5:30 and the baptism was scheduled for 6.  

when we got there the pila was empty.  EMPTY!!!

we freaked mainly because it had taken 5 horas to fill up that morning and we only had thirty minutes.

presidente helped us hook up every hose we could find the all the bathrooms and everything and somehow we were able to fill the font in 45 minutes! 

Oly obviously showed up right at 6 (but it was fine because in the DR being on time is usually being about 30 minutes late...) so not everyone was there yet either.  

We knew she was ready but she is just so shy and timid that the thought of getting baptized infront of 40 people was killing her.  

I don´t really know how, but she stayed... and the second she got under that water hermana rush and I were SO relieved and happy and Oly was grinning from ear to ear and it was so exciting.  OLY ACTUALLY GOT BAPTIZED PEOPLE! And she was so happy, which of course, makes us so happy!   

During church we had to talk to a million people to figure out stuff for Gabriel´s baptism, which is gonna really happen this Saturday probably!  He is something special alright.  Everytime we see him he asks when he´ll actually get baptized (in sign) and we keep having to push back his date because of his mom who is always not ready and were praying this is the week!  He´s super happy and we made him a countdown chain!

Well, that´s really it for this week.  It´s been a stressfull one!  But today we´re just going to sleep and do absolutely nothing which rocks.  

Love you all!!!